UTI,s

[Seal49]

Dropped fron 22.5 prednisone to 20 three days ago and started having bad uti consequences. It must just be a consequence. See if Bactrim antibiotics works. Have you ever heard of this happening?

[SnazzyD]

Could be just coincidence because moderate to high doses make one much more prone to urinary tract infections. Did they do a dip stick test or send the urine off for culture and sensitivity testing? Give the Bactrim a go but it sometimes it doesn’t work if your particular bugs are resistant to it. How is the fever now?

One thing to bear in mind is that you can get irritation of the U tract from the Pred itself as well as calcium supplements when they are not low doses. An irritated tract lining can make one even more prey to bacterial issues. I had to make sure my urine was always dilute to avoid problems and had to reduce my calcium dose. I could always tell from burning of the urethra and needing to go to the loo for no good reason. You had a fever and felt ill so an infection is likely but this is to try to address the why.

[Seal49 in reply to SnazzyD]

Yes. And we were on vacation . Bactrim seems to working. Feel better but quite back to normal yet. Went fir. Bloodwork Tuesday when we came back. CRP went from 7.5 to 171. Does this sound like what can happen. Going to see Rheumatologist this morning. Any thing I should ask

[Seal49 in reply to SnazzyD]

Fever down. Did dipstick test was OK. Sent to lab

[Seal49 in reply to Seal49]

Forgot to mention sweating profusely at night . Mainly chest. Had to change t shirts 3 times

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I echo Snazzy's comments - I would develop symptoms just after a day travelling where I wasn't drinking as much as usual because it was inconvenient and also because of calcium grit forming which caused mechanical irritation.

It is perfectly possible that at the higher doses an ongoing infection you have isn't being noticed because the pred is calming the inflammation that is causing the symptoms. Is this the first time you have had a UTI?

[Seal49 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes. And we were on vacation . Bactrim seems to working. Feel better but quite back to normal yet. Went fir. Bloodwork Tuesday when we came back. CRP went from 7.5 to 171. Does this sound like what can happen. Going to see Rheumatologist this morning. Any thing I should ask him?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seal49]

Yes, CRP rises with infections - only any need to worry if it doesn't go down again once you have recovered.

Can't think of anything - are you ONLY on pred?

[Seal49 in reply to PMRpro]

Bactrim for 10 days and tamsulosin .4 mg

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seal49]

If you are suffering incomplete bladder emptying then that will tend to make UTIs more likely and even worse - the bladder never being fully emptied means bugs are left behind to grow nicely ...

[Seal49 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. My Rheumatologist agree with you so I canceled my appointment today to August 3rd

[Seal49 in reply to Seal49]

Uti came back negative. Gp thinks it may prostatitis.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seal49]

Or possibly calcium grit, it is a possibility. Though that shouldn't lead to fever, prostatitis would,

[Seal49 in reply to PMRpro]

My calcium test on 7/11 was 10.1

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seal49]

That is at the top of the range - needs keeping an eye on.

[powerwalk in reply to PMRpro]

Pro - So does that mean you should cut down calcium supplement?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to powerwalk]

It may do - why I say you need to keep an eye on it.

[MiniSpec in reply to Seal49]

Prostatitis is no fun. I had that 30 years ago. It manifested first as an uncomfortable feeling when I sat down, as though my insides were being pushed upwards. Then I began to feel really under the weather. Eventually my missus took me to the doctor and he sent me to the hospital straight away.

It turned out my prostate had swollen from the size of a walnut (its normal size) to the size of a large grapefruit! So it was no wonder I felt like my insides were being pushed up.....they were.

It took rather a long time to clear out the infection in my case as they had to find an antibiotic that was effective against it. However, after a year of not being able to sit down, the infection was finally burned out and things went back to normal(ish).

The surprising thing was that everything still worked, and two years later we welcomed our third child into the world.

I just hope your GP is wrong about prostatitis, as I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. On second thoughts I might, as it would certainly slow them down a bit and keep them away from me.