Urgent: UTI won't go away after almost 2 weeks--please help!

[misslux]

Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I hope you can get some real help soon.

[Thinkimjob]

Go to the ER, not your pcp. I agree with everything Lisa said.

[rdmc]

Emily: I think you need to skip the urgent care and go to the ER tomorrow. They have better equipment and abilities to diagnose the problem all in one spot and all right away (meaning nothing has to be sent away for a day or so). You still have white blood cells in your urine, which means you still are fighting an infection somewhere in your urinary tract system. Taking the antibiotics still is skewing the effects of the test. When you go to the ER they will check for everything, and they will understand about the ABX thing. Your fever needs to be taken care of.

Let us know how it goes, OK?

Lisa
Moderation Team

Ditto what Lisa said. And you don't have to have Nitrites in the urine to have an infection...Leukocytes indicate something's going on somewhere, especially since you say the test strip is very positive. I often have UTIs and many times the strip doesn't show positive Nitrites.

And as Lisa said the reason the tests are skewed is because of the antibiotics in your system. So much indicates an infection or problem with your urinary tract or kidneys: fever, foul smelling urine, unable to empty your bladder, pain in your back...forget the urgent care, go to the ER.

I hate dr. visits, and ER visits. Almost have a panic attack thinking about going (and I'm like you since I've had bad experiences in the past) so the fear is sort of hard wired in your brain. But you've got to forget about it, fight it back, and think about the ER as a place where you're going to be properly evaluated. If you find you're getting worse, don't wait, go now.

[MSwhileOverseas]

Emily you need to be seen by urologist as soon as possible. The urgent care will just be a waste of money, they are only good for simple problems with simple solutions. In the ER as previous posters have stated you will have access to better doctors and medical equipment.

I have had UTIs since I was a little girl but in high school I started loosing the sensations of a UTI infection so I didn't know I had one causing a few to get so bad that they required IV antibiotics to clear up. I also think this was the beginning of my MS. A few times I would have trouble emptying my bladder and my bladder would contract and hurt so bad and my urine smelled bad but when I went to the doctor I tested normal for UTI, I thought I was going crazy. A month later I would have a raging UTI. I now think what was happening was an MS flare that caused me to retain urine that then turned into an infection.

I hope you have received some relief and please see a urologist as soon as possible.

[Tracelyn]

I am in agreement with the other comments.

Go to the ER! If your primary is wasting your time, and still have not got a referral to a urologist, then I would seriously think about switching pcp's.

However, the total gist is this is to get help, and an urgent care clinic is not going to find the root cause, only send you off for more tests.

[MSer102]

Emily, if you haven't already done it...

GO TO THE ER! NOW!

[brothrgoose]

persistent UTI......?

Emily,
I feel your pain AND your frustration!

If memory serves, you have been off Abx for about 3 days.
WBC's in your urine is , of course, not normal, but luekocyte estrase is usually the big "ah-ha"!
Yes, the diarrhea an nausea can easily be from abx WHILE taking them...I don't buy it now.

Persistent fevers. ?.I would want blood cultures X2 (just means usually drawn from 2 different sites). In addition, you need a CBC w/differential to find out what your WBC (white blood cell count) is. Fevers. ..ESPECIALLY persistent one indicates infection SOMEWHERE! !!
Last, a lactic acid lab would be a quick way to see if you're "septic".

An ER should be doing AT LEAST that...along with basic vital signs, of course.
I don't understand why people are not getting a little concerned? ??!!!

I'm guessing you're young and the "young" body can compensate better than old or very young...but...

Get to an ER...they can do everything and get results quicker.

Godspeed! !!

[Kimba22]

I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, MSer102!!!!!

No more excuses! Get in NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Emily74]

oh, thank you

OK, I'm just about crying reading your posts. Thank you for not judging me or thinking I'm crazy.

I called my best friend here--she and her husband have two little ones: the oldest 8 and the youngest 4, so my daughter is right in between. She's taking my daughter tonight so I can go to the ER. She said "it's no trouble to add Ellie to our family."

