Macrobid

• Take Macrobid by mouth. To prevent side effects, this UTI antibiotic is usually taken with food or milk. But make sure to follow your healthcare provider’s treatment plan.
• To treat a UTI infection, Macrobid is typically taken twice a day. (Once every 12 hours.) To prevent an infection, it's usually taken once at night.
• Your medical condition and response to UTI treatment will determine your medication dosage and for how long you'll take it. For children, dosage is also determined by body weight.
• When ready to start treatment, swallow Macrobid pills whole. Do not crush, cut or modify the tablets.
• To help the antibiotics work best, take Macrobid at the same time(s) every day.
• Try not to take antacids containing magnesium trisilicate while on this UTI medicine. They may interfere with how well you absorb the medication and how effective it is in treating your UTI.
• Strictly follow your Macrobid UTI prescription regimen. Only skip a UTI pill dose or stop this medication if you have medical provider approval.
• If you recognize symptoms of a new UTI, contact your health provider immediately. Common UTI symptoms include burning while peeing, bloody urine or dark or cloudy urine. You can request a callback at your Dr. B patient dashboard. If needed, you can also discuss how to get antibiotics for UTI other than Macrobid.
• Take the full course of UTI treatment medication. Finish it even if symptoms go away sooner. If you stop taking Macrobid too soon, bacteria may continue to grow, leading to a relapse infection.
• If your UTI symptoms persist or worsen while you’re taking Macrobid, request a callback from your healthcare provider via your patient dashboard.

• While taking Macrobid, you may experience a loss of appetite, headaches and vomiting or nausea. Taking your prescribed medication with food can help you avoid nausea. If side effects persist or worsen, request a callback from your medical provider through your patient dashboard.
• Macrobid may cause urine samples to have a dark yellow or brown hue. It may also cause dark urine in general. This side effect is harmless and will stop after you finish the medication.
• A healthcare professional prescribed this course of antibiotics because its benefits outweigh potential side effects. Most people who use this UTI medicine do not develop serious adverse reactions.
• In rare cases, Macrobid may cause serious (and potentially fatal) lung complications. These can arise within the first month of treatment or after prolonged use. (Use that  exceeds six months.) Look out for chest pain, a constant cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, joint/muscle pain and bluish/purplish skin. If you experience any of these, seek medical help immediately.
• If you experience new or serious side effects, contact your healthcare provider immediately. These may also include new signs of infection like a persistent sore throat or fever. Or they can appear as severe or persistent headaches, easy bruising or bleeding and changes in your vision or mental state/mood.
• Macrobid is an antibiotic. In rare instances, antibiotic use can cause an overgrowth of C. difficile (C. diff) bacteria in the intestines. This can happen during treatment or up to several months after stopping treatment. Symptoms of C. diff overgrowth include persistent diarrhea, blood or mucus in stool and abdominal or stomach pain/cramping. If you experience any of these, avoid anti-diarrhea medicines or opioids, as they can encourage symptoms. Then request a callback from your healthcare provider.
• Continued or regular use of this medicine can also cause an overgrowth of other bacteria. These include oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections. If you experience white spots in your mouth, a difference in typical vaginal secretions or other changes, request a callback from your medical provider.
• This isn’t a complete list of side effects that may come with Macrobid use. If you notice changes not listed above, update your UTI treatment online by requesting a callback through your patient dashboard.

• Before starting Macrobid, inform your provider about any known allergies. These include past allergic reactions to this medication, other medications or other substances. Macrobid may contain inactive ingredients that could trigger an allergic reaction or other complications.
• Before starting any UTI antibiotics, submit a comprehensive medical history to your provider. This is especially important if you or family members have ever had kidney disease, liver disease, G6PD deficiency, anemia, lung diseases, peripheral neuropathy, optic neuritis, diabetes, untreated mineral imbalance or vitamin B deficiency.
• Macrobid may make live bacterial vaccines less effective. (This includes the typhoid vaccine.) Let your provider know you're taking Macrobid before any immunization or vaccination.
• The kidneys process Macrobid from the body and kidney function often declines as we age. So older adults may have a higher risk of side effects like nerve, liver or lung problems. See our "Possible side effects" section for more details.
• Only use Macrobid during pregnancy if absolutely necessary. Do not use nearing or during delivery—between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Potential harm to newborns includes hemolytic anemia—a blood disorder where blood cells are not replaced as fast as they're destroyed.
• Macrobid can pass through breast milk. So it may cause an unwanted effect on nursing infants under one month old. It can also adversely affect those with G6PD deficiency—a specific genetic condition. If you're breastfeeding, consult your OB/GYN before using this medication.

• Drug interactions can alter how effective Macrobid is at treating your UTI. They can also increase risk of severe side effects. This page doesn’t include every potential drug interaction.
• To use this medication as safely as possible, keep a complete list of all medication products you use. Make sure that it includes all prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs and herbal products you take. Share your list with your healthcare provider before starting any treatment course.
• Only initiate, discontinue or modify any medication dosage with direct approval from your healthcare provider.
• Sulfinpyrazone may interact with this UTI medication. The interaction may then influence cupric sulfate-type urine glucose test results. Before taking a urine glucose test, tell laboratory personnel and related medical providers you're taking Macrobid.

In the event of an overdose with symptoms like loss of consciousness or difficulty breathing, immediately call 911. For less severe symptoms, contact your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.

Forget to take a dose? Take it as soon as you’ve remembered. But if it’s close to the time for your next scheduled dose, don’t take a dose to catch up. Skip the missed dose and then continue with your regular Macrobid schedule.

• Store Macrobid at room temperature and away from direct light and moisture.
• Don’t store Macrobid in the bathroom. (It can get humid there.)
• Make sure no children or pets can reach or get into any medication.
• If you no longer need the medication or it expired, contact your pharmacist or local waste disposal company. They'll tell you how to best dispose of Macrobid. Only flush a medication down the toilet or drain if your healthcare provider or pharmacist instructs you to do so.