I'm terrified of these urinary issues I'm having - what could this be?!

[lockost]

For nearly two weeks, I've had weird (what seemed like) UTI symptoms. I've never had a UTI before (early 20s).
This week these symptoms have gotten worse. UTI tests (all 3) have come back clear, 'just a few white blood cells, no infection'.

I feel like I need a wee 24/7. Pain in my abdomen. Pain in my back.
When I do go for a wee, it's usually a weak stream and not a lot.
I keep getting shooting pains in my urethra.
Feeling nauseous.
Feeling like I'm leaking urine when I'm walking.
(No pain when I'm actually weeing).

Getting the doctors to help with the 'all clear' tests is difficult. I've tried painkillers (don't make a difference), cystopurin, a thrush tablet (as advised by pharmacist).

I've got horrendous health anxiety so I've had panic attacks about this and that makes me worried that I could be psychologically making these symptoms worse by fixating on them.

Can anyone help if they have similar experience? I'm spending so much time crying because I just desperately want to feel normal again!

Some of the ideas on this thread by people who know nothing about this are just deluded. A GUM clinic is not the expert on this - it's not a STD and you can get it being celibate. You can't pass it on to somebody either. A urologist is the appropriate specialist. This is not like what they used to call honeymoon cystitis where bacteria got transferred into the bladder and a bacterial infection developed which could be stopped almost instantly with a few antibiotic tablets. A GUM clinic could probably handle that.

It may not be a UTI but more that your bladder isn't emptying, have they examined your abdomen?

@kateluvscats they've felt it (just with hands). And said that it's constipation.

@EmoIsntDead this was my problem as well (posted up thread) though it was caught fairly quickly (pf suggested by GP assistant after 3x negative UTI tests and saw a pf physio a week later).

Can you please link to the exercises or post a screen capture of any printouts you have? Thank you.

This is what she told me to do (my exercises were given in Dutch so had to translate/write them down)

Lie on back with knees up and feet flat on floor.
Tense pf muscle then as you release breath in deeply and out deeply. Repeat 8-10 times for one set.

When I first went to see her I did 3 sets morning, 3 sets lunchtime and 3 sets evening for 2 weeks (I was in such a state I couldn't walk/stand for more than 5-10 minutes without pelvic pain).
This gradually reduced to morning and night 3 sets each, and then one set morning and night. 2 years on I still try and do a set every evening and if I feel myself getting stressed I do them in the morning as well.

When my pf was really stressed I would clench and it wouldn't relax fully and then subsequent clenches became weaker as the muscle was tired. I already felt some improvement after 1-2 weeks. This was combined with some physio (internal massage) as the muscle was so knotted. I then got problems with my piriformis (probably from sudden lack of walking/movement) and did exercises for that as well (lie on back, left foot flat on floor, place right ankle on left thigh, capture left thigh with and pull towards you. repeat on other side. can rock to left for deeper stretch).

Other yoga positions which are good are extended child's pose with knees wide and happy baby, both accompany by deep breathing.

Long term any yoga or stretching that works on hips is good or deep breathing that promotes relaxation.

I really like these two YWA videos:

Once you get this sorted, maybe pay attention when weeing to see if you can fully empty or if you could actually squeeze a bit more. My grandma was prone to UTIs and a new doctor told her that her bladder was a bit tipped and that she might not be emptying fully on a regular basis. That build up of older, more concentrated urine was causing her problem.

I found that now I'm 40 and have had a baby I'm the same and if I don't pay attention and make an actual effort to empty I would have some remaining.

That said, you don't want to force it either because that causes different problems! So it's a listening to your body thing.

You really ARE an angel, thank you thank you THANK YOU! 💐

This thread is suddenly very relevant to me today - sorry to hijack the thread everyone, but my experience doesn't seem to be unique.

I have had UTI symptoms for 48 hours and I did the usual drink lots of water, rest, paracetamol, hoping it might resolve itself. It hasn't. Tried to get a GP appointment today, the GP surgery instead referred me to the local pharmacy because "the pharmacy can now prescribe antibiotics" - which I learned yesterday from this thread! The only problem is that the dip test comes out clear so the pharmacist won't give me ABs.

Now what?

I have three intense days ahead at work, I was really counting on getting ABs this morning, resting all day, and being able to manage the next three days.

I already take D-mannose and use vaginal oestrogen 3 x a week because last year I had three UTIs with identical symptoms to the ones I have now.

@hippospot I got AB's from an online pharmacy, no problem. They didn't ask about a dip test I don't think. Won't help today but mine arrived the next day pretty quickly.