I don't know how I got so lucky. I have to think of the positive and it's people like you and like her that give me strength.

And Ellie is so excited--she's glad I'm going to the hospital so she can have a sleepover!!! That changes everything for me--if it doesn't hurt her, it doesn't hurt me.

Rdmc, thank you for sympathizing about my fear of the ER and hospitals. I just--when I had my first real attack of MS I kept going back to the ER and they kept sending me home--they said I was anxious and gave me Ativan. I thought I was crazy, and I was so embarrassed. I need to remember--I've been anxious many times in my life, but never so anxious I could not walk because of it!!! So I guess I never thought about it, but I do get flashbacks to those experiences and I get so scared to go.

But I'm going. Thank you. Brothrgoose, you said you were guessing I was young. I'm 39. I keep changing my definition of "young" as I get older! But I have been lucky again in that if I am not in a relapse I am able to exercise and that seems to have kept me strong and fit on clinical exams even though my brain is a mess. So maybe that is part of it. I've read about the "but you look so good" phenomenon--though at this point, that shouldn't be a factor. All my MS symptoms are acting up and so I have ptsosis in my right eye and a really riotous tremor around my mouth, and I can't stand up straight, so no matter which way you slice it, my right eye is half closed, my mouth won't stop twitching, and I'm half doubled over. But my PCP didn't see me that way, only the lab tech.

So hopefully the ER will take it into account? I am so relieved to hear that leuokocytes are important and indicate a problem. Thank you rdmc, brothrgoose, Kimba22, MSwhileoverseas, Tracelyn, MSer102, Thinkimjob, 22cyclist, misslux, everyone else who has read and helped --you've given me the confidence to finally just cry and call my friend to take Ellie and go. I will let you know what happens as soon as I can.

With great gratitude, Emily

[Kimba22]

Emily,

I don't understand why people are not getting a little concerned? ??!!!

Me ,neither!

Emily,

The many posters here are VERY concerned about you! I'm having a hard time getting you out of my mind. I know from personal experience how serious an infection can become. And how fast it can happen!

I got sepsis TWICE from UTIs (within 24 hours of finding out I had a UTI to begin with), and once the infection went to my heart. I ended up in ICU. I was on some heavy duty IV antibiotics 'round the clock for 6 weeks. I beg you ... please get into the ER as soon as humanly possible!

You need your bladder drained, IV fluids, and IV antibiotics. PLEASE, don't hesitate anymore! Get this infection addressed in the ER before you have serious complications.

(Your daughter sound precious and needs you to get well!)

Once you're well, I'd seriously consider looking for a new PCP.

We care!

Sending you hugs,

[Sissy]

I ran into the same thing! A few times it was an actual UTI but most of the time when it was really bad and I could not hold my urine at all, I found that it was actually spasms and I would take Soma and in a while it would get better ! I finally got to where I could tell the difference.

[brothrgoose]

what's up?

Emily,
You have been absent for a day now easily.
I hope you are hospitalized as you should've been a LONG time ago!!

Your daughter is fine BUT needs a healthy mommy!....my two sweet boys taught me that!

Pleeeeeze4 let us know....there are SO many caring people on this site!! ANYONE with MS needs outside support!

[aspen]

Emily .. thinking (and worrying!) about you ...

How are you doing now?

[Sissy]

Hey Sweet Girl!!
I PRAY that you are reading this from a hosp bed where you are getting the proper care that you need!! I am an old retired peds nurse and I know it is scary to be away from your little girl. But it WILL get worse for both of you if you keep putting it off!! SO PLEEEEASE HURRY TO THE ER IF YOU ARE NOT IN A HOSP BED RIGHT NOW!!!

[Sissy]

Also! being sick with just about anything will set your MS on "FAST FORWARD" I know that for sure!! I know you feel like "death warmed over" as my G-Ma used to say! and the longer the infection goes on the worse the flare will last!!!
GET WELL! BE BLESSED! YOU ARE SO LOVED