AIBU to ask for UTI advice!

[Ohdeargodwot]

I have my first ever UTI (need to pee constantly, burning sensation). Had it since friday now and been trying to drink lots but i'd say it isnt getting better or worse.

I also have a cold and im due on so feel EXTRA shit.

Trouble is i started a new much needed job yesterday, time off is pretty out of the question and its shifts - i wont even be able to ring the doctors today unless its in my very short break and the doctors are so busy its unreal, chances of seeing a doctor soon are slim and i dont know when my days off are more than 2wks in advance so how do i even know when to make the appointment? :S

But, i dont want to leave it and get so sick i HAVE to take time off!

What are my options? Can a pharmacist help? A sexual health clinic maybe? Is it possible it will clear up by itself? Im just concerned its been 3days already...

Omg, raw? I ate a raw clove once because i just love garlic: felt like i'd burnt my stomach!!!

Are you in the UK? If so, you can purchase antibiotics online via Superdrug. Pharmacists in Scotland can prescribe Trimethoprim after a consultation.
If it hasn't eased in 5 days, I'd be accessing some sort of treatment, UTIs can lead to further health problems if left untreated.

OP Superdrug do an online private healthcare scheme where you can give details of infection & online doctor approves antibiotics & you can go Superdrug a couple of hours later & collect antibiotics. It costs £25. I've used this service before when I felt my cystitis was so bad / didn't have time to get to doctors.

onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjwk93rBRBLEiwAcMapUdekizD9Zt1hdUmz4HjYdWs8-jWmnx4YFHln2g2ozh70m79Fyvb8GhoCrJQQAvD_BwE#hiw

But if this is your first UTI I would probably go to the doctors to confirm that it is that.

Drink cranberry juice and you don't necessarily have to see a doc. Get cymalon from boots or superdrug.

This is terrible advice, do not do this! Cranberry juice does bugger all and you will have to see a doctor if it's been 3 or more days. It sounds like you need antibiotics as you have an infection which likely will not go away on its own. If you start getting backache and feeling shivery you need to see a doctor asap. Hope you get it sorted OP.

I agree with PPs - D Mannose from the sweet cures website. Absolutely turned the UTIs around for me - I virtually never get them now and when I do the D Mannose gets rid of them. It's been a miracle cure for me.

Have you tried phoning your GP? Mine would give me a phone consultation and do me a prescription to collect.

I now have anti biotics on repeat prescription for uti because I used to be plagued with them

I havent drunk cranberry, just tonnes of water - i will act thursday, but the superdrug thing sounds like a winner!

Don't leave this, if you don't get it treated you could get a kidney infection and get really sick needing inpatient antibiotics, get a specimen pot, catch a good sample, first in the morning is best if you are drinking lots of water, call gp in the morning and arrange an urgent call back, then drop the specimen in for them to test prior to call back

This thread has just reminded me i forgot to pick up my uti med prescription last week, i havce to keep them in the house as i get them reccurring, and it can take 4 weeks to get a doc app! Also have them on repeat, D mannose sounds like it might help, i'll be looking in to that

For recurrent utis try vitabiotics high strength cranberry extract tablets, one every day will prevent e coli infections

Definitely see a pharmacist. In Scotland the GP has a poster advising to go to pharmacist before using a GP appointment.

Repeated antibiotic use is not good. I went through this for years. For recurrent infections prevention is the best cure. You need to have absolutely scrupulous hygiene after going to the toilet! Angela Kilmartin’s books made a huge difference to me in explaining how to prevent attacks, and I’ve gone from 4 or 5 UTIs a year down to one (and that’s usually only when my hygiene lapses) and I cure now with D Mannose.

I'm 33 and this is my first, due to an enthusiastic new bf we're going to be more careful in future!

Worked for me everytime, Rabbit. I've never gone to the doctors. 🤷‍♀️

Boots are advertising on my computer that they can do antibiotics now for UTIs without a doctor, so if you can't face the rigmarole of doctors appointments it's worth checking them out.
Big lover of D-Mannose here too. Get it from Sweet Cures in York. I have a pharmacist friend who sneered about it just being a sugar pill. Well she's right and she's very very wrong.

I can not believe posters are saying cranberry juice does not work. It absolutely is effective and had you caught it early enough it could have been. It's something to know for the future.

In this case, it sounds like it's gone too far and got too much of a hold. Your low immune system hasn't helped and tbh if you're that low cranberry might not have worked but keep drinking tons of water, that's really good (I realise that's the last thing you want to do right now!)

Cranberry juice only works if it is sugar free. It absolutely can't be Ocean Spray. I wouldn't even touch the "ocean spray light" stuff or anything similar.. and it only works if you cut sugar out of your diet totally for a bit.

Just look at the ingredients list to know.

Can you link to the research for that Taxicus? I have only found studies that show there is absolute no evidence to suggest it is effective in preventing UTIs.

I absolutely can not link to a study. This is purely experiential.

You can insist that if somethings not scientifically proven it's an untruth, that's fine but it's where we part ways in our understanding. It's prevented me from taking antibiotics on several occassions, including in the last fortnight.

My suspicion is that cranberry juice alone will not rid you of a uti and that it's efficacy is highly dependant on the overall picture of ones health. If you are active, healthy, not overweight and not consuming a high sugar diet you have a high probability of it being effective.

My kidneys started to burn on day 7 and luckily it councided with a day off and the docs werent the slightest bit interested in 'seeing' me, just dipped my wee and prescribed much better today!

Day 7 OP! You're really lucky you didn't get a kidney infection.. Glad you've got a prescription now.

I think i might have a high pain threshold or something? It didnt feel too bad!