3rd urine infection in 4 weeks :( help!

[PDR]

I have had one normal course of antibiotics, then retested urine and infection still there so given a course of double strength course antibiotics. Currently waiting on test results from urine sample given on Friday but pretty sure it's still there as in a lot of pain and urine still cloudy, smelly (sorry TMI) and urine dip sticks show high White blood cell count.
What can I do??????
What can I take????
I'm pregnant so that does not help matters!
Should I be drinking cranberry juice? I am drinking lots and lots of plain water and peeing allthe time........

Stick to the water, cranberry will make your urine more acidic and cause you more discomfort at the moment. I am not sure if you can use those sachets while pregnant, you could take some paracetamol I suppose. Try sitting in a bath with some bicarbonate in it, this can be soothing.
You poor thing I do sympathise.

Ahh that's interesting as sooo many people in RL have been telling me to get some cranberry juice!

Tried paracetomol but has little effect to be honest.

I wonder when the doctors will have my test results back from Friday....

Go back to the doctors and DEMAND better/stronger antibiotics as yours have not worked- it is likely to be the same infection which has not been treated. IME, they prescribe the cheaper ones first, and don't bring out the bad boys (ie the effective ones) until you make a fuss.

An untreated urine infection can become a kidney infection and can be very serious- especially when pregnant. If the doctor will not prescribe stronger ABs, ask to see another doctor.

I was given Cephalexin both times - the first was a normal 7 day course the second was double strength....

Ok I will try and make an appointment for this week and hopefully they might have the third test results back...

tethersend I feel the pain in my kidneys actually - very bad at night and when I wake up to go to the loo its absolutely excruciating :( (spelling?)

Don't be fobbed off- get an emergency appointment for tomorrow. This needs treating. I am shocked that they are letting it drag on when you are pg. Make a fuss.

Let us know how you get on

Ok I will :) Thank you!

(goes off to drink lots of water...)

Hi PDR- did you manage to see the doc?

Hello! Yes I saw the out of hours doc last night and then phoned again quite late and they prescribed me a different course of antibiotics.

Saw my own GP this afternoon and she said to finish the course, then wait 2 weeks and do another urine test.

Also gave me some lower back excercises to do as she said the pain I am experiencing might not be my kidneys but my back (although the out of hours doc said it was my kidneys )

Pain is more bearable today though and mainly bad when I wee (surely this alone would mean it's not simply a backache?) I am wondering if it was worse yesterday becuase I had been sitting in the office all afternoon?

PDR, I'm sorry but your GP is an arse. Waiting two weeks before seeking further treatment could lead to a kidney infection. She is insane to dismiss pain in the kidney area in a pg woman with cystitis.

Antibiotics which work should relieve the symptoms within 48 hrs IME. Usually it's gone within 24. I hope they work- if you still have pain when you wee in two days' time, see a different doctor. Do not give up.

Keep me posted

Thank you for such good advice - not sure if you saw the thread I started last night but also found blood in my urine which is quite worrying (doc knows all this) but nothing today apart from White blood cells.

Will do 48 hours with the antibiotics as you suggest and reasses the situation!

May not be relevant at the moment, but top tip for all women who have a tendency to get urine infections/cystitus is to try to have a wee after sex. Doesn't have to be a big wee - just passing a little bit is enough to make a difference. Please pass this advice on to all your friends. It really makes a difference. the drug companies never mention it - probably because it would cut into their profits.

If you are pregnant, has anybody mentioned double-voiding? that means when you've done a wee you stand up and sit down again and try to get any extra stale urine out, as it is harder to empty your bladder fully sometimes when you are pregnant.

you might also like to read the info and posts on www.cobfoundation.org

I am the queen of pregnancy related urine and kidney problems!

Your GP is wrong, you should not have been given a double strength course of the antibiotics which did not work! You ned to go back and see someone else.

THe pain in your back could very likely be a kidney infection - do you have a temperature at all? Can you see any blood in your urine or is it microscopic? Is the pain in your back sharp or dull? Is the pain radiating to your side or groin? Any of this could indicate a kidney infection and sharp pains radiating to the groin could mean you are passing crystals in your urine or a kidney stone. You really need to see another doctor today if possible. You can even go to A&E or can you call your midwife?

Don't drink cranberry! It is very good at preventing urine infections but my urologist told me that that is because it coats your urinary tract with a substance that prevents bacteria from 'sticking' to it. That same effect stops antibiotics from working properly, so while you are on antibiotics, you shouldn't drink cranberry - other juice (diluted) is OK, and the loads of plain water is important too.

Please call NHS24/Direct and ask to be seen, as you are in pain. Mention the pain in your kidneys to them. trust me, you don't want this to get any worse, I had it in my pregnancies with ds and dd2 and it was awful!

Hello - thanks for the great advice :-)
Blood was microscopic and only detected with dipstick test. That was Mon night and have tested every morning and nothing present since so that's good.
Pain is dull, radiating to the sides but when I go to the toilet it becomes sharp. Esp at night when I have not been for a couple of hours.
Have now been given a totally different antibiotic and I am honestly feeling a lot better. Pain is now very dull/almost gone and only slightly worse when I pee as opposed to agony before.
Not drinking cranberry - sticking to plain water!
I agree my GP is a bit of an arse and made me feel like I was wasting her time to be honest.
It's quite hard to ask to see anotherdoctor at my surgery since

(posted too soon!)
It's quite hard to ask to see another doctor at my surgery because before they let u make an appointment, the doctor calls u to see if u actually need one, so you'd actually hAve to say 'i don't want to see YOU to the doctor themselves!'

Forgot to say I've not had a temperature, no...

Glad to hear that you are feeling better . Give the new antibiotics no more than 24 hours to work in light of how long you've been suffering.

Please change doctors- you have been treated appallingly IMO.