UTI - should I see GP?

[FaithLoveandGrace]

Hi All, I think I've got a urinary tract infection. It burns when I wee and I need to wee frequently but it's only really small amounts. Also when I wipe it's slightly pink. I'm drinking water a lot and it is helping but do I need to see my GP or will it clear up on it's own?

It sounds like cystitis. You need to see your GP as over the counter medication will only ease the symptoms for a while but it will keep coming back until you've taken some antibiotics. If you can take a sample of your wee with you, they will appreciate it. Any clean bottle will do.

Thanks Lady. Can I see my pharmacist? I know with my GP it normally takes about two weeks to get an appointment.

Nope, you need to see your GP (tell them it's an emergency). If you can get to a walk in centre, that would be OK too. Your pharmacist can't prescribe antibiotics

Go to your doc for antibiotics as pp says. In the meantime I find drinking cranberry juice really helps ease the symptoms in the short term. I used to get these all the time, they are horrendous.

I'm not sure if your pharmacist can prescribe antibiotics, they'll prob just give you an over the counter thing which is often a cranberry flavoured sugary powder you mix with water, which is vile. I don't think it treats the actual issue itself but I could be wrong. Hope you feel better soon.

Nope, it doesn't treat it, it just relieves the symptoms for a little while. Antibiotics will clear it.

Thanks both. The receptionist always asks what's the problem whenever anyone asks for an emergency appointment. If I say i think I have cystitis will they still give me an emergency?

I'm not sure...at the very least you could ask to bring in your own sample to speed process along? It's a very quick test, they just put a blotter or similar in to test for blood traces I think (not an expert!). I don't think it's ok for you to be in pain for two weeks. Could you lay it on a bit thick perhaps?!

Mention it's a bit pink when you wipe too - some more trigger happy docs might take that as confirmed cystitis and write you a prescription without seeing you, although prob unlikely given how reluctant they are to give antibiotics unless necessary

It's definitely an emergency. Because if you leave it another day you will be in agony. And it could spread to your kidneys.

Tell them you think that you have a bladder infection as it hurts to wee, and the pain is going up your stomach (it does sometimes which indicates that the infection is moving). They should give you an appointment.

Thanks. Have just phoned them and they said if I phone back this afternoon they should be able to see me as an emergency later today. The receptionist didn't ask what was wrong but perhaps they might when I call back.

I think I've had this since about Friday / Saturday and it's already causing stomach cramps so fingers crossed they'll give me something later.

That sounds hopeful, hope you feel better soon

Oh, that's not good I hope you're on the mend quickly.

I had mine for 5 days before I went to see my GP and she told me off for leaving it. I had been taking over the counter medication but it just eases the symptoms and didn't clear the bug. 3 days of antibiotics and it had gone.

Ahh brilliant they've just called me back and said someone's cancelled so they can fit me in this afternoon, no explanation needed :)

Thanks all for the help! Lady how did you cope with the incredibly frequent urination for 5+ days?!

Prob too late to be much use to you, OP, but I phoned my midwife about having cystitis yesterday - it had started on Fri and gradually was getting worse, and cranberry juice wasn't cutting it (although it has in the past). I googled (I know, don't google!) and apparently the risk of it developing into a kidney infection may be higher in pregnancy or the impact of a kidney infection is greater in pregnancy - I didn't read it that thoroughly as I had got as far as 'if pregnant, see your GP immediately'. So phoned my midwife group for advice as it was Sunday, and she said to phone NHS24 and see an out of hours GP asap (not as an emergency, just not to waste more time) to get antibiotics, as you can't even take those citrate sachets in pregnancy These have worked fine for me in the past when cranberry juice hasn't... appreciate that's just with symptoms but still, better than waiting for a GP appointment.

Anyway, I did this and had antibiotics in hand about 3hrs later. Was seriously impressed with the speed/efficiency, especially on a Sunday - the GP even told me where I could fill the prescription on a Sunday afternoon! I'm not sure if the speed was because I'm pregnant or if that's just normal, but if it's really urgent, or gets worse, or you're pregnant, or can't see your GP til after Christmas (which is the case at my surgery unless you are actually about to drop dead), call NHS24 and see what they say... good luck. I know how horrible it is when it gets bad, having foolishly left it for over a week once, thinking the cranberry juice would surely start helping soon was young and quite stupid

Oh, that's great!

The over the counter stuff really helped with that. I was weeing pink by the time I saw the GP though so I'm pleased I went.

I'm pretty sure that cranberry juice and the over the counter stuff just changes the pH of your wee so that it doesn't sting as much. They do see you quickly if you're pregnant.

Argh it's still here! Doc gave me three days worth of antibiotics which I finished Thursday morning. Woke up this morning feeling the same as I did last week and have been back and forth the loo since 5am when DSS got up! Is there anything I can do before Monday in terms of getting antibiotics? DP has just gone to buy some more cranberry juice as it helped lots easing the symptoms earlier this week.

3 days maybe wasn't enough and you need 5 or 7. Or it's possible they gave you the wrong antibiotic. Because they can only guess what bug you have, until they get the test result.
I have normally been given 5 days of nitrofurantoin.
You could try the over the counter cystopurin or similar to ease symptoms. But if it was me I would probably be calling the out of hours doctor, and trying to get another prescription, because you don't want it to get any worse, and there is the risk of infection to the kidneys.

Thanks majestic. Called out of hrs and he's writing me a prescription that I can pick up :)

I have a similar problem and I've found a strange thing that helps while the antibiotics are taking effect. I'm taking rennies or gavsicon and I find its the only thing that helps. I think the theory is that the antacids neutralise the acid levels in your urine so it doesn't sting. I was in agony the other night at 11 and couldn't even sit down, took 2 rennies and woke up at 2am and it didn't sting at all.