Trimethoprim

What is Trimethoprim for?

Please note:  You will need to supply your doctor's details in your consultation to enable us to supply this antibiotic medication. This is so we can inform your doctor of your request for private treatment to adhere to good antimicrobial stewardship, and to minimise the risk of antibiotic resistance from overuse.

Please note: Since 2017, Nitrofurantoin has been the most widely prescribed first line treatment for cystitis, although some women may find Trimethoprim responds better to their symptoms.

Please note: Women who have taken Trimethoprim in the past year should consider Nitrofurantoin instead.

Please note: We will only prescribe Trimethoprim for female patients under the age of 65. We do not prescribe Trimethoprim to men.

Trimethoprim is an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), such as uncomplicated cystitis. Patients must carry on taking this medicine until the course is completed, even if you feel better after the first day for example. Although Nitrofurantoin is more commonly prescribed and is considered a more effective treatment, some people prefer to buy Trimethoprim online as they have found it to be very effective for them and is their preferred medication.

Trimethoprim or Nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin is now the most widely prescribed first line treatment for this infection, although some people may find either Nitrofurantoin or Trimethoprim responds better to their symptoms.

Both are effective antibiotic treatments, although there is believed to be increasing antibiotic resistance to Trimethoprim. Up to approximately 30% of bacteria responsible for water infections are resistant to Trimethoprim.

However, some women may find one of the other treatment is more suitable for them and their infection responds better to a particular antibiotic, or they may find they experience less side effects with either Nitrofurantoin or Trimethoprim.

If you are not sure which antibiotic treatment is more suitable for you, your doctor should be able to offer appropriate guidance.

How does Trimethoprim work?

Trimethoprim works to stop bacteria from producing a substance called folate. Without folate, the bacteria cannot produce DNA, thus cannot grow and increase in numbers. Trimethoprim therefore stops the infection from spreading. Any bacteria left are killed by the immune system or will eventually die.

How to take Trimethoprim

• Adults: 200mg tablets twice daily for 3 days to treat uncomplicated cystitis.
• Improvements should be seen in 24 hours and symptoms are usually cleared after the 3 days.
• If your symptoms do not improve or are worsening after your course of treatment, consult your doctor. You may need to buy Trimethoprim online again in the future, or your doctor may suggest an alternative antibiotic for the infection.

What are the possible side effects of Trimethoprim?

Side effects are rare, and most people don’t get any. Possible side effects may vary from one person to the next, as with any medication. You should always read the manufacturer’s Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) before taking this or any other medication.

This will give you important instructions on how and when to take the medication, as well as any possible side effects of the drug.

How we package your order

Your medication is placed inside a plain delivery box* for protection, then sealed inside a special tamper-proof Royal Mail envelope before being dispatched from our in-house pharmacy.

• Discreet plain packaging / No mention of medication
• Our minimum sized delivery box* to protect the medication in transit is: W - 18cm, H - 6.5cm, D - 8.5cm
• Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48 hr (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail Special Delivery Before 1pm (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail Local Collect (UK addresses)
• Royal Mail International Signed For (Overseas addresses)
• Some delivery types will require you to sign for the parcel
• Some delivery types will require you to show Photo ID for the parcel
• Find out more information about delivery types here