Struggling with uti symptoms

[Peaches9125]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice? I started with a UTI 4 weeks ago today. Usual symptoms of burning, passing small amounts of urine and feeling generally rubbish. GP prescribed three days of nitro which did nothing apart from take away the stinging. I was still struggling with pain inside my vagina and feeling like I need to wee all the time so the Gp prescribed three days of trimethroprin (probably spelt wrong) this did nothing. I was in that much pain over Christmas I called 111 who did a prescription for pivmacillin, this did not help. After Christmas culture came back showing ecoli so the Gp prescribed 7 days of nitro and sent off another culture. After completing the course the discomfort inside my urethra and frequency was still there so I went back to the Gp. The latest culture was now showing enterococcus so I was then given 7 days of amoxicillin. Basically two out of the 5 antibiotics I have been given the bugs are resistant to however I am still symptomatic. It feels like a tightness and spasm inside constantly and like I need to wee all the time. I have paid privately for a scan of my bladder. Kidneys, ovaries and inside my pelvis. All clear apart from a small intramural fibroid. I am at a loss of what to do. This is really interfering with my life and to feel uncomfortable all the time is draining me. Any advice much appreciated!

I suffer from these too but not quite so severe as you in this instance.

I find that stress can cause a uti in me at times as I can find myself physically holding myself in, like I'm trying not to wee or practising pelvic floor exercises. It usually happens after a super busy day and I sit down and realise I've been physically stressed 'up there' for the day! Not good! Some relaxation exercises may help you?

I also find that drinking lots of water helps (a bit obvious I know) but I also put a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into a glass of water a couple of times a day if I'm feeling like I have one coming on and it has a few times stopped things progressing.

It is miserable OP so I do sympathise!

Thank you for your reply! I have been drinking a lot of water but then find I’m going to the toilet every hour 🥴 I will try the bicarbonate of soda and the relaxation. It definitely feels all tense and uncomfortable 😳

Hi peaches

Going through something similar. Did you get it sorted in the end? Hope you did xx

I would recommend researching chronic utis https://cutic.co.uk/

I truly sympathise. I’ve had this problem for 10 months now and I’m utterly fed up. I definitely think I’ve got a chronic embedded UTI and like you the various antibiotics aren’t working. Sick of getting fobbed off by male urologists!

Hello, sorry to tell you it’s still bad. It did clear up and I was symptom free for a short while but what I’ve found now is I get another uti every time I go near my partner (sorry if that’s tmi) this one I’ve got now is still lingering one week after completing my antibiotics. I’ve got a urology appointment coming up.

Ahh, so you’ve seen a urologist then? I’ve got an appointment on Friday. Did they do a camera in your bladder? I’m sorry you are going through this too x

@Peaches9125
Just saw this before my bedtime - but can't not reply..........
This may not be your situation at all, so don't panic.
I had to reply because what's happening to you is so similar to my experience. And now I'm so evangelical about what women have to put up with before being taken seriously that I can become a pain in the arse.
After years of getting nowhere with GP's, I was lucky enough to be referred to a urologist for a completely different reason.
I told him about my uti symptoms, he arranged a cystoscopy, (camera in bladder), and I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, or Painful Bladder Syndrome.
I'd never heard of this.
I won't go into detail because obviously this was my diagnosis but may not be yours.
Just wanted to make you aware of a possible cause for what you're going through.
I'd be so interested to know how you get on.
Off to bed now! x

You poor thing. I hope the urology app helps...they are hell xx

Homeopathy really helped me with a UTI that just wouldn’t budge. Cantharis in particular.

I’ve seen a few!

Newer research points to interstitial cystitis actually being misdiagnosed when in actual fact it’s an embedded infection.

I privately tested my urine through the company Digital Microbiology which showed I have klebsiella. NHS tests unfortunately aren’t very accurate so many women are suffering unnecessarily when they do have an undiagnosed infection.

I was diagnosed with a spasming bladder by my Consultant Urologist. This was after about two years of constantly feeling the need to urinate but no infections were found. I'd never heard of it. I'm on medication now which helps enormously. Hope you get sorted OP.

I have had utis and cystitis semi-permanently for the last couple of years and it has been miserable - not just the pain but the interrupted sleep caused by having to get up 3 or 4 times a night to pee.
I saw a urologist a couple of months ago and am now taking fairly long term, low level antibiotics which, so far, are working. These are what I am taking; Vesicare and Furadantine. I really hope you can find some answers as it is a bloody miserable condition. Good luck.

Hi
Does anyone get a constant dull ache in their vagina area with a uti? Its uncomfortable but not necessarily really painful.

Thanks?! xx

Yes, that’s what my main symptom is and sometimes it feels like a burning, stinging feeling. I sometimes wonder if I have urethritis.

@Peaches9125 aw me too it's awful...I once had this for 5 months and all urine tests etc came back normal. It's so frustrating

I suffered for years, every time I had sex I got a UTI. GP prescribed amoxicillin and I take just one tablet immediately after sex. No more UTI's it has been life changing.
I hope you get this sorted OP it is so depressing when you are going through it.

I just don’t understand why it has started happening now? I’ve been with my partner for 10 years and never had an issue. At first I was suspicious he had cheated so we both had full STD tests (obv came back negative and he was upset I could even think such a thing) it seemed to clear but now as I’ve mentioned every time we try again within hours I have a uti. They always show up on the dipstick but come back negative from the lab testing

Thank you. Did they make you have a cystoscopy? I’m really scared they will say I need to have one as I’ve heard they are painful.

I found giving up caffeine was beneficial; maybe not the answer in your case, but worth a shot.

Are you perimenopausal? This could be why. Get some estrogen cream. It's a game changer for many women.

Have any of you tried vaginal oestrogen cream? Or HRT.
Obviously, an intransigent UTI needs robust antibiotic treatment first, but it's very common to get UTIs associated with sex because during Peri/menopause the vaginal tissues dry up and SI is such a common trigger.

Good luck, Interstitial Cystitis is under-diagnosed IMO too, so if you are in the Peri/Menopause stage, I would push to see a Women's health professional, if you can, and if you don't get a holistic, considered consultation from Urology.

Oops, x post @TheGrimSmile

Same with me but, sorry to be personal, and don't want to assume anything, but as we get older lubrication becomes more of an issue and this can be the cause.
I don't find just taking a tablet post coital an issue as it cured the problem for me.
In addition might be necessary to start thinking about additional lubricant if you don't use one already.
I am sorry OP but it is a fact of life as we get older.
I really hope you get this sorted out x

I’m 34 and have had my LH and FSH tested recently as well as other blood tests. I still have a regular cycle so Gp said I’m definitely not peri just yet. Thank you for the suggestion though, I’m willing to try anything at this point!