What Causes Nausea And Fever After Stopping Cephalexin For UTI?

Posted on Wed, 18 Mar 2015

Question: I went to the Urgent Care Center about a week and a half ago with very frequent urination and no pain but I did a home UTI test that said no Nitrates, but high leukocytes. The urinalysis test the Urgent Care doctor gave came back fine from the lab, but they gave me Cephalexin. I took that for 7 days until i had my GP follow up visit. I told her that the frequent urination had stopped, but now i was feeling a lot of nausea on and off each day as well as a low grade fever that would come and go each day. She told me that she would not have given me Cephalexin for a UTI and she switched me to Cipro. She gave me 5 days worth ( 500mg twice a day), but said I should feel fine after 3 days. Today is day 5 and I'm still feeling the nausea and fever around mid day each day. I've been using ginger to fight off the nausea. Today I took another home UTI test and it still says Leukocytes. My GP also sent my urine to a lab that came back fine. What could the issue be, why would i still feel nausea and feverish ? Those are the only two symptoms I have at this point. Thanks!!

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
What is your body temperature?

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about these findings and all the inconveniences that this has caused you. I will like to know how this urine is collected for testing to make sure there is no contamination that keeps raising the suspicion of leucocytes.

I am leaning more towards these drugs being the cause of your fever and nausea. I will like to know how you start feeling after this drug comes to completion. What is your temperature like when you are having fevers? I hope to hear from you. However, your medications are most likely responsible for these feeling of fever and nausea.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thanks for using our services and feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (37 minutes later)

My fevers have been running from 99.2-99.9. I start feeling very ill and very warm ( needing to change into short sleeves in the winter) when the fevers hit, which is what prompts me to check my temperature. I've never had trouble with antibiotics before, however this is my first time with each of these specific ones. The urine was collected in a cup by clean catch after letting the urine stream out for a bit before catching. At first I thought the nausea may have been the first type of antibiotic I was taking, but its been a few days since I've been off of the cephalexin so i thought it should have gone away by now. Do you think I should give it another day or two after this round of Cipro to see if the nausea goes away?

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (53 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Monitoring is the key right now!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for this follow up.

Please, restrain from seeking further medical attention for this nausea and fevers. It might lead to aggressive investigations and management which are not warranted. Simply allow the drugs to get finished and monitor to understand what is going on.

For now, healthy diets, fruits, vegetables, regular exercise and drink much water. All would be fine. If you smoke, STOP. If you drink alcohol, do so in small quantities.

I wish you well.

Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar