There are 811 ratings for the drug: MACROBID in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for macrobid: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

Page: 1  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    Results are sorted by Gender with males listed first.

Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken and Dosage		Date Added
				F  M
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4	uti	fuzzier thinking than usual; malaise or mildly crummy feeling; progressive sleeplessness; unusually strong leg spasms; disturbing chest tightness and activity very early this morning.	the med has helped uti, but the coincidental (?) side effects are unnerving enough to check out drug on internet! Debating on taking remainder of 10 day Rx.	M	61	5 days		10/30/2008
4	Urinary Tract Infection	fatigue	I have read some serious side effects from this drug, the only side effect i have felt though is fatigue and i would take it again in a minute if it will clear up a UTI!	M	28	7 days		5/27/2008
4	Chronic Epidydimitis	Non-itchy hives	Helped immediately. Was given a 10 day course 14 days before my epidydemectomy. The pain was gone after the second dose (first day) and returned after the first day I was off the Macrobid	M	32	10 days		8/31/2008 Email
4	Bladder Infection	Mild stomach ache with ocassional stomach cramps, mild to moderate fatigue.	Was prescribed Nitrofurantoin Mono/Mac, the generic form of Macrobid for an acute bladder infection that developed 3 weeks after being operated on for bladder cancer. Also had to have a stint put in my bladder to protect the site where the cancerous tumor was removed during the same surgery. Pain and nausea from the pressure of the stint in my bladder since the surgery 3 weeks ago has been indescribeable and goes well beyond the threshold level of 10 on a 1 to 10 scale for pain & suffering. Have somehow survived it all so far and the stint will finally be surgically removed 5 days from now IF THE MACROBID CLEARS UP THE BLADDER INFECTION IN TIME! So, I'm really counting on the Microbid to do what it is supposed to do...otherwise, surgery to remove the stint will have to be postponed until the bladder infection clears up. My Macrobid dosage is 100 mg twice a day for 10 days. Was previously prescribed Bactrim which resulted in only minimal improvement in clearing up the infection. Have been on the Macrobid approaching 3 days now with 7 more to go before finishing the 20 capsule prescription. At this point, other than experiencing some mild nausea and ocassional stomach cramps for about an hour or so after each dose, haven't had any severe side-effects or adverse reactions to this drug.	M	57	3 days		8/26/2009
3	UTI	Tightness in chest. Occasional elevated pulse rate.	The side effects are scary. Other than that it seems to do the job for me.	M	49	5 days		9/29/2008
3	Bladder infections	I only took this medication for 4 out of the 5 prescribed days. My bladder infection cleared up immediately but I experienced extreme fatigue, disorientation and confusion. I could not do simple tasks without making a mistake and needed to sleep off the medication. It worked but I would ask my doctor to prescribe a different medication next time.		M	21	4 days		11/24/2008
3	UTI	Flatulence, headache, dizziness, mild to moderate flu-like symptoms which included: body aches, mild mood change, perceptual changes, mild sore throat, runny nose, headache, etc. Also had some difficulty concentrating.	It did seem to help with the UTI. I felt OK the first 3 days then started feeling like I had the flu. Took for 6 days then stopped as side effects were getting worse. Side effects began to abate about 14 hours after my last pill.	M	47	6 days		2/19/2009
3	Prostate Infection	Heart palpitations, light headed, occasional vague chest pain, insomnia.	ANY ANTIBIOTIC FOR A UTI MUST BE TAKEN FOR A MINIMUM of six weeks to be effective, according to my urologist. Works quickly but doesn't finish the job for me. The heart palpitations are unsettling.	M	53	6 weeks 30mg 1X D		2/23/2010
3	Urinary tract infection	Dizziness, nausea, and stinging sensations in the bladder area.	These are those pink capsules Side 1 : Z Zenith 100 Side 2 : 2131 I weight around 190.	M	33	2 days 100 mg 4X D		3/24/2010
2	UTI	I have a seven day dosage but have been on it for two days and have been really depressed. doctor gave it to me since cipro didn't seem to work (i get uti's alot). i snapped at everyone all day and have been zoning out. also got dizzy when i closed my eyes laying on a hammock (which doesn't usually happen to me).		M	33	2 days 100 2X D		3/21/2010
2	UTI	blood in stool, stomach pain	Felt better before taking this...waiting to hear what they'll put me on now	M		2 days		2/27/2009
2	UTI	Right after I took the first dose, I started feeling nausea, fever, severe headaches, muscle pains, abdominal cramps/pains, lethargy and a skin-crawling sensation. 3 days after taking this medication, pinpoint red spots broke out from my cheeks all the way down to my legs. Most of the systemic side effects subsided within a day of stopping this medication. Definitely DO NOT recommend!	It did cure my UTI after a single dose, but the side effects were too great.	M	28	3 days		3/14/2009
2	UTI	Extreme Nausea & Pounding Migraines	I recommend asking the Doc for something else. I was miserable from day one of taking this. Try lots of fluids and cranberry juice. Avoid the feeling of the "Flu". It's awful.	M	23	5 days		12/16/2008
