Trimethoprim 200mg Tablets for UTI
A 3-day course of trimethoprim 200mg tablets (6 tablets) for an uncomplicated UTI in women aged 18–64, used when nitrofurantoin isn’t suitable. Includes an online consultation reviewed by a UK pharmacist prescriber, with your answers checked against your NHS record. Full refund if not suitable.
£14.99
Trimethoprim 200mg tablets are an antibiotic used to treat an uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI, often called cystitis) in women. In the UK, trimethoprim is usually a second choice after nitrofurantoin, and is used when nitrofurantoin isn’t suitable and the risk of resistance is low. You can request trimethoprim online through our UTI consultation. A UK pharmacist independent prescriber reviews every answer, checks it against your NHS Summary Care Record or with a short call, and decides which antibiotic is safest for you. If treatment isn’t right for you, you get a full refund.
Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan MPharm, Pharmacist Independent Prescriber, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
How to get trimethoprim online
- Start your consultation. Press Start Consultation and answer a short set of questions about your symptoms, health and medicines (about 5 minutes).
- Prescriber review. Our prescriber checks your answers against your NHS record (with your consent) or calls you, and confirms your identity with a quick online ID check. Nitrofurantoin is usually the first choice, so they may supply that instead if it suits you better.
- Treatment sent to you. Once approved, your 3-day course is dispatched from our GPhC-registered pharmacy in Bury, and your GP is sent a short summary.
Price: £14.99 for a 3-day course (6 tablets), including the consultation. Delivery is charged at checkout.
UTI treatment through NHS Pharmacy First
Women aged 16 to 64 with a suspected UTI can also be assessed and treated through the NHS Pharmacy First service at a local pharmacy, including Bury Healthcare Pharmacy, 46 Walmersley Road, Bury (0161 222 1024). The consultation is free. If you normally pay for prescriptions, the standard NHS prescription charge applies to any medicine supplied. Our online service is for people who would rather order privately and have their treatment delivered.
What is trimethoprim used for?
Trimethoprim is an antibiotic that stops bacteria from making folate, which they need to grow. It is used for bladder infections and some other bacterial infections. NICE guidance (NG109) recommends trimethoprim 200mg twice a day for 3 days for a lower UTI in women who are not pregnant, if the risk of resistance is low. Resistance is more likely if you have taken trimethoprim in the last 3 months, which is why our prescriber asks about recent antibiotics.
Typical UTI symptoms are pain or burning when you pass urine, needing to go more often or more urgently, needing to pass urine at night, cloudy urine and pain low in the tummy. Read more about urinary tract infections, or see nitrofurantoin 100mg capsules, the usual first-choice treatment.
Who can use our online UTI service?
Our online service is for women aged 18 to 64 with symptoms of an uncomplicated lower UTI for less than 7 days. It is not suitable, and you should see your GP, a Pharmacy First pharmacy or NHS 111 instead, if you:
- are male, pregnant, could be pregnant, or are breastfeeding
- are under 18 or 65 or over
- have a fever, shivering, pain in your back or side, are being sick, or can see blood in your urine
- have had 2 or more UTIs in 6 months or 3 or more in 12 months, or had antibiotics for a UTI in the last 4 weeks
- have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, a urinary catheter, kidney stones, or a weakened immune system
- have a blood disorder, or anaemia caused by low folate
- take methotrexate, or have had a reaction to trimethoprim before
Tell us if you take blood pressure or heart tablets such as ramipril, lisinopril, losartan or spironolactone, potassium supplements, warfarin, phenytoin or ciclosporin. Trimethoprim can interact with these, and the prescriber may choose a different treatment.
How to take trimethoprim
| Dose | How often | How long |
|---|---|---|
| One 200mg tablet | Twice a day, about 12 hours apart | 3 days (6 tablets) |
- Swallow each tablet with a drink of water. You can take it with or without food.
- Finish the whole course, even if you feel better sooner.
- Drink plenty of fluids while you have the infection.
Side effects
Most people have no problems. Common side effects include feeling sick, diarrhoea, headache, an itchy skin rash and a raised level of potassium in the blood. Antibiotics can sometimes cause thrush.
Stop taking it and get medical help straight away if you get a widespread rash, blistering or peeling skin, swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, unexplained bruising or bleeding, a sore throat with fever, or severe diarrhoea. This is not a full list: always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine.
How to store trimethoprim
Keep the tablets in the original packaging, below 25°C, and out of the sight and reach of children.
Frequently asked questions
Is trimethoprim a strong antibiotic?
How long does trimethoprim take to work?
Can I drink alcohol with trimethoprim?
Is trimethoprim a penicillin?
Does trimethoprim affect the contraceptive pill?
Why is trimethoprim sometimes taken at night?
Should I choose trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin?
Important safety information
Trimethoprim is a prescription-only medicine. It is only supplied after a prescriber has reviewed your consultation and decided it is appropriate. This page is a summary and does not replace the patient information leaflet. If you feel very unwell, call 999. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.
