Urethra burning, no uti!

[Andreamaria18]

Hi, I am a 26 old and I have a burning feeling in the urethra for about 4 months now. Everything start with a uti that was trated with antibiotics and went away. A week later I start to have frequency and a disconfort/ burning feeling in the urethra but is constant NOT when I pee. Actually it does not burn at all when peeing. This symptoms went away in a week without doing anything but came back a month later and since then it didn t improve anymore. Is like I feel something is irritated inside there and thats what causes the frequency. I don t feel anything in the bladder and during the night it calms down and comes back in the morning after first pee. I had std test (including ureaplasma and mycroplasma), urine culture, vaginal scan, kidney and bladder scan and everything is fine. Urologist told me I could have overactive bladder, I didn t belived that but I try the treatment anyway, it didn help me at all. I tried 4 different types of antibiotics and no improvment at all. I don t have any pain when having sex just a little disconfort because of frequency. I don t know what else to do as I don t know exactly the cause. If anybody has something similar I would appreciate any advice. Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share the whole story. Thank you for reading!

[ahran2k]

@Andreamaria18 have you tried anything to make the urine less acidic? Sometimes urine acidity irritates the bladder, it could be end result of a uti, kidney stones or something idiopathic. You can use pottasium citrate used by women who have cystitis (bladder inflammation) or if you do not want to use medicine you can use Eno or Alka seltzer - both will decrease urine acidity. Even if you have overactive bladder decreasing acidity will still help burning.

[Andreamaria18]

No, I haven t tried it yet. I was just thinking that it would be too easy after everything I tried. I kind of lost hope that I will get better since is "nothing" wrong with me. I will give it a try for a couple of days to see if it helps. Thank you so much for replaying!

[Undi]

Have you found a cure for this? I am having a similar problem.

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

If you can see a vulva dermatologist to check if there are any skin problems.

[sarahjsdddd]

Also in same situation!

[Andreamaria18]

Hi everyone! I am afraid I haven t found any cure and I think I will never gonna find one. I would like at least to find something to help me 50% not completly, I will be happy with that. I gave it another try and went to an urologist who gave me a treatment, didn t work and that he perform a cytoscopy and gave me another treatment that didn t work as well. I went private for all of this as nhs dosen t really help you if they don t think is serious. Tried so many things and now I am lost, fell like is nothing left I can do. I don t know how to cope mentally with this. I am about to get married, future husbund is verry suportive but I don t want to live with this for the rest of my life. Is hearbreaking. I am really sorry I can t help anyone with advice. If any of you found anything that helps please share! Thank you!

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

Try a vulva dermatologist if you can, I have found urologists fairly blinkered in this field ( I was discharged while still coming round from anesthetic because they couldn’t find anything after 1 cystoscopy). Could be dermatitis, LS, vulvadynia, vestibulitis etc. If you are near south west a London I can pm you a good vulva dermatologist.

[PhoenixBuchanan]

Do you have any vulval pain or is it literally just the urethra? I agree with the previous suggestion of seeing someone knowledgeable about Vulcan issues. I suffered from vestibulodynia for years and burning urethra was one of the symptoms that often came and went. FYI most of my symptoms did eventually resolve!

[PhoenixBuchanan]

Not Vulcan issues obviously!

[Lynda07]

Plenty of fluids, lemon & barley is marvellous for this if you can get it at the moment. The supermarkets have it listed but we all know that it's difficult to order right now. I've often bought a few bottles of Robinson's Lemon and Barley in one go so have some but looking on the 'net, it seems pretty scarce.

Good luck.

[Andreamaria18]

I live 2 hours away from london but I can travel after all this isolation is over. Please pm the details about the doctor. Thank you so much!

The burning feels is in the urethra area but I can t tell exactly where. After the cytoscopy the doctor said I don t have any inflamation in the urethra just a bit at the bottom of my bladder. I don t go too often for a wee, I feel the burning is what gives me the feeling that I need to go. And I don t go at all during the night, I can sleep 8 hours straight...

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

I think as it’s NHS it might not cover you if you are in a different area. But she is not the only gynaecologist who specialises in skin and pain. It’s a much more common but hidden conditions. My local GUM was shut down last year but the vulva dermatologist was kept on in the clinic because it such a specific condition and she had lots of patients with nowhere else to go. When we are out of lockdown (one day) ask your GP if you can be referred to a vulva dermatologist. You need to be properly examined. In the meantime use Vaseline as a barrier before and after you urinate and drink only water (dull, I know, but it helps, hot water is quite nice).

[Andreamaria18]

Thank you! I only drink water anyway for 10 years. I am willing to go private and pay, if I don't have my health nothing else matters. I went to my local GUM clinic and they test me for some std, all negative results. All the investigations I had to the gynecologist and urologist were private in my home country ( is not so expensive as here, you don t need to be referred and is very quick) as after 3 appointments to my gp they didn 't took me serious and didn t referr me to any specialist. I am gonna try after this chaos to see if they can send me to a vulva dermatologist as you suggest. Thank you so much for your advices!

