Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What the hell am I going to do ? URGENT

214 replies

idealworld897 · 31/07/2023 20:15

Going abroad tomorrow. Today, I have what feels like the start of a UTI. Namely, peeing a lot & a constant dull urge to pee. No blood/pain/discomfort as yet. Dr did a dip test today and was all clear, so wouldn't prescribe antibiotics. This is how the last UTI started, when the dip test showed nothing then 12 hours later I was calling the out of hours DR with blood in urine and severe discomfort. Fortunately for that occurrence, I managed to get antibiotics.

Ive now potentially got to travel tomorrow with the constant need to pee. How the hell am I going to do that. I will be abroad (Spain) - what if I need antibiotics ? Not so easy to get ?

WHAT TO DO ?

I have debated calling the out of hours DR tonight, exaggerating the symptoms, and getting antibiotics prescribed over the phone. I'm so worried as the last UTI started in this way ie dip was clear but needing to pee a hell of a lot and it turned into a full blown UTI.

Any advice ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
weegiemum · 31/07/2023 21:34

Wee tip! I'm a long term uti sufferer and have had kidney infections and kidney stones so have been seen by consultant.

Don't take antibiotics and cranberry juice! It helps prevent them but once you have one, cranberry juice or extract coats your urinary track and stops the antibiotics from working properly. T I'll ld to me by 2 different urology consultants!

Hope you enjoy your holiday and feel better enough to have a fantastic time!

MsCactus · 31/07/2023 21:34

ChocHotolate · 31/07/2023 21:10

What is the evidence for this please? I ask because I use these tests daily to diagnose UTIs & prescribe accordingly and haven't heard anything about this

Show quote history

D-Mannose has been shown in recent clinical studies to effectively treat UTIs (and be as effective as antibiotics).

Are you a urologist? Most urologists now know about D-Mannose for UTIs, but no GP I've ever visited has.

(Had chronic bladder infections for years & saw many many specialists)

Spudina · 31/07/2023 21:35

I’ve found that alternating Paracetamol and Ibuprofen (keeping within the Max daily doses for both) also helps with the pain. Hope you get to have a nice holiday. I’ve done the UTI on a plane thing so I can empathise. I was sat by a pool in Greece drinking nothing more glamorous than sodium bicarbonate on my 18th birthday.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
MsCactus · 31/07/2023 21:37

Also dip tests don't pick up all infections - you can Google it but there's studies showing they can miss a huge % of UTI infections

Keykaty · 31/07/2023 21:37

Macrobid antibiotic (nitrofurantoin) worked in 24 hours for me. I did finish the course, of course!

Hope you'll be ok OP, UTIs are an awful thing.

DaisyThistle · 31/07/2023 21:38

This happened to me last time I went away. Get lots of cranberry crystals and get an online appointment via LIVI. Play up your symptoms so they prescribe antibiotics which you can then collect from a chemist before you leave and use if the symptoms worsen. Or use travel insurance and see some one once you arrive at your destination. But do buy those cranberry things even if you can't get an online appointment, as they help ease the pain, and drink loads of water.

Pontiouspilate · 31/07/2023 21:39

Sounds like it might be anxiety about having a UTI

gemstoneju · 31/07/2023 21:40

Watch baking soda - keep the quantity small - one half teaspoon to a pint of water. Don't be tempted to put more in or chuck multiple pints down. It's mildly toxic in large amounts and your body will react with really severe thirst and a dose of the runs.

MsChatterbox · 31/07/2023 21:41

Do you have a couple of hours to sit on the toilet? Sometimes when I can feel one coming on I set myself up with a show and the biggest water container I can find and down as much as possible and squeeze every drop of pee that comes out over the next few hours. If you can dedicate some time to it it can work!

papasmurfdontpreach · 31/07/2023 21:41

As all pp have said everything else, another tip which might help prevention in future. After weeing, rock back and forth on the toilet slightly before wiping. A midwife friend told our group this helps to release all the little bits of wee that might be lurking in the tubes and helps to keep everything clear. Not sure of the physiology of it but she swears by it, and our friend who used to get regular UTIs into her kidneys (needing IV antibiotics) says she's not had any more issues since doing this.

Original poster
idealworld897 · 31/07/2023 21:41

@Pontiouspilate That's really interesting - why do you say that ? because I do have this.

But this time the symptoms are very real.

