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.

Hi @buzzheath realise this was a few months ago but I wondered how you got on? Did you discover what was going on in the end?
I’m experiencing something very similar!! Honestly the rubbish was have to put up with as women :(
a couple of months ago I got a UTI - frequent peeing, urgency, stinging/ burning. Got some nitrofurantoin for 3 days from Boots. Felt like symptoms mostly went. Then it flared up again - got prescribed cephalaxin. Same again. Got nitro again. Same again got monuril. During this time I had 2 urine tests with E. coli. After monuril the urine test came back negative. I thought finally it’s gone! Then a few days later the frequency and urgency came back - didn’t feel like I full blown UTI. Started taking d-mannose and optibac probiotics, making sure I drink loads of water etc etc. dip stick tests are coming back with leukocytes only which GP said could be inflammation and/or infection. I’m so confused whether it is some lingering UTI not getting picked up on urine tests or maybe cystitis/inflammation from it all…
any advice would be much appreciated!! I do hope you’re feeling better now.

@SassyOliveKoala I suffer from utis because I have kidney stones, maybe ask to be referred to a urologist as this is their specialist area. I know that when I get a uti a 3 day course is not enough - my urologist prescribed me Thirmepropin ( not sure it’s correct spelling ) but after a course of this I have no issues. I also stepped up having showers before after sex and this helps also ( sorry if there TMI!) good luck

@Secondstart1001 thanks for your reply :) sorry to hear you have kidney stones that sounds painful :( do you have to get them removed or will they pass through over time? That’s such a pain that they mean you get UTIs. Interesting- do you take 7 days of antibiotics rather than 3? I hadn’t been prescribed trimethoprim this time around but I have had it in the past. I wonder if the bacteria was resistant to all the antibiotics I had.
I have now asked my GP to be referred to a urologist but the wait time on NHS is about 40 weeks I think!! GP also gave me amoxicillin but I’m not sure I want to take a 5th antibiotic…
wow really before as well?! Well I’m glad it’s helping at least. I do always pee after sex but maybe I need to consider showering as well. In the last few weeks it seems my symptoms are worse after drinking alcohol and coffee so I’ve cut them out (plus my partner was away then so it definitely wasn’t sex at that point!)

@SassyOliveKoala I think it’s worth co’siderong a 7 day course ..,I took several courses last October before the gp prescribed these ones. Also I would cut the caffeine and alcohol for now. I have a few cups of tea then onto decaf and herbal. Don’t let it get worse or you risk other symptoms like a temp and possible infection of the bladder and kidneys. I have a cyscoscopy next week - I have private healthcare through work luckily :(

@SassyOliveKoala hi, it's the OP (different account as opened app on phone). Yes this fully went away for me after a few months! My urine tests kept coming back negative and I even went to a urologist who ruled out anything more serious (had a transvaginal ultrasound as well as one of bladder, abdomen etc). She suggested it could be pelvic floor dysfunction causing the issues I.e. an overly tight pelvic floor, which can be common after a difficult UTI. I had some pelvic floor physiotherapy (this is different from regular physio, you need to find someone who specialises in this) and did some pelvic floor exercises (to relax the pelvic floor - NOT kegels) and over time it fully went away! I also had to re-teach myself some good bladder habits I.e. never bear down when you urinate etc as this can bruise the urethra and cause the pelvic floor to tighten even more. Hope you feel better soon - I know it's so frustrating but I really do think you'll be fine.

thanks so much for your reply @FairTurtle /OP! So glad you’re feeling better again :) and thanks for the reassurance - it does sound very similar to your experience. That makes sense with the pelvic floor too as I’m sure the muscles have been strained/weakened with the infection dragging on so long. It definitely doesn’t feel like symptoms of a full-blown UTI, just more frequent and urgent than usual (and negative urine tests etc).
Think my urology referral could be a while so I’ll definitely look into a physio for pelvic floor. What do you mean about not bearing down when urinating, as in not pushing as hard (sorry if I’m being slow!)? Hopefully with time it will go back to normal like you 🤞🏻

@Secondstart1001 ok thanks that’s good to know - I’ll request that in future. It did feel like the 3day courses helped but didn’t clear the infection properly. Yeah I think good plan with the coffee/caffeine and alcohol - I don’t want to aggravate it any more. My GP did request an ultrasound too, just haven’t got a date yet. Ah that’s fab you have private healthcare. Good luck with your cystoscopy x

@FairTurtle sorry if I've asked this before. How did you find your physio ?

Hi @buzzheath , I was just wondering how you are getting on. I'm going through a very similar thing just now (including going to the Malone Lee clinic) and I'd be interested how it turned out.

@Rhianna1980 Any updates, please? Did the vaccine help with your issues?

Hello @buzzheath , when you say you do not feel quite right, what are your symptoms? Are you feverish, pain, frequent urination, etc? I'm asking because I had what I thought was a persistent UTI, but it now seems to be a dermatological concern in my vulva.

Hi @FondantEclair and @Rhianna1980 - I'd be interested to hear about your experiences with the vaccine too. I very much hope it's working for you. Xxx

Not sure how old you are but I had contact symptoms of UTI which never showed up on the culture test. I went to see a female practice nurse who asked me some other questions and prescribed me vagirux… the difference has been amazing. I’m 39 though so maybe older than you.