4th urine infection in 6 weeks I am going mad...........

[murphyslaw]

I am now on my 4th load of antibiotics and am going to see a consultant next week to find out what is going on.

Any tips for alleviating the pain meanwhile? I am trying cranberry capsules already.

Has anyone else had any experience of reccurent UTI infections?

Thanks

Yes, I have a history of recurring UTIs - it's a nightmare, isn't it?

I had a scan with a full and then empty bladder to check I was completely emptying - which was fine. At its worst, I ended up having a 2 week course of antibiotics which did the trick of sorting out a spell of where I had UTIs every month or two; this was over my honeymoon - I sat crying at the docs saying that I couldn't have sex on my honeymoon because I knew I'd get a UTI. And now I always have a prescription for antibiotics that I can use when the symptoms arise. For me there is no point messing about with over-the-shelf remedies, as it very quickly escalates.

If you have a particular trigger, usually sex, then I know of some people who have a single antibiotic tablet after having sex which seems to help.

As for alleviating pain now - painkillers, bicarb of soda dissolved in water, a bath, hot water bottle.

Hi there, I used to get recurrent cystitis. The trick for me was to drink cranberry juice every day and lots of water so my wee was always really dilute; be really scrupulous about hygiene and make dp be too; always wee before and after sex and drink water after. Try googling Angela Kilmartin, she has written loads of books about it, she is a bit full on but has lots of tips for how to beat it without the need for constant ABs.

At the moment these last lot of anitbiotics arent really working. Well they have reduced the pain a little but I am still very uncomfortable to say the least.

I do wonder what is causing this and am very worried

I dont fancy being on these antibiotics long term - I feel wiped out. Looking after 3 kids and dealing with this is no joke.

You shouldn't do the cranberry thing until fully clear of infection.It has no effect on bacteria it just coats the walls of the bladder and the bugs can't stick.If you take cranberry when you have an infection it stops the antibiotics really taking effect.I have had 2 kidney transplants and am plagued with urine infections and that is what the hospital told me.Cranberry is only a preventative NOT A CURE!!!!!!Hope tyhis helps i know how awful it is

Loads of water.

I have loads of infections due to a problem with kidney stones.

Second the NO cranberry advice. My consultant told me to drink loads if I have no infection, but none until I have a clear urine test as it stops the anti-b's working.

I drink 8-10 pints of water a day. Avoid alcohol. Nothing too spicy, no citrus. ALso, go right back to the doc if you have any flank pain, blood in urine, as it could have gone to your kidney and you usually need IV antibiotics in hospital for that.

Try ibuprofen for the pain. It does help. Avoid the bicarb thing if you can - you could try an OTC cystitis remedy but again, bicarb is not good for your kidneys.

And I feel for you. I know what it is like, its been a recurring problem for me since I was pg with dd1, who is now 8!

Is this definitely separate infections or is it the same one relapsing? To answer this you need to know whether the same bug has been got from your urine sample each time.

Also useful to know the interval between each set of symptoms.

Have you history of kidney problems/ cysts/ stones or a family history of such.
I would watch the lots of water advice . Too much water , as in >3 litres can be unwise .

Have you had an ultrasound of your kidney tract.
( I'm a kidney doctor - hence all the questions)

Wobblypig, thats interesting about the water.

My Urologist told me 8 pints minimum to keep stones away - I have a rare problem with what he called ad nauseum stones - I produce loads of little teeny ones over and over, then it stops for up to a year, and then another UTI goes into pyelonephritis and off I go again for a few weeks.

Problem I have is that the stones that I had when pregnant were bigger and the sheer quantity of them has slightly damaged my Uretal sphincter, so infection travels up - I am on anti-bs on a rotating schedule. Have been told I could have it re-sited but not often successful in adults. I have had several stents but tolerate them very badly, ended up with MRSA in one of them.

Sorry for hijack. Have never met a kidney doc on MN!

I had a hydronephrosis about 10 years ago that was operated on. But in pregnancy, it got worse again and was hospitalized twice for UTIs.

Prescribed Tramadol for sheer pain of hydronephrosis, but I really really wouldn't recommend it if pregnant. I took them only when pain was unbearable. Imagine being 10 cm dilated and in labor - for 3 weeks.

