Chronic cystitis - no infection ??

[packofshunts]

So I have had all the symptoms of a UTI pretty much for the last 2 weeks. Just as it seems to wear off for a day - bam it’s back in full ferocity 3am 😫.

Had a sample checked twice but no sign of infection. Nurse even checked for thrush but nothing.

Am at wits end; in agony and exhausted. Feels like I’m pissing scalding glass.

Drinking gallons of water and cranberry supplements but no help.

Getting desperate (in you’ll excuse the pun

[Owelette]

It’s odd that the nurse didn’t find anything. Hope you’re ok.

I get chronic cystitis all the time but it usually clears up with those little sachet things. If they don’t work I go to the docs and get antibiotics to clear it up.

I take it the nurse didn’t find anything at all in your pee? Not even traces of blood?

Sorry you’re suffering with this, it is truly awful. Any chance you can get some Robinson’s fruit and barley juice. That also works for me.

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

Did they just test it with a dipstick? Those things aren't very reliable.

[Fatarseflanagan09]

I suffered this on and off for years, couldn't go anywhere because I was constantly back and forth to the toilet, I felt like I was bursting but when I got there nothing, it really affected me emotionally and it was a misery, back and forth to the hospital for scans and ultrasound, different antibiotics, they finally came to the conclusion that I wasn't emptying my bladder properly and instead of slumping when I was peeing I should sit up and wait until I was finished completely and to not wait but go to the toilet as soon as I felt I needed to go, I was given different antibiotics and it cleared up and never came back but I really think that cystitis is not taken seriously and can be really disabling, it took years of going back and forth to the doctor to get something done, it's bloody horrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[Ansumpasty]

Sorry to hear that, sounds like IC. You can try the baking soda in water trick and make sure you are using nothing that's irritating that area. My cousin had chronic cystitis and it was caused by stress, who knew!

[endofthelinefinally]

Ask your gp to try amitiptylene for nerve pain. It works very well for irritable bladder.
If you are peri or post menopausal ask for oestrogen pessaries.
Use a good quality barrier cream and drink gallons of hibiscus flower tea.
This is what worked for me and definitely worth a try.

[Fairylea]

I have recurrent cystitis and take daily antibiotics and during a flare my urine doesn’t always test positive for an infection but does respond to a higher dose of antibiotics. I don’t think the dipstick tests are sensitive enough to pick things up. It’s very frustrating.

[willyougotobed]

As a regular sufferer of UTIs, I think this is the problem for me;

The dipsticks the NHS use are for five things and don't include nitrites. E coli infections cause nitrites. If I buy the tests online, they include 10 things (including nitrites) and I can tell I have an infection. But I did many of the "I'm sure I have an infection" for the practice nurse to tell me "no you haven't" before I got to the point of buying my own test strips, then seeing my GP, who would send a sample to the lab and find, yes I did have an infection. The lab will advise which AB is effective for treating it.

Cranberry in juice or tablet form can work because it prevents the bacteria reproducing (I've heard). I drink gallons of the stuff and it seems to keep them at bay.

If it still doesn't go, see your gp and ask for a sample to be sent to the lab.

I'm not medically trained (as you can probably tell) but that's my understanding of my situation.