Chronic bladder infection using a Gentamicin bladder wash

@taxpayinghorse I’ve had UTI’s and never heard of the treatment you described. What I do know is that you should be able to get answers to your questions and you should never feel afraid to say too much for fear the doctor will refuse to treat you. Get a second opinion &/or find another doctor.

Hi @taxpayinghorse,

Gentamicin is an antibiotic medicine that is used to treat and prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). It can be given directly into the bladder through a catheter which is called bladder irrigation. I found this published study which you might want to read, especially since it researches antibiotic resistance while on gentamicin instillations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5798439/

I'm also tagging @predictable to see if he has any thoughts to add.

I am getting the best medical care out there at Mayo. The medical care is so bad out here that Mayo is like a shining beacon. None of the Urologist at the VA Hospital or Urology Ass. in Tallahassee even know what a Gentamycin Bladder wash is. They are woefully ignorant. My case is very unusual because I can't take anymore oral or intravenous antibiotics. What a person "should" be able to get answers to and "should" be able to get good medical help is not reality. I have went way beyond "2nd opinions"....I am the best place available which is at Mayo. Trying to even find the bladder wash is not to impossible. It is a compounded medication and very hard to find and afford even with insurance. Without Mayo, right now I'd be dead.

Thanks a million. I will read it. I just got done reading it. I must be very ignorant. I couldn't understand most of what I read. "Significant side effects of daily oral suppressive antibiotics can occur8 and along with changing the genitourinary flora,10 antibiotics can also affect the oral, pulmonary, skin, vaginal, and bowel commensals, and lead to increased findings of antibiotic-resistant organisms. That one sentence I would like to know what it means. Does it cause stomach/bowel problems using this gentamycin directly into the bladder?

I have been using this gentamycin bladder wash for over 3 years now to treat UTI, that I have been told will never go away. It is has gotten into the tissue of my bladder and can not be cured. I am not able to take antibiotics because of over use and side effects from them, they have caused permanent damage to my stomach and intestines. Is there anyone on here that has been using this Gentamycin as a bladder wash? When this stops working it is my understanding there is nothing out there left to use. I will die of septicemia. When I ask the doctor for answers, his reply is, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there"....I have to think ahead. I take care of my handicapped sister and she is 100% dependent on me. Does anyone have any answers?

Hi. Been having a bladder infection for about a month. Been on antobiotics for 2 weeks 2 different kinds and now just had my third culture1, Was ecoli and lactobacillus bacterias2. Was klebsiella pneumoniae3. Was mixed microflora.Also said i had leuko cyte esterase urine.Do you get put on antibiotics for this third mixed flora one?

Hi Joan,
Sorry to hear that you've had a prolonged bladder infection this past month. I'm bringing @2011panc @pines @kamama94 and @merpreb into this discussion too. What treatments have you been getting for the infection? Do they know they cause of the infection? Might it be related to chemo or other cancer treatments you're getting?

Hi Colleen, Its been awhile since I have been on. This all started maybe the first of November but didn't go to dr. until the 19th. I lost control of my bladder so when I I had to go I went. I just had the urge. No burning or anything. I went to the dr. and they did the urine test and culture. Dr. told me she had another patient with the same symptons. no control. They put me on a couple of antibiotics but then they got the results and I went to five days of amoxocyllan which help but didn't totally deal with the symptons. Went back to dr. did another culture and I got put on another antibiotic which helped but just didn't think I was totally over anything. So went back in and got the results today, but don't know yet what I will be on. I haven't had any treatments for over a year for my cancer but things are changing in my left lung so don't know what the next result will be. Otherwise I'm doing ok, just getting hard to to breathe with my copd, no energy and tired all the time. Have chills all the time. grrrrrrrrrrrr Its getting harder to deal with things. Anyway, thats whats going on Colleen........ Life is ever changing and learn to deal with things as they come up//

@sakota, recently a friend had something similar, a UTI w/ e coli, lactobacillus, pseudomonas, and mixed flora. My friend can't take certain medications so her urologist had her on amoxicillin and it took about 6 weeks to clear. The urologist said he was seeing more and more of this type of mixed and stubborn UTI especially among older women partly because the tissues separating rectum and vagina get thinner with age and it's easier for e coli and pseudomonas to cross tissue barriers. Have you been able to discuss other treatment options with your medical team?

I hope you can find some answers and hope the infection clears soon. And hope your lung is ok.

After going through 4 Cdiff infections in 2018, I'm leery of taking any antibiotics. I too have had numerous UTI's throughout my life. I was fortunate last winter that I didn't get numerous sinus infections since the Clindamycin they gave me for the one is what caused my first out with Cdiff. One of my doctors asked me during my last UTI in 2018 if I was using a PH balanced soap. At the time I was not. I've since changed to Vagasil PH balanced soap and have not had a single UTI in over a year. Walmart also had an Equate brand that is the same as the Vagasil and less expensive.