I Am Afraid To Take My Medicine (Macrobid)

[kat3668]

Just got done with a glorious kidney infection too last week that I did'nt know I had.... sometimes symptoms can be vaque.. I went to the emergency room for a ruptured ovarian cyst and ended up finding out I had a full blown kidney infection as well... I took cipro for mine had no problems and have been on this numerous times... Good Luck!

 

[ktpool]

I am taking Macrobid right now for a UTI...finally started feeling better Saturday night, after 3 days of feeling miserable. I just never want to even put on pants when I have one. Yuck...I would take it at the first sign of an UTI..and I do ;-)

 

[C.Ann]

Well - I for one can relate to your fears.. I am very, VERY drug sensitive and medications that NEVER react badly in other people will often make me deathly ill or I'll have a full blown allergic reaction..

Very shortly now I'm going to have to start taking a medication that I already know is going to make me sick (not an allergic reaction - just sick) but there's nothing else I can take, so I'm just going to have to try to "tough it out".. With new meds I an EXTREMELY careful and always make sure I have some Benadryl on hand (liquid because it works faster) and that someone is home with me.. (I also keep a "bucket" handy; stay off of stairs; and make sure I have a clear shot to the bathroom.. LOL)

For those who haven't experienced really bad reactions to medications - or aren't terribly drug sensitive - I don't think it's possible for them to understand the dread you feel when you have to take something you've never taken before..

However, if you're not alone, I would call the pharmacy and ask what a typical allergic reaction would be.. If it's something that Benadryl would calm down (or at least calm down until you could go to the ER), then I would get the Benadryl and take the med now - while you have someone there with you..

When I start my med I'll be alone here at the lake - but I planned it that way.. I know it won't be an "allergic" reaction - it will be nausea, vomiting and diarrhea - and that just wouldn't work out at home with 4 people and only 1 bathroom.. By taking it up here, I've got the bathroom all to myself..

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[DMRick]

I'm on cipro for a uti (dang..why do we have to get these!) and it too says may cause dizzyness. Can't take it with heartburn meds either..never saw that tag before on a med.

 

[Christine]

Okay, so I took the stupid med this morning. It is now 4 hours later and boy am I ever sorry.

I took the pill a bit before 6:00 a.m. Got DS off to school and went back to bed. I felt fairly calm and dozed off a bit. Got up later, ate, took my shower, and started doing laundry. I could tell very quickly something was off. My heart was POUNDING. Now, I already get a racing heart fairly easy. Hopped on my treadmill and my heart rate was at about 135 just standing there. So, I went and took one of my beta blockers to get the heart rate down. Somehow, someway, this medicine made my heart race. Don't think I'll be taking another one. I really hate my body.

 

[cepmom]

that stinks Christine....I hope you feel better.
I have gotten quite a few UTI's and never have been given Macrobid. My Dr gives me Bactrim...actually I have a stash on hand so if I get another, I can start them right away. Is the Macrobid new? I haven't had one in a while (knock wood)

 

[Maleficent13]

I'm so sorry, Christine. I was prescribed Macrobid a couple years ago for a UTI and it made me sicker than the UTI. I had to call off work four of the 10 days I was on it. I had the racing heart and a ton of other reactions (not allergic reactions, just side effects). I will never take it again if I can avoid it. It also took several days after the last dose to get it out of my system.

Now that you know it doesn't interact well, can you ask your doc for something else? There are several antibiotics that work well for UTIs.

 

[Christine]

I'm so sorry, Christine. I was prescribed Macrobid a couple years ago for a UTI and it made me sicker than the UTI. I had to call off work four of the 10 days I was on it. I had the racing heart and a ton of other reactions (not allergic reactions, just side effects). I will never take it again if I can avoid it. It also took several days after the last dose to get it out of my system.

Now that you know it doesn't interact well, can you ask your doc for something else? There are several antibiotics that work well for UTIs.

Mal,
Thank you for telling me about this. I thought I was some freak with the racing heart. I think I'm going to hold off on the meds until I get the culture back (if my symptoms stay manageable). Yes, there are other drugs for UTIs. Cipro is the big one the prescribe but it has lots of side effects apparently, which is why my doc avoided it. She said she gets very few "call backs" on Macrobid.

cepmom--I think Bactrim is a sulfa drug, which I am allergic to.

