Anyone knowledgeable able about antibiotics about ?

[wolfywolfy]

Hi everyone.
As I am housebound at the moment I thought I would try out the E Consult on my surgeries website. I have had lower back pain and suspected I may have a u.t.i.
I was told they would contact me and they never did. Instead prescribed me Nitrofurantoin.
I am worried to take it incase I don't actually have an infection. How do they diagnose this if they don't check urine ? I'm a bit confused.
So. Is it safe to take this even if I don't have a UTI ?
My lower back is really painful and I do want to get it sorted but worried incase is something else and I'll damage myself taking medication I don't need.
Thanks a lot

Why is the drug going to hurt you unless you are one of the very rare people who has side effects? In which case you would stop taking it immediately.

It's an antibacterial which works against some bacterias, specifically those that cause UTIs. You will have received a prescription for one fairly short course only.

In the meantime, if you do have a UTI, it is not getting any better and may well be causing further problems - such as travelling up your ureters to your kidneys.

Take it.

Im just wondering if you can take it if turns out you don't have a urine infection ? Can it harm you ?
Thanks for the advice.

I said: Why is the drug going to hurt you unless you are one of the very rare people who has side effects? In which case you would stop taking it immediately.

So, no, it won't hurt you. It will kill off any other infection you might have and don't know about :-).

Hope you feel better soon.

So, no, it won't hurt you. It will kill off any other infection you might have and don't know about :-).

Not quite. Antibiotics have an impact on the stomach. They don’t work on infections caused by viruses or on bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics (thanks to people taking antibiotics unnecessarily).

Thankyou I'm all better now lol and took them.
Think I had some mild anxiety over it !
Thanks again

Thanks for questioning. I'm a bit concerned/surprised they prescribed you antibiotics as a first line without knowing for sure it was infection - we are supposed to be combating antibiotic resistance. Thanks for your conscience!