UTI symptoms but no infection?

[Dee11]

Hi everyone,

For the past few months now (maybe since around August/September) I've been getting some symptoms of a UTI, usually every 4 weeks, sometimes I can make it to 8, and normally around the same time of the month. I'm on the coil and don't get periods as such, but I'm sure this is when I would usually be due.

I'll constantly feel like I need to pee, to the point where I can be convinced I'm seconds away from peeing myself, but then either nothing or very little will come out when I go to the toilet. By time time I'm washing my hands, the feeling has returned. I also get a pain round my back above where my kidneys are, can feel nauseous with it, and have a raised temperature. So on paper, my GP said it sounds exactly as if I should have a UTI. But when they do a test, nothing shows...... when they sent it away to a lab for a more advanced test they did note that there was something not quite right, but couldn't say what it was and just said it wasn't an actual infection.

More recently, I've now noticed that around the time when this is happening, I've started having quite a dull, heavy pain after going to the toilet whenever I do manage to empty my bladder.

I have no idea how I can have the symptoms so often with no infection (not that I'm complaining!), so I don't know how to prevent/stop them. I usually drink a lot of water throughout the day, although admittedly sometimes I feel like I genuinely can't drink much more than sip here and there for fear of peeing.

Does anyone else get this? How do you help reduce it? x

[lweezie]

Hi I have this. It worse around the time of my period. Constant feeling of a uti or cystitis . I had endometriosis on the outside of my bladder . I had it removed a week ago after a laporoscopy which they also found a lesion in my bladder. I'm waiting for the biopsy results for this. If I was you I'd go to your gp and discuss it with them further. I had to keep going back until I got a referral . Nothing is really going to help clear it if it's endo on your bladder. I did find drinking acidy drinks and food made it worse and alcohol 😲 hope you get some relief soon...

[Dee11 in reply to lweezie]

Thanks for your reply!

I’ve got an appt with my consultant on Monday so I might mention it to him as well while I’m in. I’m really hoping it isn’t Endo on the bladder 🤞🏻 but you never know I guess. Hope your biopsy comes back ok for you and you get some relief after your lap x

[lweezie in reply to Dee11]

Thank you and good luck 😉

[LouLouT]

I know this post is a few days old now but I've hopefully got some good advice.

I have similar symptoms and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. It's a chronic bladder condition that causes your bladder to become stiff and develop cracks and adhesions. You can get blood in your urine from the cracks/ adhesions. The cracks in the bladder allow urine to leak in to the outer muscle of the bladder which causes inflammation and pain. As the name suggests you get symptoms exactly like a UTI but there's no infection. Because the bladder is stiff and inflexible it means you can't hold as much urine as the average person meaning you have to wee more frequently and it's painful.

I've had symptoms for 11 years and it's gradually gotten worse. You would need a cystoscopy (camera inserted through the urethra to your bladder) to diagnose this, you can speak to your GP about a referral. Speak to a doctor/ pharmacist to check you can take it but I take a food supplement called D-Mannose (from Amazon check it's from UK lab before buying). It forms a protective layer inside your bladder and I've found it really helps me. I used to wake up 5-6 times a night to urinate and now I sometimes wake up once but mostly sleep right through!

I also found that cutting down on foods that irritate the bladder really helps, try googling it.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Xx