Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[greenECLECtus28]

Hi and thanks 

I have an UTI which has shown positive for E Coli and another couple of things if you've read my previous posts you will know I've had various issues and to cut a long story short when had a visit to A&E at the weekend after being so poorly. Doc didn't want to put me on a third antibiotic (urine was still showing signs of infection) so it was agreed I would go back on the Nitrofurantoin and speak to my own GP on Monday there I managed to struggle through the weekend as was so nauseous I couldn't eat or sleep with everyone at home telling me I needed to eat something but as soon as I did and it wasn't much I was throwing up it was all I could do to keep the pills down for the infection and the paracetamol to control my temp.

Saw one of the GP's on Monday who checked the notes advised that the Nitrofurantoin and some other drug I can't remember were the only two that were recommended to deal with the current infection so to stay on the other course prescribed for 7 days from Sat there it's 4x 50mg a day she also gave me Stemetil to help with the nausea to see if I can eat something it's helped in the fact that I'm no longer feeling I have to throw up every five minutes but still don't have much of an appetite yesterday had a boiled egg in the morning and plain pasta for tea through not much I'm trying to keep as hydrated as possible.

Now as everyone knows this drug can have some quite spectacular side effect both bothersome and quite alarming and it's by no means certain that you will get them and I know by law they have to list every single thing but I'm looking to see if anyone has has similar symptoms on the drug to myself. Obviously I still feel yucky still a bit nauseous and my tummy in the middle and down toward the left side is still a bit uncomfortable and last night I was getting a bit of an iritated nose this morning the calf in my left leg is a bit sore no swelling or anything and also the muscle just above my knee in my right leg however the thing that is kinda bothering me the most and I'm going to apologise in advance and hope I don't offend anyone  but my poo is a sort of mid to not quite light brown colour with quite a yellowish mucus and it is very strong smelling a bit like very smelly boiled eggs is this the antibiotic causing this? as I know it turns your pee brown which it has. I normally have no problem in this department so am finding it quite alarming.

I did try to kind of mention it last evening when my GP called to say that I didn't need to hand another urine sample in this week as the one handed in last Thursday had come back after all (doc on Monday didn't think it would because of all the system meltdown in the NHS) but I'm not sure he was really listening and said it was probably because I hadn't been eating had an upset tummy and the antibiotic.

Would really appreciate any feedback from anyone regarding their side effects who has taken this drug as obviously I can't just stop this if it's the only drug that can deal with the issue. I have to say in all the years I've had UTI's and I've had my fair few and had just about every antibiotic going due to my medical condition I've never experienced this the fevers, the worst nausea and the bowel stuff I'm sure if I wasn't on the anti sickness pills I wouldn't be eating anything and would be as poorly. the one positive thing and I don't hope I'm speaking to soon is I haven't been having to take the paracetamol as much took two last night at 11pm and temp has held at 37.3/4 most of the day but is starting to climb a bit now but want to leave having to take anything as late as possible as I feel I'm taking so many pills on a virtually empty stomach

Thanks

[Megamind]

I would say the Dr is correct its due to you not eating enough and taking tablets on an empty stomach. Most ab's say take with food for a reason. I would think the poo is to do with you eating a boiled egg!

Have you tried eating a banana or some toast? I would stick to plain food until you feel better. I think you will feel a lot better if you manage to eat something alongside taking the tablets.

[Taz2]

I have had this antibiotic more times than I like to remember and my side effects are. Nausea, yellow urine, bowel upset - pale, loose stools, neck pain and some dizziness. The neck pain and dizziness tend to improve after the first three days. Sometimes I have had muscle aches. These side effects are unpleasant but normal for the antibiotic and are not reasons to stop taking it as they are not allergic reactions but just your body coping with the drug. I found that taking a pro-biotic at the same time helped enormously with the tummy problems. The antibiotic is killing off the good as well as the bad bacteria and so your gut begins to run riot. A pro biotic will help to restore the good bacteria leading to less diarrhoea and smelly wind/stools. I tend to use one called Optibac which I get from my usual pharmacy. My GP recommended it. It's  shame you can't eat as taking the nitro with a whole glass of water and food makes all the difference to the nausea. Could some of it be caused by anxiety. I always feel very sick when I'm anxious.

I hope you feel better soon. The symptoms of the antibiotic are better than the symptoms of an upper urinary tract infection which can develop if the original UTI is not treated as I know from experience.

Just to say that although E.Coli sounds quite serious it is one of the main causes of UTI's and is not the same as having it in your tummy where it causes food poisoning. Can I also ask why you are taking your temperature quite so often and how high is it getting?

Taz x 

[greenECLECtus28]

Thank you very much for your replies much appreciated 

Megamind

of course you're correct could well be to do with the taking them on an empty stomach I have to take 4 times a day so at 6am I'm not really hungry I can usually manage to eat something lunch and dinner and try and have a snack before bed but I'm just eating so little I will try the banana thing that is light but good protein.

Taz2

Thanks for detailing your symptoms taking the drug they seem to be quite similar to mine especially the bowel ones which is a comfort I seem to have developed a bit of a cough today but hoping that won't get any worse can cope with the other stuff but not getting breathless or anything like that but of course you are correct as well they need to be finished as there's not much scope for anything else if these don't work. I've to take them for 7 days so tomorrow will be day number 4 so hopefully should start to see some improvement can I ask did you get the side effects all the way through your treatment or did they settle after a few days.

The temperature thing was me trying to establish a pattern to see how long the paracetamols were lasting as I'm looking to take only as many as I need fingers crossed hope I'm not jinxing things I haven't had to take any paracetamol since 12 last night temp while still higher than normal is not rising as quickly is sitting around 37.6 a normal temp for me is around 37.2 that was one of the things that alerted me to the fact I might have an infection as I came down with flu like symptoms a week before a routine visit to the doc and took a sample with me.

I got some probiotics on Monday called probio7 after looking on Holland and Barrett's web site and these were specifically advised to be taken with antibiotics so have been taking them and today I did think my gut wasn't as noisy so we'll see how they go.

Thanks again for getting back much appreciated!

 

[Evelyn63]

As Taz2 has said , most of the symptoms you are describing are unfortunately part and parcel of taking antibiotics.  I think years ago people thought they were allergic when they developed those type of symptoms , when in actual fact it was just the way the medication worked. The probiotic should help enormously and think there is one you can take after you finish the course as well to help restore the flora of your bowel.    I wouldnt worry too much about a temp of 37.6  Its what you would class as low grade pyrexia, and if you are feeling better otherwise I wouldnt rush to take paracetamol.  See how things go , obviously if you are in pain or feeling very unwell and hot you might need to take them then.  Hope you soon feel better. 

[Jemp]

I had the most awful reaction to this antibiotic- never having reacted to any other antibiotic. I had fever, constant nausea, sickness and terrible diahorea- like water. It didn't work probably because I could not keep it in me! It took me several days to get over this and I would never take it again.

[Susannah]

Hi, I was prescribed this drug around this time last year after a course of amoxicillin (?) didn't clear up an apparent UTI.  I honestly couldn't stand this drug and had to stop taking it (with doc's permission) half way through course.  I've taken quite a few ABs and this is the only once that made me feel worse than my original symptoms!  I think it was mostly heavy nausea and a feeling that I was going to collapse at any given second.   I do have anxiety so know this was different to what I generally experience with that.  The UTI was a bit of a red herring and was really just part of the the start of perimenopause hell...  I hope you're feeling better soon. 😊