What the hell am I going to do ? URGENT

[idealworld897]

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 ?

This has happened to me so many times.

I would phone the Dr and explain your situation - say what’s happened in the past and how you are going away and you want the ABs just incase.

I have done this many times and have always been given the ABs.

Drs are humans and are generally very understanding when it comes to things like this.

Which brand? I take antibiotics on holiday now every time. I had a kidney infection in my twenties and don’t ever want to go there again. I have had a lot of UTIs in the last few years. I have D Mannose in my medicine cabinet.

Last time. I thought I had a UTI abroad I tried to get to the doctor but they were closed. I couldn’t find out how much it would cost either. I was really stressed.

I told the Dr that I was going away, but they just said dip test is clear nothing we can do, don't want to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily. I also told what happened last time ie dip clear with only symptoms being that I needed to go a lot, then 12 hours later in agony, blood in urine and call to 111.
I'm now phoning 111

You went to the doctors with this? No wonder the nhs is in crisis

@Cocopogo yes, funnily enough I don't want this to escalate into what I know it will do, from experience

Painkillers and water. Bicarb helps dull the symptoms when you are desperate.

Why wouldn't they? Seeing as how untreated UTIs can end up as serious kidney infections. Surely you knew that...?

With all due respect, this is a fecking ridiculous comment. The worst pain I've ever experienced was a UTI - I genuinely wanted to throw myself under a passing bus en route to the pharmacy after a late-night trip to the walk-in clinic where I'd been sobbing on the floor. Delighted that you haven't been through similar but would you mind not discounting the experiences of the many women on this thread who've endured the agony of this, along with the condescension of quite a few HCPs in an effort to be taken seriously and treated for a horrible and often recurrent condition.

OP I sympathise hugely. The only thing that seems to work very quickly for me is MacroBID/nitrofurantoin, and I get it online and keep it in stock (always take it abroad). Very best of luck to you.

Can they?

I’m pretty sure boots is 2 working hours, so you should hear back by 11am

Cancel your hair appointment and speak to the GP surgery again tomorrow morning. I think your health is more important than your hair.

Just to highlight to the posters saying you can get antibiotics over the counter in Spain. No you cant
used to be the case but they have stopped this about 4 or 5 years ago.
There are however online Drs abroad who will send a script to your phone after an online consultation.
This worked well for me recently in Spain. Cost about €30 and could only be dispensed at the larger pharmacy.
I think it was called MobiDoctor

For the future get some D-Mannose. You can get from Amazon and it’s magic for many people - take some as soon as you feel any tingling sensation and nothing develops. Has worked for me for four years since my double brush with this that landed me with a kidney infection.

@Cocopogo - You may be one of the lucky ones who has never really experienced a bad UTI. I was also one of those until my late thirties and so when I got two back to back I was shocked and floored by it. As you can see above, I ended up with a kidney infection. That required heavy antibiotics and time off work and was horrific in terms of pain. Had I not got I think the THIRD round of strong antibiotics I could easily have landed up in hospital - so yes, these things often need prompt attention!

JFC I wouldn’t wish a UTI on my worst enemy but I think you might get a side serving of empathy should you get to experience one.

Yep, D Mannose tablets from Holland and Barret - they worked like magic for me in a very similar about to go on holiday situation. Fingers crossed it works for you too!

Go to the pharmacy and get AZO for urinary pain.

It’ll work wonders with the frequency & urgency & any pain you have when you go.

Just eat a bit before you take it because it makes you a bit nauseated if you take it on an empty stomach.

This will save your life!!

Wow. UTI's can turn into pyelonephritis and sepsis. You're supposed to go to the doctor when you get one. They aren't something to joke around with.

I’m guessing you’ve never had a UTI.

Bottle washing stopped mine. I always wiped that way but read about cystitis online and UTIs after a bout of them
Now I wash after every bowel movement and no more UTIs

OTC cystitis treatment, then anti’s if needed, you can get them in Spain

AZO 24-pack in Spain is approx. €40 and may not easily be available at farmacias.

This website:
https://www.mobidoctor.eu/urinary-tract-infection

Estimates €26 for prescribing. Fill in details, then fill in questionnaire on the page. Job done.

Most supermarkets have Zumo Arandanos (cranberry juice) in litre bricks, which I find helps a lot, whether active UTI or just 'a feeling'. Good luck!

Don't take the penicillin. Unfortunately many UTI bacteria are now resistant to different antibiotics, and if it's resistant to that, then all you'll be doing is 'teaching' the bacteria to be more resistant, maybe killing off some of the weak ones leaving the stronger ones to multiply, and also killing your friendly bacteria which help you against utis.

Dipsticks are ridiculously unreliable and this has been proven now, although GPs often still insist they are reliable. Even cultures are very unreliable. You need EQUC or DNA based testing, but unfortunately these are very expensive.

Hopefully Boots get back to you tomorrow and you can pick the antibiotics up. Let us know how you get on xx

I can’t believe people are criticising the OP for seeking treatment for this.

Last October my UTI developed into a serious kidney infection. I was hospitalised with sepsis and it took me a good few months to recover.

Women’s health is dismissed enough as it is without us doing it to ourselves.

Definitely agree with pps about the AZO, and get AB to take with you just in case. AZO makes the pain and irritation so much better- it starts working right away.
Feel better!

Hope you manage to sort something OP - usually independent pharmacists can be better at giving ABs for this - though I've always used boots or superdrug online quite successfully. As a long time sufferer of both regular UTIs and interstitial cystitis - you have my sympathy!