2	prostatitis due to resistant staph	General weakness, fatigue, chills, head ache, and back pain.	Were running out of drug options here, as few anti bacterials can penetrate the prostate wall. Macrobid is known to NOT have that quality. My Md suggested we try it anyway because there's not much left to try. The next option is levaquin, which can be much worse in the side effects dept. Unfortunately, I don't think macrobid is doing the job.	M		5 days		4/24/2007 Email
2	To treat potential UTI -on catheter	After being in a head-on car accident, I experienced a broken left pelvis that resulted in the use of a catheter for 17-days. Now home and docter started me on generic Macrobid to treat a potential UTI (no symptoms like elev temp or back pain) pending urine culture results. But after taking only two 100 mg doses with food on the first day, I woke up at 3 AM with lower lip edema & numbness, slightly swollen eyes, and several itchy hives on my arms & legs. Then, since Macrobid is a time-released product, I woke up today with a swollen upper lip, swollen left wrist (watch band was tight), and a couple of more itchy hives on my arms and legs. Now taking OTC generic Benadryl every 4-6 hrs and it seems to reduce the swelling & itching side effects	I'm 50 yo and until now, I never have had an allergic reaction to any prescription drug. Does anyone out there know if Macrobid is a sulfa based drug, or do you have any idea or experience why I had an allergic reaction to it after taking only two 100 mg doses in 1-day ??	M	50	1 days		5/11/2007 Email
2	UTI	I took a 7 day supply, and beginning on the 8th day I started breaking out in hives on my head and neck REALLY bad. I woke up with my eyes almost swollen shut, and had to go to the ER to get adrenaline, benadryl, and cortisone. It helped for that day, but I still have spotty itching 3 weeks later. To make it worse, I'm breastfeeding, so taking the other meds affected my milk supply!	I took while I was pregnant, and had a mild reaction which I thought was dietary. I will never take this again.	M	37	7 days		10/4/2004 Email
1	UTI	Shortness of breath! Chest pain. Dizziness. Headaches. Fatigue.	At first it was just headaches and fatigue. But what scared the crap out of me was the shortness of breath. Chest pain. Dizziness. I'm going to the doctor right now to find out why this is happening. I just stopped taking the medication yesterday after I realized that it wasn't worth it for all the side effects it was causing.	M	29	6 days		4/20/2007 Email
1	UTI Possible Prostatitis	After taking the medication for a week I experienced rectal bleeding. Colonoscopy determined I had a unspecific colitis. Stopped the medication, the colitis cleared up. Several months later, another UTI, doctor gave me the same medication again, same results. I'll never take it again		M	67	7 days		10/15/2007
1	uti	extremely itchy hives all over my body after taking it for a week. Stopped taking it last Thursday and here it is Monday and I still have horrible itchy hives. Was prescribed prednisone last thursday and almost done with pack and still not helping. Also taking benadryl every 4 hours.	This medication sucks. I cant get rid of itch hives after stopping it 4 days ago. I am suffering with itchy hives and have bad indigestion/heartburn from it as well. Not going away and starting to get anxious as to when this reaction will subside. I have almost finished my prednisoe pack and it is still very much here with hives and intense itching. This medication is awful. I am also allergic to sulfa drugs.	M	41	7 days		2/2/2009 Email
1	UTI	nausea, chills, fever, intense headache, achy, bloody stools (3rd day - diarhrea), lethargic, drowsiness AND restlessness.	Prescribed for UTI (1st one in 25 yrs). UTI better almost immediately BUT I felt miserable. Went to Dr. on 4th day - not my usual doctor but their urgent care fill-in. He said exactly what others said! "It isn't the Macrobid, must be the flu that is going around but just in case you can off it - 90% effective in clearing up UTIs after 3 days". The day I stopped taking it I felt better wi thin 6 hrs and 48 hrs later am back at work after taking 3 days sick time. The urgent care dr was going to have me do a colonoscopy but I had one four months ago and was totally normal so he decided that wasn't the cause of bloody stool. I am not a drug rep and have never had such a reaction before to a med. Will not take this med again.	M	54	3 days		10/29/2007
1	UTI	Trouble breathing, eventually developed a rash body aches	took Macrobid at 7:00pm. At 2:00am woke up and could not breathe. Felt like I had Pneumonia or something. Went to the ER and they did chest xray. My heart rate was high and would not go down so they did a cat scan of my chest. They sent me home treating me for Bronchitits and told me to continue the Macrobid. I ended up feeling bad for 2 more days. I ended up missing 2 doses and felt better. Started taking again and again woke up with not being able to breathe. This time I developed a rash and knew right away what was wrong. Thinking back, I remember being treated for a UTI (with a past GYNE) and after taking it, woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I had food poisoning. I could not lift my head off the pillow. I only took one dose that time and told the Dr. that I did not want to take it anymore. That time the Dr. said I must have the flu or something. I am almost certain that this was Macrobid. Scary Scary. It has been a week since I have taken it and I s	M	42	3 days		1/14/2008
