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I still have a UTI after finishing a course of antibiotics? Why didn't drug kill it all off?

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HealthSavvy
HealthSavvy

I'm 25 and not sexually active. After having a burning discomfort down there and lower back pains that my doctors were ignoring for weeks to months they finally did a test and discovered I had a UTI. I was put in Macrobid/ nitrofutonin 100mg 1 pill twice a day for 5 days. I took the medicine EXACTLY as prescribed. I was drinking both cranberry juice and water to flush it out completely. I did notice an immediate difference in the pain when I was taking the antibiotics. However, by the 4th day of treatment I noticed My infection stopped responding to the antibiotics. So I just assumed maybe it's residual burning and irritation from having a UTI for awhile. Plus I thought once I finish the course maybe it needed time to kick in so waited a few weeks to see if there would be difference.

So about 3-4 weeks later I decided to go back to the doctor to have my urine retested as the burning would come and go and was still causing me slight discomfort. My results came back today that I still have a UTI. Apparently it's the SAME bacteria from the first time. My lab culture says its "1,000-9,000 cocci gram positive isolated". I'm glad he bacteria hasn't grown back to the 10,000-50,000 amount I was seeing on my culture before after so many weeks. Why didn't the antibiotics kill off ALL of the bacteria? What do I do now? I know for a fact it's not a reinfection it's the SAME UTI that didn't fully clear up. I was still experiencing symptoms after i finished the course. Please help!

1 like, 114 replies

114 Replies

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  • lcylynn1016
    lcylynn1016 HealthSavvy

    Posted

    Just letting you know that sex is not the only thing that causes UTI's... ANTIBIOTICS will cause UTI as well. Almost every time i take antibiotics i get a UTI

    • msmusco
      msmusco lcylynn1016

      Posted

      Antibiotics cause yeast infections similar to UTIs i eat yogurt every day and take a strong probiotic daily so I have not had a problem.
  • christy68003
    christy68003 HealthSavvy

    Posted

    I would love to hear how this turned out for you. I have been diagnosed with a uti and am on my second round of levaquin. This is after I had to go to a walk in clinic because my gynecologist keeps trying to convince me I have intercistial cystitis. Ran culture on my urine and found a bacteria in it. Took round of antibiotics. Felt like it was improving. After sex it came back full force. Returned to my gyro for round 2 of levaquin. Bacteria in urine again. 
    • msmusco
      msmusco christy68003

      Posted

      Hi Christy, I had to be on Augmentin for 4 years then stopped only to begin having severe UTI's again. Back on the Augmentin and no UTI's.

    • Takingtime
      Takingtime msmusco

      Posted

      Hi there,  I am just curious, did they find the cause of why you keep get reoccurring UTI's?  

    • marie02480
      marie02480 christy68003

      Posted

      Hi,  I started having bladder problems months ago.  I thought it was over active bladder at the time.  The doctor prescribed Oxybutrin.  I took it for a long time.  I wasn't in pain, I just had to urinate a lot.  But it didn't solve the problem.  I stopped taking it.  Just recently I thought maybe I have a Bladder infection.  Yesterday, I went to Urgent Care and they took a urine sample and prescribed Cipro.  This is my second day of taking it. I am hurting and have to take pain killlers.  I have had other bladder infections in the past but they never hurt like this one does.  I wonder if it is because I waited too long to treat this.  Anyway, I hope the hurting goes away soon. If the hurting goes away I will know the antibiotic is working. 

  • Lewlew
    Lewlew HealthSavvy

    Posted

    I've dealing with a UTI for about a month now. Just finished cipro and worse now then before!

    • msmusco
      msmusco sam88353

      Posted

      I am on a daily dose of Augmentin 500. I have been on it as a prophylactic for years. Tried stopping and within months had severe repetitive UTI's.

  • Guest
    Guest HealthSavvy

    Posted

    How are you doing with your uti. I have a antibiotic resistant one that I can’t get rid of and I’m scared
    • msmusco
      msmusco Guest

      Posted

      You may have to try different antibiotics. Keflex helped.
    • tara10173
      tara10173 msmusco

      Posted

      Hi there!

      I’ve tried every antibiotic known to mankind!!!!!!! And NOTHING worked! I was prescribed Birth Control which straightened out my cycle which has decreased my burning. I was burning all the time because I would ovulate two weeks prior then bleed for three weeks straight. So I burned all the time. Now I burn one week prior to my menstrual and some during my menstrual which now only lasts around 5 days or so. Better than 24/7. However, the burning is still there and apparently it happens during ovulation and menstruation. So at least I know now When and what triggers it. However, no fix for it yet or reasons WHY. Also, sex is a no go. It’s like I’m still really swollen inside aka inflamed. So sex is extremely painful. I moved and will be seeing a new GYN. I’ll keep you all posted when I do. Praying for you all! This burning is a terrible thing to live with! Has to be a reason and a fix for whatever this nightmare is 😩

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