Macrobid And Longterm Heart Palpitations

I was prescribed Macrobid 4 times a day for 14 days back in June 2015. After 10 days my heart was racing , I had a headache so bad it felt like my brain was swelling. After reading some blogs and seeing what other folks were experiencing I quit taking them on day 10. I am still having severe palpitations 3 months later and feeling my heart skipping beats. Until the Macrobid I have never had this happen. I recently was put on a 24 hour heart monitor and it only worked for 14 hours before it errored. When they downloaded the recording it showed I had over 5000 incidents in the 14 hours. I'm scheduled now for an echo cardiac ultrasound in 3 days and my physician wants to put me on a low dose beta blocker. I feel nervous about the beta-blocker so am waiting til the ultrasound. My question I guess is "has anyone else had a longterm effect [3 months] with heart palpitations after taking high doses of this antibiotic '?

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Hello, Melinda! How are you?

No, that's not listed among the side effects provided by the FDA.

There can be some EKG changes, while you're on it, and the headaches are also normal. Other typical side effects usually include nausea, dizziness and diarrhea.

Has anyone else whose taken this medication experienced this?

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Hi, have your heart palpitations went away? I am pregnant and I was prescribed macrobid 100mg twice a day for 7 days for Uti. In the evening of day 4 I had a palpitations. I checked side effects over and over but couldn't find heart problems on the list. So I kept taking the pills day 5 and in the evening my heart was beating so fast I couldn't leave the bed. I was really scared. I think I just have my last pill today. Please, let me know if docs found that your palpitations were linked to macrobid and if you feel any better?

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I have been experiencing the same heart palpitations after taking Macrobid. It's been a month since my last dose and my rapid heart beat and hard heart beat continues to occur. I've went to the ER for heart attack like symptoms but my ekg and blood test results were normal. I also had an echocardiogram and 48 hour holter monitor but the results were normal. The palpitations are interfering with my sleep. I have googled this drug and found multiple similar side effect complaints. Are you still experiencing these palpitations? How long did it take to stop?

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Yes I also have heart palpitations with this drug. Was put on prophylactic dose and had heart severe irregularities for months. Stopped drug and took about 2 months for heart palps to stop. 6 months later after being infection and heart palp free I have had another infection this week so had to use my stand by pack. Guess what? They have started again. Definitely related and should be listed as side effect.

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I've had heart palpitaations all my life it seems. I aM ON dilaztem(spellinng incorrcvt)I've been diagnosed withSUPRA VENTICUAR TACHYCARDIA, BUT MUST BE HAVING IT WHEN EKG IS DONE,never hears of those pills you are on

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I was prescribed Macrobid for a UTI. After one tablet I my heart began to race. It was in cardio mode for ten hours. Will definitely not take it again. Quit taking remainder of prescription and I let my doc know.

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I have been prescribed Macrobid. I always have horrid side effects, all listed plus rapid heart rate but my GP is very unsympathetic and prescribes it anyway for UTI.
The laboured breathing is horrid and I feel so sick if I stand up and move about. Eating is a struggle because of the nausea

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I was prescribed macrobid 100mg twice daily and after about 15 hours of taking it I had severe heart palpitations for two days before I realized it was the medicine. My heart would race then go real slow, it was scary! The FDA needs to put this as a side affect because it's not listed as one of them!!! I will never take it again!!!

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Re: Deanna (# 8)

Same thing I got these weird jolts in my chest four days in. My doctor told me it was a side effect of it. Two months later still experiences issues.

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I have the same symptoms for a month now after taking 4 days of a 7 day course of Macrobid (chest pain, palpitations, abnormal ekg, Normal CT, Normal chest x-ray, scheduled for Holter monitor 24hr, and an echocardiogram in a few weeks) joint pain, I also had burning in hands and feet which resolved after 24hrs. I know you posted this years ago but did your symptoms resolve? If so, how long did it take? What was the outcome? Thanks!

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I was prescribed Macrobid for 10 days for chronic UTI and my heart started racing on the 3rd day , my hands were extremely shaky as well . I went off of it after the full 10 days and 2 days later the UTI is still here , they prescribed me Bactrim and now my heart is racing again and back to being shaky . Its not listed as a side effect of Macrobid , but it definitely should be because I NEVER had anything like this !!!!