 

[DMRick]

Mal,
Cipro is the big one the prescribe but it has lots of side effects apparently, which is why my doc avoided it. She said she gets very few "call backs" on Macrobid.

Hmm..my pharmacist said that was her preferred drug for a uti (and the doc also said it was his drug of choice, when I said I hadn't heard of it) when I picked it up. I went online and it didn't seem to be any worse than any other one as far as side affects. I've had no problems with it. What different side affects have you heard of?

 

[Blondie]

Yikes, I hate taking anything that makes my heart race!

I have anaphylactic reactions to aspirin, ibuprofen, and all the NSAIDS. So I'm very careful when it comes to those kinds of meds.

 

[Christine]

Hmm..my pharmacist said that was her preferred drug for a uti (and the doc also said it was his drug of choice, when I said I hadn't heard of it) when I picked it up. I went online and it didn't seem to be any worse than any other one as far as side affects. I've had no problems with it. What different side affects have you heard of?

Oh, nothing bad. It is just more apt to give you stomach upset and diarrhea than some of the others. I know when my mom takes it she gets flu-like symptoms.

 

[poohandwendy]

Okay, so I took the stupid med this morning. It is now 4 hours later and boy am I ever sorry.

I took the pill a bit before 6:00 a.m. Got DS off to school and went back to bed. I felt fairly calm and dozed off a bit. Got up later, ate, took my shower, and started doing laundry. I could tell very quickly something was off. My heart was POUNDING. Now, I already get a racing heart fairly easy. Hopped on my treadmill and my heart rate was at about 135 just standing there. So, I went and took one of my beta blockers to get the heart rate down. Somehow, someway, this medicine made my heart race. Don't think I'll be taking another one. I really hate my body.

Why are you convinced that this medicine is what made your heart race? Especially if you get a racing heart fairly easily?

I have a heart arrhythmia and I can tell you that when I have an infection, my heart rhythm gets wacky. So, it may not be the medicine, it may be the infection.

 

[Christine]

Why are you convinced that this medicine is what made your heart race? Especially if you get a racing heart fairly easily?

I have a heart arrhythmia and I can tell you that when I have an infection, my heart rhythm gets wacky. So, it may not be the medicine, it may be the infection.

Well, you're right, you never really know. But, when I get tachycardia, it is usually no more that 120 bpm. This was worse than I've had before and it happened at approximately 3 hours after taking the med which is when it's "peaking" in my system. I guess there's really know way to know for sure unless I take another and I don't want to risk that.

At first I thought maybe it was "just me" but after hearing Mal's experience and finally going and looking at the "Ask A Patient" site that CathrynRose posted, it seems I'm not alone with the heart palps.

 

[poohandwendy]

Well, you're right, you never really know. But, when I get tachycardia, it is usually no more that 120 bpm. This was worse than I've had before and it happened at approximately 3 hours after taking the med which is when it's "peaking" in my system. I guess there's really know way to know for sure unless I take another and I don't want to risk that.

At first I thought maybe it was "just me" but after hearing Mal's experience and finally going and looking at the "Ask A Patient" site that CathrynRose posted, it seems I'm not alone with the heart palps.

The thing is, 'not being alone' in your experience does not mean that the medicine is the problem. Most of the of the responses stated on that site could easily be due to the infection the people were taking the drug for. That isn't very accurate evidence of medicine related 'side effects'. The best thing you can do is to talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

What you are experiencing could be due to a variety of things that have nothing to do with medications, even to anxiety over taking a new medication. It is not listed as a serious side effect or even one where you should stop taking the drug if you experience it.

If anything, not treating the infection could cause much more harm than good.

Like I said, you should talk to your doctor before deciding to self diagnose.

 

[Christine]

The thing is, 'not being alone' in your experience does not mean that the medicine is the problem. Most of the of the responses stated on that site could easily be due to the infection the people were taking the drug for. That isn't very accurate evidence of medicine related 'side effects'. The best thing you can do is to talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

What you are experiencing could be due to a variety of things that have nothing to do with medications, even to anxiety over taking a new medication. It is not listed as a serious side effect or even one where you should stop taking the drug if you experience it.

