Help for a UTI?

concavity

I went to my college nurse to basically did a culture and pee strip and then called me a *kitten* for having one, since apparently you can only get it from being with someone :grumble: :eyeroll: She prescribed me an antibiotic (Bactrim) but my birth control is very delicate and I don't want to take any chances.
I have absolutely no symptoms for over a week now and I've been taking PURE cranberry juice as well as trying to avoid sugar and dairy products.
I am going to start Vitamin C tablets, 1 every other hour to see if that works as well. Anything else I can do> I already drink loads of water too.

126siany

I'd take the antibiotics because you don't want to end up with a kidney infection. You're right that antibiotics can interfere with oral contraceptives. You'd need a back-up birth control like condoms.

There is an OTC pill you can take that will kill the burning sensation. I can't recall the name of it, but you could ask the pharmacist.

And yes, drinking lots of water helps.

I'm sorry that the nurse was insulting to you. I suppose in her world, virgins and celibates don't get UTIs. HAH!

concavity

I'm not concerned about condoms just I don't want to suddenly start my period suddenly or have it go irregular again since thats why I'm on them .

I have no sensations not even burning or anything which is why I'm a bit skeptical of my nurse, I would go to my regular doctor but she's on maternity leave so I"m going to see her once she gets back.

It seems so, its not like she even knew I was sexually active, I do go to a Catholic university but this is modern times here.

draco706

asked my sister, a nurse. UTI's do not always have to do with one being sexually active, having sex, or anything else. Elderly people get them all the time, toddlers get them as well. I know my grandmother gets them once or twice a year - she is in a ladies only Lutheran assisted living center. Yeast may contribute. Drink cranberry juice and eat cranberry's they will help a mild anti-biotic clear the infection. An anti biotic may impact birth control, so use backup. either a condom, or spermicide etc. Remember it may be a full month+ before your pill is at full power.

If the nurse made you feel like a *kitten* she was being unprofessional and aught to be reported either to the school or the state licensing board.. women who feel they are having value judgements made about them are less likely to go for medical assistance and that can have horrific consequences leading to pain, infertility and even death from the infection. That nurses attitude is a contributing factor in why we need better access to women's health care and a more woman positive view on woman's reproductive health!

If you have any other questions my next door neighbor is an internal medicine doctor (intern supervisor) at U of Wisc. hospital.

VelociMama

PLEASE take the antibiotics as recommended and abstain from sex until your next cycle. I had a UTI turn into a kidney infection last year. Worst experience of my life. HORRIBLE doesn't even begin to describe the pain and misery of a full blown kidney infection. The only reason it got that bad was because I was thinking I could just ride it out. I ended up in the hospital emergency room on morphine for the pain and IV antibiotics. Just take the pills as prescribed and get rid of it early!

Secondly, if the nurse really called you "a *kitten*," you should file a complaint. It's not he place to say something that rude or insensitive to you. I had a UTI last year (see above), and I'm happily married and faithful.

AmyFett

Yogurt...and I highly doubt a nurse would call you a *kitten*. If your BC is delicate, simple solution...don't have sex while taking it?

EDIT: Also, I've had UTI's many times when I was never sexually active and also many times I had no idea that I had one. Then when I thought I had one, went to the doc's and I was pregnant with my 2nd daughter; it was never a UTI... :laugh: :laugh:

chinatbag

The nurse was unprofessional.

Bactrim should be compatible with your antibiotic, I believe the antibiotic they prescribe is Flagyl. Should be good to go. In case you still want to be active, use protection.

You're doing the right thing by drinking water and cranberry juice, that can help flush it. However, I'd go with taking the antibiotics as they are prescribed.

Also, always urinate after sexual activity, it can help with avoiding a UTI after sexual contact.

artickb22

I'm a nurse: you can get a UTI from all kinds of sources...even from simply wiping if your hand has come into contact with bacteria. Seriously...it's a VERY common thing. You def need to take the anti-boitics and they WILL mess up your birth control so use back up!! You can take pyridium over the counter for the pain but if you don't take the anti biotics the infection could get worse and move to your bladder/kidneys...now that's rare and a little extreme but better safe than sorry. I would never go back to that witch again who treated you so rudley. How s*itty!

v_mdravensfan

First off, I agree with taking your antibiotics if your culture was positive.

