Complex UTI...how to solve?

Posted , 3 users are following.

I'm a guy who got a UTI from an intermittent catheter (I use them sometimes because I have a shy bladder -- a kind of social anxiety disorder). I learned the hard way that you need to use sterile (and not just clean) catheters. So as soon as I figured out what it was (first a fever and then those urinary symptoms made it obvious), urgent care gave me 5 days of Macrobid. Basically, the drug seemingly did little to nothing for my symptoms. The urine culture tested positive for a Staph infection.

A week after starting Macrobid, I followed up with my primary care doctor. He took another urinary sample and prescribed me 10 days of Cephalexin. I took two days of that, and suddenly my symptoms got a lot better. They were basically gone. Then the urine culture test came back negative, and my doctor said I could stop taking the Cephalexin, so I did. The UTI went away for almost a week, and then it came back. So I promptly started the Cephalexin again. This time the UTI symptoms didn't go away quickly, they stuck around for the remaining 8 days of Cephalexin.

Just today I started on a new round of Cephalexin (10 days) and have an appointment with a urologist set in 6 days. I've had two more culture tests done and all negative...but the UTI symptoms seem pretty obvious (no fever but the other stuff is there). Of course it has been about a month now and I've had plenty of time to read online about all the possible horrible things it could be. My current theory is still that there's some infection there despite what the tests say. The infection seems pretty obvious to me, there's a very specific pain spot on the left side of my bladder. It seems like it's one of those infections that won't show up on the urine culture.

The more severe possibilities like IC just seem unlikely (prostatitis was also suggested by my doctor but I haven't noticed any prostate pain), since this just started as a UTI and it's the first one I've had, and I had no previous issues. Has anyone else had something like this? I'm wondering if because I got this from a catheter, it was more than just Staph there...also some other bacteria going unnoticed by the test. I'm still in pain and the symptoms haven't gone away since those several days that I was clear (and that gave me some false hope). I read that UTIs in men should always be treated as complicated and often do take about a month of antibiotics to treat.

Anyone on here had something like this where they have UTI symptoms but the test is negative, and the antibiotics aren't getting them far? It's pretty discouraging although I feel like eventually it'll work out somehow...

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi I sure hope you got some relief and some help? One thing is that I have heard If they are doing urine cultures while you are on a antibiotic then they can't get accurate results. I'm going through the same thing. I have felt sick for a week now. Can't eat. I've been on two different antibiotics. Went to ER and no help.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.