Constant feeling of needing a wee
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hello .... hopefully I won't bore to too much! 
I had a bad UTI back in November which lasted 6 weeks and have been left with a constant feeling of needing to pee even though I don't. The back story is that at the end of November I woke up with a real need to pee which didn't go away even after I'd been (no burning when peeing). Went to doc who did a dipstick test and said yes you have an infection and prescribed 3 days of Nitrofurantoin. No improvement after 3 days so went back and was precribed 3 days of Trimethoprim. Still no improvement so went back AGAIN and was told by GP "dipstick shows no white blood cells and we cultured your urine last time and it just showed mixed growth so no infection" but she gave me a 7 day course of Pivmecillinam (I feel this was to pacify me and send me on my way). No improvement so returned after 7 days with another urine sample. My usual GP was off so the new one did the dipstick test and said "no white blood cells showing so no infection but I'll send it for culture". No antibiotics prescribed.....had to wait and see what culture showed. GP calls...culture showed no infection and she advised maybe I just needed some time to "get over" original infection. By this stage I was at my wits end so made an appointment with a private Urologist consultant. I gave him a urine sample and guess what?........ it came back positive with enterococcus infection!! Not only that but the infection showed resistance to Trimethoprim and Pivmecillinam which is what my GP precribed previously. I took the 14 day course of antibiotics my private consultant recommended and whilst the pain and the burning subsided I was still left with a constant feeling of needing to pee even though I don't. Went back to GP who arranged an ultrasound which was clear. She then said I would need a to see a urologist and have a cystoscopy to get a better look of what what going on but it could take 10 weeks for an appointment. Not content with waiting I had a cystoscopy done privately which showed no problems. Bladder etc. looked fine. So frustrated I returned to my GP. She wanted to look at my "bits" externally and upon looking said "oh you have lichen sclerosus" and prescribed Dermovate Cream. When I Googled lichen sclerosus I see that itching is a common symptoms which I don't have. I think she's fobbed me off. I guess my question to everyone out there is ...... any idea why I feel like I need to pee all the time? Would lichen sclerosus make me feel this way? What else can I do? Thanks for reading my post which has has bored even me! 
2 likes, 17 replies
david49122 PeanutButtercup
Posted
Hi peanut butter cup ,
well I 2 have had trouble with my waterworks like back in dec2016 I picked up a bug in the urethra it was bacteria and was treated with Antibiotics ,I took 6 months to clear up then all through 2017 back and forwards to GP hurts to pee did my blood test then another urine sample more antibiotic all year off and on .
Then I had a fall and hurt my right side hip didn't do anything about it then ended up in Hospital with a D V T and I told them about the waterworks problem and they did more test on me and urine sample did It turned out that all the antibiotic that I'd had the body had resistant to amoxicillin, sensitive to augmentin and three other 's So I wonder if this antibiotic .... are stronger enough And thanks to the Big Hospital Lab for picking up on the problem But even now It's still not right they call it U T I . And I notice if I don't drink enough water I have troble getting started As they say if you don't put it in it won't run out
Cher's David49122
lynn41704 PeanutButtercup
Posted
david49122 lynn41704
Posted
david 49122
PeanutButtercup lynn41704
Posted
I'm a 47 year old female.
lynn41704 david49122
Posted
queston was for PeanutButtercup
Hooe you get some answers and feel better soon
lynn41704 PeanutButtercup
Posted
I needed to know your age and gender before replying and sharing my experience. Sorry I don't know anything about lichen sclerosis but hopefully others can advise.
I suffered from recurrent symptoms of UTI for a long time and did not always have an infection. I was seen by a urologist and had a cystoscopy and like you my bladder was fine but I was prescribed Mirabegron for overactive bladder and a low dose of Cefalexin (antibiotic) to take every evening to prevent UTI, I have been taking these for 6 months (with no problems) and at my last check up with the urologist my urine was crystal clear he told me to stay on the medication in the long term and discharged me. When I first seen the urologist he advised me to see a gynaecologist as having gone through the menopause (I am 64) I might be suffering from Atrophic Vaginitis (another name is vaginal atrophy) which can also cause problems with urine frequency and UTI symptoms. The gynaecologist confirmed a significant degree of Atrophic Vaginitis and prescribed a course of Vagifem (I have since had another course and it may be needed again) this really helped with the dryness and tightness down below. He also prescribed Betnovate RD Cream to apply at night when I get Vulva soreness.
I almost feel as if I have got my life back, no more UTI's, no vaginal dryness and only occasional vulva soreness which clears up quickly after a few nights using the cream.
Hope my experience has given you some ideas on what you may be suffering from. Not sure if you are too young to have menopausal symptoms but you could be starting menopause. Your doctor can do a blood test to check.
You need to go back to your doctor, explain how you are feeling and ask what else could be causing your symptoms. The answer is there somewhere, it's finding it that's difficult.
Take care of yourself and please keep in touch.
PeanutButtercup lynn41704
Posted
Hi Lynn and thanks for replying.
I had thought about overactive bladder but I have no urinary frequency. I only have a wee 7/8 times a day and possibly once at night. I also don't get a sudden urge to wee. I just have this constant feeling of needing to wee all the time even after I've just been.
I thought with an overactive bladder you went to the loo lots and when the urge to wee come on you have to go immediately.
As I don't have this and based on your experience I'd appreciate your thoughts on whether or not you think I could still have an overactive bladder.
Thanks so much!
lynn41704 PeanutButtercup
Posted
I didn't have any urgency problems of having to rush to the toilet to wee but when I did wee I never felt that my bladder was completely empty. Sometimes at night I no sooner got back into bed and I needed to wee again. I was passing urine about 8 times a day and once or twice during the night, which was diagnosed as urine frequency and nocturia.
It is very important to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day as if you don't drink enough it can irritate your bladder. Also cut down on tea, coffee, soft drinks etc that contain caffeine.
Hope you get an answer to your problems, take care and please keep in touch.
Linda_Mac PeanutButtercup
Posted
I've had four diagnosed UTI's in the past 4 years and two recent ones with UTI symptoms that were negative. One of these negative ones had blood in the urine! During these years I've had many episodes of overactive bladder and also days when I feel discomfort in the groin which I interpret as needing to urinate, but not much comes out. I recently looked up a list of foods that can irritate the bladder, and learned that I eat a lot of these foods. Since then, I've been trying to avoid eating too many of these foods at one meal and just in general avoiding them. It is helping a lot. I am 63, so age and menopause may have something to do with this problem. I will see the urologist next week to see what's going on, and I read on the web that any time there is unexplained blood in the urine, the bladder will need to be looked at, maybe to rule at cancer. I've also read that these groin and bladder pain are symptoms that are hard to diagnose. Coupled with the complication of the symptoms feeling like a UTI, it's understandable. BTW, one lab result said that a culture was positive and it was Enterococcus, but the number of colonies was too low. I've never had this species - it's always been E. coli. I had zero paid or symptoms, but I went to take another test, which was negative. So the first one was contaminated, I guess. Could it have been the lab? It made me wonder about all of the other urine tests I had where they diagnosed it in the office with the dipstick and they gave me antibiotics. Oh, and I came across a research paper that said the reason we are likely to get another infection after the first time is that the offending bacteria cells that don't get killed off, go into the bladder lining and become dormant. They just wait for some more of their buddies to show up again and then start multiplying like mad again. Nice, huh?
lynn41704 Linda_Mac
Posted
Hope you get done answers from the urologist. Don't worry if you need a cystocopy it is NOT painful just uncomfortable and the only way to see exactly what is going on inside your bladder. My urologist told me that it is not unusual for "ladies of a certain age" to have non visible blood cells in there urine. I am 64 and convinced myself I had bladder cancer which thankfully I didnt.
