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[holidaylover]

Hi Ladies, not posted in a while but looking for a wee bit advice.  Two weeks ago I developed what I felt was the start of a water infection.  Pharmacy gave me the standard 3 day prescription for Trimethoprim.  I have never found 3 days enough to shift an infection so duly went to my practice where I was prescribed 7 days of Nitrofurantoin.  All was going fine until day 4, apart from terrible nausea, when I suddenly experienced pins and needles in my hands and feet.  I also felt a bit of tingling on my tongue.  A quick google confirmed that these, are indeed, rare side effects of the drug.  It also recommended I should contact my doctor or 111 immediately.  Cue immediate panic!!  This was Sunday so I contacted 111 where I spoke to a nurse who really did nothing to ease my worry.  She said it was up to me whether I continued with the rest of the tablets but she was quite happy for me to continue them!  I took no more and hoped my symptoms would ease.  It is Thursday now and I am still experiencing tingling/prickling in my feet and hands.  My hands feel a bit swollen and fluidy and my feet feel like there are ants crawling in them.  I had a horrid night last night when I was kept awake with numb fingers, burning hands and feet, and mild cramping in my calve.  Couldnt keep my legs still at all.  Have been down to my doctors this morning and saw a Nurse Practitioner who is puzzled with my symptoms.  He said he assumed I would not still have the tingling once I had stopped the medication.  My water sample I handed in last week tested negative, so I am now assuming the problem is my vaginal atrophy.  I had stopped the Ovestin (I know I shouldnt) but have now restarted.  I just wonder if anyone else has had any of these symptoms and can either tie it in with the Nitrofurantoin or something else.  Nurse practitioner is phoning me back once he as spoke to the doctor and thinks it might be an idea to get some bloods done.  I had a blood test a couple of weeks back for an issue I'm having with terrible itching and all was good there.  (Still no answers to the itching though). So, any thoughts or ideas greatly welcomed! 

[CLKD]

That is a strong AB and there are lots of info about when to stop in the leaflet in the box.  DH was prescribed it for a water infection which turned out to be e-Coli.  Turning urine a strange colour was one side effect, I didn't show him the leaflet 

Personally I would stop if the sample shows 'no growth' and use the VA treatment every night for at least 2-3 weeks with an added dose in the morning ........

What would the pharmacist want bloods done for exactly?  He should know if this particular drug causes your symptoms, he can at least google or contact the Manufacturer.  I will fish out the leaflet later if I haven't put it into our compost!

[holidaylover]

Its not the pharmacist wanting bloods done, its the Nurse Practitioner at my surgery.  He has phoned back and the doctor recommends they are checked as he said we shouldn't just surmise that my symptoms have come from the antibiotics. Think they may be checking to see if I'm deficient in anything.  Although I have just been looking back all my previous posts on this website and it seems I was having all these same symptoms 11 years ago!!  And on one of my posts I mention a water infection and that I was given Nitrofuratoin and it would appear I suffered with burning hands and feet and a sore tongue, so looks like there could be a connection.  All my tingles before were when I was going through menopause, and now that I'm over 60 and post menopause, I'm wondering if its still possible to have a big drop in eostrogen again causing these symptoms. 

[chopsuey]

Nitrofuratoin also gives me pins and needles and numbness in my arms and legs, along with feeling really unwell, each time I have had it. As far as I can remember, the symptoms stopped a short while after stopping taking it.  I now have it on my medical record to not have it prescribed. I know so many people who seem to have had an adverse reaction to this drug. There was also a thread on this forum not so long ago about it. 