It makes me so angry that yet again women's health is at the bottom of the pile. Doctors KNOW that these tests are only 50% accurate and if they don't then they SHOULD know. So many women being left in pain, sometimes leading to chronic pain, because UTIs are not treated properly.

My very experienced urologist said to me that if I have symptoms of a UTI (and I've had enough and know my body well enough) then I have a UTI and need a full course of antibiotics. Thankfully after his strongly worded letter to my GP I just have to call my GP and he prescribes me the antibiotics that work for me. It makes me so angry that doctors and pharmacists are relying on these really inaccurate tests to tell women with UTI symptoms that they don't have a UTI.

@Persianpuss thanks for your reply.
Can I ask which antibiotic you usually take and how many days for?

Thanks

I'm feeling worse by the hour and now it's too late to see the GP today - all the appointments are full.

Buy a pot of test sticks and use several until one shows positive. They’re so inaccurate but one will usually show correctly.

For me, amoxicillin for 7 days works. I also find Cephalexin works. Trimethoprim does nothing for me except make me sick and I'm allergic to nitrofurantoin. But we're all different.

In your shoes I would:

1. Call your GP and say you need an urgent appointment for an acute UTI and need antibiotics today.

1. If that doesn't work go to a pharmacy and get antibiotics.

1. If that doesn't work order antibiotics online.

1. In the meantime you can buy Cystitis relief sachets that help the symptoms. Also take high doses of D-mannose if you have them (or buy or order online if you don't). And drink as much water as you can to try to flush it out. Sometimes it helps to wait until your bladder is full and then when you wee it is very forceful and can push the bacteria out of the urethra (told to me by my urologist and it has worked for me). Hot water bottle over the bladder can help with pain and help to you to relax the muscles in that area. Also ibuprofen.

@Persianpuss Thank you so much.
I'm following your advice. Fingers crossed I can get ABs today.
I realise I had Nitrafurantoin last time and it was effective for me.

Hi @hippospot try and get a 7 day course to see the infection off properly The 3 day dose is BS, too long winded to go into why, but just another way women in healthcare are messed around and can mean the infection doesn’t properly clear. If you can tolerate it, nitrofurantoin is a good choice as its first line treatment of choice for uti.

Try a different pharmacy. They’re not supposed to be using a dip test to supply antibiotics any more, because they’re so unreliable. They’re just supposed to give you the medication based on symptoms.

Hope you are taking the antibiotics @lockost they should have given them to you as you have the symptoms. My gp prescribes whilst he waits for your urine sample.

I'm not sure why you are anxious about taking the antibiotics though? They will either work if it's a UTI or won't if it's not and then you can explore other possibilities.

And sympathies. UTIs are horrible and painful

An update - I went to the same pharmacy with a second sample - it was also clear so she didn't want to give me ABs. I asked what she thought I should do, given I was feeling worse by the hour with identical symptoms to my last three UTIs. She said "Well I can give you ABs if you want". So she's given me Nitrafurantoin but only a 3-day course. The GP still hasn't got back to me.

@hippospot let me know how you get on!
I'm not sure why they only give a 3-day course if so many are saying 3 days isn't enough?

@EmoIsntDead @PatienceOfEngels thank you for your experiences! I've had uti symptoms since 8 weeks pregnant (now 20) and had all the negative cultures, multiple antibiotic courses, std tests, thrush treatment etc and have found the last week that sitting on my birthing ball and stretches like childs pose, cat/cow, butterfly etc have helped me stop feeling out of my mind with pain!

I have a appointment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist tomorrow, and am very hopeful!

Anyway - sorry to hyjack the thread!

I had, a strange feeling in my urethra after urinating. It was hard to describe. It constantly felt like after I'd been I was busting to go again but nothing else would come out and for those first few seconds it was painful. Even if I held it in for a while only a tiny amount would come out. The first day I had blood on wiping. Not loads, In fact I just assumed it was my period starting cos it was light pink. Had some tiny clots when wiping and then the bleeding stopped. However I did find blood in the toilet bowl that night. I also had lower back pain and pains kind of just above my pubic bone, although they weren't constant. I noticed them more if I coughed or bent over. Popped into a chemist on Saturday and told them my symptoms, and got a 3 day course of nitrofurantoin tablets to take twice a day. Finished the course last night and today I have being able to go to the toilet and wee without having to practically grip the seat afterwards and it's been a full flow.

Nor me. I have had a kidney infection each time I have been Pregnant and then miscarried shortly afterwards, and a UTI recently and never had a temperature with any of them