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Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)
I have had four uti’s in the last eight months. Of those eight, I had three in three months. I’m wondering if I should see a specialist. I like my primary care provider but he is very busy. Also, if you know of anything I can be doing until my next appointment with my primary care provider, which is three months away.
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I’ve had 6 UTI’s in 4 months…have been on antibiotics off and on. First I was on an antibiotic for 2x a day for 1 week, stopped and a week later I’m UTI positive again. Did this till they put me on antibiotics for two weeks and then once a day everyday. I had to stop, it was burning a hole in my stomach. I’m so disgusted that I have to be on an antibiotic for 3months and fear once I’m off the antibiotics (wham), I’m positive again. Does anyone have a solution or experience that could help me
My husband ended up in the hospital last week due to very low vitals (73/38 53 found when he was being checked in for a routine appointment) and they discovered a UTI. Some blood and protein in the urine. He has CKD. What confused them (where one doctor didn't think was a UTI) was he had absolutely no symptoms. No symptoms for anything actually.
They put him on an antibiotic for a week. Now he is in a Skilled nursing home for two weeks of therapy related to fall issues - he is 89 and very unstable. He is trying his best to get out of there as he doesn't think he needs help (has mild dementia as well. At this point I haven't been told if the UTI is over.
I’ve had many, many UTIs over the years. Eventually, because we were traveling, a Mayo physician put me on Methenamine - also known as Hiprex. My Mayo nephrologist tried to take me off of it last year but the UTIs came back . She must’ve had some concern about its effect on the kidneys because although she put me back on it I am now only taking a half a pill a day. No UTIs for some time.
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1 ReactionYou can buy UTI Test strips for use at home From your pharmacy or Amazon. I like the ones that have about eight factors that they test for - including blood. If I do a test and it’s abnormal, I take a picture of the strip to show my Doctor. The symptoms of UTIs that I get nowadays are very subtle compared to when I was younger. It might be frequency, odor or cloudy urine. I never get a temperature.
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1 ReactionThanks for your information and I hope your husband recovers soon and goes home. UTI ‘s can be very dangerous so it’s important to get treated right away, though I understand your husbands situation was different and quite scary with no symptoms. I’m on another treatment plan with antibiotics twice a day for two weeks, then once a day for 3 months. I don’t mind taking the antibiotics, but it really does a number on my stomach, so here I am again, ugh.
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3 ReactionsI also had several UTI until my doctor put me on a Premarin vaginal cream to use every 3 days. I have been free of UTIS for more than two years now.
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1 Reaction...MAY I ask name of the probiotic
As others , have had numerous uti's. 1985 had radiation stage 2 cancer of cervix and years later bladder problems and bowel problems, after a urologist looked inside bladder and after we chatted and i said yes, my bladder must be cooked he said no, it's fried... so one reason to be getting so many infections; however also had ibs-d or frequent diarrhea and gastro-enterologist said radiation damage had healed, but my bowels never the same - doesn't it scar the bowel? So I had diarrhea after any good foods like fruit, salads etc and stopped eating them; at same time got lots of uti's; one reason is I used to use a Sitz Bath because my rear end got so very sore and so comforting to sit in warm water.. but one day realized the germs from rectal area getting into water/bladder! Even tho I stopped doing that and no more baths, still got the uti's. 2016 dr's office staff did a urine sample and I am wondering , as I now buy the test strips myself; there is a best before date on the bottle of urine test strips and they must be used before expiration date; however, once the brand I buy have the bottle opened they are only fresh and reliable within a time frame of three months.. As well, bottle with remainder of strips must be kept closed tightly. Should be kept at room temp or refrigerated and not frozen . So 2016 office staff did the test, was not allowed to use the washroom in dr office so a public washroom down the hall, and not given a wet wipe to cleanse myself the staff person dipped the stick and lay it on the top lid of the closed bottle ... am sure urine from previous sticks had gotten onto the bottle top perhaps leaving germs; also the test strip has to be read from 30 seconds for some results to 120 seconds for others. I know that strip lay there for about ten minutes til dr. ready... he came into office and said strip was lit up like a rainbow - which it would be after ten minutes!!!! 