UTI Gram Negative Bacteria

@815 welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. UTI’s are miserable and it sounds like you have had plenty. Is it possible that you have developed a resistance to traditional antibiotics? Have you worked with the same provider each time you’ve had this issue? Perhaps it is time to look into your history of infections and the ensuing treatments to better understand what is going on with you and what to do about it.

....sorry if a stupid question, but do you have symptoms with the diagnosis, and is it a family doctor who is doing the testing or a Lab? Several times i was told had uti and i had not done a “clean catch” sample an took so many antibiotics got c.diff. I sympathize with you, I get then often but also have bowel incontinence and its a job in itself keeping area clean.... i gave up baths and sitz baths; use separate “face cloths” and towels, still get uti’s but not as often and take the sample in the container at home after a shower and take it right to the lab. However, last time i discovered the messenger service doesnt get the specimen from where i live to a larger city 4 hours away until next day! I was so upset. So now i ask to take urine sample to local hospital lab which tests on site. Just some suggestions/ideas... J.

I have had an indwelling catheter for 40 years and have had many many bladder infections over the years that have been treated with antibiotics. I too struggle with E. coli and bacteria that is resistant to many of the common antibiotics. I spoke with an infection control specialist, and he recommended that I only seek out treatment if my symptoms are bad. I’m sure you’re aware that if you have an indwelling catheter, you will always have bacteria that would indicate treatment when compared to a normal person. But our bladder environment is definitely different and having a bacteria count that would normally be considered within the realm of treatment for others, should be something we don’t treat unless we have multiple symptoms. I made the mistake of seeking out treatment earlier than I should have, and my local general practitioner would treat me with antibiotics not understanding the bladder environment of someone with a catheter.

I have finally gone a full year without a UTI. Things that I am doing differently are drinking, drinking and drinking more. I recently got an electric leg bag emptier, so I can drink as much as I want without needing assistance with emptying my urinary bag. I have also increased sanitation around the catheter site by not sharing any cleanser or cleansing cloths that have been used in other areas around my catheter site. Even your own hands can carry tons of bacteria, so nobody’s hands should be near that catheter site without being washed and gloved. I have reduced the risk of the year and in my bladder reflux and back into the kidneys, which could cause them to be infected. I am now receiving Botox injections in my bladder, so it is much less spastic. I also irrigate with saline solution daily, so that any bacteria building up inside the catheter will be loosened and then flushed out with my urine and the saline solution.

Why is this important? Because I have been informed that if I were to become septic with E. coli, or other bacteria that I am antibiotic resistant to, there is a very high chance that there will not be an antibiotic to treat me and the sepsis could be fatal. I finally retired after 34 years of full-time work, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let a bladder infection occur that could potentially stop me from enjoying my retirement! Please check out more preventative measures. Good luck!

@lacy2 Yes, I always have symptoms. The symptoms that I have are the reason I head to the doctor for a urine culture. My problem is recently when I get a UTI. It’s a gram negative. That’s almost impossible to get rid of. That’s a great idea to do the samples at home and take them in yourself. I’m going to ask about that. I really hate using public restrooms. Especially at a medical facility where only sick/contagious people are using them. I have an appointment with my urologist next week. I’m going to ask her about bringing home cups for samples. Thanks for the great idea.

Denise64. I hope you threw a party after going a year without a UTI. That is wonderful. It sounds like you have certainly had your share of UTIs. Thank you for taking the time to respond and for all your input it’s greatly appreciated.

...ps by the way last time at lab at hospital she gave me some free urine sample containers but clinic would not accept them as had no seal on them; also bought some years ago from amazon on line and did not have paper seal on them and although it said they were serile, they are NOT acceptable unless we have to break the paper seal before using for sample. I found our local pharmacy sells them at 75 cents each, Canadian. I am SURE previous samples from dr office were contaminated from my own body afgter travelling there and using public washroom; also I think i forgot to say I buy the urine test strips from amazon too an duse them . a dr i saw said i could. The urine tests take 20 second to 2 minutes and I KNOW that doctors receptionist who did them left the dipped test strip lying across the closed bottle of test strips - how many other people's test strips had laid on that bottle cap? As well I know for a fact no one stood there and used a second hand to wait and see from 20 second to 120 seconds. The longer the test strip lays there the darker it gets and the results are NOT accurate. Sorry but i feel stongly about this. Now I ask politely if I can have the urine sample checked at a Lab, not the doctor's office.Even so, unless lab at local hospital the samples are purolator driven to a city four hours away and sometimes dont arrive til the next day! OMG I would like to complain about it but am a like one hair on a furry bear... no one will take notice. All in all looking back I KNOW that I was put on antibiotic when did not have UTI - so also go by symptoms (although not always get them) of frequency, urgency, pain, odour etc. etc. Hope this helps and not hinders! J. (learned the hard way)

They always send my urine to hospital lab for a culture. A lot of the time the dip stick will not show bacteria. But the culture will come back with bacteria. Can you read the test strips that you use at home or do you have to send them out to be read?

,,, for me,,, buy bottles of test strips, they have to be used within a certain time frame once opened and thats another thing am not sure dr. office does.. anyway, yes i have ipad stopwatch on from 120 seconds down and the strip has little squares that colour more if problems, I am careful doing the testing - there an info sheet in the bottle. What I have done in past is take a photo of the strip lying on paper towel and showed it to the nurse, it save having the test again. Of course am a trusted patient... however, with damage from radiation to bladder from years ago, sometimes will show a little bit of blood on the test strip one day and not the next, but it is accurate. Like anything, IF you see something amiss, can ask dr for lab test but given all we read about these days, are the labs even 100 per cent "trustworthy" - I am beginning to have many doubts about many areas in the medical field - used to believe everything was told but not any more and it's not a nice feeling. ps I dont buy bottled with huge amounts of strips although cheaper as cant use them all up in the time frame

Oh wow..thank you! I’m going to get some test strips! You are absolutely right about healthcare. I’ve always trusted and depended on doctors. But .. today.. not so much! You have to be your own advocate! No one cares more about me than me! We know our bodies, especially when something is not right!

Where do you buy the test strip? Thank you!