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After 2nd pill I was shaking, severe breathing & headache, coughing, hands, feet freezing. Lungs hurt. Heart pounding. Do not take this medication. It's poison, it made me feel like I had covid again.

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Yep 4 days of macrobid headache and heart palpitations
Stopping them today

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Yes, my heart rate has most certainly increased after taking macrobid for it I treatment. I was administered a 7 day dose 2 per day and I noticed increased heart rate after day 2 or 3 with some slight chest pains. I should’ve stopped taking it but I did finally complete prescription. It’s now about 4 days since last pill and I still am noticing increased heart rate while resting and sometimes during a meal

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I’m having the same problem, I started a 5 day of macrobid for uti, on day 2 the palpitations started, I stopped taking it on day four. It’s been over 48 hrs since I took the last pill and I’m still having them. When are they going to stop???

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I started macrobid. Im on day 3 and have had heart palpitations and skipping beats, double beats, slow fast. I took my last pill at 6pm and it has increased. This drug is causing it. Im not taking anymore!

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Re: CT (# 16)

On 12/23/22 I was prescribed a 7 day course of Macrobid x 2 day for UTI. Day three of Macrobid and I started having heart palpitations. Didn't see that that was a known side-effect so I finished the 7 day course. Had an EKG 2 weeks from initial dose and it was abnormal so waiting on call from Cardiologist. I am in bad shape with heart palps 24 hr per day, headache and extreme fatigue.

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Re: Heidi (# 17)

As I said above, heart palps started 3 days or so after starting macrobid. Initial EKG on 1/7/23 indicated P.A.C. Met with a PA Cardiologist on 1/9/23 and she had never heard of the side effects. Wore heart monitor for 48 hours 1/9-1/14 and results read approx 30% P.A.C. On 1/19/23 heart went back to normal and I haven't had a PAC since. Dr. had prescribed beta-blocker on 1/9 but I wanted to wait until Echo (1/26/23) and with exception of minor mitral valve leak (not new) everything was fine so I'm not going to take it.

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Re: Heidi (# 18)

I came across this thread yesterday morning after leaving work. I’m an RN in the Emergency Room. For 20 years I have specialized in cardiac care. Wednesday night I had a patient who although elderly, had little to no medical history. She presented by EMS with chest pain/pressure. The paramedic thought she was in AFIB enroute to the hospital. When I got into her room, immediately noticed she wasn’t in AFIB but a Sinus Tachycardia (normal rhythm just a little fast) with every other neat being a PAC. While chatting with her and her daughter I noticed her rate went up to 120 and she was have couplet and triplets of PVCs as well and they were frequent. Her rhythm went on like that from 10:30pm until around midnight. Then, she converted to a sinus rhythm with a rate in the 70-80 range and not once did I see another PAC or PVC the entire night. It could be explained by electrolyte imbalance but hers were normal. She took one dose of macrobid at noon that day. I researched extensively and found nothing regarding arrhythmias associated with taking it except this thread. From what I read one dose can take 8-12 hours to be fully metabolized depending on kidney function. This pt was slightly dehydrated so it would make sense that at around the 12 hour mark, the arrhythmias stopped. I cannot believe there’s no warning for this, only non specific ST segment changes. There’s a black box warming for pulmonary toxicity…this is obviously a thing. I wouldn’t take a single dose of this again if I were anyone on this thread. This is a prime example of why I tell my patients all of the time to listen to their bodies!! You know when something isn’t right. I don’t care if the pamphlet says nothing about the symptoms you’re having!!! I just wanted to share this with you all. I’m going to do some more research but also plan on reporting to the FDA or whomever I need to. I have a feeling that this may be part of the reason they stopped using it in the late 70s. Why else would they stop using something so effective to treat UTI?? Stay tuned…

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I’m on day 2 of 5 for a UTI, started having palpitations today- debating whether to push on through the 5 days or stop taking it- don’t want to end up having to take something worse, like Cipro. ugh.

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I’m having heart palpitations on day 3. I don’t know if I should continue to take this medicine as I still have a UTI.

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Re: Kate (# 20)

update: I performed the Valsalva maneuver and it resolved the palpitations. weird.

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