Stones are a different matter and then forced diuresis ( forcing yourself to pee a lot by drinking a lot ) helps by diltuing the stuff that solidifies into stones. But can be taken the wrong way and lead to problems with blood sodium levels.
Weegiemum - do they know why you form stones?

Won't necessarily help with recurrent UTIs . Stones can cause lots of infections but so an other stuff.

of course someone needs to review all the urine cultures taken; your medical history e.g. for diabetes and kidney problems and your family history for problems.
A simple x-ray and ultrasound with some blood tests may be all that's required.

One other piece of advice - hte non-steroidal tablets e.g. ibuprofen are very good painkillers but if you have any kind of kidney function problem can be dangerous. One now and again no problem but ongoing use or in combination with antibiotics can be difficult. This only relates to people with deranged kidney function which a blood test should pick up.

I have had a load of tests over many years inc MRI/CT/Parathyroid/cant remember what else/reflux testing etc etc etc ... One year they had to stop testing as I was well over my radiation limit and it wasn't telling them anything new.

they say it is all infection based and related to hormones. First stones were in pregnancy, and apparantly relatively 'common' then. I just didn't stop making them. Went away eventually when ds was about a year, but came back with a vengeance when I had a mirena fitted.

Now they are just when I get infections. But when I get an infection I get a few weeks of these constant stones, which are analysed as ammonia/calcium therefore are infection related, or so they keep telling me.

The pain gets me down sometimes. Didn't know there could be an issue with ibuprofen and antibiotics. My kidney function has never been compromised - the only hydronephrosis I had was mild and while stented! I try to cope with 30/500 co-codamol and ponstan seems to work for me (voltarol doesn't - I just dont get any releif) and I have stemetil for the vomiting.

Every so often I end up in hospital when it gets too bad and I ant the hard stuff, but I try to stay away from that as much as I can. Only time I didn't was in pg, when the pain specialist told me that the stress of the pain on the baby was worse than any effect of opiates and set me up with PCA - I would have married him on the spot!

I always feel for dh - he's a GP and can't help me at all - it drives him nuts sometimes.

Sorry - hijacking the kidney doctor! I have never met one that wasn't my doctor, and it is very nice to chat about this!

Just a quick question and I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but have you ever been tested for Chlamydia or other STIs? Chlamydia can cause urinary symptoms and may not necessarily be adequately treated by other antibiotics, thus giving the impression of repeated urinary tract infections which seem to clear up initially, but then recur. We often get people in our clinic who have been treated again and again for repeated cystitis and who have actually got chlamydia, but no one has thought to check for this. It may just be worth considering. HTH

It is a valid point that symptoms suggestive of UTIs can be other things. That's why very important to get urine samples tested/ Gives you diagnosis and bug involved and therefore the right type of antibiotics.

Weegiemum - your stones do sound like infection stones which means you can be in a vicious circle. If your kideny function is normal then ponstan/voltarol and related are fine especially if you stay well-hydrated which you obviously do. The problems are always before people get diagnosed/ clinically assessed and may have underlying problems.

We tend to see people who get complications becasue hte stones/infections have affected their kidney function and make them suspectible to drugs that are ok for everyone else, particularly in combination.

Have a log on at www.cobfoundation.org

ASk questions and get loads of tips.

thanks everyone - wobblypig - I am seeing a consultant next week and hopefully will get an ultrasound.

They seem to come back every 1 - 2 weeks. Have had my wee tested twice but not sure what bugs I was harbouring!

I will lay off the cranberry now - the stinging pain is driving me nuts. Quite interesting that someone mentioned hormonal issues as a cause. i have endometriosis but my GP didnt seem to think that it would be the cause.

Wobblypig - if you are still around.

What do you do for pain releif if anti-inflammatories are not working?

murphyslaw - sorry I hijacked your thread. Hope you get a n explanation!!! Let us know how it goes next week!

Depends, if not already tried a codeine paracetamol mix in combo with an anti-inflammatory and some caffeine. Otherwise next step up is the dihydrocodeine or tramadol type meds. Can make you feel fuzzy and constipated - not good for UTIs.