1	UTI	Vomiting,chills,pressure headache,fullness in chest and pain in right side, belching, lethargy, no appetite	Day 1: 3 hours after the pill i had chills and was vomiting. I slept all night. After the second pill I had a pressure headache, also behind my nose. I felt weak, exhausted, zero appetite, nausea. Day 3 I began to have uncomfortable chest fullness with belching and intermittant pain on the right side and thought I was having heart trouble so I called my doctor and she switched me to Cipro. I only took 4 pills and I had 10 to go, i shouldn't have to feel that bad after just 4 pills. I fully expect nausea and such with a drug but i felt horrible. I hope the cipro works ok, so far after 1 pill no effects. I'm allergic to ceclor and have a strong family history of deathly allergy to sulfa so I am limited in my treatment. I don't think I could have survived 5 more days, I definately couldn't go to work	M	33	3 days		3/1/2008
1	post surgical prophylactic antibiot	I developed a Clostridium difficile infection (c.diff) after taking this medication, one of the worst health experiences of my life.	I would recommend that you stop takeing this med immediately and contact your physician if you develop a fever and/or diarrhea after starting this med.	M	58	3.5 days 100 mg 2X D		5/11/2010
1	Suspected UTI	Brief vertigo, leg, stomach and abdominal cramps, sore throat, tiredness and stomach gas.	I was prescribed this medication as a precaution for suspected UTI, as mentioned before. Within a couple of hours of taking the medication, the side effects began. By the third day I had enough. My doctor told me to stop taking the medication if I wished, and did so immediately. A half day later, the side effects are largely gone. It made life miserable for me, and being a sometimes overly-cautious person, also full of doubts and worries. After seeing the doctor again, the mentioned side effects slowly began to wear off when I followed her advice and stopped taking the pills. I consider myself (in comparison to others who have commented here) as fortunate. I never felt truly awful and was still able to move about and think clearly save for some brief moments. Still, Macrobid has the ability to make your day miserable or worse. I would stay away from it if you have the option to, it's not worth the trouble.	M	27	3 days 100 2X D		5/18/2010
1	UTI	Nausea, vertigo, light sensitiivty, changed taste sensation [ie: couldn't stand coffee anymore which I loved and was hooked on] ears ringing with ocean sound, fever [chills and heated], mild chest aches [have had two heart attacks previously so am sensitive to this, ie sets off warning bells in my head]	a very nasty med and i have taken many meds over the years, this has to be the worst	M	55	7 days 100 mg 2X D		5/23/2010 Email
1	Urinary Tract Infection	I have RSD(Reflex Sympathetic Dystropy -- chronic pain) which happened to be in remission at the time I started Macrobid. After taking five pills, I developed a return of the RSD symptoms full blown. This medication is dangerous and should be removed from the market. If I could rate it a zero, I would do so.		M	64	3.5 days		5/11/2006
1	UTI	Shortness of breath cheast pain, thought i was going to die. very bad side affects!	Took total of 2 pills.	M	27	2 times		1/10/2006
1	UTI			M	64	4 days		3/25/2006
1	UTI	I took it for a UTI, and kept being dizzy and "disconnected". Since I had just started taking Ephexor for anxiety, I thought it was from that. It didn't occur to me until after 5 days that it might be the antibiotic! I figured it out and stopped immediately--and the next day (I took the last one about 7pm the previous day) I was so dizzy I had to stay home from work and just wait for it to run through my system. This is a HORRIBLE drug...the feeling is just terrible, and I've NEVER had a problem with reactions to drugs. I don't know why this drug is even still in the market. I have a friend who's a doctor in Guatemala, and he said they don't even use it there! DO NOT take this antibiotic! I'd rather have the UTI!!		M	25	5 days		10/5/2007
1	UTI	With in 1 hour of taking first dose i started sneezing over and over. After my sneeze attack died down i drove to work. On the way there my head began to itch really bad. thought it was my new shampoo. The symptoms increased and a rapid rate and within 10 minutes my body broke out in hives. Got to work and washed hair in sink. Noticed welts all over my body and face swollen and deformed. Taken to ER and given 4 different shots. right before being treated my right hand was loosing color and looked blue and i was short of breath.	I have taken this drug sense I was 15 and had my first UTI. this is the first time that I took generic and I can't help but think that it made a difference. The doctors seem to think the drugs are the same. iF thats the case what is it that happened to me. i'm scared to eat or drink any of the same things I did within 48 hours . don't know what to do?	M	27	1 days		2/28/2006 Email
