Hi all
Never before have I had a UTI but me and my perfect timing I have one now. Started Sunday afternoon and have been drinking gallons of water, thought it was getting a wee (no pun intended) bit better but sadly no. GP was great so have a prescription for nitrofurantoin but will need to wait for chemist to deliver, might not be until tomorrow. So no Methotrexate for me this week.
Stay safe everyone.🙂
Sorry Froggie
Get better soon wishes. Take care be safe.
EJ 😊🙏🤗💖😘😇🕊🌿🌸🦋
Nasty things. I used to get them regularly and am now on 1 Nitrofurantoin per day as a prophylactic. Avoid anything acidic (eg orange juice, lemon etc) and alcohol which exacerbates it, until your med arrives and if burning symptoms persist when peeing try a tsp bicarb in warm water to take the sting out. Keep drinking plenty like you’ve been doing.
Paracetamol help as does a hot water bottle.
Hope you feel better soon.
Take care. 🤗😘
Hi there. Thanks for the tips, I’ve been lucky never having one before so all new to me. It’s actually feeling better tonight, no stinging. I have been drinking loads so think this has helped. Not sure whether to take the antibiotics if they arrive tomorrow, it means missing my methotrexate this week and my joints are really sore. Can it clear on its own?
I’ve never known them to clear on their own. They can diminish in severity but don’t completely go without an antibiotic. Mine have been known to move up to my kidney if not nipped in the bud so I would advise to take the full course of antibiotics. Is it a 5 day course? Did you give a urine specimen? If it has infection present you really MUST take the antibiotic and make sure you take the whole course otherwise it will return quickly and might then ave a resistance to the antibiotic when needed again.
Thanks Spotty, I was worried about it maybe turning into something nastier. There was no specimen, just described my symptoms to receptionist and she passed to GP and when I called back they said a prescription was going to the chemist. It’s a 7 day course so could potentially be missing 2 weeks of MTX but from what you’ve said I think I need to take them. Thanks again🙂
I only take Hydroxychloroquine for my SLE so not sure what effects coming off your MTX there could be. If at all possible I would ask for a phone appointment with your GP and discuss all this with them. Or do you have a Rheumy helpline? Trimethoprim is the preferred antibiotic for UTIs but I have an allergy to it which is why I’m on Nitrofurantoin. Is there a reason for you not to take Trimethoprim ? Anyway Froggie if you aren’t feeling too bad I’d wait until you have spoken to your GP or Rheumy helpline first.
Take care.
Hi Spotty agree, will give the surgery a phone tomorrow. I think Trimethoprim is a sulpha drug so those with lupus should steer clear of these as they can bring on flares. Rheumy line is a bit hit and miss at the best of times, earliest call back time is 48 hours and with everything going on at the moment they will be under even more pressure than usual. Thanks for your advice, really appreciate it. 😉
Yes, it was probably a flare I had when it was discovered I had an allergy to Trimethoprim because I hadn’t been diagnosed with Lupus yet. Indeed it was another 20+ years before I was.🙄
Brook’ advice regarding cranberry juice is good and a good live yoghurt will protect you from a fungal infection like Thrush. I got it in my mouth many years ago after several courses of antibiotics and my GP recommended live yoghurt and to keep each mouthful in my mouth for several seconds before swallowing. It did the trick. He also asked if I had the Thrush down below. In my naivety I didn’t know what he meant as I’d never had Thrush before, anywhere. Poor man had to explain. 🧐 So embarrassing. And I wasn’t even blonde in those days.😆
Did you manage to get through to a doctor today? I hope you have had the advice you need re your MTX.
Good luck and best wises.🙏🏻
Take care Froggie.🤗
Hi Spotty, got through to receptionist but I’m not allowed to speak to a doctor. Had to tell her and she will tell the doc and then I’ve to phone back at lunchtime and she’ll pass on a message (I’m sure there must be an easier way to do this but I’ll go with it given the circumstances). She did mention trying another antibiotic.
You made me laugh with your story of the doc having to explain thrush. 😁
On the yogurt front I’ve got Easiyo home made yogurt in the cupboard which I’ve been too lazy to make so if the joints aren’t too bad I’ll give that a go this afternoon. I’ve got a packet of Mango & Coconut so I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m not the world’s greatest cook but surely I can’t go wrong with yogurt? 🤔😉
It’s actually not sore to pee now but take on board what you said about these things rarely clearing themselves better safe than sorry. I’ve actually got a pain on my lower left side, had it on and off since last night so perhaps related. Goes to show I’m going stir crazy I’m now convinced I’ve got appendicitis. I need to get busy.
Thanks for your support 🤗😀
I suppose every surgery works differently, but with ours if you phone early morning and ask for a phone appointment with your GP they put you on their list and the GP phones back either morning or before they start afternoon appointments. If your own GP has no slots left for that day you are offered the Duty Doctor.
