boots cystitis treatment service - highly recommend!!

[thejollysnake]

just an fyi to anyone else who gets struck down by cystitis/UTIs - you can get a kit at boots, dipUTI, which has a urine self-test comparable to what you get at the GP. you scan with a phone camera and if positive you can get antibiotics (nitrofurantoin) from the pharmacist. i woke up with a nasty sudden one this morning and i had antibis in hand by 6.30am. i used to get UTIs all the time and i wish so much something like this had been available then as i used to spend hours waiting to get prescribed! i don't work for boots or dipUTI, i'm just a serial UTI-getter and i am so impressed something like this exists as cystopurin etc did nothing for me.

@thejollysnake

just an fyi to anyone else who gets struck down by cystitis/UTIs - you can get a kit at boots, dipUTI, which has a urine self-test comparable to what you get at the GP. you scan with a phone camera and if positive you can get antibiotics (nitrofurantoin) from the pharmacist. i woke up with a nasty sudden one this morning and i had antibis in hand by 6.30am. i used to get UTIs all the time and i wish so much something like this had been available then as i used to spend hours waiting to get prescribed! i don't work for boots or dipUTI, i'm just a serial UTI-getter and i am so impressed something like this exists as cystopurin etc did nothing for me.

very handy to know! Thank you!

Interesting! How much does it all cost OP?

The test kit was £10 and then the pharmacist had me fill out a form, asked some questions and gave me the prescription antibiotics which was a further £15. So more than an nhs prescription but no waiting time at all; worth it for me!

Lloyds let you (they did a while ago, haven't needed to recently) order UTI antibiotics to keep for flare ups. I used to get them fairly regularly and having them in the house already was brilliant. I get them v occasionally now and I always have some of the antibiotics in just in case.

Thank you!

I do econsult at my GP and they send the prescription to pharmacy, dead quick(same day) and only the cost of a prescription.

That’s interesting. Do they also send your sample off for microbiological analysis to confirm presence of infection and correct course of antibiotics to help prevent antibiotic resistance or are they just chucking out random antibiotics?

That's good to know but also annoying to have to cost £25

Apparently they only prescribe nitrofurantoin. The dipstick test obviously shows if positive for nitrites, blood etc which confirm infection… I have quite often been given antibiotics by the gp without a urine test if it’s a phone consultation so in this case i did actually have to confirm the infection was there.

Did they discuss prevention?

It sounds like a great service but many UTIs can be prevented and I would like to think a HCP would recommend ways to avoid UTI misery as well as adding to their profits

Don't transfer poo germs to your urethra! Only by wipe your bum from front to back and take care during sex. Keep hydrated, wear breathable underwear and change feminine hygiene products frequently. Seek advice from a HCP if you do experience recurring infections.

@GCrebel I do all of those things but I still get UTIs on and off since I was 16 years old (I’m 30s now). This is the nastiest most sudden onset one I’ve had in a while but no obvious trigger at all.

And that's fine! My point is that HCP should be discussing prevention when they issue prescriptions.

I can see it could be a useful service, but would be concerned if it wasn't joined up.

My lovely (female) GP (now retired) was always happy for me to have some nitro in the house so I could start to take as soon as I felt the first inkling.....meaning that I didn't get to the stage of absolute agony
I know the signs!! (I DO take all the precautions)
New (male) GP has said he will not do this
Makes no sense to me when I can get them without too much fuss

I recently used the Superdrug version of this and was super easy, too. So much better than trying to wrangle an appointment with my GP surgery!

Very useful to know! I was umming and ahhing about getting one of these having been kept up most of the night with the dreaded burning wee.
You've convinced me!

As an aside, does anyone else get tingling fingers with cystitis? As I wee, not only does my fanjo burn but both hands burn as well.