1	suspected UTI	dry throat, tingling sensation in hands, metalic taste in mouth, difficulty breathing, cold sores (lower lip) boke out immediatly, heavy chest with girgling sound when breathing.	I have taken antibiotics twice before in the past, but have not had any side effects. It seems I 'm not the only one who has experienced and continues to experirnce nerve and lung problems. I read the warnings but thought they wouldn't happen to me, obviouly I was wrong!!!!!!!!!!	M	34	3.5 days		1/15/2007 Email
1	UTI	Itching all over including palms and feet more than 7 days after I finished the prescription. I'm on day 5 of the itching.	I had an anaphylactic response to sulfa which is why I took Macrobid.	M	34			4/27/2009
1	uti	At the end of the dosage period, I started getting severe hives on my arms and hands, which then spread to my whole body. Within a day, I experienced severe swelling in my hands, face and throat and went into anaphylactic shock. I went to the ER and received Epidrine - this happened three times before they determined it was a reaction to Macrobid.	I am also allergic to Sulfa drugs and would strongly caution anyone with Sulfa drug allergies to avoid this at all costs. This was one of the most horrible experiences I have encountered.	M	50	5 days		9/2/2008
1	bladder infection	After only two pills I had a fever,chills, aches,pains and cramps in my legs. It was worse than any flu that I have experienced. I could barely walk and I thought I was going to die.	This drug is poison and should be off the market! The doctors and nurses at offices give prescriptions not warning people that these drugs have life threatening side effects.	M	63	1 days		8/23/2009
1		Never take this med!	This medication is very dangerous. This is apparently a fact that is well known throughout the medical field. One dose can be harmful. I see some people commenting on having no side effects, those people should consider themselves very lucky. It is only a matter of time before it is taken off the market. Meanwhile people are being hurt by this drug. Thank goodness for forums like these, if I hadnt found it we never would have figured out what was wrong with my wife. There are so many other meds that can be used to treat UTI's. why even bother.	M	30	1 days		1/7/2010
5	UTI	Drowsiness, and a little gassy.	The bladder infection, or UTI, itself is a miserable thing to have. So I can endure the side effects as long as it will cure the infection. I was lucky—the side effects were low. The one I seemed to have was drowsiness, although I can’t tell if its from the medication, or the infection itself. Take this medication with food and if taking it twice a day, be sure to take it like clock work. I felt improvements with my UTI within the second dose. By the time my week was over, and my meds gone, I seemed to be cured if the UTI completely!	F	31	7 days		1/5/2010
5	UTI	None	I've taken this every time I get a UTI and have never noticed a single side effect. I could easily write horrific reviews about Pennicillin and Sulfa drugs because I'm ALLERGIC to those. It's not the drug or the dr. that's the issue if you're allergic. I've been on this with every UTI. years and years back and am on day 3 of it now.	F	36	5 years		1/5/2010
5	Continuous UTI's	NONE - Scared to death of what others had posted, but I have no issues whatsoever.	Feel soo much better after taking this medicine, I have more energy, sleep well and instant results.	F	37	10 days		11/3/2009 Email
5	UTI prevention	no side effects	This has been a wonder drug for me, Have been taking macrobid daily for 2 years and have not had a UTI since.	F	38	2 days		8/20/2009
5	UTI	Sleepy and tired, but that could have been from recent surgery.	I had a laproscopic hysterectomy on Sept. 23rd. Then, on Oct 6, I was diagnosed with a UTI. I was given macrobid and after reading this forum, I ALMOST didn't start it because, frankly, this scared me. I wanted to let everyone know that not everyone has the bad reaction described by so many on here. I was tired and sleepy, and felt like my brain was in a fog, but otherwise, there were none of the horrible side effects described by so many here.	F	44	7 days		10/14/2009
5	UTi	None	After reading patient reviews, I was loathe to try Macrobid as I've had violent reactions to other antibiotics (Avelox, Bactrim, Cipro). This is day 5 of 6 and I have felt no adverse effects so far. Crossing fingers.	F	59	5 days		7/28/2009
5	UTI	i never had any problems with this drug.I am allergic to sulfa drugs so they prescribed macrobid 100 mg. i was told to take one pill every 12 hours for 3 days and to take it with food. it cleared my infection up just fine and never had any side effects.		F	23	3 days		7/29/2009
5	UTI	none - my pharmacist advised me to make sure I take it with a full meal. Eat half my meal, take the pill and then finish eating. Taking before the meal or right after doesn't offer the same buffering as taking it midway through the meal. Also to make sure to drink loads of water !	Will take again if needed Macrobid 100mg 2x's a day	F	46	7 days		7/3/2009
5	UTI	loss of appetite, tiredness	Was taking this before I found out I needed something else so I was then given Cipro. That was a horrendous story of itself. Macrobid was awesome and the loss of appetite wasn't a bad thing. No other side effects at all other than being tired. Everyone is different so don't take these reviews too personal.	F	27	7 days		8/22/2009
