UTI Symptoms not going away & scared

[Honeybeebear]

Hello,

First time posting but long time reader 🙂
I started having UTI symptoms 8 days ago-frequent urination, burning, not a lot of wee coming out and ordered some Nitrofurantion from the Superdrug dr. I have had a few UTIs over the years and have used Macrobid which I think is the same and I always feel a lot better in a couple of days.
first 24 hrs of taking them I felt a lot better, but had a reaction half way through the course (pins and needles in legs/arms, numb feet) and ooo doctor said to stop and prescribed me Fosformycin.
I didn’t feel too bad on Monday, went to work and picked my the prescription, used that evening and apart from urgency to wee I felt okish.
Weds- thrush symptoms, got an oral tablet
Thurs- symptoms starting to return, frequency and a feeling like my bladder is full constantly, burning etc.
Yesterday the ooo gave me 3 days of Trimethoprim although urine test was clear! thrush really bad again so used a pessary last night.
Today- felt a ok this morning for a few hours, But then symptoms of burning and needing to wee (every hour) are still there. I’m scared the antibiotics are not working and every night I seems to go downhill and get worse before eventually sleeping. I don’t know if the drs will give me anymore with the urine test negative.

the last couple of days as well as the full feeling in my bladder, I’ve felt twinges/spasms- not sure if it’s my bladder, cervix, or what but it feels constant, I’m more aware of it when I’m trying to sleep.

I’m scared, exhausted and have gone from feeling normal to feeling so vulnerable.

has anyone else had to use multiple antibiotics for a UTI?

I’m supposed to be going to Spain on our family holiday next weekend but at the moment I just feel like cancelling it or DH and kids to go without me.

I echo this. Urologist first; all other forms of treatment will stem from this.

Agree with @CeciNestPasUnPipi i had what I thought was constant UTI. Was vaginal atrophy. Ovestin cream on prescription has sorted it

Over the past two years, I went from having the odd UTI bout to a constant, v light drip-drip incontinence; followed by full-blown, multiple-strain embedded UTIs.

I have been scoped; had a urethral dilatation; had hardcore IV antibiotics; and I am now on Hiprex, HRT (patches, topical O, progesterone, testosterone), D-Mannose, and antibiotics when I need them. I've had to make lifestyle changes, and those have been hard. I don't always succeed, which then increases my chances of a UTI.

The two biggest contributing factors:

• SUGAR. It is AWFUL for UTIs.
• Low Oestrogen

I don’t think my doctors surgery with refer me to a urologist yet, to be honest the 2x nurses I’ve had appointments I’ve the last week don’t seem that bothered with my symptoms.

I did find the out of hours doctors much more helpful and felt they listened to me.

It’s been 9 days since my very first symptoms. Tonight there is definitely less pain, but my tummy/bladder feels like when I was pregnant and baby was kicking.

I’ll have to go back to work tomorrow, I’m just exhausted though.

I’m the same age and recently had a stubborn UTI and was getting anxious it was becoming a chronic issue having read threads about embedded UTIs.

I had 3 days of nitrofuratoin which helped but didn’t shift it, 36 hours of trimethoprim where I went downhill. By then dipsticks and cultures were negative but GP gave me 5 days of nitrofuratoin based on symptoms where I was nearly better when I ran out then got worse again so, after a 3 days gap, the GP gave me 2 weeks of nitrofuratoin. At end of that course it was still hurting and burning, the GP said to give it some time.

Out of desperation I decided to treat as thrush on the basis sometimes the UTI like pain and frequency can be thrush. I didn’t have any discharge or itch, just sore when bladder was full and burning when going for a wee. After 3 fluconazole, 3 days apart, I was better. But it keeps coming back - I’ve just finished a 2 week course of fluconazole and it’s better than it was still there. I’m sure it’s not a UTI because it’s definitely more vaginal/vulva pain now. So in my case the antibiotics eventually shifted infection, but at a cost!

It might be worth investigating thrush as a possibility.

Is your back / hips ok? Like muscular - of course any pain that could be linked to your kidneys is a doctor issue but when I had constant UTIs and general referred pain it stopped when I got my back and hips sorted by an osteopath.

I felt like I had thrush on Weds, I took 1 Fluconazole but also had to use a pessary on Saturday eve as the burning just hadn’t gone away, I can’t feel any burning there now so hopefully that’s gone at least.

With your history and the GPs/nurses throwing antibiotics at the problem which hasn’t worked, instead of more random prescribing they should have called the consultant microbiologist at the hospital for advice. These are the people who know exactly which bacteria are commonly causing infections right now, which antibiotic resistant strains are circulating and what the preferred current treatment regime is (pending results of urine cultures). And they should have sent a sample off for culture long ago. I agree with PPs that you should get a urology referral now - this really isn’t normal.

GPs are not good with UTIs. They take the view that it will just go away if you drink a lot, and if it doesn’t then the most commonly used antibiotic will fix it. They are not good at dealing with recurrent infections and those that don’t respond to the usual first line antibiotic. They do far too much “wait and see” and then people end up in your situation. So much suffering, lost work time and risk of something more serious.

When one of my DCs had a UTI when they were little, the GP said they’d probably prescribe one of the usual antibiotics, but called the microbiologist to check. I’m very glad he did, because the microbiologist recommended something different.

back and hips seems fine, it’s the cramps/spasms in the stomach, cervix, bladder that don’t seem to be subsiding.

I feel like it’s no better than yesterday and the thrush is possibly coming back 😩

I didn’t feel too bad this morning, it gets worse as the day progresses.