I had recurrent symptoms of UTIs but not always an infect but white cells in my urine. I now take medication for my overactive bladder and low dose antiobiotics to prevent future UTIs. I have also seen a gynaecologist (recommended by urologist) who diagnosed vaginal attophy (atrophic vaginitis) and prescribed Vagifem and Betnovate RD cream.
I almost feel I have got my life back no more symptoms of UTIs, no vaginal dryness after two courses if Vagifem (may need more in the future) and occasional vulva soreness is easily sorted by using the cream for a few nights.
Post menopause is no fun at all and can be thoroughly miserable, help us avaiable it is just a matter of getting the right help to get sorted.
Take care of yourself and please keep in touch.
Linda_Mac lynn41704
Posted
Lynn, thanks for telling me that your uro doc said it is not uncommon for blood in urine after menopause. Do you have concerns about taking antibiotics long term because of how it affects your gut flora? What about developing antibiotic resistant bacteria? I guess quality of life is very important, but I would have to think about the risk to other parts of my body. Frequent UTI's can be very serious too and put the kidneys at great risk. I'm glad that you have these problems under control now. I'll let you know what happens with my visit to the urodoc..
lynn41704 Linda_Mac
Posted
As you said it is all about quality of life and recurrent UTIs are bad for your kidneys and caused me to be very miserable.
I came to the conclusion that life is for living (even after the menopause) and it that means me taking a low dose antibiotic every night then that is what I need to do.
I am 64 years old, have had a good life with hopefully a few more years to carry on living before I die of an infection that cannot be cured because I have taken my low dose antibiotics but there again I could die of something else, also there are lots of different antibiotics available to try and cure any infection I may get.
At the end if the day you have to weigh up the benefits and risk for ANY medication you take as all have side effects.
Take care of yourself, all the best with the urologist and please keep in touch.
PeanutButtercup lynn41704
Posted
Thought I'd post a quick update. Just back from seeing my doctor who has now prescribed Versicare 5mg once a day. I did explain my only symptom is a constant feeling of needing to wee.... no urgency and no frequency but he thinks this may help. I really hope he's right! Just taken my first pill so will let you know how I get on but any thoughts would be appreciated.
Linda_Mac lynn41704
Posted
Thanks, Lynn for your responses. I agree that quality of life tops all, especially at our age (I'm 64). I just saw the urologist for the first time and he will do a cytoscopy next week. Meanwhile he gave me a prescription to fill for Uribel, which I can take to help relieve the pain, as needed only. Have you heard of this? It dyes the urine blue and has a long generic name, as I think there are 5 ingredients. I'll talk to him next appointment about the problem of this masking a real infection. Maybe I can use the dip strips at home to check for infection. I'm not worried about the cytoscopy, even though some women have a bad experience it seems that most get through it just fine. I'm looking forward to getting the results and moving on. I've already figured out that my diet could be contributing to the pain, so I will continue to work on that part. The other thing is avoiding anything tight across my lower abdomen. Spandex workout clothes are going to be given away, as this triggers the pain the worst!
Linda_Mac PeanutButtercup
Posted
I've never taken Versicare or any other med for overactive bladder, but your symptoms sound similar to mine except mine isn't constant AND I get the occasional urgency on top of it with occasional small leaks, which is a separate thing going on with me, I'm pretty sure. Perhaps there are muscle spasms going on that you are feeling in your urethra and/or bladder and that's why the doc prescribed this. I would certainly like to know if this works for you. Good luck and hope to hear good news from you.
lynn41704 PeanutButtercup
Posted
Take care and keep in touch.
lynn41704 Linda_Mac
Posted
I haven't heard of Uribel but I hope you find it helps. Don't worry about the cystoscopy, it is uncomfortable but NOT painful.
Take care of yourself and please keep in touch.