UTI’s and 10 weeks pregnant.

[lisa2021]

Hi everyone,

I’m back again sorry for another post, I have asked medical professionals about this too but I just want some advice from people who have gone through it too please!

I’m nearly 10 weeks pregnant (I will be this Sunday) and this is the 3rd UTI I’ve had so far, I had the first at 4 weeks, second at 5 weeks and now!
I had cephalexin the first time, amoxicillin the second time and now I have nitrofurantoin today.
So that’s 3 different lots of antibiotics in 5-6 weeks, is that okay? Is that safe for baby to have that many drugs so early into pregnancy?
Plus I’ve really tried my best to keep the UTI’s away but drinking a boat load of water/weak squash and wearing cotton underwear, I’m a hygienic person anyways so I shower every day with just hot water down there and all that jazz!

Also the nurse didn’t really put me at ease, she told me she wasn’t sure if she wanted to give me antibiotics first of all, the dip test as well just came back as a bit of a positive for white blood cells if that makes sense so suggests I have an UTI, I’m not saying that she doesn’t know what she’s doing at all, like at all in the slightest but she just didn’t put me at ease by not knowing what she wanted to do first of all for me.

Also wanted to know if these antibiotics are safe to take with my pregnancare vitamins and the 5mg folic acid?

Has anyone else been in this position?
Sorry for the really long winded post! Just first time pregnant and worrying about everything and anything haha.
Thanks!

Anyone?

Do you have health insurance? If so ask your go for a referral to a urologist.

How long are the courses of antibiotics? In my experience the 3 days gps tend to prescribe is never long enough. It's possible that what you've been given might have dampened symptoms enough to make you think the infection had gone before escalating again (this happened to me).

Have they tested any samples (obtained cultures) so they can give you appropriate antibiotics?

Hi! @okokok000 I’m from Wales in the UK so I’m under the NHS so the health care is free, but that’s a really good idea of asking to be referred to a urologist!
I have a course of 7 days so 14 tablets, 1 twice a day.

Yeah that definitely could be the case! I went in for a urine test last Tuesday and it came back completely fine but I went back for one today and it came back suspected UTI which makes me think that maybe there’s something else going on rather than just a UTI with the pain I’m having?
It’s all so confusing and worrying!

I have been on antibiotics since before the pregnancy (getting close to 12 weeks now) and will have to stay on them throughout the pregnancy, and probably afterwards too. I suffer from a chronic UTI and I'm on a hefty dose. Amoxicillin, Co Amoxiclav, Cephalexin are all safe in pregnancy. This has been confirmed by my miscarriage consultant, consultant that is looking after my bladder, my GP and A&E doc as well (ended there with abdominal pains once). You will have to trust medical professionals who treat you. UTIs in pregnancy can escalate and become dangerous very fast. They need to be treated. Considering you seem to have a pretty much continuous UTI, you should be seen by a specialist (consultant). Hope you will feel better soon.

@Wireless77 thank you for sharing your story!
Ahh that must be really hard to suffer with chronic UTI’s they’re horrible at the best of times.
Yeah I’m going to finish this dose, took the first one at 8pm as I had a late dinner and then finish after the week but I’ll ring after I’ve finished the dose and asked to be referred to a specialist! Thank you again.

Oh and I'm also taking Pregnacare and 5mf Folic acid. I try to keep Pregnacare and Cephalexin 3 hours apart as I read that taking Cephalexin with zinc (Pregnacare has Zinc in it) may make the antibiotic less effective. Not sure if vitamins have any effect on Nitrofurantoin, but you can look it up.

I'm in the U.K too (London). I just found my gp was quite dismissive so I asked to be referred privately on my work health insurance. I'd suffered for years because the issue wasn't being taken seriously. My urologist quite literally changed my life even if I do still see him for check-ups every 6 months!

Unfortunately some people are prone to them. Definitely ask for a referral and don't let the nurses fob you off. It is really important they get this under control especially as you're pregnant. Really hope you're better soon.

@okokok000 ahh right! Sorry 🙈 definitely had a dull moment there!
No I don’t have private health care, just under my local gp, but when I go next week to have my urine dipped again I will ask to be referred definitely. I’ve never had one before I got pregnant but I’ve had 3 in the last 5-6 weeks and it’s just a bit draining (I can’t imagine how you both feel with continuous ones!)
Yeah I just keep getting told that pregnant women are more prone to UTI’s and get give antibiotics and sent away, I’ll found out Monday too what the lab says about my urine sample too so hopefully it gives a little more incite to what’s going on down there haha.
Thank you very much same to you!

@Wireless77 I phoned 111 to talk to a pharmacist because I didn’t ask when I was there, I’m getting more forgetful as days go on at this point! Haha he said that I can take the pregnancare, 5mg folic acid and the nitrofurantoin which is good and one less thing to worry about! Haha :)

I had a uti which they discovered at my first appointment. It was so mild I didn't know I had it! I've been very prone in the past so I know what they are like. Midwife gave me antibiotics without a moment's thought.

It's hard I know but try not to worry

@Coolerthanapolarbearstoenails thank you for commenting! Yeah I was the same with these 3 UTI’s! I’ve had none of the classic symptoms other than pain in my lower stomach, I went in to my go who sent me to a&e when I was 4 weeks because of the stomach pain and they did all the tests and just came back as an UTI which I thought was weird because I had no classic symptoms and that’s what I’ve had every time they’ve found a UTI was that I was just having lower pain in my stomach (which worries me too maybe it’s something other than an UTI?) we’ll see anyways when my sample comes back now!

Thank you so much, I am trying my best not to worry but everything just feels a little scary haha this baby is more than wanted so any little aches and pains sends my mind into over drive!

Hi OP, I had four UTIs when I was pregnant with my DS, all Before 16 weeks. It was very odd and like you I worried about constantly taking antibiotics. They worked though and the UTIs stopped happening.

However, at about 16 weeks it became apparent that my uterus was blocking my bladder so I stopped being able to pass urine. I wonder if someone had been going on internally before that that effected my urinary tract.

Do you know if you have a retroverted uterus? Have you had any trouble passing urine?

Hi! @Teakind ahh that’s brilliant they worked for you and that you stopped having them! :) I’m hoping that’s my case that the UTI’s stop soon!

Ahh I’ve never heard of that before! Yeah you never really think of things like that happening don’t you?
I don’t have a clue! No, no trouble at all passing urine, just a painful lower stomach and urinating more often at the moment but no trouble passing any! How would I find out I have a retroverted uterus?
Thank you for commenting too! :)

@Teakind sorry and also do you remember what antibiotics you took and was there any problems during your pregnancy with your DS? Sorry I know that’s really personal I’m just worried that all this antibiotics and then vitamins on top are going to affect my baby in some way :(

@lisa2021 did they send your urine to the lab to check if you have bacterial growth? X

@lisa2021 I’m afraid I can’t remember exactly what they were. I know they tried amoxicillin first and then tried one or two other types after that.

My DS is totally fine : ) he’s nearly two now and seems perfect.

I found out I had a retroverted uterus during an ultrasound. I think one other way to know is if you get period pain in your back rather than in your stomach. I really don’t know if it’s linked though.

I hope yours stop soon so you can stop worrying about it.

@tobeornottobe1 yeah they sent one off today so I need to call back Monday for results, hopefully that will clear some stuff up hopefully! X

@Teakind thank you for replying! Ahh lush!
I have my 12 week scan coming up in 2 and a bit weeks now I’ll ask them then to see if they can see if I have one!
Thank you, me too! I’m a natural worrier anyways so things like this don’t help haha!
All of your comments have made me feel better though, thank you all!