5	UTI	None	I was TERRIFIED to take this medication after reading the reviews here and avoided using it for a few days hoping my UTI would go away. I had to take Ativan before my first pill. However, it turned out that I had no side effects. I think it's important to remember that when somebody has a neutral, or good, or only mildly bad, experience with a medication, they often give little thought to the drug and thus don't think to review the medication online.	F	27	5 days		9/12/2008
5	UTI	None	This drug is awesome! I didn't experience any side effects & it seemed to clear up my infection with a day. I can't believe so many people on here experienced so many horrible side effects. I highly recommend this drug for a UTI.	F	35	7 days		9/14/2008
5	UTI	Made my pee green	Got rid of my UTI and I didn't have any noticeable side effects or problems with it... looking at this page I guess I was very lucky.	F	21	5 days		5/29/2009
5	recurring bladder infections	none	I have been on MACROBID 100mg daily for prevention of UTI'S for almost two years. It worries me being on the antibiodic for so long but it has kept the infections away, I have had no side effects at all.	F	52	600 days		6/20/2009
5	UTI - Recurrent	None at all.	I take it for recurrent UTI's. I have to start taking it for 1 month (30 days) to help heal my bladder from all the damage that was done by all the frequent UTI's I had. And then anytime I have sex, I need to take it once after sex and the following day.	F	37	30 days		1/16/2007
5	UTI	slight diarrhea but the Bactrim I had been taking beforehand had caused constipation so I'm not complaining	I was first prescribed Bactrim for a mild UTI. Six days into the prescription I was climbing the walls, the infection had gotten so bad. The urgent care doctor said that he'd seen a number of patients with infections that were immune to Bactrim even if the patient themselves rarely took anti-biotics. Two days into my generic macrobid prescription and I feel human again. Wish I'd gotten this the first time I saw a doctor. I will be asking for it next time.	F	35	2 days		7/20/2006
5	UTI	No side effects at all.	Very effective.	F	52	7 days		2/2/2007
5	UTI	none.....unless taken without food or milk....causing upset stomach	Works great with me....always clears up any infection.	F	23	3 days		7/28/2006
5	UTI	none	Have had only positive reactions to the drug. First antibotic which didn't make me feel like I had an imaging problem and lack of focus. Have reoccuring UTIs and this is the first antibiotic which didn't cause side effects or make me feel disfunctional. Has been my antibiotic of choice for years.	F	35	7 days		6/10/2006
5	Bladder Infection/UTI	Just mild stomach upset .. take with food & water to prevent.	I have been on this probably 3 times before. I seem to get about 3-4 UTI's a year. I didn't realize you could just take one before/after sex? Either way, it does work very, very fast. I'd say in less than 24 hours you will notice a huge decrease in pain.	F	22	7 days		1/12/2007
5	UTI	Mild tummy ache if taken on an empty stomach. I take it after sex to prevent recurring UTI. Never had a problem.	I don't believe that the symptoms listed here by other visitors are by and large caused by macrobid. You have to know more about people's health in general and how well they take care of themselves before you can take their word for it. www.bfl.com	F	34	10 times		10/11/2005
5	UTI	I have Interstitial Cystitis and have very resistant chronic infections so was given 30 day course of Macrobid. Already felt sick when I started Macrobid so hard to judge side effects. 4 days after starting Macrobid diagnosed with pneumonia (chronic problem -- have some immune problems not understood yet) and had to take Avelox for this. Felt extremely nauseous but can't blame Macrobid for this. Stopped taking it for a few days (didn't tell doctor) because I just couldn't tolerate two drugs at once. Went back to Macrobid later and finished course of medicine. It made me nauseous and feel like I had the flu, but it worked well. It knocked out the bladder infection completely.		F	61	30 days		2/17/2006 Email
5	urinary tract infection			F	38	5 days		8/5/2005
5	UTI	Macrobid, for me, was very effective and safe. Unlike others like Bactrim and Cipro with major side effects, Macrobid was fine for me.	I recommend taking Macrobid for a UTI.	F	25	4 days		10/18/2006
5	To Prevent Chronic UTI's	None	At about the age of 19 I started getting UTI's. About 3 years ago I finally went to a uroligist who prescribed me Macrobid. I have since been taking a Macrobid every time I have sex. Since I have been on the Macrobid, I have only had to go to the doctor one time for a UTI. This drug has helped me so much!	F	33	3 years		10/21/2006
5	UTI	none	absolutely no side-effects. the UTI pain is subsiding and my energy is back. thank goodness for this medication. i take a few other medications daily (yaz & concerta), and i notice the side-effects of those more than with this antibiotic.	F	24	7 days		9/16/2006
5	UTI	I experienced no side effects from the medication, however I was actively miscarrying at the time and could have missed some or thought it was related to the pregnancy-loss.	Cleared it up rather quickly with no side effects.	F	20	3 days		1/22/2006
5	UTI	None at all		F	35	4 days		2/7/2006
5	UTI	None at all		F	35	4 days		2/7/2006