[Summer-sky]

Hi holidaylover,
Going through the UTI circle at the moment too. Nitrofuratoin gave me similar symptoms with numbness and tingling, I ploughed on for three days but  along with that the nausea was continuous so came off them.  I switched to Trimethoprim for three days which was mildly better for tolerating but another urine sample was showing low growth and a bit inconclusive as under the threshold for a UTI infection.  As I have mild left flank pain, I'm having another sample done so will see but all to say, usually their first port of call is Nitrofuratoin and then Trimethroprim for a simple UTI.  I also think VA symptoms can skew the picture a bit too. Is it a UTI, is it GSM? Endless trying to work it out!  Definitely worth having a round of bloods and hopefully they have a good iron panel in there including ferritin and B12 and full kidney tests again as these could all give you all these symptoms.  Also, if it helps my skin was hideously itchy when I had very low oestrogen.  HRT did help this at the time I took it. 

[CLKD]

tnx holidaylover for the clarification.

Let us know how you get on?  certainly low oestrogen can cause dryness inside and out of the body.

[SundayGirl]

If the tingling sensation persists I'd check my B12 and folate levels. I get terrible painful almost nerve like irritation feelings in my feet when I don't take my vitamins.

[holidaylover]

Thanks for the replies ladies.  Getting bloods done this week so it'll be interesting to see if that throws anything up.  I'm still 'tingling' so a bit worried to be honest.  Still getting symptoms of a UTI as well so don't really know what to do about that either. 

[CLKD]

Get some treatment for vaginal atrophy and get a urine sample sent to a Lab to test for 'growth'.  How do U feel this morning?

[Sage 🍃]

holidaylover,

I would like to know how are you feeling now, because I have the same symptoms without taking Nitrofurantoin!

[holidaylover]

Hi Sage

I still have the tingles and the itchiness.  Its driving me nuts.  Had the feeling today of ants creeping up my legs.  Had bloods done last week, to check if I was lacking vits (and whatever else they were checking for) but haven't had results back yet.  I'm bad for googling but have been looking into the symptoms of histimine intolerance and that seems to produce the same symptoms.  I also still keep creeping back to gluten intolerance, as that seems to fit too.  Have you had any tests done or come to any conclusions yourself?   Its horrid, isn't it?

[Sage 🍃]

Hi holidaylover, no tests yet. I think histamine intolerance could be very possible because I'm currently on an allergy rollercoaster. I'm also thinking migraines, as my mouth/tongue is affected. It's driving me nuts as well! Looking forward to hearing from you re your tests results. There are so many, I have no idea where to look!

[holidaylover]

Sage,
I have phoned down to the surgery today with regards my blood test results.  All have come back fine!  So back to square one.  I actually had hoped something was picked up and popping a Vit supplement would be the answer.  I still have the tingling tongue and hands and feet.  Today I feel like I have ants crawling up my legs.  I have looked back on my previous posts on this website and found one back in 2014 where I describe the exact same symptoms as I'm getting now.  I had all sorts of blood tests done back then, along with MRI, neuro appointment and nothing was found then.  Symptoms did go and I put it all down to my hormones.  What I cant understand, if that was the case, why they are back now that I am through menopause, for about 7 or 8 years.  I am 60.  It just seems so strange that they all came back so suddenly, like WHAM!  I assumed it was the Nitrifuratoin I was taking for a UTI.  Something has definately been 'triggered' and I feel it a sort of flare up, if that makes sense.  I have made another appointment with doc to try and get to the bottom of this, although that's not for another 4 weeks yet!  Hope your coping ok .

[Sage 🍃]

Hi holidaylover,

That's a bit frustrating but I am glad your blood tests results are fine. I have to say I was expecting this, hence why I haven't bothered having the usual blood tests done.

I am also 8 years postmenopause and will be 60 next year.

Still feeling dreadful and now I also have burning skin.

I think this could be an autoimmune issue, given the recurrent symptoms pattern, maybe triggered by some infection.

Autoantibodies testing may be helpful.

[holidaylover]

Hi

Yes, I'm thinking autoimmune too.  I'm going to ask the doctor about histimine intolerance and I'm still wondering if it has something to do with something I'm eating.  Blood tests for celiac have been negative but I've not been tested by endoscopy.  I'm getting bothered with slight sore spots on the inside of my lips, at times like tiny ulcers.