Have a UTI but won't be given treatment

[Tweet2tweet]

Last Fri went to hosp as had very heavy discharge. I was diagnosed with bad bout of thrush and just had a UTI confirmed.

I got a pessary and cream but on phone today doc said they won't give me treatment for UTI unless I get pain etc. I'm 20 wks pregnant and a bit worried.

Can this get worse and won't it be bad if I don't get treatment? Anyone know?

My initial wee sample came back as uti - only treat is symptomatic. Think that is fairly standard. I have since had a kidney infection but this was 3 or 4 months later.

I would get a second opinion tbh. Untreated UTIs can lead to permanent kidney damage for you and premature labour. I'm not trying to scare you and I'm sure you'll be fine but could you get in touch with your MW and get their opinion?

Hmm don't know, I had a UTI with no symptoms but doc gave me a antibiotics. Maybe go and see your own GP?

I suppose they're reluctant to give you antibiotics if your UTI is quite mild as you'll likely get rid of it on your own. Plus antib's will probably make your thrush worse. If you get any stinging when you pee, any blood or strange smell in your urine then go straight back to the doctor. Also watch out for pain in your back as this indicates a kidney infection.

Gosh- a kidney infection when pregnant? What happened? Sounds serious,hope you're okay now

Take a wee sample with you to docs if you go, mine tested there and then for infection, they have little dip stick things in the office.

Yeah I'm fine, a round of cefalexin and it seems to be gone. It went from UTI to kidney very fast, temp, shaking, vomitting, back pain and feeling beyond crap for a week wasn't nice!

If you are worried go see the GP, and drink lots :)

Yes, I thought about taking a sample to my 20 wk scan this Fri but the doc said that this is in a different section to the ante natal appointments so they may not do it. I think I'll try to insist and see where that gets me!

GP will be your best bet.

Thanks everyone for advice and so quickly. Will resist 'googling' kidney infections [try to]!

Hi, I'm a GP. Opposite is true. All UTIs should be treated in pregnant women, even the asymptomatic ones.

Yeah, get a second opinion. I had utis in my pregnancy which were all treated but they still caused complication, I ended up with far too much amniotic fluid as a result and ended up having a c-section. And mine never developed into a kidney infection.

Really would push for a second opinion as others have said.

Thanks lancaster, as a GP do you have any tips on how I can insist on something being done? I often find that my GP, who is great and I am very fond of, will dismiss treatments and tell me to wait to see if it gets worse.

Am a bit anxious about this now!

Bacteriuria in the absence of pyuria will not be considered UTI here, lancaster, and AFAIK won't be treated in asymptomatic pregnant women. I think

OP, hand in another sample, making sure it is a good midstream specimen?
Here are step-by-step instructions

I'd suggest you ask GP to send in urine sample so they can see what antibiotics would be best.

Ahem.

I was right to doubt myself:

"Approximately 5% of pregnant women have bacteriuria, often asymptomatic, and there is a greater risk of developing pyelonephritis in pregnancy."

Don't worry too much about it, repeat sample for culture, but it does sound like you should be treated.

So happy to find this thread as I think I've got a UTI and have had one for about 4 weeks (am 39 +.3). My last 4 urine samples have been "sent off" by Midwives as shown traces of protein which have been considered false readings and could be a asymptomatic UTI. I've been offered no treatment by my MW and keep getting asked to provide more samples - but then hear nothing other than getting letter from hospital to come in and provide another sample - even though the results are the same. These results haven't been included in my maternity notes (so I've written it in myself to keep track). After quizzing last Friday whether this is all OK and telling my community MW that my urine doesn't smell right - though have no other symptoms - I've been offered a Doctors appointment for 6th December. I'm due on the 1st December (this Saturday) and decided to visit my own GP surgery tomorrow - where I got appointment with nurse practitioner. Interesting to hear from lancaster that I probably should have had anti bs.

I've had doubts for last 3 weeks about this.

Dye, although I've just outed my incompetence (I am a GP too), here is my take on your situation: protein in the urine is not uncommon, as kidneys can become more 'leaky' in pregnancy ie let things through they would normally filter out. Sometimes that can be a sign of pre-eclampsia and I would imagine that is why you are being asked to provide further samples to check on what your levels of protein are doing: going up, going down or staying the same. Protein alone in your urine does not suggest UTI. Smell is an unreliable indicator as well. To prove infection, particularly in pregnancy when symptoms can be mild or absent, is a urine culture. Protein will be checked with a little dipstick; a culture needs to be done in hospital and takes 48 hrs minimum.
You should be able to get a result from a urine culture if one has been done. If your samples have been 'dipped' for protein and then discarded, there won't be a culture result IYSWIM. Normally urine for culture needs to go in a red-topped sample bottle which contains a bit of white powder (a preservative).
Does that all make sense??
Take a midstream sample of urine to your appointment with the nurse practitioner and ask it to be sent for culture (and sensitivies ie which antibiotics will be the most effective).

Oh gawd, pardon grammar! To prove infection.... is a urine culture.
I should stay off MN tonight .

Thanks again for all advice, glad that you found thread useful too DyeInTheEar.

I have started to get a tightening feeling in the lower part of my stomach and need to pee every hour or so. Not sure if this is linked (or perhaps Psychosomatic!)

Really hope that my GP takes me seriously tomorrow, the GP at hosp seemed keen not to give any medication. Will see how it goes.

Pacific - thank you very much for taking time to post. Never ceases to amaze me how generous MNetters are and happy to help out total strangers! I really appreciate it.

That all certainly makes sense to me. My BP is very low and am on 3rd pg with no previous Pre eclampsia so feel quite relaxed about the protein traces. I'm guessing if there had been anything brewing the hospital would have found something by now. I'd assumed because of stronger smell that I'd got something but interesting to hear not necessarily.

Good luck tomorrow Tweet. I had awful UTIs in my last pg and hope you're not developing something. Keep drinking!

Not read all posts but definitely get another opinion. I had a UTI in my last pregnancy and was told the ABs I'd been given wasn't going to work as mine was a resistant organism (meant only a certain drug would kill it). The GP had actually phoned me at home to tell me this and when I said I didn't want to take them (due to risks in pregnancy), the head of the surgery actually phoned me at 7pm that evening to very firmly explain how important it was to treat a UTI as it could lead to premature labour. So I strongly suspect you've been given incorrect information and that you SHOULD be on ABs of some sort. Get to the Drs tomorrow and in the meantime, drink lots of water! Good luck :)

I had uti in my first pregnancy that they forgot to inform me of or treat and ended up with kidney infection and being really really ill with it:-( I also ended up with a lot of fluid retention and being huge by end of pregnancy and just wondered if that was related? Defo worth treating before it gets worse I threw up til there was nothing left and never had such a splitting head ache!!

I had a UTI/ kidney infection last week and the note from the hospital pharmacy doodled on the prescription was 'doctor approved as first line treatment due to the risk of necrotising endocolitis'. Convinced me to take them, in addition to the fact I'd been contracting.

Be insistent

ghoule, that remark is more likely to refer to the risk posted by some antibiotics to cause endocolitis (inflammation of the bowel), not the actual UTI.