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!