If anything, not treating the infection could cause much more harm than good.

Like I said, you should talk to your doctor before deciding to self diagnose.

PAW,

You would make a very good doctor! I did call the physician a little while ago and left a message. We'll see what she says.

 

[C.Ann]

Cipro is one of the many meds I can't take - although DD can take it with no problems..

A few years ago I also suddenly developed a severe allergy to sulpha drugs - so those are out - as well as anything in the penicillin family.. It's a real challenge for the doctors to find meds I can take so if they aren't absolutely necessary, I try alternative home remedies and and sometimes they work just as well - if not better..

 

[Christine]

Cipro is one of the many meds I can't take - although DD can take it with no problems..

A few years ago I also suddenly developed a severe allergy to sulpha drugs - so those are out - as well as anything in the penicillin family.. It's a real challenge for the doctors to find meds I can take so if they aren't absolutely necessary, I try alternative home remedies and and sometimes they work just as well - if not better..

I've been allergic to sulpha since I was about 2 years old. For most of my life, medicines have really given me no problems. It is only in the last few years that I've started developing a sensitivity to just about everything--not necessarily an allergy--but I definitely get very bothersome side effects where I used to not get any at all. Very weird.

So far, I think I'm okay with the penicillan family but I haven't had that in about 7 years.

My friend is like you, C. Ann--allergic to sulpha, penicillan, erythromycin. About the only thing she can take is Zithromax. My DD (14) is the same way. Allergic to penicillan, sulpha drugs, the Ceclor family (cephalosporins), and penicillan. She hasn't needed an antibiotic since she was 5. I don't know what she'll get if she ever gets sick.

 

[DMRick]

Cipro is one of the many meds I can't take - although DD can take it with no problems..

A few years ago I also suddenly developed a severe allergy to sulpha drugs )

I assume you are just commenting you can't take Cipro or sulpha drugs..not that you are saying Cipro is a sulpha drug...right? Because I was pretty sure it wasn't.since I don't usually take sulpha drugs.

Oh, nothing bad. It is just more apt to give you stomach upset and diarrhea than some of the others. I know when my mom takes it she gets flu-like symptoms.

As for the side affects..most of those types of side affects are common in most any meds. I have a bleeding disease so I have to be careful in what I take, so I'm sure my doc takes that into consideration (and the pharmacist keeps track) when he gives me meds. Most I don't tolerate, but I have to say this has been fine. My only confusion is why 5 days. Most call for 3 or 10.

 

[C.Ann]

erythromycin
-----------------------------------------

Ugh! Don't even talk to me about that one - makes me deathly ill - as does (of all things) ibuprofen..

When I had gas gangrene in my right hand, they had a heck of a time finding an antibiotic combo that was needed to save my life without inadvertently giving me something that would endanger my life further..

Not to mention the 1 in 5 million (or something like that) extremely rare neurological reaction I had to one teeny, tiny pill that is often prescribed for nausea when patients are prepping for a colonoscopy - Reglan.. Still to this day the doctor that prescribed it will ask me if I'm still "mad" at him for trying to kill me - LOL.. I was never "mad" at him, but it sure was one of the most scary experiences of my life!!

I'm very anxious for that new test that they're working on to become available on a routine basis.. It has something to do with each persons individual genetic makeup and will be able to tell the doctors ahead of time what medications will be a problem.. I've probably flushed about $20,000 worth of medications down the toilet over the years - LOL.. Now I always ask for samples if it's something I've never had before and they have them available..

 

[C.Ann]

I assume you are just commenting you can't take Cipro or sulpha drugs..not that you are saying Cipro is a sulpha drug...right? Because I was pretty sure it wasn't.since I don't usually take sulpha drugs..

------------------

Nope - Cipro and sulpha drugs are two entirely different things.. I think that's why I started a new paragraph - to make that distinction..

It's easier for the doctors to just ask me what I "can" take - rather than what I "can't".. I was really surprised when I developed the sudden allergy to sulpha drugs because I had never had problems with them before..