

More common side effects are rash, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and irritability. Notable side effects: Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin can cause serious, disabling side effects like tendon rupture and permanent effects on your nervous system. Levofloxacin: 250 mg once a day for 3 days Most healthcare providers will avoid prescribing these types of antibiotics for minor UTIs.Ĭiprofloxacin: 250 mg twice a day for 3 days These types of antibiotics work slightly better than amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate, cefdinir, and cephalexin, but the risk of serious side effects is higher. How it works: Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin are antibiotics that keep bacteria from copying their DNA and multiplying. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or levofloxacin (Levaquin) They may or may not prescribe cefdinir or cephalexin since there is a small chance ( <5%) that a person with a penicillin allergy may also be allergic to these two. If you have a penicillin allergy, your healthcare provider won’t prescribe amoxicillin/clavulanate.
NITROFURANTOIN MONO MAC 100MG CAPS E COLI SKIN
In rare cases, all three have the potential to cause the dangerous skin reactions, SJS and TEN. Notable side effects: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and rash are common side effects of these antibiotics. Cefdinir and cephalexin belong to a different class of antibiotics that’s closely related to penicillins.Īll three antibiotics kill bacteria by destroying one of its most important components: the cell wall, which normally keeps bacteria structurally intact.Īmoxicillin/clavulanate: 500 twice a day for 5 to 7 daysĬefdinir: 300 mg twice a day for 5 to 7 daysĬephalexin: 250 mg to 500 mg every 6 hours for 7 days How it Works: Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate is another combination drug that belongs to the penicillin class of antibiotics. Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate (Augmentin), cefdinir (Omnicef), or cephalexin (Keflex) In those situations, there are other antibiotics to choose from.

Or your healthcare provider may have reasons for preferring another option. For example, you might be allergic to one or more of them. Notable side effects: Nausea, diarrhea, and headaches are the most common fosfomycin side effects.īactrim, nitrofurantoin, and fosfomycin work well but aren’t perfect options for everyone. It works by killing UTI-causing bacteria and also preventing bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract.Ĭommon dose: One dose, containing 3 grams of fosfomycin powder mixed in water How it works: Fosfomycin is a useful antibiotic for UTIs caused by highly-resistant bacteria - bacteria that aren’t as vulnerable to other common antibiotics. More serious potential side effects include liver conditions like jaundice - yellowing of the skin and eyes - and hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). Notable side effects: Loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting are common side effects of nitrofurantoin. Nitrofurantoin keeps bacteria from making the DNA and proteins they need to survive.Ĭommon dose: 100 mg twice a day for 5 days How it works: Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic that’s used specifically to treat UTIs and not much else since it only works well in urine. More serious, but very rare, potential side effects include dangerous skin conditions called Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Notable side effects: The most common side effects of TMP/SMX are rash or hives, nausea, and vomiting. But in some places, Bactrim isn’t as strong as it should be against UTI-causing bacteria because the bacteria are no longer sensitive to the medication, a phenomenon known as antibiotic resistance.Ĭommon dose: One double-strength tablet (160 mg of trimethoprim/800 mg of sulfamethoxazole) twice a day for 3 days TMP/SMX works well for UTI treatment in general. Together, the powerful combination blocks two important steps required for certain bacteria to make the proteins they need to survive. How it Works: Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (generic Bactrim) is a combination drug containing two antibiotics: trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra) Here are a few important facts about those three.

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, nitrofurantoin, and fosfomycin are the most preferred antibiotics for treating a UTI. Not all antibiotics work for treating UTIs, but several do. If you have a fungal or viral UTI, antibiotics won’t help. It’s worth noting that antibiotics only treat UTIs and other infections caused by bacteria. They either stop those bacteria from growing or directly kill the bacteria altogether. If you have a bacterial UTI, the only way to treat it is by getting rid of the bacteria that’s causing it. UTIs can be caused by many different types of germs including bacteria or fungi - and in rare cases, even viruses.
