uti symptoms but neg urine dip

[stupidurethra]

i have close to zero experience with UTIs unlike a lot of women and considered myself lucky! about a month ago I had some minor urinary symptoms- no pain or burning or blood etc, just a niggly feeling that I needed to pee even if I’d just gone. That lasted about a week until I was at a hospital appt for something else where they said my urine dip showed I had a uti (I didn’t ask which bit of the stick changed) and I was given 3 days of trimethoprim which did the trick.

Now for the past week(ish) I’ve had the same urgency feeling so have been drinking loads of water and taking d mannose to see if that helps. Things have sort of gone up and down, as in yesterday I had no urgency but it was back today, which has happened a few times.

I mentioned to a nurse friend and she brought me some dip sticks from her work as she said the GP would probably ask for a sample and dip it anyway. Nothing is showing on the sticks. No blood/ leukocytes/ nitrites so does this mean I don’t have a UTI? Is there anything I can do apart from keep drinking lots of water and taking d mannose or should I be phoning the GP to ask for antibiotics even though the urine dip is negative? i was expecting something to show!

thank you!

would it count as a chronic uti though? If I’ve only had 2 x instances of symptoms a month apart? felt horrible with it earlier, uncomfortable to sit with legs crossed, frequent urgency even though I’d just been, uncomfortable (but I wouldn’t say stingy) when peeing but now a few hours later I’m fine . Maybe the sachets I got are working. Thanks for help

Can i ask if you are menopausal? One thing that nobody tells you, is that often with menopause comes vaginal atrophy. It really does feel like a uti.

I suffer with these fairly regularly, OP. A few things to note: the symptoms do come and go, but in my case, don’t tend to clear up without treatment. You may still need antibiotics especially if it doesn’t clear up within a week. Secondly, the urine dipstick test is incredibly inaccurate, missing nearly half of all infections. It’s only widely used in the NHS because it’s cheap and better than nothing. Thirdly, the D-mannose works only for prevention, not cure.

Keep an eye on things and don’t get put off visiting the GP if you don’t improve.

not menopausal (I hope), I’m in my 30s. The d mannose I have says take 2g a day for prevention and 4g for ‘support’ but I suppose they would want you to use it faster eh. I will see how I get on with the sodium citrate and d mannose and contact my gp on Mon if it doesn’t go away. Thank you all

My mum recently had this. And she suffered for months! Speak to the GP and ask for them to send your urine to be tested at a lab. Mum ended up on a couple of strong doses of antibiotics as it had gone to her kidneys. So it could be that.

Hope you feel better soon! She was also drinking plenty and sometimes it would ease but it was always there in the background

I've recently had a UTI - had one round of ABx and just didn't feel quite right a week later (although not pain or even urgency, particularly), so I called the doctor back and they told me to drop a sample in for dipping. No leukocytes or nitrates but they sent it off for culturing anyway - lo and behold, I did have a UTI even though the dip test was negative, and needed another round of ABx after all.

Could you ask your surgery to do similar?

When I had a UTI a few months ago it was only picked up when my wee was tested thoroughly in the hospital lab. The dipstick was clear. I presume there must be some types of infection that don't show up on the dipsticks? My initial symptoms were feeling shivery and "not right". My wee turned pink and orange during the 2 days my GP was waiting for the lab results.

Do you know boot online doctor do a "same day" private prescription for £22.

Same day at weekend not so sure. No need for a test.

Back up for if you get nowhere and want the abx. I've had to have several course though back to back of nitrofuratoin, trimethoprim and co amxiclav. My last gp gave me a back up prescription and one to take on holiday.

Very sad I'm even recommending as I'm a socialist but when it's so difficult to get a simple prescription.

Also remembering now when I had a uti the minor injuries unit would give you these. Found this bizarre as it not on the list of cuts sprains burns etc. but I tried it and they did! Nice and quiet and no problem!

At my gp you see the receptionist with a sample and leave it to be dipped and then if it positive they leave you antibiotics and if it's negative the do nothing and don't ring you back. It takes 45 minutes to get though most times of day and especially when I can call.

Sorry I'll stop ranting and wish you well!