To ask for some medical advice, UTI related.

[WilsonMilson]

I have symptoms of a UTI, started on Saturday and has got worse - bladder pain, some back pain and feel like I need to pee all the time.
I’m not prone to them, last and only one was 8 years ago.
Feeling miserable. Called the GP surgery this morning, they didn’t want to see me, the receptionist asked a couple of questions and said they would send a prescription to the pharmacy to be ready at 4pm. Fair enough I thought. I’ve just collected it.

It’s for 50mg Nitrofurantoin x 4 a day. I haven’t had these before. I only got 12 tablets, 3 days course. I know that’s correct for Trimethoprim, but it says on the dosage instructions that it should be a 7 day course for UTI.

Just really looking for some advice as to what is correct, don’t want to harass my GP unnecessarily, but don’t want to stop too soon and it comes back. And general advice on these antibiotics and anything else I can do would also be really helpful.

It’s actually not unusual ime to try a three day course first and if symptoms settle great and if not to go back for more days worth

You could try Waterfall D Mannose instead of (or as well as) antibiotics. I find it really effective and you can use it daily to stop recurrences.

That’s the correct dose for an adult (female).

Sounds right to me. I get them all the time (had a bladder and kidney scan last week) and am horribly allergic to trimethroprim. The Nitrofurantoin does work well (on normal people!)

If you want to double check then you can always ask the pharmacist instead of calling the gp back.

I feel much happier reading your posts, thanks everyone, I’ve been feeling so miserable today.

I had a horrible experience 8 years ago which has caused me to worry so much, trimethoprim was what I got then and it didn’t work (also made me feel rubbish), got amoxicillin after that which didn’t help either and gave me thrush (every bloody time with penicillin), and in the end was put on something called Ciprofloxacin which was by far the worse medication I’ve ever had and gave me terrible anxiety and bizarrely also Achilles tendonitis. Evil stuff, truly would have to be at death’s door before I took it again. I do not want a repeat of that saga, so have been a bit nervous.

Ordered D-Mannose earlier online for next day delivery, thanks for mentioning that, it ended up being my saviour last time. It was quite a strange thing when I had it years ago - seemed to be months before I felt quite right again with the urgency feeling, but D-Mannose made me feel more confident that I didn’t have an infection (also my cultures in the end were clear). Think it just took my urethra a long time to settle down again.

I could frankly do without this as well as all the other shit happening at the moment! 2020, what a year!

I is normal to start you on a 3 day course. That said, I have had these twice and both times had to take them for more than 3 days. The first time I was given 3 days, then 4 days then 7 days! The second time (during covid) I had a telephone app and was given 7 days worth and told to take 3 days and only continue if symptoms were not easing. I needed them all. Wouldn't be so bad but the first time I had to pay for 3 prescriptions! Hope it eases soon.

Oh I just read you had a reaction to cipro! I did too. Took me 2 years to recover!

@LetMeVent don’t get me started on Cipro. It has made me incredibly nervous of all medication since.

As well as the tendonitis I also had crepitus (bone and joint cracking), insomnia, racing thoughts, weird head pressure, it sent my anxiety through the roof too. Took me a good 2-3 months to feel anything like normal again.

I also found online that I’m far from alone, and yet my GP was utterly clueless about these side effects.

I totally sympathise with you. I really feel Fluoroquinolone antibiotics should be used in as a last resort in life or death situations.

That is the norm now-a-days to only prescribe a 3 day course, I suffer from UTI’s quite regularly and always ask the GP to prescribe me at least a 5 day course to make sure it gets rid of the infection - they then usually give me 7 days so I take 5 and then have a 3 day course back up for emergencies! If you find it doesn’t get rid of it don’t worry they can just prescribe more. Hope your feeling better soon UTIs are horrible

Hey not uti related but my daughter recently had tonsillitis and she was only given a 5 day course of penicillin every other time she has had it it has been a 10 day course (several times) they didn't want to see her and check her they just took my word for it that her tonsils were inflamed I think the gps are just handing them out with the instructions that if things don't improve to call back and they will see her our gps are hardly seeing anybody still
If things don't improve get back in touch with them hope you feel better soon utis are horrible

Its 3 days for women with normal urinary tracts. And 7 days for men. Perfectly normal - I'd trust your prescribing doctor over an online forum tbh!