5	UTI	A little bit of the sour-stomach feeling, headaches/lightheadedness, all-over soreness, sore throat, and extreme fatigue.	It worked and was worth the mild side effects.	F	22	7 days 100 MG 2X D		8/19/2010
5	UTI	I recall having a sore stomach at one point but it went away. No noticeable side effects other than that.	I recommend and it cleared the infection	F	23	7 days 100 mg 2X D		8/25/2010
5	UTI	No problems at all.	I read these comments before I started taking this medication, and was kind of reluctant to start. Thankfully, I experienced nothing like the effects posted here, and it resolved the UTI.	F	53	7 days		12/5/2005
5	UTI/kidney pain	ZERO - None at all from the Macrobid. There's a big difference between a true side effect and a coincidence. Possibly some of the side effects listed by other people were related to their infection, not the medication. And I am a Certified Pharmacy Technician, too.	Works like a dream. No more kidney pain after only one day on Macrobid.	F	35	7 days		3/1/2006
5	UTI	depressed, extremely tired, irratable, watery eyes, upset stomach so make sure to eat.	it sucks, but ultimately works -i get chronic UTI's and I havent had one in almost a year because I take 1 cran-max pill a day (Offered by life extention foundation) they make the best and most homeopathic vitamens -i had just stopped taking it bcuz i really thought i would never get one again.)	F	26	3 days		3/15/2006 Email
5	UTI	Immediately after taking a dose, I experienced a minor amount of lightheadedness/dizziness, sometimes accompanied with a light headache. Within an hour though, this would clear completely. I made sure to take it with food and milk and experienced no unpleasant stomach symptoms.	This is a very strong medicine that can have serious consequences, however, for the amount of prescriptions filled each year for Macrobid, those who experience serious side effects are considered rare. Also, remember that MOST people who come to report about their experiences with drugs on the internet are doing so because of a negative experience they have had. Those who take the drug with no effects don't typically research it online and make claims against it. Macrobid for me was a good experience with only minor discomfort and it knocked my infection out in only 6 pills!	F	34	3 days		3/4/2006
5	UTI	DO NOT TAKE GENERIC MACROBID! Nitrofurantoin Mono/Mac 100mg caps. It made my blood pressure drop to 85/49. I felt faint, dizzy, lightheaded, and it didn't make my UTI feel better after 4 days. Macrobid Name brand is the medicine to take, generic is junk. My nails were blue at times and had numbness in my hands and legs. The same happened to my daughter. I am wondering if all of the complaints of side effects are because people are using the generic instead of the brand.	Great drug to clear UTI	F	52	5 days 100 mg 2X D		7/10/2010
5	UTI	Absolutely none.	I get UTIs almost monthly. They always put me on Macrobid and it always cures me completely! I've never had any problems and I'm clearly a frequent user	F	17	7 days 100 2X D		7/14/2010
5	UTI	No side effects.	This is a great medication for me. I drank 1-2 cups of coffee per day. I took the meds with food and drank lots of water. No side effects at all, and cleared up the infection.	F	32	7 days 100 2X D		7/20/2010
5	UTI	None.	Stopped the burning feeling when peeing very quickly.	F	19	7 days 100MG 2X D		7/22/2010
5	recurring bladder infections	None that I know of but if I don't take it I will have bladder infection with in 3 weeks. Have have bladder surgery twice and bladder tilts so it never completly empties.		F	59	14 years 100 mg 1X D		7/21/2010
5	kidney infection	I have been on this medication for 5 days and have not had any adverse or negative reactions. I take it with milk or a small snack and with no problems. My symptoms have cleared tremendously and if I have another infection I won't hesitate to take it.	IT IS GREAT!!	F	44	10 days 100 mg 2X D		5/7/2010
5	UTI	None	I have been put on this for many UTIs and now use it as a preventative after intercourse. I've never had any problems with it. I would advise to take this at least 4 hours away any vitamins or probiotics as that can cause the medication to not work as well or at all.	F	22	4 years		1/27/2010
5	kidney infection	The only side effect I experienced was a little bit of drowsiness- this was only when I took it with milk. This never happened when I took it with a full meal.	I was very nervous about taking it after reading all of the horrible reviews. I read ALL of the drug information thoroughly-knew of the POTENTIAL side effects and decided that it must work for some people or it wouldn't be available. I'm glad I did- this drug started to relieve my symptoms by the 2nd day. I've been taking it for 6 days and feel like myself again. I'll finish the prescription (10 days) just to make sure the infection is completely cleared up. I feel bad for anyone that had an allergic reaction-I know it must be miserable. For any skeptics ( I was one of them)- I suggest you READ EVERYTHING enclosed with your meds., and pay attention to any changes in your body. I'm thrilled this drug worked for me with none of the hideous side effects.	F	38	6 days		1/29/2010
5	uti	slight nausea first hour after taking it other wise none	worked great for me almost no side effects little nauseous after taking it for an hour but well worth the risk compared to uti cleared up my infection quickly i would take it again	F	41	10 days		3/19/2008
