Nitrofurantoin 50mg Capsules

Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure how to use this medicine.

The recommended dose for Adults is:

One capsule to be taken four times a day, for three days.

Capsules should be taken with water and taken with or immediately after food. Doses should be spaced evenly throughout the day. It is important to complete the full course of treatment unless you are told to stop. This medicine should be taken with food or milk. Taking this medicine with food or milk makes it work more effectively.

If you take more Nitrofurantoin Capsules

You should Consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. Always take any left over capsules with you, as well as the container and label, so that the medical staff know what you have taken.

If you forget to take Nitrofurantoin Capsules

Do not worry. If you remember later on that day, take that day’s dose as usual. If you miss a whole day’s dose, take the normal dose on the next day. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten capsule. If you are not sure ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you stop taking Nitrofurantoin Capsules

Your doctor will tell you how long to take the treatment. Do not stop earlier than you are told, even if you feel better. If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some of the side effects are temporary with continued treatment or disappeared when treatment is stopped.

Side Effects

Rare

• Loss of consciousness (collapse)
• Blue or purple coloration of the skin due to low oxygen levels. A condition known as cyanosis.
• Severe reduction in blood cells which can cause weakness, bruising or make infections more likely. A condition known as aplastic anaemia.

Not known: Frequency

• Nausea and headache
• Loose stools
• Loss of appetite, stomach ache, and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness, drowsiness
•  Blood cells have been affected in some patients. This may result in bruising, delayed clotting of the blood, sore throat, fever, anaemia, and a susceptibility to colds or persistent cold • A variety of skin rashes or reactions have occurred in some patients. These may appear as flaking skin, a red rash or fever accompanied by rapid heart rate and severe rash with blistering. Other reactions may include inflammation of salivary glands (causing facial pains), inflammation of the pancreas gland (causing severe abdominal pain) and joint pains
• Short-term hair loss
• Urinary infection by germs which are not sensitive to Nitrofurantoin Capsules
• Inflammation of small blood vessel walls, causing skin lesions
• Liver inflammation due to turn of immune system against liver cells
• Inflammation of kidney tissue surrounding tubules, causing renal impairment
• Jaundice (inflammation of the liver causing yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes).
• Confusion
• Depression
• Very happy (euphoria)
• Psychotic reactions
• Urine may become coloured dark yellow or brown coloured. This is quite normal and not a reason to stop taking the medicine.

Serious Side Effects

All medicines can cause allergic reaction although serious allergic reactions are rare. If you notice any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body) STOP TAKING your medicine and go to a doctor immediately.

If you experience any of the side effects detailed below stop taking Nitrofurantoin Capsules and consult your doctor.

• Problems with your lungs. This can happen quickly, within one week after the start of treatment, or very slowly, especially in the elderly and can lead to fever, shivering, coughing and shortness of breath associated with pneumonia and/or tissue damage.
• The nerves outside the spinal cord may be affected causing changes to the sense of feeling and the use of muscles. In addition headache, extreme changes of mood or mental state, weakness, blurred vision may occur. These effects may be severe and is some instances permanent.
• Raised pressure in the skull (causing severe headaches).
• Severe reduction in blood cells which can cause weakness, bruising or make infections more likely.
• Symptoms of fever, flu, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, blood in your stool and weakness. These could be signs of a condition known as cutaneous vasculitis.
• Symptoms of fatigue, abdominal pain, joint pain and swelling. These could be signs of a condition known as hepatitis.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Warning & Precautions

Do not take Nitrofurantoin Capsules:

• if you are allergic to nitrofurantoin, other medicines containing nitrofurantoin or to any of the ingredients of this medicine
• if you have a disease of the kidneys which is severely affecting the way they work (ask your doctor if you are not sure)
• if you are in the final stages of pregnancy (labour or delivery) as there is a risk that it might affect the baby
• if you suffer from a blood disorder called porphyria
• if you are deficient in an enzyme called G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase)
• if your child is under three months of age
• if you are breast feeding a baby with suspected or known deficiency in an enzyme called G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase)

Tell your doctor if you are not sure about any of the above.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Nitrofurantoin Capsules:

• if you have diabetes
• if you are suffering from any illness causing severe weakness
• if you have anaemia (a decrease in red blood cells causing pale skin, weakness and breathlessness); or a lack of vitamin B or abnormal levels of salts in your blood (your doctor will be able to advise you)
• if you have a history of allergic reactions
• if you have any problems with your kidneys The above conditions may increase the chance of developing a side effect which results in damage to the nerves, causing altered sense of feeling such as pins and needles.
• if you lack an enzyme (body chemical) called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, which causes your red blood cells to be more easily damaged (this is more common in black people and people of Mediterranean, Middle East or Asian origin. Your doctor will know)
• if you have any disease of the lungs, liver or nervous system. If you need to take Nitrofurantoin Capsules for a number of months, your doctor may want to regularly check how your lungs and liver are working

This medicine can also cause lung disease in patients with no previous medical history affecting their lungs. Lung disease can occur in patients on short-term or long-term treatment. Talk to your doctor if you experience trouble breathing, shortness of breath, a lingering cough, coughing up blood or mucus, or pain or discomfort when breathing. These may be symptoms of side effects affecting the lungs.

As this medicine may interfere with urine tests for glucose, causing the test to give a “false positive” result. That is, the test may say that glucose is present in the urine even if it is not. This medicine may also cause your urine to turn yellow or brown. Talk to your doctor if you experience fatigue, yellowing of the skin or eyes, itching, skin rashes, joint pain, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dark urine, and pale or gray-colored stools. It may be symptoms of liver disorder.

Age Restrictions

Women who are not pregnant and aged 18 to 65 years of age.

Other Medicines and Conditions

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.

If they are taken with Nitrofurantoin Capsules their effect or the effect of Nitrofurantoin Capsules may be changed. In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines.

• Antacids for indigestion (e.g. magnesium trisilicate)
• Medicines for gout (e.g. probenecid or sulfinpyrazone)
• Medicines which slow the passage of food through the stomach (e.g. atropine, hyoscine)
• Medicines for raised pressure in the eye (glaucoma), such as carbonic anydrase inhibitors (e.g. acetazolamide)
• Medicines which make the urine less acidic (e.g. potassium citrate mixture)
• Medicines for infections, known as quinolones
• Typhoid vaccine, which is given for the prevention of typhoid

If you are in doubt about any of these medicines ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Driving and using machines

Nitrofurantoin Capsules may cause dizziness and drowsiness. You should not drive or operate machinery if you are affected this way until such symptoms go away.

Nitrofurantoin 50mg Capsules with food and drink

Nitrofurantoin should be taken at meal times with food or milk. This will help to avoid stomach upset and also to help the absorption.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

This medicine is not suitable for use in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Patient Information Leaflet

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.15362.pdf

Ingredients

• Active Ingredients: 50mg Nitrofurantoin
• Other Ingredients: maize starch, lactose monohydrate, talc, titanium dioxide, yellow iron oxide, gelatine

Product Information

• Brand Name: Nitrofurantoin (Generic)
• Route of Administration: Oral
• Legal Classification: Prescription Only Medication (POM)
• Strength: 50mg
• Dosage From: Capsule

Storage

• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
• This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
• Do not use Nitrofurantoin Capsules after the expiry date which is stated on the carton.
• The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
• Medicines should not be disposed via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.

Advice & Helpful Links

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/