120 seconds is max!! I didn't know any better at the time. He gave me a Quinolone drug, NORFLOX, which had about 3 pages of info with it and of course I didn't read it all but I did see top of page about warnings to those over 65, and had a black box around it. I didn't know what a black box warning was ,,, do now as ten days after finished pills got peripheral neuropathy which i still have! I am sure some dr offices do not check the bb dates, wash hands before handling strips and read within 2 minutes.So from then on I ALWAYS now politely ask for a proper lab test of my urine before accepting antibiotics. Added to problem when on antibiotics my diarrhea is so much worse BUT anti-diarrhea meds cannot be taken when on antibiotics so the feces flows out of me and I have to have couple of showers a day and get so sore, even cutting off my nightie at 3am. So after i think it was about 5 antibiotics in 5 months or so, I got C.Diff which required two treatments of Vancomycin for MONTHS during which time I could not take anti diarrhea meds like IMODIUM. So how does one wipe front to back when every time go pee there is fecal incontinence on my behind! Sorry for long story but still getting uti's and still the same side effects. Also after C.Diff in 2018, also diagnosis of Glaucoma which had nothing to do with utis , and losing 4 friends, i had nervous and physical breakdown which I am still dealing with 3 years later...so for some a uti is no big deal, but it can be and has led to a very dark period in my life and the light is still out! Presently I have another, ecoli, and after 7 days my test strips still show infection! I can't take it much more. As a side note I am on Keflex and the cost of the 14 pills x 500g was $2.31 Canadian plus the dispensing fee...I asked the pharmacist why so cheap and he said cos not used much any more! is this correct? Again sorry to be so long but its been a long horrid trip plus other health issues, as many other people do... will this ever end I wonder!
Do they always culture your urine before they treat UTI.? Some bacteria is not sensitive to the same Antibiotics as the most common E.Coli is. Always insist on a culture. Some E. Coli is resistant to the standard antibiotics. With the diarrhea, it in itself can splash up and make its way into the bladder via the urethra. Especially if you are a older woman. I would definitely talk to your Doctor about going on the probiotic Florestor for your bowel problems. It is a reputable brand and quite often recommended by doctors. It is expensive but I think we'll worth the try. It is great to take while on antibiotics because they can't kill it like Standard probiotics. Some studies have shown a possibility that it might even ward off c.dificil infections.
I know what you are going through. Iam a 76 year old woman and have had diarrhea on and off since I was in my 20,s...diagnosed as IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome). Since a prolapaed uterus followed by a hysterectomy I also get UTI,s easily. I always practice all the preventative measures when bathing and going to the bathroom. This last UTI was a bd one and when the first treatment did nothing it was because it was caused by Enterococcus faecalis (E. Faecalis) not E. Coli. It is a very resistant bacteria. There are only a few antibiotics that treat it. So please insist on a urine culture. I also know how all this can cause emotional turmoil like Anxiety and Depression. Hang in there...you got this.
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3 Reactions...thanks for spending time with so much info. I did a fast check on web md dot com and they state pros and cons of Florestor and I always seem to have the cons with meds.... yes I take best precautions I can in washroom etc. but wake up at 4am and feces (sorry) , even a little bit has leaked out it doesn't take much with the female anatomy to affect bladder opening...it was bad enough with ibs-d but fecal incontinence is a lot worse to cope with for me... I feel I am doomed. Even if not diarrhea and have taken Imodium the next day get what I refer to as bunny poops.... I just feel my whole bowel is shot and rectal muscles no longer work and also get very painful in that area, couldn't even get to sleep last night so sore... but don't want to go to surgeon in case suggest removing bowel. Yes I try and always ask for urine culture ... last time did but not a clean catch as they call it... so I try to have shower at home, make my own sample in bottle I get from clinic, go straight to clinic and in washroom tip my specimen into their bottle... last time prescribed Macrobid but it is so hard on my system and I feel going round in circles ... where is that magic wand?
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