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Bladder Infection... Should I be worried?

Posted , 5 users are following.

hollyocks
hollyocks

Hello!

So just a brief overview as I'm at my wits end!

I woke up one night with the worst pain in my lower back. I went to the doctors the following day and they confirmed it was cystitis/bladder infection and put me on a three day course of antibiotics. I went back for a general health check a week or so later and did another urine sample to which I still had the infection. Because I had no symptoms, they could not give me another course of antibiotics...

Fast forward two months later, I have been back countless times to do a urine sample. They've only just given me a longer course of antibiotics. Should I be worried?

Has anyone got any advice on how to get rid of it? Or has anyone done the back and forth to the doctors also?

Any help would be great! Thanks x

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Emma2003
    Emma2003 hollyocks

    Posted

    I myself am still an on going sufferer with cystitis but you should only be worried if the infection goes to your kidneys. The fact you are getting the pain in your lower back is a sign you should be referred for a scan to check your kidneys. I would pester your GP until they refer you. 
    • hollyocks
      hollyocks Emma2003

      Posted

      Hello,

      Thank you so much for your response. I no longer have the lower back pain except the odd twinge. But, the next time I go I will mention this. So hard to get anywhere with this sort of thing when you don't have any visible symptons!

      All help appreciated!

    • Emma2003
      Emma2003 hollyocks

      Posted

      I feel your frustration. I had symptoms but the doctors never thought anything of my condition. Which really frustrated me and i told them straight i want to be referred to the hospital for a scan asap and they couldn't question me because we all have the rights to see a surgeon if we feel it is necessary. I would still get everything checked out as it does take a lot off your mind. I am going to ask to be sent to a gynaecologist and try and be referred to get a scope at the urologist as well because i don't think the problem i have is just that i don't drink enough i think there is something else effecting me too. Hope you get somewhere with the doctors. I am in pain just now as we speak with cystitis it's not fun at all sad !
    • hollyocks
      hollyocks Emma2003

      Posted

      That is the trouble, you feel as if you are making a meal of it! I hope you also get somewhere and that your cystitis goes soon. I am off to the doctors' this afternoon so hopefully that will be positive. Good luck x
    • Emma2003
      Emma2003 hollyocks

      Posted

      Just got antibiotics there from the doctor so hopefully it will clear this one up. Not had a really bad one like this in a while. Always seems to be near my time of the month. Good luck at the doctors! x
  • scarlett_51175
    scarlett_51175 hollyocks

    Posted

    Hiya a couple of months ago I had the same problem. Back and forth to the doctors time and time again. I had loads of courses of antibiotics I finished every corse but in the end the thing that helped was drinking lots and lots of fluids every day, I made myself a chart to keep track of how much I was drinking and also if I was drinking enough this helped because it really motivated me. I would recommend cranberry juice but not orange juice because of the citric acid it contains that makes the pain greater. But still take the antibiotics to help stop it as well. Take plenty of pain killers if it gets bad. 

    i really hope this helps and you get well soon it's really not a nice situation to be in x 

    • hollyocks
      hollyocks scarlett_51175

      Posted

      Hello,

      Thanks so much for the advice! I find asking on here generally helps more than the doctors sometimes! I will try and drink as much water/cranberry as possible as I know I'm not drinking enough currently! Thanks again!

  • lynne69494
    lynne69494 hollyocks

    Posted

    Hi l guess from sound of your experience the samples are showing you have bacteria in your samples, rather than them giving you anti bs for symptoms. It might be the longer course of anti bs will clear up the infection. But if you get symptoms and no bacteria showing up, its a posssability it could be intersticial cystitus, very simular symptoms, including low back pain, but no bacteria, due to it being inflammation of the bladder. There,s more info and thread on it here on site.

    Just a possability, hope it clears soon for you.

    • hollyocks
      hollyocks lynne69494

      Posted

      Hello,

      Thank you so much for your help. The last time I went, I actually met with my GP rather than a nurse and by looking over how many times I had been back and forth, she immediately said a three day course just was not long enough and I am just about to finish up the 7 day course she prescribed.

      I will definitely look in to what you've suggested though, as it sounds plausible. Very hard to sort when you have no real symptoms!

      Thanks again X

  • gilly10
    gilly10 hollyocks

    Posted

    Hi I have had this very same problem now for 2 years. Last May they put me on a years course of antibiotics once a night which I must say did seem to work. Then in January this year I got a chest infection followed by a water infection. The water infection has been cleared up for a few days with antibiotics and then comes back once again. This is getting me down now with the constant pain and making me quite depressed. I am unable to drink cranberry juice as I'm on blood thinners due to another problem, but I have now seen a bladder consultant who tells me its due to the design of a woman, and the bowel and uretha being so close together. This problem is very common apparently but why me I keep asking but to no avail. I am waiting to have the camera inside my bladder now and have no idea how long that will take, and not really looking forward to it but I just want some answers now. 

    I have read that D-Mannosa is very good so worth you looking into it as I was going to order some, but again it contains cranberry so not suitable for me.  Its supposed to be excellent as it forms a sticky layer around the bladder stopping anything else from sticking to it and causing an infection. I have myself just bought some Marshmallow root which is another good product so I am starting this today. If this doesn't work I'm going to try Corn Silk and see if that helps instead of taking constant antibiotics. These are all health food products so can be obtained from a good health food shop like Holland and Barratt.

    I hope your condition is cured along with my own but keep drinking plenty of barley water or squash and water, and flushing your kidneys and bladder out which hopefully will help even though it makes you wee all the time.

    Good luck

    Gilly

      

    • gilly10
      gilly10

      Posted

      Well I had my cyposcopy yesterday (camera in the bladder) and my bladder isn't fully emptying when I wee. I now have to go into hospital for a general anaesthetic to have my ureatha dialated. I asked if I could have it done under a local as I get violently sick after a general but they won't do it as its a very painful operation. I was relieved that I had nothing serious but upset that I have to go into hospital for it to be sorted out. There is a 2 to 3 months wait so I have to continue taking antibiotics until the operation, and probably for some time after until it gets back to normal. It goes to show how something so relatively small can cause so many problems and for such a long time.

      Regards Gill

  • julie01285
    julie01285 hollyocks

    Posted

    Yes for over 40 years .You are right persisting as the Tests often do not show the problem.Are they extending the cultures.I had mine investigated fully in late 1960s & a disability was found ie: neurogenic bladder double ureters causing reflux .Had a urethrotomy now don't get pain but infections still there that will damage kidneys if not attended to .

    Mine went into sacral spinal area causing severe spasms of pain & spasicity .At its worst had pyuria count of 80 .This can cause sepsis which can be fatal or cause amputation so be vigilant..

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