Macrobid
Macrobid is a generic nitrofurantoin capsule for bladder infections (cystitis), sold here as 50mg and 100mg capsules in pack sizes from 30 up to 360.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per capsule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50mg | 120 capsules | $94.80 | $0.79 |
| 50mg | 180 capsules | $126.00 | $0.70 |
| 50mg | 360 capsules | $244.80 | $0.68 |
| 100mg | 30 capsules | $27.90 | $0.93 |
| 100mg | 60 capsules | $47.40 | $0.79 |
| 100mg | 90 capsules | $64.80 | $0.72 |
| 100mg | 120 capsules | $79.20 | $0.66 |
| 100mg | 180 capsules | $100.80 | $0.56 |
| 100mg | 360 capsules | $172.80 | $0.48 |
- Category
- Antibiotics
- Active ingredient
- Nitrofurantoin
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Capsule
- Strengths
- 50/100mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Urinary tract infections
- Therapeutic Class
- Antibiotic
- Pharmacological Class
- Nitrofuran
- Minor Side Effects
- Nausea, Headache
- Moderate Side Effects
- Stomach cramps, Diarrhoea
- Dosage Forms
- Capsule
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Alvogen
- Onset Time
- 1–2 hours
- Duration
- 12 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature, keep in a dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- Magnesium trisilicate antacids
What you will receive
Macrobid is the originator brand name, made by Alvogen. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Macrobid.
- The same active ingredient (Nitrofurantoin) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Macrobid strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Two strengths of capsule: 50mg, in packs of 120, 180 or 360, and 100mg, in packs from 30 up to 360. The capsules are generic nitrofurantoin rather than the original Macrobid, and each one costs less in the bigger packs.
How can I pay for Macrobid delivery to Hong Kong?
For Macrobid delivery to Hong Kong, pay by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or with Bitcoin or Ethereum. Card details never reach the shop's servers. Orders can be cancelled within 24 hours if not yet dispatched. Support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese by live chat.
Does Macrobid have other names?
Macrobid and Furadantin are brand names of nitrofurantoin, which is also sold as Macrodantin and Martifur. Here, nitrofurantoin can be bought online as generic Macrobid, and also as nitrofurantoin tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
Why has my urine turned brown on Macrobid?
Nitrofurantoin colours urine dark yellow or brown. It is a harmless effect of the drug being passed out through the kidneys, and it clears once the course is finished. Pale, clear urine is not a sign the capsules have stopped working.
Can I drink alcohol with Macrobid?
Nitrofurantoin has no direct clash with alcohol, so there is no hard rule against it. Drinking can add to the nausea that is already the commonest side effect, which is why many people wait until the course is over.
How long does Macrobid take to work?
Many people notice the burning and urgency easing within a few days. The bacteria are not all gone at that point, so the capsules should be taken to the end of the course rather than stopped when symptoms improve.
About Macrobid
Macrobid for a bladder infection
Burning when you pass urine, a constant urge to go, cloudy or strong-smelling urine: Macrobid is bought for exactly that picture, a lower urinary tract infection (cystitis). The medicine is nitrofurantoin, an antibiotic that the kidneys pass into the urine, so it reaches its strength in the bladder itself. Here it comes as capsules in 50mg and 100mg, sold under the Macrobid name.
Because it works in the urine, it does not treat kidney infections or infections elsewhere in the body, and it does nothing against viruses. Inside the bacteria it is turned into reactive compounds that damage their genetic material and proteins, and they cannot repair themselves.
Taking the capsules
Swallow them with food or a glass of milk. That helps the body absorb the drug and settles the stomach. For a straightforward bladder infection the course is short, often somewhere between three and seven days, and it should be finished even when the burning stops after a day or two. Space the capsules evenly through the day and keep them at room temperature, away from damp.
Dark yellow or brown urine while you take it is a harmless effect of the drug.
Side effects and cautions
Nausea, loss of appetite, headache and wind are the common ones. Rarer reactions deserve attention: a new cough, breathlessness or fever (a lung reaction that can start days or weeks in), yellow skin or eyes (the liver), numbness or tingling in the hands or feet (nerve damage), or a spreading rash. Reduced kidney function stops enough drug reaching the urine, so it works less well and side effects become likelier. It is not used in the last weeks of pregnancy or in babies under a month old.
Antacids containing magnesium trisilicate can cut absorption, and probenecid, a gout medicine, lowers the amount reaching the urine. Quinolone antibiotics such as nalidixic acid work against nitrofurantoin.
Macrobid or plain nitrofurantoin
Nitrofurantoin is the same ingredient in 50mg and 100mg, sold as tablets rather than capsules. Choose Macrobid if you want the capsule. The nitrofurantoin ingredient page gives the wider picture, and other infection treatments are in the antibiotics category.
Sources
- Nitrofurantoin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Urinary Tract Infection Basics | UTI - CDC — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention