FML - UTI and period.

[SoddingWeddings]

I was up most of the night 2 nights ago in flipping agony with stomach and lower back pain - I assumed it was my period which had just arrived.

This afternoon, it turns out it's a UTI as well. I've managed to get a prescription from the chemist this evening, so have started on nitrofurantoin now.

But fuck me, this is awful. I can't use tampons, it's too painful. I have no pads, but given I'm in the loo every 15 mins it doesn't really matter.

AIBU to ask for help? Anyone got any tips, tricks, experience to help with this? My guts feel heavy, swollen, and itchy 😭 and I can only drink so many pints of water before I pop.

No tips I’m afraid, but sympathy and solidarity. I’m on my 3rd and last day of nitrofurantoin and feeling better, but still a bit uncomfortable in the nethers. It would have been 100 times worse with a period.

Have you taken paracetamol? Can you get hold of some pads, or put an old flannel in your knickers or something? I found holding it as long as possible helped as bigger wees burned less. And stay off coffee... I made that mistake this morning!

OP. 2021 can only be better, right?

Awhhh

When I get UTIs I get them BAD, so I totally feel your pain.

The antibiotics will work and hopefully you’ll feel much better soon.

Lots of water to flush it all out. You could take painkillers although they don’t do it for me.

Hot water bottle / wheat bag round your private’s can ease the pain.

I use cloth pads which makes me think old t shirt / socks etc would be useful as ‘pads’ as above poster said.

Get well soon xxx

Thanks all - I've never had them together like this either, can't say I recommend it! I'll look at making pads for overnight...

I'm drinking LOTS of water, but can't hold it at all before I'll pee myself, it's still at that stage.

Could be worse (long story, have a cuppa!). When I was still in the police I had a UTI when I was in the middle of a very long Crown Court trial. I was giving evidence for days (mostly reading interview transcripts out with the barrister), and of course it had to hit during that week.... I had to tell the the very unimpressed male barrister early one morning that I needed to be able to leg it from the stand with no notice to be able to pee, or he'd have to delay my evidence and thus the trial. He spoke to the judge in the closed court (in front of the 12 defendants, their 12 barristers, 12 solicitors, the court clerk etc....) and I was called in. The judge called the jury in, and explained to the entire fucking room "thank you ladies and gentlemen for your patience this morning, I'm afraid things will be a little different today, you see the officer (waving at me) has a urine unfection and will need to leave without notice from time to time. Officer (to me), don't the feel the need to ask, just go, don't wait for me to rise".

I mean in terms of court protocol, he was being ever so nice and very accommodating, but I wanted to die and every woman in the court had a massive look of pity on their faces as I turned bright red and the defendants had a laugh at me. All I could say was "thank you Your Honour" and crack on with the ridiculous interviews!

Mortified.

Well yeah compared to the court situation things are looking OK! Does heat help? A hot water bottle or those patches or a heat pad from amazon help my period pain. Which is really bad from adenomyosis.

I recently had a sinus infection which I got antibiotics for, which gave me thrush and of course I got my period! I then got something to deal with the thrush as the pessary and cream weren't working. I had an allergic reaction to this and got massive hives all over my body.

So although not the same, I feel your pain!

Oh in terms of pain killers cocodamol is the only thing that works for my period pain so could try this?

@SoddingWeddings - reminded me when I was at a small claims court, suing for non payment of a debt. Defendant hadn't bought any of the right paperwork, so Judge said we'd reconvene. I had the mother of all hangovers - had drunk the judges' water at some point; he added "in the light of Ms Duvet's condition, I recommend that it is scheduled for the afternoon" - clearly thinking I was pregnant with morning sickness.

OP - have you tried having a bath? No smellies/bubbles etc.

I've tried a hot water bottle, it seems to induce the feeling of the need to pee, which I don't remember happening before. Everything in that region feels bruised, itchy and stingy at the same time 😭🙄

@Plussizejumpsuit that sounds bloody awful, I hope the effects didn't last long

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay (great user name), sounds like a good night was had at least!

Don't drink any alcohol of caffeine that will make it worse.
If you have any baking powder dissolve half a teaspoon in a glass of water and that will help.
Neurofen for pain and a wheat bag if you have one.
By tomorrow the antibiotics should start kicking in.
Must be bloody awful for you :(

Get some D mannose tablets,at least 1000mg. They are a simple sugar that binds with the bacteria so you can excrete it. I get UTI's often due to a bladder problem and this and a hot water bottle are the only things that work. I now have 2 every time after sex to prevent it happening. Best thing I have ever tried

@SoddingWeddings no it didn't just a day or so. It was a few months ago so I had to send pics of the rash to the GP and do a phone consultation. Even the go when oooh that looks painful! Which is rare for a gp!

