Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)

Georgia/Australia - Hi empter --Hope this is not too too late to help. Try UTI's every 10 days !!! GP and emergency depts. will just give you the antibiotic that shows up on their blood or urine test. You need to ask the specialist to give you an appointment with the ID (INFECTIOUS DISEASE) SPECIALIST AT THE HOSPITAL. He will find a taylor-made antibiotic to suite your particular needs. Make him your best friend.

Georgia/Australia - Yes, UTI's was the first sign of bladder cancer for me. The GP just sent me for pelvic floor exercises !!! NO. Have a PET scan.

RE: UTI. One help is to be able to detect it "at home". Buy a Siemen's 10 Dipstick pack for about $60. (It is what your GP has) You can dip it at home any time and read the LEU, and NIT (top two colors indicate bacteria levels). In other words -- "Somethin's goin on". After while you learn to read all 10 and it is very easy and comforting to be able to understand your kidney function level. Georgia from Australia

I do mine about once a month. No UTIs in a while, but the kidney function is not great.

Georgia from Australia -- If your kidney function is not at a good eGFR level, why would you not use that Siemen's dipstick weekly just to give you a nice comfortable feeling. The 2nd NIT - orange color on the stick is bacteria and that is "not that good to let get out of hand" when you have low kidney function. I hit it immediately with the antibiotic that the Infectious Disease specialist made "just for me".It is so much more relaxing to "do it at home" instead of running each time to the GP.

Do you take tub baths? I used to get them all the time when I took bubble baths.

@australia The "Siemen's 10 Dipstick pack" detects kidney problems also? My daughter used to have some dipsticks but I thought they just measured if you had a UTI.
She gave me some of hers and I mentioned it to a urologist I was going to at the time. The doctor said I could not possibly read them correctly since I am a layperson! I happened to mention that to my endocrinologist and he really laughed. He said it's about as complex as reading the sticks he uses to check his swimming pool.
JK

To @contentandwell from Georgia in Australia, Yes, the Siemens's 10 Dipstick tells you the "quality" of the urine that is being filtered by your kidney. But in the Siemen's pack is a paper and it tell the "possible implications" of the levels of colour . I told my GP I would use it and she said. OK. !! I note the levels of colour in the first two, Leukocytes and Nitrites. These two are my indicators that there is possibly a UTI.
I say to myself, "well, I will test it again tomorrow and if the colour is darker (higher) I will take a urine sample to my GP and find out which antibiotic I should use. A lab will pick one or two for the job. You can see how this dipstick indicator can shorten the time that you are able to detect what is going on. It does not eliminate the GP. I say again. If it is a frequent - long term problem --- ask to see the Infectious Disease Specialist at your hospital. He can pinpoint the BEST antibiotic to cover the broadest range of bacteria for you. (A bit technical -- the bladder full of urine is directly connected through a long tube (*ureter) to your kidneys.
If the bacteria is in the bladder it can travel up to the kidney-- logical ? You can ask your G P if this happens - Urine quality has to logically be an indicator of the working of the kidneys ? Yes. I allege your endocrinologist is not too kind as to make such a remark - he or she is NOT a kidney specialist.
My ID, Nephrologist (kidney specialist) and GP allow me to do this test at home to shorten the time of detection. It can be the difference between a 5 day course of antibiotic and "done'. Or longer one -- boring!!! Buy the dipstick and see if you can read it. Ask the GP to help you.

Hi empeters from Georgia in Australia RE: UTIs---- 4 UTI's in 8 months is annoying but not a lot for older women. My urologist says "you have this opening down there"!! And the bacteria can get through easily. !!What do you know !!!
Well, I have a UTI every 20 days because I am incontinent, meaning I am sitting often in urine wet nappies.!! So I expect to have to see an ID specialist about long term use -- something a bit "heftier and tailored to my level of infections.
But, it you have 4 in 8 months then maybe ask you GP about using a preventative, something called HIPREX . The ID specialist told me it was an "antiseptic" and my friend who is 75 and not incontinent uses it and says it does the job. It is take BEFORE , not to clear up a UTI. It is not an antibiotic.
Ask your GP.
Just a side comment' Bacterium of UTI's are "smart little cookies". They have crafty ways to "avoid" the antibiotic that is sent in to kill them. One of them for instance actually takes the antibiotic in and then "spits it out". !!So there .!!! That is why the lab tells you that 'some antibiotics will not work for you"
They know this little guy is "spitting".!! On the blood test you will see a little "S"or a "R". Susceptible or Resistant. Learn to read you blood and urine tests --it seems hard at first but boy do you get lots of information. !!

This is my first post because I’m at my wit’s end. Since December 2019, I’ve had around eight UTIs. One of them ended up being so severe it put me in the ER (July 2020). I was so weak that when trying to give a urine sample (I couldn’t pee) my muscles felt like they were on fire and my legs started shaking. I’ve also had cellulitis twice now (I currently have it).

The doctors drew my blood for testing and did urine cultures the last two times I had an UTI. They didn’t inform me of anything significant from any of the samples and cultures.

I have NEVER in my life had so many health problems one right after the other. It’s become draining mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. Has anyone else had this kind of problem?