Difficulty obtaining antibiotics for teenager's uti

[gandalf456]

I have found this recently. My daughter tends to get utis and every time I take her to the gp with symptoms, they refuse to prescribe antibiotics- either because the dip test doesn't work or the sample comes back clear or contaminated.

Yesterday, I got emergency appointment. Dip test was inconclusive because she had a period which contaminated sample. Gp said she didn't think she had actual infection as no temp, no tummy pain but she still had raging burning when peeing.

This happened before and I went back 3x and it was 2 weeks before they'd prescribe anything and she was in tears frequently and was acting unwell.

Anyway, today, out of hours ended up prescribing and she is much better already.

I know they are worried about antibiotic resistance and wondered if this is new protocol but surely it's equally bad to have people suffering.

Gp said it's not safe to prescribe blind, although I would dispute that since she did have symptoms

I think a GP would rightly need to have a sample which showed infection. A clear sample isn't a UTI obviously, which is what your daughter has sometimes been given. A contaminated sample isn't reliable. Exactly how many urine samples has your daughter given that have come back "contaminated"? that's odd.

If she only got the antibiotics today they won't have had any affect. It takes a good few doses for antibiotics to work.
Does she try over the counter cytitis treatments first, does she drink enough?

does she drink enough.
does she wear cotton knickers that are boil washed? her bedding boil washed?
does she have worms?
or thrush?

If the tests are inconclusive and she has no temperature or pain than I can see why they wouldn’t presecribe antibiotics as she’s not showing signs of infection.

Are they always around her period? Could it be linked to that rather than infection?

another thing - is she wiping properly? front to back?

Past couple of samples were contaminated.

She did try the otc ones but didn't really help

You can get antibiotics from pharmacies online. I often have to resort to this because my dip tests come back negative until it's got really bad

They have to balance the need for antibiotics versus the resistance risk. Resistance is very common with UTIs so they should only prescribe an antibiotic where they know it will work so ‘prescribing blind’ might result in an antibiotic which will do nothing for her symptoms, but still give her side effects and further contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotics take a while to work so it unlikely her improvement is due to them if she started today, by the time they start working the symptoms often disappear and the course doesn’t get finished again adding to the resistance. I’m not saying this would be the case for your dd but if she’s feeling better already it’s likely she didn’t need them and was starting to improve or it’s placebo effect of starting the tablets.
www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/media/374195/UTI-Patient-leaflet.pdf

Her natural bacteria could develop antibiotic resistance if she's prescribed them when not needed. That could kill her.

But keep going, doctors urine tests are incredibly unrealisable, as is the lab testing. Some infections need far longer courses than doctors are prepared to give and some infections will never show up. It doesn't mean they're not there.
Sympathy for your daughter, chronic UTIs are miserable and very difficult to get proper treatment for.

Those GPs refusing to prescribe antibiotics for suspected cystitis quite obviously has never suffered from even one attack of this horrible pain.
If left untreated it can lead to serious kidney problems.
Over the counter treatments and drinking lots of water may help a little bit they are not a cure and they do not stop the horrible pain or constant feeling you need to urinate.
Go straight to the nearest STD clinic next time. They are far more clued up on these things.

Not always round period, no, but can understand could be contributing factor.

No worms. Don't think it's thrush as not itchy. Bedding and underwear not boil washed.

Same has happened to me. Been back 2-3 x before infection showed up despite symptoms

I'm pretty sure you can get trimethoprim for uti over the counter in some parts of UK. Definitely online you just have to fill disclaimer out. Maybe say its for you?

How old is she?

Do you need to consider whether it is a STI rather than a urine infection if the samples are repeatedly contaminated and not showing a UTI?

www.ukmeds.co.uk/trimethoprim

you need to boil wash bedding, towels and underwear (anything which comes into direct contact) to prevent re-infection.
and you need to find out the cause.
sexual health clinic is a good idea, but check if they will see a patient her age.

I had this myself. Suffered persistent UTIs for years and although I was given short courses of antibiotics once or twice it never cleared it. Always came back. Used every OTC thing I could find.

Until I was pregnant. Then, I unsurprisingly tested positive for a UTI at booking in and they got me straight on pregnancy safe antibiotics (nitrofuration I think it was). I had to take them until 24 weeks when the infection finally cleared and have weekly then fortnightly samples tested throughout the whole pregnancy.

I've never had another UTI in nearly four years and I've had another baby since then.

Not suggesting your daughter gets pregnant of course - but it's definitely true that sometimes an extended treatment is needed. No one wants to take antibiotics if it's not necessary but sometimes it is!

If you can afford it, could you maybe pay to see someone privately? You shouldn't have to but it might put an end to her misery!

Why do you have to boil wash sheets?

I had a similar experience and doctor would refuse antibiotics but when I stepped up my water intake it really helped and I don't suffer now.

liveutifree.com/uti-test

I suffered a lot with UTIs in my teens and early 20s. Not always positive with a dipstick despite blood in urine. Had it back up into kidneys leaving me with full blown bilateral kidney infections a couple of times. And still sometimes struggled to get antibiotics.

Found at the first sign of any burning / discomfort 600-800mg of ibuprofen and 2 pints of water helped immensely. Then the the sachets, cranberry juice and normal dose of ibuprofen with lots of water for a couple of days can stave it off and meant I could manage a milder attack without antibiotics.

I seem to have grown out of it oddly, been a long time since I've had any problems.

I'm not an expert, but would imagine that a temperature would be a usual sign of a UTI, my ds has a few and what set them apart from other illnesses was that even a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen would bring his temperature down. I think you should definitely push for treatment to solve the problem but maybe it's not antibiotics that she needs.

Does she use scented or plastic backed sanitary towels? They can be very irritating.

Thanks for the links to online pharmacy. Tempting but always a worry that they may not be real.pills

If you're worried about the authenticity ask for the batch number and the serial number. Every medication in this country has them (go look at a packet of paracetamol) and they enable you to trace the source of the medication.

Will do. Thanks