DEFINIETLY TMI but desperate times! Going out of my mind, UTI, constant docs visits and waiting times!!

[user1468430663]

So on Friday I began with symptoms of a UTI, these got worse over the weekend so I visited the nurse Monday as I have had them before and needed anti biotics, the nurse tested my urine and nothing came up! She said they'd send it away for a more sensitive test and results in 2 days, in the mean time suggested I get a sexual health check as symtoms are simular to UTI!

Meanwhile I'm constantly in discomfort, I can't sleep, I'm going out of my mind! It's not debilitating but it's been 5 days now of soreness, itching, weeing, burning and sleepless nights! 🤒

I went and got a sexual health screening today and was told it would be up to 2 weeks! 😳 I understand they have to send them off but are they really leaving me in this much discomfort for 2 weeks?

I still haven't had the results back from the more sensitive test at the docs which I am hoping to get tomorrow, but I don't know what to do next, I'm going out of my mind! I can't carry on like this for 2 weeks, and that's if it is actually anything from the sexual health screening!

Has anyone had symptoms of UTI before and it not been that? Or struggled with a diagnosis? It's mainly, sore discomfort all the time pretty centralised, and then burning, stinging when weeing! I've had a thrush tablet just in case and have been downing cranberry juice to no avail!

I've recently started sleeping with a new partner, could it just be sex that's done it?

I'm really feeling awful at the minute and feeling like I will never get to the bottom of it!

[BillSykesDog]

2 weeks is a long wait. Could you get a GPs appt and see if they could get your urine tested quicker? It just takes a couple of days via my GP.

Also natural yogurt on your bits can really soothe the burning.

[SpiritedLondon]

Jeez why didn't they give you antibiotics? They can give you a short course pending the results of the urine test. I had this recently...I suffer a lot with UTIs - cystitus and kidney infections. I can usually treat myself if I'm early enough but if it takes hold I have to get antibiotics. ( cefalexin not trimethroprim work for me). I never go to the nurse though- straight to the GP. It's utterly miserable isn't it ? Have you got any bicarbonate of soda in the house ? Heaped teaspoon in a drink ( barley water) - and drink like the devil. ( I don't bother with the cranberry) drink and drink and drink until you're swishing inside. It tastes vile but helps reduce acidity. Also call the Drs and ask for urgent appt.... Don't wait or it could progress to a kidney infection and that will knock you off your feet completely. Stay off the caffeine. The yoghurt thing is for thrush but if it helps go for it. Good luck. I feel your pain.

[SpiritedLondon]

Ps. Yes it's the sex. Honeymoon disease.

[Southsearocks]

Sympathies. Dip stick tests are so unreliable. I used to get UTI's a lot, especially after DTD and my GP surgery was so unhelpful. I had weeks of what you are experiencing. Eventually I changed to a fabulous GP who trusted that I knew what I was on about and was happy to prescribe based on my report, not a dipstick test. I also asked for and was given a 6 month preventative course of Antibiotics and took one every day for a few months then one only after sex. After six months or so I stopped getting cystitis at all.

UTI's are the worst, maybe try your GP again or change GP and see if you have a better experience. Keep drinking water, try the cystitis powders you can get from Boots, try ibuprofen, take Nytol to get through the night

[SpiritedLondon]

Pps. Christ only knows why I keep getting it

[fieldfare]

Like a PP said, barley water. Copious amounts of it, seriously until you're swishing.
Emergency docs appt for anti biotics. If I leave a uti then I end up with a kidney infection for good measure.

[Albadross]

Always wee after sex and make sure you really strain to get your bladder empty - sounds mad but I used to get this so badly id have to sit in a bath for entire days at a time. Also get some OtC powders - cystopurin etc, same thing as bicarbonate but tastes ok. I also use the thrush cream with hydrocortisone in - it will burn like hell for a few seconds and then go numb so if you've been sore and itchy for a while it's worth it! You need to put a thin layer over all your bits and both 'openings'

[Mysterycat23]

Agree - Bicarbonate of soda in water, enough to make it taste "fresh" but not so much that it's foul. Drink, drink. Drink! Changes the acidity of the urine so the nasty bacteria get killed off and can't cling to the inside of the bladder wall. In future, once this episode has cleared up, you can do this as a preventative, whenever you get a warning twinge or feel any burning or discomfort, to prevent any infection taking hold. Agree they should give you the blimmin antibiotics already!