OP posts:
ug66smn · 31/07/2023 21:42

I gp if your friend. Fill in consultation and pick up from local pharmacy within the hour

Pontiouspilate · 31/07/2023 21:42

Because when I get anxious about travelling long distances I often feel I really need to wee. But I don’t really!!! It’s a nervous bladder

Pontiouspilate · 31/07/2023 21:43

After weeing, rock back and forth on the toilet slightly before wiping.

stand up squat and lean right forward and another gush always comes out!

Appleofmyeye2023 · 31/07/2023 21:43

I’d also get yourself some paracetamol and codeine whilst at chemist.
that’s only thing that would help with pain for me.

id also take a 2-3 spare pants, a lot of big super absorbent pads ( like ven gd forbid proper incontinance ones, and a small dirty laundry bag, and spare trousers and a damp flannel with a little ph neutral soap ( bag it) in hand luggage. If needs be pee in your pants. It’s tiny amounts, literally drops ( as you probably know) so as long as you’re well protected it will absorb into pads. Loo just before boarding. Change pad. Then just go in pads whilst on board, loo as soon as get off plane for a freshen and change. If you’re afraid of leaking onto seat then take a plastic bag you’ve cut up to cover seat- but really it’ll be tiny amounts that will absorb easily into a good pad

i had intersatial cysistis for years and travelled on flights loads. Some long haul. I’d actually also dose with antihistamine and/or buscapan, as well as codeine, depending if I needed to sleep or not. Buscapan can help with contraction of urethra ( advice from urologist) , antihistamine just knocks you out when combined with codeine so when asleep the urge/pain to pee is less. Actually reducing the amount you pee helps to reduce the inflammation and pain anyway - so if you can try to sleep it’s better.

I eventually ( after 8 years of weekly attacks and all sorts of treatments including bladder instillations, urethra dilation etc) got a cure from a 2 year very low dose antibiotics…but even now 5 years later the pain and agony is very strong memory and fear . Nothing as bad- and I’ve had kidney and gall stones , though earache has sometimes got close 😱🤷🏼‍♀️.

Remember that fear and anxiety will make pain worse. So try to distract yourself. A good film, chocolate, whatever.
definitely get antibiotics from pharmacy if you can- give up hair cut if needed as it’s the priority
But get other meds as well as antibiotics will take 48 hours to kick in.

hoophoophooray · 31/07/2023 21:44

I currently have a UTI, the out of hours GP prescribed me Nitrofurantoin yesterday morning. This is the same stuff that the Boots service will give you, I got 7 days from the GP and I think Boots is only 3 days. I'm 48 hours in and feeling considerably better - yesterday morning I nearly keeled over in the pharmacy waiting to collect them.

Layzees · 31/07/2023 21:45

Go the pharmacy in place of hair cut? Get the UTI sachets and antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon, they are bloody awful.

Notjustabrunette · 31/07/2023 21:45

I have been prescribed AB for cystitis from calling 101 before.

Sothisiit · 31/07/2023 21:46

Go to the supermarket and get some cranberry juice. Drink plenty.

lastminutewednesday · 31/07/2023 21:49

Bicarbonate in pints of water. As good as anything you can get in a sachet from the chemist. And yes to antibiotics. Call 111 they will advise on where locally you can get them. If necessary prioritise this instead of your hair

Original poster
idealworld897 · 31/07/2023 21:53

having thought about the GP option - I'm wary about contacting the out of hours GP. I have used this service twice for a UTI. The first time I was referred to go and see a GP at 1am, the other time I was prescribed AB there and then and picked up from local late night pharmacy. Both times was genuine and blood in urine and in agony. I would be exaggerating my symptoms this time (with the view they could develop into blood in urine and agony/pain when peeing, while away). What if the out of hours refers me to a late night GP again?

OP posts:
DementedPanda · 31/07/2023 21:54

Cranberry juice

GreyTS · 31/07/2023 21:56

Laiste · 31/07/2023 20:59

As well as the various good advice here to treat the infection, don't forget you can take ibroprophen to ease the actual paid and discomfort.

It sounds ridiculous but even though i've suffered with cystitis on and off for years it's only recently i twigged that as well as doing all the water, bi-carb sachets and antibiotic tablets to treat the infection, good old pain killers help A LOT to remove the misery of it all.

Omg same! Years or suffering and it never occurred to me to take painkillers...,.a urologist I work with offered me some extra strong painkillers while waiting for antibiotics to kick in, panadol worked beautifully

Original poster
idealworld897 · 31/07/2023 21:56

currently on the sachets, waiting for reply from Boots, drinking water, taken ibuprofen for anti-inflammatory,

OP posts: