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UTI Antibiotic Side Effects

Urinary tract infections, also called bladder infections or UTIs, are common inflammations of the urinary system caused by bacteria introduced into the urethra. Most of the time, your own immune system can take care of the infection, but when it can't, your health care provider may prescribe a course of antibiotics. The antibiotics will kill the bacteria, and in some cases, they can cause side effects.

  1. Allergic Reaction

    • Allergies are one of the most common side effects to antibiotics. It is not uncommon for amoxicillin, which is an antibiotic in the penicillin family, to be prescribed. Notify your physician if you have an allergy to amoxicillin or any additional allergies. Allergic reactions to antibiotics can include difficulty breathing, hives or swelling of the lips.

    Skin Reactions to Sunlight

    • Tetracyclides also are prescribed in some cases. Doxycycline, tetracycline and minocyclinecan cause adverse reactions to sunlight. This is not to say that you cannot go outside while taking these antibiotics. However, if you spend an extended amount of time outside, you may develop facial flushing or a rash. There is a possibility that you will develop severe sunburn if you spend any extended time outside while taking the drug. This is more likely to happen if you taking the drug on a long-term basis.

    Tooth Discoloration

    • A potential side effect of tetracyclides is tooth discoloration. Using these antibiotics for urinary tract infection treatment often results in gray or brown tooth stains. Tetracyclides mineralize tissue that has been formed using calcium, forming tetracycline-calcium orthophosphate complex during the process. The result is a discoloration of forming bones, but the only bones that are visible to the naked eye are teeth. This is part of the reason that tetracyclides are not prescribed to children who do not have all of their permanent teeth.

    Urine Changes

    • Some antibiotics prescribed for urinary tract infections cause your urine to change colors as it kills the bacteria in your urinary system. For example Rinsapin, an antibiotic used to treat infections caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria, can make your urine green or blue. Rifampin, a similar antibiotic, can turn your urine orange or reddish brown. These are harmless side effects that should go away almost immediately after you stop taking these medications. If they do not, notify your health care provider.

    Yeast Infection

    • Another common side effect of taking antibiotics to treat a urinary tract infection is a yeast infection. The antibiotics your health care provider prescribes will kill all the bacteria possible. In some cases, this causes an imbalance in the pH of the vagina, which leads to a yeast infection. Yeast infections are a buildup of bacteria in the vagina. In some cases, a yeast infection can introduce bacteria into the urethra and lead to a urinary tract infection. It can become a cycle of infection after infection. Tell your health care provider if you are prone to yeast infections so that he can come up with a course of treatment that will not put you at risk for another one.

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