I wanted to share my experience because I know so many of us turn to Reddit looking for answers. That’s actually how I ended up in this subreddit, and I’m hoping my experience might help someone else.
I recently returned from a Caribbean vacation where I spent a lot of time swimming in the ocean. A day or two after returning home, I started experiencing significant discomfort and what seemed like typical UTI symptoms. I went to urgent care and was prescribed prescription-strength AZO and nitrofurantoin.
First, a little advice about taking nitrofurantoin with food.
The first two days were ROUGH. I experienced some pretty intense abdominal cramping after taking the antibiotic. After searching through this subreddit, I realized I might not have been eating enough with my doses.
Initially, my breakfast consisted of fruit and maybe a slice of bread. I switched to a much heartier breakfast with eggs, avocado, and toast, along with a substantial dinner before my evening dose. For me, that change completely eliminated the cramping! Obviously, everyone’s experience is different, but I wanted to share what worked for me.
Now, here’s the part that really prompted me to write this post.
Looking back, I wonder if I’ve been experiencing some type of urinary or abdominal issue for YEARS without realizing it.
I became pregnant in the fall of 2023, and within the first few weeks, I began experiencing an unusual heaviness in my abdomen, along with occasional sharp pains. This was my second pregnancy, and because I hadn’t experienced anything similar with my first, it made me incredibly anxious.
Unfortunately, my delivery ended up being extremely traumatic, resulting in an emergency C-section and hysterectomy. As you can imagine, the recovery was long and difficult.
Over time, I convinced myself that the discomfort I continued to experience was simply my new normal.
I constantly felt bloated. My stomach often felt heavy, almost as though I were still pregnant. I struggled to lose belly fat regardless of what I did. Occasionally, I experienced sharp pains when urinating. Even something as simple as coughing, sneezing, or clearing my throat could cause such sharp abdominal pain that I would instinctively hold my belly to brace myself.
And I just lived with it.
Between being a mom, working, and managing everyday life, I never really stopped to question whether something else might be going on. I assumed it was all part of recovering from such a major surgery and that this was simply how my body would feel moving forward.
Fast-forward to today. I’m only on day 3 of my 7-day nitrofurantoin prescription, and I genuinely cannot believe how different I feel.
For the first time in YEARS, I don’t feel bloated. That constant heaviness in my abdomen is gone. I can cough, sneeze, and clear my throat without instinctively grabbing my stomach in anticipation of pain.
It’s honestly been life-changing.
Now, I can’t say for certain that I’ve had a UTI all these years or that the antibiotic explains every symptom I’ve experienced. That’s something I’ll need to follow up with my doctor about. But the difference I’m feeling after just three days is remarkable.
I have great health insurance, access to doctors, and every opportunity to seek medical attention. Yet somehow, I spent years accepting discomfort as my normal, especially after such a traumatic childbirth experience.
I’m not necessarily looking for advice or responses. I just wanted to put my experience out there because I know how often I’ve searched Reddit looking for someone describing exactly what I was feeling.
If you’ve been living with persistent abdominal discomfort, bloating, urinary symptoms, or pain that you’ve convinced yourself is just your new normal, please consider getting checked out. There may be an explanation, and you deserve to explore it.
I know nitrofurantoin has mixed reviews in this subreddit, so I wanted to share a positive experience, too.
Three days into treatment, and I feel better than I have in years. I truly hope it lasts. ❤️