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Can you still have a uti even if culture came back negative.

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cassie62685
cassie62685

Hello,

So basically I've been suffering with bv, yeast infections and Uti's. I've had 3 different antibiotics for bv, and 2 for Uti's. During my last rounds of test everything came back negative, but the problem Is I still have symptoms. It burns when I pee and it smells bad. No frequency. But sometimes when I go pee only a little comes out and the pee is cloudy. My urologist wants to talk about the possibility Of having interstitial cystitis.i rather not have that because there is no cure. I also don't feel like I have that, but maybe I'm just in denial. My question is could I still have a uti even if the the cultures I got were negative? Could it maybe be a small uti? Is it possible. I just need hope I really don't want the other thing.

1 like, 93 replies

93 Replies

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  • Jan999
    Jan999 cassie62685

    Posted

    cassie sorry to hear you're having this problem but I don't think it's possible to have a UTI if the culture and sensitivity comes back negative. Are you drinking lots and lots of water? 
  • jadene1959
    jadene1959 cassie62685

    Posted

    Cassie,

    I was having this same problem, and it was bacterial vaginitist , or something like that, check with your doctor and see if it could be related to that, cause sometimes . vaginal infections can cause some of the same symptoms of a uti. Good Luck.

  • kirbss
    kirbss cassie62685

    Posted

    Hello Cassie.

    I just had to reply to this because I myself used to get UTI's every month, for 7 months, and my last UTI came back twice in one month. I've always gone to the doctors with my UTI's and always been told it was a UTI however, on the few occasions I could give a urine sample, it always came back negative but I was like 'I have all the symptoms of UTI's, so how can it be negative' and my GP just said its most likely because the amount of bacteria is so small that it hasn't been picked up by the tests, but i could have the tiniest amount of bacteria and still have the horrible symptoms, so i just kept on getting antibiotics and the UTI cleared up. I haven't had a UTI since February though because I found what was causing mine, however I do know every time I could give a sample, it was always negative. However, even though the results come back negative, it can still be a UTI, just a very small amount of bacteria has caused the UTI. Don't worry, I was petrified it was something else because of the negative results, but after talking to my doctor I felt fine and reassured! Hope this helps & you feel better soon.

    All the best!

    • cassie62685
      cassie62685 kirbss

      Posted

      Thank you so much! This made me feel so much better. I'm really hoping it's just a UTI. I have an appointment with my urologist next week so I'm going to see if she'll give me antibiotics just to see if they will work.
    • Caterina912
      Caterina912 kirbss

      Posted

      Can I ask you what was causing your uti? I had 1 in 6 months and wonder if that's common and want to know why I'm getting them.

  • suzy19273
    suzy19273 cassie62685

    Edited

    Hi Cassie, I have suffered just like you for 4 months. The GP even said I had anxiety. The problem was I had UTI symptoms but EVERY urine culture came back negative via NHS. Here's what I've done.

    - I sent a sample off to a private online clinic. Its unlikely I can name it here but I was advised they were the best in the UK. Guess what? They diagnosed 3 different infections when the GP urine culture had confirmed negative every time. Explain this?

    - Secondly, the last test the private company did, came back negative after 24 hours, but I still had symptoms and pain. So, I BEGGED the company to carry on testing for 3-5 days. Guess what? The original test that reported back as 'negative' showed 2 infections after a longer growth period in the lab. Both infections were < 10,000.="" i'm="" back="" on="" antibiotics="" and="" feel="" signficantly="" better. ="" i="" have="" since="" learnt="" 2="" things.="" if="" no="" infection="" shows="" in="" a="" culture="" in="" 24="" -48="" hours,="" a="" culture="" will="" report="" back="" as="" negative.="" also,="" if="" the="" bugs="" are="" less="" than=""><100,000 a culture will also report back as negative. however, if there are bugs, less than 100,000 it is still a uti.

    i have had a uti for 4 months now. it is criminal that these are not dealt with professionally and that so many people suffer, with gps telling us 'there is no way you can have an infection' when you do. a="" culture="" will="" also="" report="" back="" as="" negative.="" however,="" if="" there="" are="" bugs,="" less="" than="" 100,000="" it="" is="" still="" a="" uti.="" i="" have="" had="" a="" uti="" for="" 4="" months="" now.="" it="" is="" criminal="" that="" these="" are="" not="" dealt="" with="" professionally="" and="" that="" so="" many="" people="" suffer,="" with="" gps="" telling="" us="" 'there="" is="" no="" way="" you="" can="" have="" an="" infection'="" when="" you="">

    i have had a uti for 4 months now. it is criminal that these are not dealt with professionally and that so many people suffer, with gps telling us 'there is no way you can have an infection' when you do.>

    • alice1209
      alice1209 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hi,

      Gosh that makes me feel slightly better as I really was stressing. I've had two lots of discomfort in my tummy and lower back (urine showed blood), however the lab said there was no infection so it wasn't. UTI.

