Help. UTI in Rome

[susan123]

Hi, I'm posting in Aibu for traffic as need help. I'm on holiday in Rome and have a severe uti. I had it before leaving and was prescribed antibiotics, finished them on Friday, but yesterday it came back with a vengeance. I constantly need to urinate, which is unbelievably painful, and have a pain on the left side of my back.

Does anyone have any experience of seeing a doctor/going to a hospital in Rome? We have travel insurance, but the thought of sitting in a hospital with 3 children in this amount of pain is not good.

What is Italy like on a Sunday in terms of pharmacies being open?

I feel awful for you. It’s the worst feeling when you’re at home never mind being abroad

A chemist will give you otc antibiotics every area of every town has one open out of hours.
Otherwise, if you're going to go to a hospital, you need to find one with a Guardia Medica who is basically an out of hours family doctor type service.
If you go to an actual pronto soccorso of a hospital, they might just send you to a Guardia medica or a chemist, or they might admit you for a barrage of tests.

Are you sure you can't buy antibiotics over the counter there? We have good friends who live in Rome and they seem to be able to buy all sorts in the pharmacy that you can't get here without a prescription.

There are always pharmacies open although they open on a rota on Sundays - go to any pharmacy and if it is closed there should be a sign up telling you where the nearest open one is. Take the packet of antibiotics/prescription if you have it and they should be able to help you.

You will need trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin.

Have you tried speaking to the front desk at your hotel? They are usually very knowledgeable about local services.

I'd be concerned about a kidney infection if you have pain in your back.

Farmacia Cola di Rienzo is open 24/7.
Map here: www.farmaciacoladirienzo.com/contatti

FARMACIA COLA DI RIENZO
Via Cola Di Rienzo, 213/215 - 00192 Roma - RM
Tel. +39 06 3243130 Fax. +39 06 3244476
Email: [email protected]

or this one closes at 10pm
Farmacia Igea San Gallicano
Via di S. Gallicano, 23, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Hours:
Open ⋅ Closes 10PM
Phone: +39 06 589 5764

www.farmaciediturno.org/comune.asp?cod=58091

There's the full list of which ones are open today. Some are 24h, others do mornings or evenings. The 24h ones will probably still seem closed after 8pm but there is usually a number to ring and the pharmacist is obliged to come.

Thank you! My husband is off to the nearest 24 hour pharmacy, and, if that fails, will find a doctor.

Awful. Poor you. I had a horrendous one a few years back in Venice. Whilst you seek antibiotics, would recommend tonnes of water - I had over 4 litres a day when there - and some codeine from pharmacy. As strong as possible. The best is 30mg codeine but may not be able to get that so see how strong the pharmacy go.

Just an update - we tried 2 pharmacies and both said no pharmacist can prescribe antibiotics without a doctor so ended up booking a concierge doctor to come to our Airbnb who prescribed antibiotics and painkillers. I'm already feeling a bit better so fingers crossed tomorrow I can get back to sightseeing.
Thank you all for your help.

Good luck OP

Mumsnet is brilliant sometimes. Such helpful replies. Hope you feel better very soon OP.

Are you able to get hold of some baking soda? I've used it dispersed in water when desparate on a Sunday in the UK.

UTI is the worst!! Hope you feel better OP and can enjoy the rest of your trip. Keep drinking as much as possible too

Glad you got sorted! (looks like in Rome they're starting to follow the rules about prescribing- I'm down in the southern boondocks and we can get everything without a script. Wrong I know!)
Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Try to drink plenty of cranberry juice and water to stop it coming back. Salt in the bath helps too.

Make sure it's sugar free cranberry juice.

Ask at hotel for nearest GP who speaks English-they usually have drop in clinics for tourists. Take your E111 card and consultation is free they just write your card number down.You will be given a prescription for discount drugs at pharmacy. Have you sent a sample off at GP before you left-they may have results and know what antibiotic you need-this happened to me in Lake Garda last summer!