Another option to help keep urinary tract healthy is below. THIS IS NOT A CURE - This is from a naturopath my mother uses - and she used to have chronic UTI before she started the cranberry supplements, and adds this in every once and a while. If you don't grow your own parsley, then the fresh from the grocery or farmers market works too:

"Treatments that Assist Healing UTI

Parsley tea is a helpful treatment which has been a used traditionally to treat urinary tract infection, kidney stones, and liver, bladder and prostrate problems. The Cherokee Indians, who learned of its medicinal value from the settlers, drank parsley tea for kidney and bladder pain, and dropsy (edema, or water retention).

It is best to use fresh parsley, including the stems, to make a tea. But if you can get the roots as well it will make the treatment even more potent and helpful. Drink 2 cups per day for 7 days to help the pain of a urinary tract infection. Your symptoms will greatly decrease after 3 days, but continue for 4 more days.

If you are pregnant, parsley oil, juice, and seeds should be avoided because they are uterine stimulants, but the tea recommended below is quite safe to drink.

Do not continue drinking 2 cups of tea for long periods of time, past 7 days, since it is diuretic, meaning it makes your body lose water along with important minerals.

Ensure your drinking water and water used for cooking is from a natural source like "true" Spring water or regular tap water filtered by a charcoal filter like Brita or PUR brands, that filter out chlorine and other contaminants but not all of the natural minerals from Nature.

How to make Parsley Tea

Boil 4 cups of non-chlorinated water.
Remove the water from the heat.
Mince (cut up finely) 4 heaping teaspoons of fresh parsley (including stems, & roots if you can get them).
Steep 20 minutes and then strain it.
Drink hot or cold, and it may be reheated without harming it. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
Drink 2 cups throughout the course of one day, for 7 days only."

sirabe

I went to my college nurse to basically did a culture and pee strip and then called me a *kitten* for having one, since apparently you can only get it from being with someone :grumble: :eyeroll: She prescribed me an antibiotic (Bactrim) but my birth control is very delicate and I don't want to take any chances.
I have absolutely no symptoms for over a week now and I've been taking PURE cranberry juice as well as trying to avoid sugar and dairy products.
I am going to start Vitamin C tablets, 1 every other hour to see if that works as well. Anything else I can do> I already drink loads of water too.

First of all report the nurse, she should keep her feelings to herself and learn to be a professional.

Secondly, UTI are mainly caused when you accidently get some fecal matter in your urethra- good reason to be careful when wiping and after sex the matter can get it too, but it can happen so quickly. Plus, your chances of getting them increases when you wear thongs on a regular basis- they just don't trully stay in the right areas moving the small amounts of fecal matter to the urethra.

Thirdly, if you are drinking lots of cranberry juice. That may be the reason you are not feeling the pains. You can also add ACV to that drink it helps a lot.

I would continue taking the antibiotics per your prescription. You definitely dont want it to spread to your kidneys.

once again report the nurse she needs that judgemental attitude adjusted. I dont care if someone was sleeping with the entire city and it ravished all sorts of STD's, her job is to help and get the person help, not to judge them- only God can do that.

--

Oh yeah in addition, eat plenty of yogurt.. those antibiotics are notorius for causing a lovely yeast infection afterwards if you don't take some proactive steps.
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oh and if you are sexually active, dont forget to pee afterwards or at least try.. This really cuts down on reocurrences.. soem people even call UTI the honeymooners disease. "
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I've had them a few times since i have been with my husband monogamously for the last 13 years. and once during each pregnancy.

concavity

The nurse was unprofessional.

Bactrim should be compatible with your antibiotic, I believe the antibiotic they prescribe is Flagyl. Should be good to go. In case you still want to be active, use protection.

You're doing the right thing by drinking water and cranberry juice, that can help flush it. However, I'd go with taking the antibiotics as they are prescribed.

Also, always urinate after sexual activity, it can help with avoiding a UTI after sexual contact.

Bactrim was the antibiotic prescribed to me but I'd have to be on it for 14 days. I spoke to my mother who had one and she only had to take an antibiotic for 5 (Like a Z-pack)

SoDamnHungry

Take the antibiotics, seriously. Either use backup birth control or abstain for awhile.

Also, I'd complain about the nurse because she's extremely unprofessional.

RAWBMEOW

take the bactrim, you can symptom-less and next thing you know its in your kidneys and you have to be hospitalized. Just use a condom or abstain for 5 days and you should be good as new.