To ask for urine infection tips?

[styledisaster]

So... it’s Christmas Day. Doctors have been shut all day. Along with pharmacies.
Noticed first thing this morning that my wee smelt foul (sorry for tmi).
Though maybe something I’d eaten.

As the day has gone on its got worse.
My whole urethra area is aching. I feel sick and hot and cold. It doesn’t really hurt when I wee, except for the last bit I push out.
Just generally feeling crappy.
I’m home alone with 2 sleeping kids. No one can come and babysit as everyone’s been drinking, with it being Christmas Day.
I don’t feel horrific enough to need to wake 2 toddlers to take them to out of hours god knows where with me. Probably the local hospital 10 miles away.
What can I do tonight to make it feel better?
Drank 3 pints of very weak squash, and all it’s done is make me wee more.
Done paracetamol.
Done warm bath with no bubbles.
Any tips?
Also can I get stuff over the counter? Pharmacy may be open tomorrow?
Only ever had 1 urine infection years ago so not sure if I need an actual doctor or not?

You can probably get stuff over the counter tomorrow. Keep drinking clear fluids and taking paracetamol. Ask the pharmacist tomorrow.

Also peeing more is good so long as you are drinking plenty. It helps flush your system out.

Ok. I’ll try pharmacy tomorrow then.
I’m very guilty the past week or so of holding my wee until I’m pretty busting, which is stupid. Just been so busy with the run up to Xmas.
And I really don’t drink enough.
Maybe 3 drinks a day. Need to try harder.

Have you got bicarbonate of soda? A teaspoon in a glass of warm water can help, but it tastes VILE.

The pharmacy will only sell you stuff to make your wee less acidic. You probably need antibiotics, so try to get an appointment ASAP.

Erm don’t think so.
I’ve got baking powder but doubt that will help. And it’s gluten free baking powder at that from when I baked for a friend!

I know pharmacists in Scotland can issue a three day course of trimethoprim without you needed to see the doctor. Hope you get something to ease the pain soon

How do I know the difference between infection and cystitis?
As boots sell cystitis stuff over the counter.

I second the advice to drink as much as you can. Water or very diluted squash is good. The idea is to flush your system through and hopefully any bugs and germs.

Ask to speak to the pharmacist and explain your symptoms, they should be able to help

Definitely don't hold it. Keep weeing when you feel the urge.

A hot water bottle in the groin/bladder area might help a bit.

You can get sodium citrate sachets OTC, which make it less uncomfortable to wee, but don't actually treat the infection.

If your symptoms worsen though you really will have to see someone for antibiotics. There's a list of symptoms to look out for here.

I'm a bit concerned about the being hot and cold. Have you taken your temperature?

Buy a water bottle and just sip from it (and refill it) through the day. That's what I've done. I had a really nasty infection last month that required 2 lots of antibiotics and, in the end, it was the drinking plenty that fettled it.

I also wasn't drinking enough.

Temp 37.5. So not horrific. I’m freezing though!

Hm. When did you take the paracetamol? Keep an eye on your temperature. UTIs can clear up by themselves, but kidney infections definitely need antibiotics.

A squeeze bottle of water to spray on yourself while you pee. It helps it hurt less. If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, a plastic water bottle or similar and just pouring it as you pee will also work, but it’s a trickier angle.

Otherwise keep drinking.

The first time I got cystitis, the doctor told me to fill two large jugs with water (about 6 pints) and drink it all as quickly as I could. You probably need antibiotics. You could ring the out of hours (111) and a doctor will ring you back if you explain about the children.

I woke up with a UTI this morning. Thank god I wasn't cooking. I skulled about 7 pints of water over a few hours as well as a few glasses of cranberry juice (inspired impulse buy). However, DD is prone to UTIs too and had some leftover trimethoprim. I looked up the adult dosage and took that as well and then took another 2 doses I haven't been on tip top form but I've coped.
So I would agree:drink gallons of water, flush your innards but get to the gp on Thu.

Took paracetamol a few hours ago. So probably due a dose in an hour.
Hoping to just get through tonight as pain free as possible and get an out of hours app tomorrow.
Don’t want to really piss about with cystitis medication if I’ll just need antibiotics anyway.
Haven’t eaten much today either. So sad not to be able to eat the best meal of the year.

You could try an online GP service, but you will have to pay a bit. Lloyd’s have a service and will let you collect the next day. Otherwise a walk-in service or out of hours GP. They might do it over the phone. Lots of pharmacies will open tomorrow, boots or Superdrug. In the meantime fluids, painkillers, hot water bottle and cooling the area help.

Got all excited then.
But the Lloyds online antibiotic collection isn’t operating between 24-27th December. Boo.
And £24 for 6 tablets! Jesus!

Do you reckon a doctor on 111 would just write me up a prescription to collect tomorrow?

Ring ooh drs they might b able to drop of anti biotics . I've had a/b delivered by driver who drives dr around

Bicarbonate of soda is really helpful and 2 paracetamol until you can see a dr. I have had 20 years of UTIs some serious enough to be admitted for IV antibiotics, this is my go to until I can get a prescription

Also my local pharmacy gave me antibiotics on Christmas Day over the counter one year (was 2002 so rules may have changed) as they had the local contract for NHS cover

Phoned 111.
They’re getting a doctor to call me back and sending me to a walk in within 12 hours.
Only problem is that obviously I can’t get there tonight.
I’m not in horrific pain. Just a bit uncomfortable so hoping they’ll let me go in first thing instead as i
Or even better a driver could drop me antibiotics round!!! Never heard of that happening before though!

Update... doctor called. They can offer me an appointment tonight 15 miles away at 1.45am.
Or they could cancel my case and I’ll call back in the morning.
I’ve said I’ll find a pharmacy tomorrow and see if they can help.
I’m not bad enough to drag 2 toddlers 15 miles in the middle of the night.
And they can’t just write me a script up for the morning either. Hey ho.