5	UTI	None at all	Am very sensitive to antibiotics but had none with this.	F	33	7 days		3/20/2008
5	UTI	None. It worked like a gem. And of all people, I can say I do not have much faith in certain meds, but Macrobid rocked. It got rid of my UTI pains within an hour or two of taking the first dose. I would take it again... in a heartbeat!	GOOD STUFF! Don't let other people's comments scare you from using this prescription. Plain and simple - it works!	F	26	7 days		3/26/2008
5	UTI	None	Most of the people complaining about this medication are probably allergic to it. If you experience an allergic reaction, I recommend taking Benedryl and then discontinuing the antibiotics. I am allergic all Sulfas and Ciprofloxacin. Macrobid is the only one that has been effective for me recently. Just because other people have had problems with it does not mean you should discount this drug. If you continue to experience UTI symptoms after taking Macrobid, ask your doctor for an antibiotic with broader tissue distribution because chances are that the bacteria is still present and was never completely eliminated.	F	22	7 days		12/5/2007
5	UTI	No side effects	I am allergic to sulfa, so was prescribed Macrobid. I read all the terrible ratings on this site, so I was forewarned. Then I did my part - taking it with full meals and water twice a day, and it did its part, making me better.	F	76	7 days		12/18/2007
5	Recurring Kidney Infection - Lupus	headache, nausea, constant urination/loose bowels, dizziness, extreme sleeping	Med works wonderfully for infections, use it on a regular basis. If taken with buttermilk and bread, mostly eliminates stomach problems. Maalox also helps. The Herxheimer Reaction is indeed the reason for most physical discomfort, second poster about this symptom was too limited in her definition, as it also applies to antibiotics. Regardless of the "side effects", this medication is prolonging my limited kidney function, as well as my life. The side effects are temporary; permanent damage to your kidneys or bladder is not. If not experiencing true allergic symptoms, is worth it to ride out side effects if possible.	F	42	9 times		4/21/2007
5	UTIs - frequent		I have had frequent UTIs for years, and started taking Macrobid when I discovered I am allergic to Sulfa meds. I have taken Macrobid many, many times; and have learned that you must take it with a meal to avoid stomach upset, which also increases the effectiveness. I am now on prophylactic Macrobid, to prevent any more UTIs, and it has been wonderful! I am surprised and sorry to see so many bad experiences with this drug, as it has really saved me from a lot of agony!	F	46	30 times		11/19/2007
5	UTI	Took this medication twice- mixed symptoms.	The first time I took Macrobid, no problems.. cured my UTI and felt better by the end of the 1st day of using it. 2nd time I took the Macrobid, hands flared up... swollen to no end! I went in to urgent care and after explaining to them that I wasn't on any other meds.. the only thing I did all day was go tanning at a salon, the doctor chuckled and told me that I cannot tan while on this medication and should stay out of the sun as much as possible. After prednisone to reduce my swelling and benedryl to follow, he told me to continue and finish my prescription. I did and another success of clearing my UTI. I am now on another round of Macrobid (by request), after having 2 recurring bladder infections where the doctor prescribed cipro, which never completely cleared up my 2 UTIs which began in Jan of 09. I think that everyone will have their own experiences with Macrobid obviously, but there are a lot of precautions that you MUST take while taking this medication for it to be a success. Swelling WILL most likely occur if you spend enough time in the sun while on this medication, or warmer temperatures. You have to follow the instructions, don't drink coffee if you can avoid it... I drink a cup in the morn as opposed to my usual 4-5 cups throughout the day while I'm on macrobid, and PLENTY of water following (Water is key to flushing this out of your system.. keep a water bottle by your side while getting rid of a UTI.) So far I am doing fine with this medication on my 3rd round	F	38	3 days		3/20/2009
5	Chronic UTI	If I don't take it will food I get terrbile stomach aches, so I make sure to take if AFTER a full meal. Also, my urine turns a bright neon yellow color.	I have to take one pill every time I have sex or I will get a UTI every time. As long as I take this pill with food, then I feel fine. This pill prevents me from getting an infection all together. I would definitely recommend it!	F	21	2 years		12/22/2008 Email
5	UTI	Possible muscle/joint pain, but not sure if it was related since I was still recovering from a bad reaction to cipro beforehand. Occasional stomach pain.	I have taken macrobid before, and it is probably the best choice for me since I have bad reactions to all other antibiotics now. The painful stomach cramps can be annoying, but I found that I got these less often if I took the medicine with both a full meal and a glass of milk. I think the milk helps to coat your stomach. I also took acidophilus tablets at the same time, but was instructed by the pharmacist to take it as far away from the macrobid as possible. So I took macrobid, 4 hours later took the acidophilus, then another 4 hours later took the macrobid again. I think I still developed a mild yeast infection, but it probably would have been worse without the acidophilus. I also believe it helped to reduce the stomach pain.	F	23	7 days		12/16/2008
