UTIs - help!

[Covidwoes]

Hi everyone. I've had uti symptoms for a few weeks. Dipstick at GP has consistently been positive for leukocytes, nitrites, blood and +1 protein. I'm not pregnant. 3 cultures have been done (GP kept asking for repeat samples) and all show 'mixed growth', which is shrugged off as contamination. I don't understand how this keeps happening, as even a boric acid tube (which is meant to stop contamination) showed this result. GPs aren't interested in doing anything apart from prescribing random antibiotics (I appreciate they can't press or specific ones for mixed growth) which appear to work for a few days, then it just comes back. Has anyone else had constant 'mixed growth' results and got anywhere with it?

Hi, OP

I would push that they send results to the lab. It was how they spotted that l had an infection which needed IV antibiotics.

@BritishDesiGirl they are, but they keep coming back mixed growth! I did have one result come back a couple of weeks ago (before the mixed growth samples) that showed I needed IV antibiotics, but the bacteria was so unusual the hospital were worried it was a contaminant so only gave me one lot of antibiotics.

I would ask for a second opinion OP. If it's coming back and you are being robbed off ask that another doctor takes a look

I've had on and off UTI's since Feb. It very quickly (within hours of starting) goes to pure blood. Samples have been showing mixed growth like yours. I ended up having to go to the walk-in as it keeps happening at the weekend and progresses quickly and they turned round and said they wouldn't treat me again without investigation as it was happening to frequently. I have a scan next week, not sure what it will show TBH as typically I haven't had one for the last 2months!!! Hope you get it sorted as it's so draining to constantly have the symptoms month after month.

You could have a Antibiotic resistant uti which is why the antibiotics are not working.

I have frequent UTIs so feel your pain OP. It has been a massive blight for me

There are different foods that can trigger mine....usually sugary ones. I try to have some kefir every day. Doctor pal in Germany was recommending something called D mannose, am looking into it. Good luck op.

@HoneyPea what do your dipstick results show? It's so frustrating getting mixed growth when the dipsticks show positive for infection! I know the lab cultures are meant to be reliable, but I don't know why I keep consistently getting the same dipstick results, yet it never shows anything conclusive (apart from once, which was so rare they again thought it was a contaminant ).

This annoys me so much. I had years and years of UTIs and lab tests didn't show anything conclusive. Eventually managed to see a gynae urologist who said the lab tests are only 50% accurate - seriously! If you have symptoms of a UTI most of the time you have a UTI whatever the lab results say. I ended up needing 2 weeks of mega strong antibiotics because the GPs had pissed about with random 3 day courses for years.

Also really recommend D Mannose. You can get it on Amazon. It is a type of sugar that deals with e coli. I take it every day to prevent UTIs. If you do get a UTI you can take 3 tablets 3/4 times a day. It works really well. I would recommend taking 1000mg tablets once a day to prevent UTIs and more if you have symptoms.

Lab tests are NOT reliable and it is not a contaminant. You clearly have a UTI and need to take antibiotics until it has completely resolved. Most likely you will need a 7 day course.

This makes me so mad as I ended up with chronic bladder pain after untreated UTIs. Honestly i went through 7 years of chronic pain because my GP wasn't up to date with current research on UTIs.

Sadly, another area of life where women are given short shrift. If this was a male problem it would be handled differently.

@Tryfull 50% accurate! That's shocking! I didn't realise that. I've been led to believe they're really accurate, although I admit I was questioning it yesterday after yet another 'mixed growth' result, despite testing positive for leukocytes, nitrites, blood and protein a few days prior! My own GP is a good listener, so I'll bring this up with her soon (she's currently on annual leave). The GP who called yesterday was nice enough, but very quick to dismiss the mixed growth as a contaminant and that was that. So frustrating.

I would suggest doing a Google search on accuracy of lab tests and show your GP your research. It is very well understood by all of the urologists/gynaecologists that I've seen that the lab tests are highly inaccurate.

I don’t know anything about lab results or different ABs, but D Mannosse totally changed my life. I’ve gone from getting UTIs every few weeks to one or two a year. I’d highly recommend trying it.

I also used d manoose and was it absolutely amazing .

Please give this a try it is available on Amazon

Another vote for DMannose. Absolutely brilliant as a preventative too.

I had a series of UTIs and was referred to hospital for investigations - I think it was the antibiotics that the Consultant prescribed that helped (similar to the OP with the blood urine) because the pain eased within 24 hours. I was recommend to take cranberry tablets, d-mannose and hiprex - so far I've only used the cranberry tablets which I buy fron Tesco as they are usually 3 for 2, and I'm saving the other options in case I need them later!

If it looks like a duck, etc . You have a uti that needs a long course of antibiotics to knock it out.
I had similar and it went on for months and months

Thanks so much everyone for the replies! Great advice about D Mannose. I'll get some! I didn't used to get UTIs (apart from a couple in pregnancy) but since having a kidney infection in the summer, it has been one after another. I'm going to ask to be referred I think, as I'm not getting anywhere with the GP surgery.

@ChicCroissant if you don't mind me asking, what did the investigations show? What sort of investigations do they do?

I suffered with a UTI for a long time, unfortunately D Mannose didn’t help for me as it had already taken hold- I understand it works best as a preventative, not a cure. What did eventually shift it was a 3 month course of nitrofurantoin. This was after lots of short courses of antibiotics that did not work. Good luck getting the treatment you need OP, I really sympathise- it’s such a painful and frustrating thing to go through.

@Blueberry40 that's exactly what I keep getting - short courses of antibiotics. They work for a few days, then it just seems to come back. What did your lab cultures say?

Hi OP I had this most of last year. Mine was caused by strep so D-Manose was no use for me. In the end I had a referral to a urologist who organised a bladder scan and flow rate test. That was clear so next was a cystoscopy which was also clear. Consultant was then shocked that I hadn’t been put on a management dose nitro so organised that and advised hiprex. After three months of both I am UTI free for nearly a year now!
Push for a referral!!

@Covidwoes I seem to remember they were coming back different every time they were sent for lab testing but just checked my on my patient app and it looks like the last lot before I went on the long course was positive for nitrites, blood and leucocytes…so very similar to your results. I had to push my GP to prescribe the long course, by that time it has gone on for so long that I had to switch to a less demanding job-it’s not an overstatement to say it was destroying pretty much every area of my life. I wish I had been confident enough to push the GP sooner!

Similar to GameofLifer, had kidney/bladder scans and a couple of cystoscopies - the first one showed some marks on the inside of the bladder, but the antibiotics (I think were were nitrofurantoin) worked to get rid of the infection and the bladder lining was clear 4 or 5 weeks later. GPs are told not to prescribe antibiotics but to wait for the results of the tests - the Consultant's arm was reaching for his prescription pad almost as soon as I walked (hobbled!) into the room!

Thanks ladies. I'm definitely going to ask for a referral. The GP did say to hand in yet another sample if I still had symptoms, but tbh I don't see the point, as the lab results just keep showing mixed growth. I've got no fever or anything, just pains mainly and weeing a lot at night.