5 courses of antibiotics

[Lunadoo]

Hi. I have been prone to uti's for 50 years and recently had a very bad uti which took 5 different antibiotics to treat. I can't get to see a GP (Uk) only been able to get an appointment with the surgery paramedic. I've just finished a week of Nitrofurantoin which settled the symptoms, but now 2 days later I feel pressure on my bladder and having to pass urine every hour. I've done dip tests myself which seem clear but I am constantly aware of my bladder filling. My surgery won't let me try a prophylactic antibiotic. I wonder if I could have interstitial cystitis? The last uti was pretty bad and always returned as soon as I finished antibiotics. I've also had some urge incontinence. Getting very fed up with it. Any suggestions?

[Loobielu]

Hello, I have interstitial cystitis and as I understand it, it behaves like a UTI but it isn't an infection like normal cystitis and doesn't get treated with antibiotics. Caffeine upsets my bladder so I only drink water. Anything acidic can also cause issues, eg oranges etc or spicy food. Everyone has different triggers. It can be most unpleasant to live with. I had a course of 6 bladder rinses which helped to settle mine down. Hope you get some relief soon. I had mine diagnosed by a cystoscopy x

[JB3722]

You need some estrogen. Don’t let the medical profession overlook this. What happens from repeat UTI’s is that you damage your bladder nerves with each infection. You could end up like me with a permanent catheter. You could ask for some estrogen cream. Use a couple of times a week. Put a pea-sized dollop next to the urethra opening-most instructions are for inserted into the vagina, but with UTI’s, you need this near the urethra. Stay away for soda pop or sparkling water, etc. I didn’t have any uti;s until I lost all my hormones due to a pituitary problem: I was in my late 50’s when the UTI’s first started. Again, this is an estrogen problem. You could also try bacteriophage treatment if you know, for instance, that this is an e.coli infection. I am taking treatment be utilizing phages from the Eliava Hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia. In the U.K. the only hospital that is looking into bacteriophages is the University of Leceister. In the U.S. , the Dept. Of the Navy has partnered with University of California at San Diego to research phages. Google bacteriophages. Also, take a Vitamin D supplement. It will help, too.

[Emma205]

Hiya!

Between the ages of 16-21 I was on constant antibiotics for UTI's but they would just come back a couple of days later - same as you.

Things only got worse when i became sexually active and had new symptoms like sex hurting and bleeding.. so went to a gynaecologist and everything had a laposcopy - they saw nothing.

EVENTUALLY I saw a doctor who listened to me. He was a locum doctor and as soon as i got in the door said "why have you not been referred to a urologist yet".

I was very lucky enough to get NHS appointment with a private hospital. E-coli was to blame but by this point my immune system was shot from all the antibiotics over the years and i was resistant to almost all of them. The one you are on I'm allergic to.

After a bladder biopsy at 20 they confirmed it was IC. I saw the pictures and the inside of my bladder was red raw. Not only that.. they also said I had squamous cell carcinoma. 20 years old and Im being told there's cancer in my bladder.

I had to have the catheta instillations for 2 1/2 years. Every week at first and then less and less as time went on.

I've now been in remission since 2019. I am meant to have a biopsy every 3 years but I moved away further south in the UK and life finds a way to keep stopping me from reaching out to find a new urologist. I take probiotics for vaginal care and D-mannose (recommended by my urologist). No antibiotics since then, but also haven't been for a urine test. If i feel like I have a UTI or any stinging I up the dose of D-mannose for 5 days and it goes away.

also please pee straight away after sex. no scented toilet rolls or wet wipes and drink 2-3l of water a day. Cut down on sugar to like nothing if you can.

Please push to see a urologist as soon as possible. Your symptoms are exactly the same as mine. I do hope i don't scare you.. but doctors just see a UTI, not look at your history and just give you the drugs and push you out the door.

Sorry! Your post has made me quite angry all over again about the doctors and the way I was treated and I was only a teenager.

Please message directly if you want any advice or more info