UTI not fully clearing?

[buzzheath]

Hi all. I had a uti a few weeks ago. Was treated with 3 days nitrofurantin...this did help. But things didn't seem back to normal so then had a 7 day course of amoxicillin. Again, it helped, but within a few days of stopping, things felt weird again. Not full on UTI, but just a weird awareness of my urethra?! It's now been almost 2 weeks and I still don't feel quite right. Guess I'll call the GP again...been reading scary stuff about embedded UTIs and I really hope it isn't that...

Any advice? At my wits end and so miserable.

If you suffer a lot from these they may put you on a low dosage for a long period of time. I had the same as you and Trimethoprim finally cleared it. Do you suffer from many or is this a one off? I was sent for a scan of bladder and it proved I was voiding in a good way. I am on Vagifem to support all of that area but had had a hysterectomy and of "a certain age". My doctor allows me now to keep a pack of Nitro at home and to take on holidays. It IS miserable and I know what you mean about that "feeling".

I have embedded UTI, I have had for nearly 2 years now. Life is shit. I went to the Harley Street Clinic but cannot tolerate the antibiotics. GP was useless and would only give 3 days of Nitro which did nothing. The treatment is high dose antibiotics for months, not low dose, that just encourages resistance.

I just have to live with it, my pee stinks and I am in constant lower pelvic pain, living on painkillers

You could try some D-mannose (available online or from Holland & Barrett/Boots) while you wait to see GP, it's miracle stuff for UTI's! Do a search on here or google if you haven't heard of it before, I honestly think it's some sort of witchcraft it works so well

Have you ever had a scan of your kidneys? I was getting constant UTIs. Eventually GP wanted to rule out kidney stones so sent me for a scan. Turned out I had one non-functioning kidney which needed to be removed because it was causing the infections.

It could also be that the infection has cleared but your body is still a bit inflamed in that area.

I had recurring UTIs in my last pregnancy so you have my sympathy, it was so awful, I think I had 8 courses of antibiotics in as many months. That sinking feeling of despair each time I felt the symptoms come on again.

I had this. Went on for months with useless gp refusing to give me more than 3 days at a time. I had six courses of antibiotics which is surely worse for resistance! In the end I lied and said I’d lost a packet so they gave me a second prescription which I took back to back.

I also started taking d-mannose which I took regularly for a month and now take if I ever feel like it might be happening and I’ve never had a full blown infection since.

Ps also it could be that the ABs have brought on BV or thrush. Sometimes that can feel a bit similar to a UTI

Thanks all. Got some more antiBs (Trimethoprim) for 7 days, hoping that clears it...

It's weird, I don't actually feel like I have a full-blown UTI. It's just a weird "awareness" of my urethra, a weird fizzy feeling, and occasional urgency. Has anyone else had this? I guess I'm just worried it's not an infection and something more sinister, but GP seemed to think it was lingering infection.

Really hoping it goes away soon. If not, urology referral. I've also got some D-Mannose to take with the antibiotics.

Taken 2 doses of trimethropin(?) now and still not feeling any better :(

I'm similar since having urosepsis in 2019. Have you tried hiprex? I am going to ask GP.

If you are anywhere near the menopause, ask about Vagifem pessaries. I've just started on them for chronic uti & incontinence, only been on them 10 days & have only had one accident in a week compared to 6-7 a day before. I also take 1500mg of D-mannose per day & increase the dose to 3 times a day if I feel an infection brewing.

I've taken 3 doses of trimethropin now and not feeling that different? Has anyone taken this antibiotic? I wonder if it's normal for it to take longer or whether I should be worried

Have you been going to your smear tests? My niece had several UTI's that refused to clear up. She, finally, received the treatment she needed after seeing a A&E doctor. If she'd gone to her smear test it would have picked up the problem.

Smear tests all been clear.

4th day of trimethropin now and symptoms are the same :(

Urine culture hasn't come back yet and probably won't until Monday.

Just so miserable.