If you want the yoghurt to protect you from a fungal infection it has to be a live culture. If you have to make up the one you have it sounds like a long-life version so might not work. 🤔
The pain in your appendix area might be due to the infection in your waterworks but if it persists it is best to get it checked out. Such a shame you can’t speak to your GP as you could have mentioned it at the same time.
The only reason the UTI would clear by itself is if it was chemically induced eg too much alcohol or acidic foods/drinks when a bit dehydrated. Then drinking plenty of water and cranberry is sufficient to solve the problem. But if it is due to infection (and that isn’t certain unless a urine specimen has been analysed) it has to be treated by antibiotics to get rid of it.
Of course I’m not a medical professional and all this is from my own experience of many years suffering with recurring UTIs which eventually were discovered to be caused by an atrophying kidney. The prophylactic Nitrofurantoin (which is alternated every 6 months with Cefalexin to avoid a resistance to either occurring) so far has stopped a recurrence - unless I go into a swimming pool. Then it returns.😬
So I hope you get the medical input you need and find out if you have to stop the MTX when on an antibiotic or not.
Very best wishes Froggie.
Take care. 🤗😘
Thank you 🤗
Let me know how you get on.
Best wishes 🙏🏻🤗😘
Ooft what a carry on. Phoned back and they’ve given me a prescription for Trimethoprim, told them yesterday I couldn’t take that one. Like your surgery we normally phone early and get a telephone appointment same or next day, currently the doc is taking no calls. They might actually save themselves some time if we could talk directly instead of the receptionist acting as a go between. I’ve now to phone back at 2. Can’t wait 🙁
I’m sorry to hear you are having that carry on Froggie.🤦♀️ Perhaps our surgery has gone the same way as I haven’t needed a phone appointment for a while. It seems a recipe for disaster having a go between instead of being able to speak direct with a doctor.
I hope you get it all sorted at 2pm (or will it be 2am 🤷♀️) 😁
Keep drinking plenty while you wait. Weak tea or water is best, coffee exacerbates symptoms.
Keep me posted with any developments.
Thinking of you. 🙏🏻🤗
Will do and thank you. Feel a bit rubbish just now, feel really seedy and legs and arms feel weak and heavy. If no joy with docs we’ve got a couple of packets of 500mg amoxicillin in the house (for Dad’s neutropenia) so I will start them. 🙂
UTIs take a lot out of you. I used to feel really drained and feverish with them and just wanted to sleep. I think I was given Amoxicillin for it once but my GP explained that the Trimethoprim is the one which specifically targets the bug that causes the UTI infection which is why it is the preferred antibiotic. Sadly I have an allergy to it as already mentioned, but if you can get it and tolerate it I think you’d be best waiting for it.
Nearly 2pm! 🤞🤞🤞
Hi Froggie. I’m so sorry. I know these are miserable!! I would drink unsweetened cranberry juice. It seems to do the trick for me. And a good cultured Greek yogurt will hopefully help too?
🙏all my best!
Aww bless you. I really do hope they get it all sorted for you. I have joined your club and have been diagnosed with a UTI and given the same antibiotic as the first one you had. Can’t even begin to pronounce it. 😂. If symptoms become worse or not cleared fully after the antibiotics then am to ring them back. I was fortunate and got to speak to a GP this morning. Thankfully one of the nicer ones in our practice. Feeling pretty sorry for myself at the moment but I am sure I will be back on my feet again soon. You take care and hope you get to speak to a GP and things get sorted for you soon. Thinking of you. Gail x
Hi Gail, thank you. I hope you feel better soon. Sending you a big hug🤗
Aww thanks so much, so pleased you have your antibiotics and hope they start working for your really soon. x
Thank you. Stay safe. 🤗
Sorry to hear you have one too. As a serial UTI sufferer I truly sympathise. Keep drinking plenty of water and cranberry juice and hopefully the Nitrofurantoin will kick in and do its job quickly.
Best wishes. 🤗💐
Hello, got a prescription for Amoxicillan 500. One down the hatch already so fingers crossed they work quickly.
Thank you for your support 🙂🤗💐
Fingers crossed you’ll feel the benefit very soon. 🤞🤞 Glad it is all sorted now.👍🏻👍🏻 Keep an eye on the appendicitis symptoms though.👁
Best wishes 🤗😘💐
Aww thanks so much for your lovely message. I use to get many UTI’s but have been very lucky to have not had one for many years until now. Thanks for the tips too. You take care of yourself too. 😊🌺
Thanks Summerrain. 👍🏻 Keep safe. 🙏🏻💐
I know I’m clock watching. 😳
full time job and SLE
Sitting long periods of time 
Art appearing in Times Square exhibit
Does Lupus improve over time or get worse? 