@CeciNestPasUnPipi I'm wondering about the hormone thing myself. I'm nearly 36 so my GP refuses to even test my hormone levels since I still have periods. However my periods are lighter, and some months I am so dry down below all month. I've been prone to UTI my whole life, even since before I remember my parents told me.
Could I ask about the no sugar thing please? I don't eat much sugar anyway but interesting that it could have an impact. Did you notice a clear difference and what do you eat, like no sugar at all, fruit etc? Does sugar even get into the urine? thanks

@Honeybeebear I'm really sorry you are struggling so much. I feel okay-ish right now, after 11 days of hell with it, but I am scared for stopping the antibiotics.
The Fosformycin can cause really bad thrush. A good probiotic with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14, or L.Crispatus , might help.
Hot water bottle between the legs helps me sleep with the bladder pain, it's truly horrific. Buscopan can help with bladder spasms.
If you are still on the Trimethoprim, make sure to drink enough water to flush it through, but not more than 2.5 litres daily as it will dilute the antibiotic. Something called D-Mannose can help if used correctly, but only if your infection is caused by e coli (most are but not all) - it's a natural product you can buy and the bacteria stick to it so they are more easily washed out.
I really hope you have a better night xx

Op I've just been through this, bloody sympathise it's horrendous. I'm also going on holiday next week so I know how desperate you are feeling to get it sorted as I was the same.

I've been getting UTI's for 7 years when I started perimenopause. I'm 50 now so A lot older than you. I do go long periods without one as I take cranberry tablets but when I get one it's so difficult to shift and always lasts a few weeks.

I started with one about four weeks ago after being lax with my cranberry tablets and that hot weather. dipstick lit up like a Christmas tree for everything UTI related so I got three days nitro. That seemed to work but within 2 days it was back and felt worse than ever. Managed to get a further 5 days of nitro but although it felt like it worked at first again I had lingering symptoms. I honestly was beside myself as I know doctors wouldn't prescribe me anything else as dipsticks at this point were saying infection gone.

Mine has now gone. In the last week my symptoms have just tailed off.

With me I think
What happens is I get a bloody nasty one, the antibiotics probably do their job but it takes a while for my bladder to recover.

I've since been back to the docs and have asked for topical oestrogen as I'm convinced all my issues are down to hormones and dryness. Gp's rarely join the dots where that's concerned as for years they've been telling me it's probably my age but nobody has suggested anything other than antibiotic, bladder scans and a cystoscopy!

So I'm now loading up on cranberry tablets again, wacking on the fanny cream and crossing my fingers 🙈

It's shit being a woman. Good luck op I hope you get sorted.

@stopthemachine thanks- I need to have a look a probiotics- I’ll try and find some with those in.

Last night I felt it went backwards am compared to the one before. I was up a few times and just couldn’t get to sleep for long- felt constant urge to wee.

on day 11 now, 5 more days of Trimethoprim left.

I feel too scared to even think about the holiday Monday. I’ve done nothing to prepare, usually I’d have packed most of the things by now! I’m usually really positive but I couldn’t go abroad on holiday feeling how I do now.

The constant urge to wee is like a form of water torture (no pun intended) but it's truly awful. Fingers crossed for you

I might contact the GP surgery see if I can get an appointment about the thrush. It’s just seems to be coming back.

I’m not sure they will even see me about it though, I feel like I need to test it’s thrush for sure.

they must be sick of me making appointments.

The trimethoprim will cause thrush, for sure so treat with Canesten cream but also ask the gp if you can try hrt cream. Honestly I was in the same boat as you and it’s been life-changing. I had constant utis and the need to wee was off the scale. After the last round of antibiotics I asked for Ovestin and touch wood so far it’s been like a miracle (I’m post menopausal) x

Sugar provides the ideal environment for bacteria to flourish. My urologist confirmed that it's tantamount to pouring petrol on flames. If I eat even a half portion of, say, cake, in two days' time the familiar cramps will start up in my pelvic area.

Btw, blood tests don't really work to diagnose peri/meno. Rather go to a specialist doctor and talk them through your symptoms. The Newson Clinic is expensive but I have found it to be worth every last penny - and they do video consultations.

Following as I have the same issue :( nitrofurantoin stopped the burning and stinging but I still have to go many times a day, sometimes only a little bit comes out. I'm 32 so don't think it is perimenopause just yet.

I'm definitely going to request this to be considered gif me. Glad to hear it's really helped. Can you take it on its own as it's topical? I don't take any HRT currently though yesterday I collected a batch of it that was prescribed back in May. Always have tried to manage without. Also trying to sort thyroid out at present with low dose thyroxine - so one thing at a time was the advice. On day 2 of amoxicillin for the latest one to try something different 🤷‍♀️

Just watched a couple of her videos on Hiprex. So useful - thank you again!

Yes. It’s a topical cream that’s used on its own. X

I have a GP appointment this afternoon for the thrush.

The pain when weeing seems to have gone but still feeling like I need to go constantly.

The thrush is feeling worse now, burning all the time, feel so uncomfortable even sitting down. 😥

not sure what else it could be if it’s not thrush. 2 x treatments in the last week and it’s not shifted.

I second the estrogen cream. I had the exact same thing both in my early 30s and early 40s. Clear of uti but still had symptoms including burning. I have been to see a gynaecologist and urologist. Both times I was prescribed the estrogen pessary cream and that is the only thing that sorted it out for me.

I get my Hiprex over the counter from Boots. You should be able to get it on prescription now in theory but I just can't be arsed with the faff because my GP is shit.

I’ve now got a prescription for 3x fluconazole tablets to take one each day.

dr took a swap also, and said it could be thrush now causing the issues. Although I’ve never heard of thrush causing constant urge to wee or all these pains/spasms

feel so upset this afternoon, urge to wee is worse today.