      Ive to go back next week to get urine tested again when I e finished the course of antibiotics. The last time after the antibiotics my urine showed I blood.... But three months later it was back again!

    • Angel_Uk
      Angel_Uk suzy19273

      Posted

      I suffered with UTIs but not as regular years ago Since having a prolapse operation had loads. It was meant to be a minor op minor as small but they found my bowel had prolapsed so more work repairing where everything should be. A month after I got a severe infection systemic they said which basically means anywhere in the body. This continued and as I am allergic to many antibiotics due to severe asthma and COPD, can only take amoxcillin liquid and IV Amoxcillin if bad. This has happened 7 times now in 6 months 5 times as an in patient in hospital which may I add had to fight to stop in due to the agonising pain in lower bladder area that even oral morphine did not ease.. I had all the classic signs of a UTI but hospital said NO even on trips there another three times. Went to the GP who said there were lots of bacteria in my urine and blood. Gave me Amoxcillin liquid took it all for 5 days made me worse but tolerated it to get better,I am very hygeinic OCD but just use water below in the shower. Stop taking baths. Drink a litre and half of water, bottled a day. Do not drink coffee. Eat healthy. Have probiotic drinks a day and natural yoguht. Very perturbed as when the cultured urine has come back (three times now) as normal. Am going to get this next sample sent off private. Please could you give me the name of the private place you used? I know it is back after just a week being out of the hospital. All the classic symptoms back. Feel so ill have taken to my bed as very weak and confused at times. I am 54 years old and thought this op would help. I have lost all faith in the NHS. They lie (saves keeping you in on IV as they only gave me three days and no follow up antibiotics as said in the micro lab the bacteria was normal. I feel sick have lower bladder pain going to toilet in bits and also feel as though have bricks pushing down on the bladder. They left me a few years ago and I got a severe kidney infection it was horrific. At my wits end what to do. It is Christmas and cannot go to my daughters in this condition (feeling like been poisoned) :-( at wits end with it. Thank you xxx
    • Angel_Uk
      Angel_Uk suzy19273

      Posted

      Suzy is there any way of letting me know where I can send a sample off private as I too live in the UK. Know it is back and has been since Christmas. They put me on IV antibiotics again in the hospital just after Christmas for a few days which is not enough to kill the bacteria. The micro lab said no growth after only 48 hrs I asked them to leave it longer but this was ignored and they were insistant the antibiotics were to be stopped. Seriously if it comes back positive if I send it off private then it will be taken further. The NHS is wonderful in other areas but feel so let down by them ignoring my symptoms. Feeling down like yourself as the pain is chronic. I have sterile containers a friend got me from her gp so could send it off private, but not sure about transit and how long it would be left before testing? Thank you and hope your infection has been healed. xxxx
    • suzy19273
      suzy19273 Angel_Uk

      Posted

      Hi! I am almost better - I took d mannose in the end a high dosage and I'm almost back to normal after 8 months on an awful time. I used m e d i c h e c k s - they'll send you a sample pot and m you have to post next day delivery - all the instructions come with the pack.
    • Angel_Uk
      Angel_Uk suzy19273

      Posted

      Thank you Suzy very helpful info. Will try this D Mannose as heard a lot of good reviews from it. Glad your feeling better. X
    • etinosa36140
      etinosa36140 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hello.r u cured now? I have d same problem and my culture always come back negative. Wat was causing the infection?
    • Titika
      Titika suzy19273

      Posted

      Hey Suzy,

      long time ago since this post, but thought I'll write you anyway..very, very interested in finding out about this private online clinic, get their contact info..?

      In bad need to do the same as you did, test urine properly!

      Is there anyway you could contact med with this info?

      Thank you very much in advance.

