UTI symptoms but no UTI? Anybody had this before?

[Ibytam]

So sorry, posting here for traffic as I’m desperate, had no responses on another board 😭😭😭

I have had intermittent UTI type symptoms now for months. At first I tried, like every woman, to treat it at home but was getting nowhere. As I said it’s very intermittent and I’d forget about it often but then it would come back. It was only ever background type discomfort, nothing too painful so it was easy to forget about it.

Fast forward to 6 weeks ago and I was curious so bought some of my own test strips, they were negative. Still experiencing the burning occasionally I finally went to the doctors who tested my urine and said it was negative but prescribed antibiotics anyway. I was so hoping they’d work but nope, 3 days worth did nothing.

Again I held on for another 2 weeks, not wanting to be a bother but this time the pain was so bad I was almost in tears. One night last week I was in so much pain as the burning intensified whilst I was trying to sleep I thought I can’t do this anymore. Went back to the doctors who this time sent off my sample and prescribed different antibiotics and for longer.

Again, so hopeful it would do the trick as honestly this has been ruining my life, but alas no, 3 days in to the antibiotics and the burning/uncomfortable feeling in my urethra is back. I just can’t take this anymore does anybody have any ideas? The results came back from the lab too and no bacteria grew, they say there’s no signs of infection.

I’m just stumped, I’ve also treated myself for thrush and BV just incase. I’ve tried D-Mannose tablets too in the last couple of weeks, I just don’t know what else to do. If it makes any difference at all I had a baby 9 months a go and I’m breastfeeding, period hasn’t returned yet. I can’t bare this anymore, my sex life is absolutely non existent and this pain now is ruling my life, I’m done with it.

Hi. How old are you? I had EXACTLY the same but I suffered for about 5 years. It was hormone deficiency caused by the menopause. I was given endless antibiotics even though no infection was present (I know) and even a gynae referral didn't get to the bottom of it. All sorted now with estrogen cream x

Sorry just seen you’ve got a new baby. It’s probs hormone related x

I’m 33 so a little young for menopause maybe? 😭 I did read about this during my many late night googling sessions. I did come across breaatfeeding for long periods of time can make the body go in to a false menopause? I’ve had 3 children so all in all been breastfeeding for 6 years now. With maybe only 2/3 months inbetween each child where I weaned them off before next baby came along.

That's really interesting that it can be hormonal - I often get uti-like symptoms around when I get my period.

Might be worth tracking diet and drinks. After having my daughter, my bladder can no longer tolerate fresh orange juice or coffee (even decaf). Either one gives me cystitis symptoms for about three days afterwards. Thankfully, white wine is fine 😆

I get this when I am deliberately (or otherwise) dumping oxalates from my body.
Have a look at Sally K Norton on YT as she explains it well.

If you have stopped drinking so much tea or lessened your intake of some other oxalate food, your body starts to remove your stored oxalate and it is brutal on the bladder.

I'd suggest kegels 3 times a day and topical oestrogen ....worked for me

Have they taken swabs to check for infection? Not just UTI?

No they haven’t, I think this is what I’ll book an appointment for tomorrow morning 😩

I’m having exactly the same symptoms. Did you ever get to the bottom of it?

I didn’t exactly get to the bottom of it but I’d say about a week after this post it completely disappeared and I haven’t had it since. I’ve had like a very, very minor dull background ache sometimes with it that lasts between 20-30 mins but maybe about 3 or 4 times and it’s never been as bad as it was when I posted this!

I have NO idea what it was but it was absolutely ruining my life. I was crippled by it but not just that I was thinking about it constantly. I tried everything and nothing seemed to help, it’s like after that one bad night I wrote about here it slowly started to get less and less and then just vanished!

So glad you got it under control. Praying the same happens for me. I feel like it’s ruining my life at the minute. I’m living in fear of a massive flare up

I really, really feel for you because that was exactly how I felt. It got so bad towards the end of me having it I was even looking at my bits in front of a mirror with a torch 🥴 googling other pictures of urethras to see if mine looked ‘normal’. I remember also sitting watching the tv at night with no knickers or trousers on, legs wide in front of a fan, it really felt like I was on fire.

I really hope it just disappears for you soon! Have you just had a baby or anything? I had my daughter last September and also had a catheter during birth so I sort of was putting it down to that somehow. My period returned about a month after this post too so I really feel like that helped balance my hormones maybe?

Do you bathe or shower? I get this sort of irritation from certain bath products. If you usually take baths you could try showering instead for a period of time to see if it settles. I also get it from eating certain things, which only developed in the past few years.

Thank you all. My youngest is 3. I have chronic groin pain at the minute. It feels like really severe period pain but it even hurting to stand. I’m taking naproxen before bed but I can’t function on it during the day.
I usually shower as I’m terrified that bath products will make it worse.
I do think it must be hormone related as the only slight relief I had was during my period. They are pretty regular despite being pre-menopausal.