Do I have a UTI? Bacteria found in culture but was told it isn't a UTI?
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For the last two months I have been going through discomfort and pain during urination however all my urinalysis' have come back clean. I ended up being sent to a urologist and they did a culture in which bacteria was found but they told me that it wasn't a UTI and that the bacteria wouldn't be what was causing my symptoms. So they did a cystoscopy and found nothing and they also tested me for STDs which also came back negative. I have also been looked at for kidney stones and such and nada. They told me that it wasn't IC since I'm not experiencing that frequent urge to urinate and my bladder seemed fine in the cystoscopy. The only real pain I have is during urination itself. Could the low level of bacteria they found be causing this pain I'm having?? And if so, how do I treat it naturally since they do not think I need to be treated?
0 likes, 13 replies
Ange527
Posted
marilee43089 Ange527
Posted
Why would you be prescribed an antibiotic if the doctor didn't think you had a urinary tract infection?
Which bacteria was found in the culture and what was the number?
Ange527 marilee43089
Posted
They didn't tell me the exact bacteria they just told me they found low amounts of bacteria in the culture. I've been to four different doctors now and none of them can find out what's wrong with me and why it hurts to pee. This one has now scheduled a follow up appointment in a month and has told me to deal with it until then to see if it goes away and if not then we will revisit the problem.
marilee43089 Ange527
Posted
The criteria for UTI that most labs use is >100,000cfu of bacteria. Personally, I don't agree with that, but I'm no doctor. Do you know if white and/or red blood cells were found in your urinalysis? Cipro is sensitive to most UTI bacteria, so that should have knocked it out. It does for most, but not all people.
What kind of pain do you have? Burning? How long after urinating does it still hurt?
Are you in menopause? Could you be having a vaginal problem?
Ange527 marilee43089
Posted
It's a burning while I pee that lasts 5-10 minutes after urination. I also have some lower back pain along with pelvic pain. They haven't really told me much about my results other than there was no blood in my urine. One time the dip test did come back positive when my pee was super concentrated. No menopause as I'm only 20 however I don't know about a vaginal problem. My gyno said that everything looked good down there and I'm not experiencing any discharge or anything. So I don't know?? It sounds as if it could be a UTI but again I had the two rounds of Cipro that didn't take care of it.
marilee43089 Ange527
Posted
That definitely sounds like a UTI. I have also experienced negative dip stick when urine is diluted and positive when concentrated. I know the feeling of being stuck with no answers from doctors. Somehow I'd try to get another urine culture on your concentrated urine and hopefully then get a antibiotic sensitivity test to see which one treats the bacteria.
Ange527 marilee43089
Posted
I'll definitely do that when I go back to my primary next week. For now though I was wondering if there's anything that could maybe get rid of it that isn't an antibiotic? I heard dmannose powder helps but I don't know how true that is.
marilee43089 Ange527
Posted
That D-Mannose seems to be a UK favorite. Personally, I think it's all hype. You could try it. I never have because it cause diarhhea and gas. You probably already know to drink lots of water (65+ ounces). Also, try putting vasoline down there and it may help with the burning or else douse yourself with water immediately after you pee.
Ange527 marilee43089
Posted
I was able to find out the bacteria that was found in my urine culture. I had an 8,000 colony count of diphteroids and a 2,000 colony count of staphylococcus sp (coag neg) which I don't know what the coag neg means but yeah. Could either of these be the cause?? I tried to Google diphteroids and nothing came up for UTI's
marilee43089 Ange527
Posted
I think the diphteroids are considered normal flora. The 2,000 staph I can't say but that quantity is very low, so I doubt that is your problem. I'm just a uti victim like the rest, so this is just my humble opinion.
Takingtime Ange527
Posted
Cipro is an antibiotic that kills pretty much any bacteria...so the fact that they found a low count and it didn't kill it tells me that the bacteria found could have been contaminated. I have had this very thing, clean urinalysis, low count bacteria......mine was strep b that was found......so nothing was given. I decided to try an alternative appraoch and it took a few months, but I felt so much better....If it isn't an infection antbiotics are not going to cure it. It could be inflamation of the urethra (urethral syndrome) but even with that they would probably find white blood cells......Cipro can aggravate your bladder as well, that is one of the side effects.
Ange527 Takingtime
Posted
Yeah they did a cystoscopy and found no inflammation of the urethra or anything visibly wrong with the urinary tract. I'm hoping the D-mannose powder helps clear whatever bacteria it is and the symptoms go away after that. If not, my urologist wants to visit the possibility of pelvic floor dysfunction and physical therapy to treat that.
Takingtime Ange527
Posted