Sorry the hot water bottle isn't doing much. How long have you had antibiotics for? Hope they kick in soon. Wish I knew of a miracle diy cure!

Oh that's interesting @imayhavelostmymarbles I don't get sex utis thank god! But do get them sometimes so will rember this!

Sympathy and solidarity OP - periods can aggravate a UTI if you're prone to them! Give booze and caffeine a miss and guzzle all the water you can stomach. If the hot water bottle isn't working, get on the painkillers and just let the antibiotics work this time around. Try the d-mannose supplement pp recommended as a preventive, they're great. As an aside, Nitrofurantoin makes me puke, so if you don't get on with it or if it isn't working, go back and ask for cefalexin - is easier on the stomach and works a treat. It's fucking grim but you've got this.

I've literally taken one antibiotic so far - I saw the pharmacist at 6.30pm, he did a consultation of some sort then prescribed the pills. 2 per day for 3 days. I'll take the second dose before bed, which is usually late around here anyway.

I've not heard of D-Mannose, but will get some ASAP! UTI is usually sex related, so probably a good idea, thank you!

No issues with nitrofurantoin usually, so I hope it stays that way given the state of me this week! 😂

If it's sex related and a recurring issue, ask whether you can have a 'rescue pack' of antibiotics from your GP. You can then either take a single pill after sex, or have them on hand to take a week long course if you get a full blown infection. Other than that, try peeing before and straight after! Again, you have my utmost sympathy and solidarity, it's the absolute pits and a lot of people don't realise how miserable a UTI is

The bicarbonate of soda trick is a really good one - it makes your urine less acidic so less stingy. If you have either lemon barley water or cranberry juice they help with symptom control. Aspirin or ibuprofen are better for period pain than paracetamol and I think they are better for UTIs too. Also if things get really bad get in a warm bath and stay in there for a long time - I may even have peed underwater when things have been really bad. The antibiotics should work quickly. I’ve started getting UTIs which are resistant to nitro so if you aren’t a lot better by tomorrow it might be worth trying to get a second line antibiotic. Hope you are feeling better.

Bicarb of soda! A teaspoon in a small glass of warm water and drink. Plus two tablespoons in an inch deep warm bath and sit in it for ten mins. Sounds odd but works

Agree re bicarb of soda. Don't go for cranberry juice at the moment as it makes things more acidic and painful. Also second d mannose to stop future utis. Hope you feel better soon.

I see your UTI and period and raise you...

...UTI, period, and the worst fucking piles I have ever had! I swear, I had to laugh (but it was that weird crying laughing thing) that I had a problem with every fucking hole. Worst week of my life.

So chin up, and take care of your arse hole. It’s your only friend right now.

Chronic UTI sufferer here. You have my deepest sympathies. A bath really helps me. Take s pint of water and some ibuprofen, or codeine if you have some. It should stop the urge to see constantly along with the painkillers. Antibiotics should kick in soon but if no improvement definitely go back. Baths are the ultimate cure in my experience though. Hope you feel better soon.

@Smorgasbored0000 holy crap, that's awful 😢 How are you doing this morning?

I'm no longer peeing every ten minutes, and am feeling much more comfortable, but still the same type of discomfort, nausea etc. The world has also seen fit to give me a migraine with which to enjoy the first day of 2021, so I'm dosed up on way too many pills, nausea patch, pint of tea and TENS machine.

My poor DH, I'm so gorgeous today 😂

@SoddingWeddings

Thanks all - I've never had them together like this either, can't say I recommend it! I'll look at making pads for overnight...

I'm drinking LOTS of water, but can't hold it at all before I'll pee myself, it's still at that stage.

Could be worse (long story, have a cuppa!). When I was still in the police I had a UTI when I was in the middle of a very long Crown Court trial. I was giving evidence for days (mostly reading interview transcripts out with the barrister), and of course it had to hit during that week.... I had to tell the the very unimpressed male barrister early one morning that I needed to be able to leg it from the stand with no notice to be able to pee, or he'd have to delay my evidence and thus the trial. He spoke to the judge in the closed court (in front of the 12 defendants, their 12 barristers, 12 solicitors, the court clerk etc....) and I was called in. The judge called the jury in, and explained to the entire fucking room "thank you ladies and gentlemen for your patience this morning, I'm afraid things will be a little different today, you see the officer (waving at me) has a urine unfection and will need to leave without notice from time to time. Officer (to me), don't the feel the need to ask, just go, don't wait for me to rise".

I mean in terms of court protocol, he was being ever so nice and very accommodating, but I wanted to die and every woman in the court had a massive look of pity on their faces as I turned bright red and the defendants had a laugh at me. All I could say was "thank you Your Honour" and crack on with the ridiculous interviews!

Mortified.

Great story haha

Talking of public embarrassment, reminded me of a time I threw up on the school bus just as it was pulling in to the bus bay...