5		Extreme nausea	Totally cleared up my UTI	F	24	5 days		11/8/2008
5	UTI	Nausea, which can be prevented by following instructions and taking the pill with food.	Worked like a charm on my UTI after about an hour or so.	F	47	7 days		4/25/2007
5	Bladder infections	None	Have been taking Macrobid or generic for years with no side effects. Took for bladder infections and also preventatively occasionally before or after sex when I thought it might cause a bladder infection. Last couple bladder infections were really bad and decided to start taking Macrobid every time I had sex to stop the infections. Have been taking Macrobid pretty much every day for a couple months with no issues. Have a check-up scheduled with my doctor soon and will discuss health issues with her. Everything I am reading here has me really worried that I may be doing something to my body that I am unaware of!	F	45	5 years		4/4/2007 Email
5	UTI	I had a temperature of 101.5 F the first day, but that could have been the UTI. Otherwise, no side effects.	I was reluctant to take Macrobid because I have had reactions to drugs in the past. But I had no problems at all this time. The medication cleared up the symptoms within 24 hours.	F	55	7 days		9/24/2007
5	uti	ate with some food and got a little stomach upset. better to eat more heavily.	had many recurrent uti's. need a variety to use because the e. coli was resistant to several other antibiotics	F	56	7 days		9/18/2004
5	urinary tract infection	none		F	65			12/14/2004
5	UTI		used to treat and then prevent a UTI	F	22	90 days		3/21/2004
5	UTI	a pleasantly mild sleepiness		F	40	7 days		4/11/2005
4	UTI	I've had a horrible headache since the second day taking this med. Has worked great for the infection but this is a killer headache.		F	50	7 days		10/28/2008
4	UTI	Just wanted to say to another poster, the Herxheimer Reaction does indeed happen with antibiotics as well as Colloidal Silver. It was first recognized in patients being treated for syphilis, and then Lyme's disease. When it happened to me, I felt like total HELL. I could not function, and certainly could not go to work. Slept for 18 hours straight! Chills, body aches, etc. Felt like I had the flu. But, felt absolutely fine a day later! You shouldn't stop taking the medication if this happens. It's doing it's job!		F	50	7 days		4/22/2007
4	Bladder infection	Took first dose at night, had trouble sleeping because of frequent urination, alternate drowsiness/heart racing, night sweats, nausea. Also dizzy, but not that bad. I'm on my second day taking the Macrobid and feel just fine. UTI pain went away within an hour of taking first dose.	Eat heavily before taking even if you have no appetite to reduce stomach upset.	F	24	2 days		5/3/2007
4	Preventative after UT Stent	Nausea/Vomiting, Drowsiness, Sour Stomach, Chills, Muscle Aches	The first 5 days on this drug were the worst. I really wanted to quit it before completing the dosage. Between the nausea and vomiting when I was awake and the drowsiness that set in after I felt miserable and spent all of my time in bed. Eating heavily, milk and pepto bismol did not help any of the stomach symptoms. I felt dehydrated quite often during this medication while sleeping; it was not uncommon that I would wake up just to drink something. Chills and Muscle Aches showed up on day 3 and subsided by day 6. I'm still on the medication and other than immediate nausea have passed through the rest of the symptoms.	F	26	3 weeks		6/20/2007
4	UTI	Took nitrofurtantoin macro (generic) after reacting badly to Cipro (severe muscle pain & mental fogginess), so I was feeling bad to begin with. I usually get sick from all antibiotics and have to be taken off them, but this is my 2nd time taking nitrofurantoin -- I had no trouble with it last time, and this time it has given me lighter side effects than most other drugs. First couple of days, I just felt like I had low-grade fever and was starting to come down with a cold, but that passed after a couple of days. After each pill, I had some dizziness, tiredness, and was depressed & felt emotionally unsettled right after taking capsule, but it would subside if I didn't think about it. I slept a little more than usual, was more tired after work, and it was a little harder to wake up in the morning, but once I got going, I could function during the day. Nausea didn't start until a few days in -- it was bad for first hour or so after each pill, but would get better, especially i	Remember to drink extra water with the pill and during the day. This stuff works by passing through your urinary track, so you have to help it along. Also take it with food. And I found milk helpful. I haven't been retested yet, so I don't know if I'm "cured", but I feel better than I did a week ago. I am going to look into the cranberry stuff next, as I'm not a fan of antibiotics unless really necessary (I thought the severity of my UTI made this round necessary).	F	53	7 days		2/13/2007 Email

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Average rating for drug: 1.8. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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