Hi, I've had trouble for years, since I became sexually active so a long time now. Years ago I had blood in my urine and I drove myself to a&e in middle of the night as I was in so much pain and I had a helpful doctor tell me to flush my system with 3 litres minimum of water, so that helps.

I also take these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0815TRK3H?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

And if I'm really suffering I take 3 a day.

Antibiotics don't agree with me, I end up really sick and it's just something that I manage.

I'm interested in people saying about d-primrose, I might try that as I've heard of it before but not given it a go as of yet.

Hope you feel better

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

Sorry I'm not sure how to link properly but this is a thread where mumsnet members are talking about uti's. You might find some useful info there

Did your GP send your sample off? I don’t know why they bother prescribing 3 days of Nitro, I often need 10 days to clear it properly. Trimethoprim is useless for me. Cefalexin is the only one that ever works.

Im currently 4 days after finishing 7 days of Nitro. I’ve still got the weird ‘fizzing’ sensation and I’m drinking water by the gallon and hoping I can head it off till Monday!

D mannose is the sugar found in cranberries !

@Menomeno they sent it off today but I'm worried it won't show anything because I've been taking 4 days of antibiotics now?! It feels like the trimethropin is preventing it from getting worse but not improving it. And omg that fizzy feeling is the worst. Like I'm not in excruciating pain or anything, it's just a constant urethra awareness.

Been dealing with this for almost a month now so just hoping it goes away. Might ask for a weeks course of nitrofurantoin.

I had this - recurrent infections and so many courses of antibiotics. Trimethoprim didn't do much, and amoxicillin literally nothing (I think that was a last-ditch attempt). My GP referred me to a urologist, who asked the GP to prescribe me Nitrofurantoin to take every night for 3 months. It cleared 99% of it, so I was then prescribed Hiprex for 6 months. Fingers crossed things are ok now.

Have you ever been given Cefalexin OP? It's the only antibiotic that is guaranteed to work for me. It's also possible that it's inflammation after your infection. I had a very nasty infection last year that took five lots of antibiotics to clear, I then suffered with lingering (initially very severe, as in went to A&E severe) pain from inflammation for a month or so afterwards but it did eventually clear though not until I'd had to have investigations and a rigid cystoscopy. I've since been diagnosed with painful bladder syndrome/urethral syndrome as well as recurrent UTIs.

Someone mentioned Hiprex but I really wouldn't recommend trying this during an active infection or while you have any lingering discomfort. It converts to formaldehyde in your bladder and for some people this causes severe burning with urination. Unfortunately, I'm one of the unlucky ones and I think it was the main cause of the inflammation I suffered after last year's infection (my urologist agrees).

D-Mannose is definitely worth a try though. My urologist recommends it at a dose of 2000mg per day.

Ask your doc to do a sensitivity test on your urine/bugs.
I was on the wrong type of AB for a long time because my doc never bothered to do one.
Dilatation of the urethra did nothing for me.
D-mannose did nothing for me.
I recently started taking a UTI vaccine under private prescription by dr Steve foley in Reading. It’s a 3 months prescription It is still early days for me so I haven’t got much to report. I have been so miserable I’m willing to try anything.
Worth giving that a go.

@SwordBilledHummingbird did you need to pay to see a urologist or were you referred on nhs?

@dahliaaa I was referred on the NHS but the waiting list was the best part of a year so I went private. The initial consultation was only a couple of hundred quid but the rigid cystoscopy/bladder dilation and biopsy was nearly £3k, which was painful in several ways. My urologist wrote to my GP so I get my medication (500mg Cefalexin whenever I have a trigger or even a twinge down there) on the NHS.

I haven't had an infection since, after having regular nasty infections since I was 17 (now 43) so it was worth it. I do get the occasional painful bladder flare up but I've learnt to tell the difference between that and an infection, also I'm getting better at catching it early and calming it down before it gets too bad. Even so, it's never been anything like last year's pain. I wasn't just house bound, I was spending most of my time in the bath, crying, because nothing else even touched the pain.

Sorry I forgot to post the link about the vaccine.
https://theurologypartnership.co.uk/treatments/uti-vaccine/