[Dawnexe]

I have been searching and searching for the last 6 weeks as I am at the end of my tether with the same symptoms.
I had a UTI appear A few days after intercourse and have been treated with various antibiotics but I am still left with residual bladder pain and my urethra feels like it is on fire all day every day.. I've not been able to have sex with my husband for 6 weeks and although he is being very understanding this is stressing me out big time. doctor prescribed vaginal oestrogen cream. I have tried this twice but I feel this is causing more burning pain than I had before. the doctor seems at a loss to my problem and shrugged her shoulders as she doesnt know what to do. I've still been having stabbing pains in my bladder too and when she dipped my urine it showed leucocytes but she said my other tests showed this too but grew no infection so its probably just skin cells! I'm crying in pain most days and i just dont know what to do next. I don't want to be an irritating patient by ringing up every week but I am getting pretty desperate.

[Glitterybelle]

I had this a few years after a number of utis. I ended up on 6 month low dose antibiotics to knock the utis on the head but had this awful burning after as you describe.
2 things I did worked and cured it... Not sure which one worked as I did both at once. The specialist doc put me on very low dose of amitriptyline 25mg for 3 months. He said sometimes after having infections your nerves can get 'jangled' so they keep burning even when infection goes away. The amitriptyline calms them down. At the same time I started optibac probiotics for women. The women specific ones. good luck. You will get sorted. I know how awful it is x

[ghacker0]

Thank you for posting about this. I have had a similar problem now for about a month and had two lots of antibiotics. Just waiting for the results of the urine test, but I suspect it will come back clear. However, I still have this uncomfortable sensation in the urethra after urinating. Like others have said, there is no actual pain when I pee, just afterwards and especially when I lean forward. It is hard to describe the sensation but almost like there is something inside which is rubbing, or pressing the urethra. It is worse in the morning and then settles down, until I need to wee again which I have to more frequently in the mornings. I am 69 and haven't had sex for several years due to my husband's health so I know I can rule out any sti. After reading all the posts, I don't think I am going to pursue it through the doctors as it doesn't seem as if anyone else has had any success, but will continue to watch this thread in case someone comes up with a solution.

[over50andfab]

It’s possible you have an embedded UTI, something Drs know little about and treating with short courses of antibiotics won’t help. Here’s some info about them including Prof. Malone Lee who treats this in the UK

liveutifree.com/uti-treatment/#bettertreatment

Bladder irritation and frequency - the almost constant need to go even if when you do, only a dribble comes out - can also be a sign of urogenital atrophy in older women. It’s due to estrogen loss, usually as a result of menopause. Treatment is with topical cream or pill in the vagina (estriol or estradiol) where it can act on the urethra to help it.

[Theidealcat]

Wow Andreamaria18 I could have wrote what you have put myself! my issues started at the start of the year and are still here, ive recently ordered myself a ureaplasma test online and im due to see the gp again next week I last saw her in February and she said if pain hadn't gone she would refer me to the vulva clinic? I have no idea whats going on it almost feels like a allergic reaction but my vulva looks totally normal! Glad im not alone please keep us updated x

[ghacker0]

I saw the doctor. She examined me and said the urethra was slightly red. She has put me on estrogen pessaries inserted into the vagina. I have to use one per night for 14 nights and then twice a week. So far, I have used about 9 and not huge change but either I am getting used to the sensation of feeling the urethra when I lean forward or there is some relief. I will post if it gets better. So glad to read others have similar problems as not something you can share easily with your friends.

[Theidealcat]

That’s interesting ! I hope it works for
You xx

[ghacker0]

What is a ureaplasma test? I had to take a swab myself of the vagina area and I took it into the doctors. Not had any result yet and as I haven't heard, I am assuming no infection.

[Clara905]

Has anyone got any answers for this horrid uncomfortable problem yet? I'm in the same boat.

[Theidealcat]

Hey! No but my gp has now referred me to a vulva dermatologist! I’ve had it since jan but it has slowly improved since then x

[ghacker0]

The oestrogen pessaries did not seem to make much difference, but I have noticed that it is slowly getting better and I only notice the discomfort when I am bending, especially making beds - weird but maybe just the position when tucking in sheets. Perhaps I am just getting used to it but would love to here if anyone has the problem solved.

[Clara905]

Thanks for replying! Glad you've got a bit of relief. Are you taking anything at all to ease the discomfort? Need all the help I can get! My burning "down there" all started on 31st July out the blue, with no trigger or reason. No UTI present, cervix looks fine too according to doc. They've tested for STI but there's zero chance of it being that. My symptoms sound exactly what everyone else has, a fierce urethra burning - but not whilst peeing - just constantly instead. I'm on my 3rd lot of Macrobid antibiotics, which get the discomfort down to a tolerable level but it comes back with a vengence after I finish the course. It's hellish. I'm 41 and never had a UTI or problems like cystitis before so this is very sudden and worrying. Keep thinking whatever bought this on?