      Kind regards,

      Diana

    • Bobby123456
      Bobby123456 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hi Suzy, I'd like to thank you for your posts here. I have had a similar experience, all negative dip tests and uti symptoms with docs not willing to give me antibiotics due to negative dip tests. I called out my gp (in uk) they only do a culture in nhs if the first dip test shows infection, I too have got an independent culture ready to be taken. I have followed your d mannose suggestion though in the meantime and after two days my symptoms have dramatically improved, it feels like the devil's graspe is finally being loosened. I am curious though, did the d mannose treatment work solely on its own for you in the end? Or did you have to take your test results to your gp to get antibiotics too? Thanks again.

    • lauren08623
      lauren08623 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hi,

      I know this is an old post but im experiencing the same problems so just wanted to know when the clinic found multiple bacter types what were they?

      Thanks

      L x

    • tara10173
      tara10173 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hi Suzy

      I too have been suffering 8 months of hell with UTI symptoms. My dr just labeled me with IC and I know that's not my problem. This all started with Ecoli for me back in September. Several trips to Urgent cares for antibiotics and my old Urologist wouldn't even test my urine in a lab so he labeled me with IC. Too many Drs not listening to their patients or testing for other things before they just smack a diagnosis of IC on a patient. Nothing like being in awful pain and then Drs don't listen and tell you that you have a horrible life long disease with no cure. Terrible. I swear they do that to get rid of us since it's complicated. So anyway I'm still in pain. Antibiotics are resistant. Not killing it off. I'm going to order d Mannose today. I need to do something as no dr will. All my labs showed Ecoli but the last two. And I know why. I was on antibiotics when I took the one lab test. So it didn't come out correctly. The last test was contaminated. Not a clean catch yet showed some infection. Although Drs won't acknowledge that. So I'm praying d Mannose works for me too. I need my life back. In pain 24/7. I even tried IC meds and the diet. Still. Nothing. So I know it's Ecoli. Not IC. Let me know how you made out. And what doses of pure powder d Mannose you took and how long did it take for you to feel relief? I can't wait to feel relief! Finally!!!! Thank you Suzie!

    • lori66642
      lori66642 tara10173

      Posted

      Hi I have just joined this forum after having dreadful UTI symptoms and negative results back from lab. Can you tell me what IC means please? I have a long record of A&E attendance with nothing found but UTI symptoms are getting worse and so is my reputation. I'm at my wit's end because even scans including ct are showing nothing up and I'm just sent home with no answers. I have been reacting badly to antibiotics. There is often traces of blood on the dipstick test in my urine. I would like to hear from anyone else that has suffered from this problem. I'm going to look into a private test.

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime lori66642

      Posted

      Interstitial cystits......it is a term used when you have symptoms but no bacteria or infection is found.  I had this in the past, it went on for 8 months, I was put on antibiotics which caused more problems, probably because there was no bacteria to fight so the antibiotic came out in a rash....I am not sure your age, but mine came on in early forties it can be that there is an inflammation of the lining of the bladder caused by lack of estrogen......or you could have pelvic floor dysfunction.  Another thing you may want to rule out is a vaginal infection....yeast.....as this can copy UTI symptoms.  It was a long journey for me to figure it out, but after ozone treatments, acupuncture and pelvic floor therapy I am doing so much better.  I always take the precautions to prevent a UTI, and I even bought dip sticks to test at home if I am concerned.  UTI symptoms are not always black and white....there are other causes, and I learned that first hand.  antibiotics were not going to do anything but make me sicker in the long run.  
    • frances43145
      frances43145 suzy19273

      Posted

      Hi Suzi,

      I have had mild uti symptoms for several weeks, but the culture results come back negative, as they did with you. I think this may be because my urine is always quite dilute. My GP doesn't accept that it may take longer than 24 hours for a bacteria to show up. Can you let me know the details of the clinic that you sent your sample to, as I live in the UK? Thanks very much for your help.

    • lori66642
      lori66642 Takingtime

      Posted

      Hello Linda. Thank you for your post. I hope to have some results in about a month and I think the thoughts are now inline what you have said in your post. I'm actually in my late 50s. The thing is I get a lot of pain in my right lower flank area and I also have brownish semi Circular markings under my eyes. My kidney ultrasound and CT scan showed nothing. I have changed my diet. The antibiotics also made me extremely unwell. I will post again with my outcome if I get one. Thanks again. Lori66642

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