Alternatives to Anti-biotics?

[Rhubarb]

My dd has just been diagnosed with a urine infection that I suspect she's had for a while. The doc has prescribed the usual anti-biotics. Trouble is I hate using them and will avoid them if at all possible. She's only had one course when she had bronchilitis at 14 months. Is there an alternative to using them?

I'd be v careful, with uti's there can be implications for future bladder/kidney health, that's why antibiotics are prescribed. But do make sure that the diagnosis is made on a fresh sample of urine, where a single strain is identified, as there can be lots of contamination of the samples.

not for a urine infection - they can turn nasty so, so quickly - my aunt tried to cure cystitis with home remedies and lost a kidney. With ear infections etc I really don't think antibiotics have to be the first choice, but with a urine infection there is no alternative, imho. The consequences could be very dire.
Also, what about the pain? Whenever I've had cystitis it was absolutely excruciating, second to labour I'd say.

Hmm, might get a second opinion on this then? He didn't check her urine, but she says it hurts when she wees and sometimes it just hurts all the time, also she's been complaining of a cold back. She doesn't have any tummy pain. The dr listened to her tummy and felt it and took a quick peek at her front bottom.

i'd say the hurting when weeing and back sensation are suggestive, why not take in a urine sample tomorrow am and ask them to send it off for a test?

oh yes, get her urine checked - then you can get strain-specific antibiotics, a lot of the bacteria causing cystitis are resistant to the commonly used antibiotics. I'm surprised that your GP didn't ask for a sample. Also, uring infections in small children are rare and always need to be followed up with a kidney ultrasound to check that it's not due to a minor abnormality (this is an NHS policy).

I did think infection when I took her, perhaps he didn't need a urine sample?
Guess I'll give her the anti's just to be on the safe side. But what did people use before they were discovered? I never had them when I was growing up.

Hmm - it's really important to treat a UTI in a child as an untreated one can cause kidney scarring. BUT you really need a sound diagnosis first, an MSU should be sent before treatment started so that a) you know if it's the right antibiotic and b) if it's a proven UTI dd may need a kidney scan (depending on her age). Hope that makes sense - did your GP not get a urine sample???

geekgirl, there are times I wish I was still in the UK, I really do! Whoever said that the French Health Service was any good? This is the second time a dr has failed us, and it's a different doctor! Plus I paid 20 euros for the priviledge! So if I took her to another dr that's another 20 euros! We're pretty skint this month as it is!

shit shit and shit again. What the fuck do I do now????????????????

well, mortality rates were huge before antibiotics were discovered. I guess people just died instead! Just think of the infant mortality in Victorian times - something like half of all working class children died before their 5th birthday.

Could you get a sample tomorrow morning to take to the Drs then start the antibiotic? What's been prescribed (if you don't mind me being nosey) - trimethoprim? Or you could get a sample now & put it in the fridge.

Augmentin, just googling it now.

Augmentin? Crikey, French GPs certainly use a sledgehammer to crack a nut (sorry, should say - I'm a GP but in the UK). It'll certainly kill a UTI but may give her a bit of a runny tummy - give her some probiotics as well!!

Just happen to have pro-biotics here for ds! As you are a dr, can you just tell me if he is right to diagnose this without testing her urine? Should I go to a different dr for a second opinion? Bearing in mind it'll cost me again!

And can I not give her an alternative?

i interviewed a paediatrician at alder hey hospital last year who was appalled that gp's handed out antibiotics without diagnosing a uti properly

I really am at a loss as to what to do next.

I wouldn't diagnose a UTI without a positive MSU result. I might suspect a UTI and start antibiotics while I was waiting for the result but I'd never treat and not send an MSU if I was dealing with a child. We have pretty strict protocols where I work for referrals of UTIs in children and I'm a "go by the book" kind of person.

rhubarb, I would (in your position) start the antibs. By the time you see another doc, send off the sample and get it back it could be a few days and if it is a UTI, it could get nasty by then.

Does she have a temperature with all the other symptoms?

Dd has had 2 urine infections - both taken seriously by GP and on the second count we were referred to the paed for a kidney scan (which was thankfully all clear).

I would see another doc and get the urine sample done just so that you can be sure and also so that it is 'on file' in case it happens again.

Ok, she has no other symptoms, no temperature or anything. She said a few months back that her wee-hole hurt when she went to the toilet, but with the lack of other symptoms I just told her not to wait until the last minute when she went to the loo (which she does regularly only to pee on the floor sometimes she's so desperate!) and to drink more water. Then it got better, then it hurt again, etc. So finally after she said that it hurt when she wasn't even on the toilet I took the decision to go to the docs. She does complain of a cold back which is worrying, this is uncomfortable for her, but it is very cold where we are and our heating is inadequate. She has not had a temperature, nothing else which would signify an infection.

how old is your dd, rhubarb? Could you take her to an A&E department for free maybe?
I'm glad you've got a GP answering on this thread.

mmmm it's a hard one - how old is she?

I know that dd has often complained of it hurting when she wees only for it to turn out to be something like a new soap or washing powder irritating her vagina and it going visibly red and thus hurting when she wees (and nothing to do with an infection).

I would (if money permits) be tempted to go and get a sample done - you have nothing to lose and if you could get them to do it quickly perhaps it would be back before she had had no more than one or two days of the stuff (I'm assuming the samples come back a bit quicker than over here!).

Difficult to know what to do for the best but if she's fairly well in herself you could get away without starting antibiotics right this minute. If it's feasible to get a sample sent off tomorrow morning I would. I don't know what to advise re getting a second opinion - if it was here and you weren't having to pay I'd say yes, see another GP. If you can get a urine sample then as well as being sent off it could be tested by your GP for blood, protein & leukocytes which if positive would suggest staright away that it is a UTI and save having to wait for lab results.

Sorry if I'm just adding to the confusion here.

Shit, this thread has got me really stressing! Her vagina does go red sometimes, usually round the times she says it hurts. And she does suffer from very sensitive skin, we can't have any bubble bath or perfumed soap for example.

I'm not giving her anti's if she doesn't have an infection. And now I'm thinking that maybe she doesn't. As I said, this has been going on for a few months, if it were an infection it would be evident by now would it not? But then what about the cold back? Kidneys?

She's 5.5 btw.

Oh, just thought, she does have very smelly breath indicating an infection of some kind?