Urine test results help - infection ?

[dahliaaa]

I haven't been able to get a GP appointment this week (surgery used to be brilliant but so difficult to get an appointment now.)
Anyway - ordered some urine strips to see if show up infection which was a stupid idea because now I don't actually know what the results mean
Leukocytes - 'large 500' (the furthest away from normal)
Billrubin - 17

Everything else looks normal. I've got some of the symptoms of UTI (urgency / discomfort / some burning / cloudy urine)

Drinking lots of water. Plus had the 'cystitis relief' powder for the last two days.

Definitely going to request this from GP. Is Ovestin better than vagifem?

Ovestin is estriol. Vagifem is estradiol. I had a reaction to Vagifem. My life has improved greatly on Ovestin. See which works for you x

Thank you !

Sorry to message again about this. Having a real issue over last couple of days.
My urine tested as clear at gp last Wednesday (it was still showing leucocytes on the test I did at home but gp wasn't concerned.) that was a day after I finished the 3 day course of antibiotics.

Felt ok Thursday and Friday but then on Saturday started to feel uncomfortable and urgency to need to wee all the time.
This increased yesterday and then today I really struggled on train to work. Had to stand and really thought I was going to wet myself. Had been to loo just before I left home.
Bought some Tena pads for first time ever (I've often had uncomfortable feeling in bladder in past - dr has said like overactive bladder but never anything like this.)
I ve had to go to the loo constantly all day and even straight after I feel like im going to have an accident.

Can this happen for a while after a uti ? Or is it more likely that the uti didn't clear properly ?

I have been drinking water and barley water. No tea / coffee or alcohol. Have also taken a dose of D mannose for the last couple of nights.

I did get a prescription for vagifem but I'm a bit nervous to start it at the moment in case it causes any extra irritation.

It feels really unerving to feel that I can't control urinating and im dreading the journey home from work. I don't think I've got a temperature etc.

This thread might help. OP

UTI Symptoms not going away & scared www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/4850557-uti-symptoms-not-going-away-scared

Thank you @LittleMonks11 I will have a look.
Today has been very difficult at work. Feels like a constant low down pressure even when I've just been to the loo (I've always had this to certain extent but nothing like this intensity.)

You will find posters with similar on the thread and a lot of sage advice.

I get a UTI once every year in Winter for some reason. Anyway I know immediately what it is and get Macrobid (nitrofurantoin) 100g anti B twice a day for 7 days. Works every time, and symptom relief after two to three days.

I always get a script for it when going abroad too. Just in case!

Start the Vagifem. I can understand your apprehension but give it a go. X

Will try the vagina - was just nervous about making things worse.
@lesdeluges I had 3 days of nitrofurantoin and my original symptoms seemed to be better but then a week on from the last tablet I'm worse than I was originally (and different symptoms.)
Maybe the 3 day course wasn't long enough.

Vagifem not vagina !

I think you should discuss this with your GP. I was a bit surprised when I read one of your earlier posts saying you were given Macrobid for only three days TBH. My GP said I could take it for 5 days, but would prefer 7 in order to make sure the infection has cleared out of my system. And since I don't get any immediate recurrences, he might be right!

I'm at home now from work and I have some urine strips that I bought when I first thought I might have a uti.
Showing leucocytes, blood and protein, (originally it only showed leucocytes and last Wednesday the dr said my sample was clear the day after finishing the antibiotics.)
We can't call our GP anymore for appointments but will fill in the form at 8am in the morning.
@lesdeluges thank you I'm hoping that a longer dose of antibiotics will sort it out.

I did an E consult first thing this morning and dropped in a sample. There's a note on the app saying that it's been sent off but don't know if that means I won't hear anymore from them today ?

Also I've found the culture report from last week on there (when the dip stick came up as negative at the surgery.)

It says >10^8 cfu/L of Proteus species and pus 11 u/l

It did say don't treat unless symptoms return which obviously they have. But that sample was after I'd finished the nitro antibiotic which suggests that it didn't clear things fully (?)

Does it matter which bacteria it actually is ?

Yes it matters what bacteria it is so that they can prescribe the correct anti biotics to clear it. What GPs sometimes do is start you in the first line treatment then send off the sample to see if they’ve prescribed the right ones. It’s a bloody minefield.

Thank you.
When I googled it looked like proteus is not as common as ecoli (?)

Think ecoli is pretty common. Don’t forget it could be vaginal atrophy so do try the Vagifem or Ovestin. Both will help lessen recurrent wee infections. X

I've got 7 days of amoxicillin now (3x500mg a day.)
Fingers crossed.
I'm not sure if should just stop the DMannose because it looks like it only helps with ecoli and not proteus (?)

Ps now that I know that it's proteus bacteria does that make it less likely to respond to vagifem (it was an econsult and they just issued the prescription so I didn't get opportunity to ask any questions.)

I believe Vagifem works to restore/boost flora and fauna (good bacteria) to make you less susceptible to infection and inflammation. So you would need your antibiotics for the current urinary tract infection and then the HRT would be an ongoing treatment. Like maintenance I suppose.

That makes sense. Thank you @LittleMonks11
Fingers crossed that this lot of ABs actually work.

Finish your course of antibiotics then start on the Vagifem. If you have depleted hormones because of the menopause this will replace them and help with bladder problems and susceptibility to urine infections x

Will do - thank you

Lots of women use Vagifem (didn’t agree with me) and lots use Ovestin. Both make a massive difference to menopausal urinary problems. Let us know how you get on x

Thank you @HoldMeCloserTonyDancer
I've been keen to try the vagifem for a while so will see how I get on with it.

I've tried to find out more about proteus infections as ecoli ones seem to be much more common but there doesn't seem to be much information available on it.