Thanks all, will see how I go. Will phone if I think I need more. Have taken one and will take another before bed. Hoping the need to pee will relent soon as I feel like I need to go every 10 mins! No burning to speak of, just pain and an urge to go constantly.

Not sure whether to blame it on sex or the perfumed soap I stupidly used on my nethers all last week! I don’t know what possessed me, I usually only use simple soap.

Last time this happened I was terrified to have sex for months.

Make sure you take regular analgesia too OP

Do take normal painkillers as well op. It’s one of those things you don’t normally think to do with UTIs as the sensation feels so different from regular pain but it really does help I find!

@WilsonMilson

I feel much happier reading your posts, thanks everyone, I’ve been feeling so miserable today.

I had a horrible experience 8 years ago which has caused me to worry so much, trimethoprim was what I got then and it didn’t work (also made me feel rubbish), got amoxicillin after that which didn’t help either and gave me thrush (every bloody time with penicillin), and in the end was put on something called Ciprofloxacin which was by far the worse medication I’ve ever had and gave me terrible anxiety and bizarrely also Achilles tendonitis. Evil stuff, truly would have to be at death’s door before I took it again. I do not want a repeat of that saga, so have been a bit nervous.

Ordered D-Mannose earlier online for next day delivery, thanks for mentioning that, it ended up being my saviour last time. It was quite a strange thing when I had it years ago - seemed to be months before I felt quite right again with the urgency feeling, but D-Mannose made me feel more confident that I didn’t have an infection (also my cultures in the end were clear). Think it just took my urethra a long time to settle down again.

I could frankly do without this as well as all the other shit happening at the moment! 2020, what a year!

im really surprised you didn't have massive,, diareah with the Cipro. The disease is correct and should really help you out. For future reference try incorporating more Cranberry Juice into your diet. It really helps keeping your urinary tract healthy

You don't have to take ABX. If you're otherwise healthy, it should self-resolve in 7-8 days. I just drink lots of water and take OTC analgesics as required.

@WilsonMilson

Thanks all, will see how I go. Will phone if I think I need more. Have taken one and will take another before bed. Hoping the need to pee will relent soon as I feel like I need to go every 10 mins! No burning to speak of, just pain and an urge to go constantly.

Not sure whether to blame it on sex or the perfumed soap I stupidly used on my nethers all last week! I don’t know what possessed me, I usually only use simple soap.

Last time this happened I was terrified to have sex for months.

it was more than likely the soap

@WilsonMilson I'm another one that had a horrible experience with cipro. Three years on and, whilst a world away from the initial mess I was in, I still have issues, suspect some will be life-long now.

@CabernetSoWhat

You don't have to take ABX. If you're otherwise healthy, it should self-resolve in 7-8 days. I just drink lots of water and take OTC analgesics as required.

Or you could end up with a kidney infection which is which can be pretty serious which is why this is one of the things they actually give antibiotics for straight away.

www.angelakilmartin.com/

The guru on the subject..

CabernetSoWhat

You don't have to take ABX. If you're otherwise healthy, it should self-resolve in 7-8 days. I just drink lots of water and take OTC analgesics as required.

Or you could end up with a kidney infection which is which can be pretty serious which is why this is one of the things they actually give antibiotics for straight away.

My advice comes from the NHS website:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/

@CabernetSoWhat
Phrased significantly differently though.

The NHS mentions that mild ones CAN resolve. Sure, and it’s always good to try and drink water, take painkillers and d-mannose and avoid antibiotics if you can. However, it is dangerous for people to think that because they are otherwise healthy it will just self resolve and they can just continue. The NHS also clearly stress the importance of keeping an eye out for any symptoms of kidney infection. I’m all for avoiding unnecessary antibiotics but only if it is managed and monitored extremely carefully rather than just taking painkillers and carrying on as normal.

Try bread soda in warm water too OP
(Drink!)

I get lots of UTIs. Normally if I drink litres of water on the first day and sit in the bath with regular paracetamols it resolves. If I can’t flush it out in the first day then it gets worse and worse and worse and 3 days of nitrofurantoin sorts it out.