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Can Macrobid Cause Stomach Pain?
Question: I took macrobid for 5 days. Now I have severe stomach pain when I eat. I it the meds. I already stopped them.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) can cause an upset stomach, which may be going on, but it can also cause liver problems which can cause abdominal pain and for which you should call your doctor or be seen promptly.
If you are having pale stools or particularly dark or brownish urine, this can be a sign of liver problem from nitrofurantoin.
If it is stomach upset, an H2 blocker such as Zantac 150 mg twice a day can help. This is sold over the counter at drugstores. I generally don't recommend proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for stomach problems without knowing a patient's full history, including cardiac history, as PPIs have more risk of side effects than H2 blockers. What an H2 blocker does is decrease the stomach's production of acid by approximately 70 percent which allows healing of the lining of the stomach and lower esophagus if that is what the problem is from.
Given that you describe that your pain is severe, I do think you should go in to be seen. In the urgent care or ER, make sure you see a doctor (not a physician's assistant known as a PA or a nurse practitioner knows as an NP). The doctor should check your liver enzymes and kidney blood test (creatinine and BUN) - both can be checked with a metabolic panel blood test. If you have been taking Macrobid for a urinary tract infection, it would be good to check to make sure that has resolved while you are there. A physical exam of the location of your pain can help to sort out if the pain is in your stomach itself versus other abdominal organs.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know how you are doing after you have been evaluated.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) can cause an upset stomach, which may be going on, but it can also cause liver problems which can cause abdominal pain and for which you should call your doctor or be seen promptly.
If you are having pale stools or particularly dark or brownish urine, this can be a sign of liver problem from nitrofurantoin.
If it is stomach upset, an H2 blocker such as Zantac 150 mg twice a day can help. This is sold over the counter at drugstores. I generally don't recommend proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for stomach problems without knowing a patient's full history, including cardiac history, as PPIs have more risk of side effects than H2 blockers. What an H2 blocker does is decrease the stomach's production of acid by approximately 70 percent which allows healing of the lining of the stomach and lower esophagus if that is what the problem is from.
Given that you describe that your pain is severe, I do think you should go in to be seen. In the urgent care or ER, make sure you see a doctor (not a physician's assistant known as a PA or a nurse practitioner knows as an NP). The doctor should check your liver enzymes and kidney blood test (creatinine and BUN) - both can be checked with a metabolic panel blood test. If you have been taking Macrobid for a urinary tract infection, it would be good to check to make sure that has resolved while you are there. A physical exam of the location of your pain can help to sort out if the pain is in your stomach itself versus other abdominal organs.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know how you are doing after you have been evaluated.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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