[SpiritedLondon]

Sorry forgot to add that you should run a warm bath and sit in it - no soap or bubbles. It is significantly less painful to wee in the water I promise you. By this point your wee is so diluted that it will make very little difference to the water. Ignore anyone who says its gross... They have obviously never had a UTI.

[SparklyFlamingo]

I suffer with a condition called interstitial cystitis, which means I get all the symptoms of a UTI but no actual bacterial infection so antibiotics can't do anything to help me! This also started flaring up for me when I got a new partner, so I think sex is a very big trigger for it, so as the others have said, make sure you can pee straight after! (And I mean straight after, religiously drink beforehand and then straight to pee, the cuddling sadly has to wait!)

It may be that your suffering from a similar condition, as the symptoms sounds the same as mine. When/if you do return to the doctor, make sure to mention the condition yourself as they don't really seem to bring it up themselves as they didn't even know about it (in my case anyway). But definitely do be persistent as I can totally sympathise with the horrible pain you must be going through!

I never find cranberry juice to help, but would recommend the cystitis sachets you can get, or this thing called D-Mannose that you can order online (honestly it's a miracle, have no idea how it works but don't know what I'd do without it!)

It took me a very long time to get this diagnosis, as there's no real test, I was put on a waiting list to have a cystoscopy where they found ulcers in my bladder which can explain the pain without the infection. Sorry it's not probably TMI but hopefully it's helpful to hear my story, and may help explain your discomfort!

[user1468430663]

Thanks everyone! I must say just the fact that people have sympathised with me has made me feel a whole lot better, as yet all the medical staff I've spoken to have been quite dismissive and I was beginning to think I was losing my marbles!

I'm going to definitely go back to the doctors tomorrow and insist On something been done, I can't carry on like this it's just getting worse, it doesn't help that I've lost so much sleep because of it, which I assume just makes your body worse at fighting it off!

I'm going to try everyone's suggestions immediately, and hopefully get enough relief from it to get a good nights sleep! And fingers crossed tomorrow I will get something to help!

[user1468430663]

The results have come back from the hospital showing up no sign of cystitis, I have got an emergency appointment at the doctors who said they might 'treat me blind' due to my ongoing symptoms

I don't really know what that means though, whether they will treat me for cystitis anyway or treat me for something else they think it is like a STD or something! Anyway fingers crossed they will do something today because I can't face another weekend like this!! 😕

[rollinghedgehog]

I find bath salts or just bicarb in the bath help. I get UTIs a lot and usually manage to flush them out by drinking stupid amounts of liquid/ using OTC sachets, but they probably do the same thing as the bicarb. A GP once told me he would not prescribe antibiotics in adults unless the pain is unbearable, as they will not work if you take them too much. Don't know how true that is, though. And in future, wee after sex! (sorry, TMI)

[Laiste]

I guess they'll put you on a course of ABs OP and see how you go.

Re: the cranberry juice - my doc told me that for it to have any effect you have to drink the pure juice, not the sweetened one, every single day of your life pretty much. As a preventative - not a cure.

In fact, he said, if you suddenly start drinking a lot of the sugary concentrate one you might be exacerbating your UTI.

[MrsCrankypants]

I always find the best thing to help with the stinging feeling is an antacid like Rennies. I get a lot of these attacks too and nothing shows up on the dip test. This really does make a difference to me while antibiotics are starting to take effect.

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

If you're using condoms with your new partner, try changing to latex free. A GP said that to me once as an off the cuff remark, having had frequent UTIs after DTD up to then, I then never had another!

[user1468430663]

Thanks everyone, I've been to the doctors and done another urine test and she said it showed signs of infection and blood! So I have a 5 day course of antibiotics!!

I'm so happy I nearly bealed in the doctors!!

I will try some rennies and bi carb and stop with the cranberry juice while I wait to feel better!! Thanks everyone!! 😊