anyone develop urinary infections that won't go away?

lizzie17

Since April, I have had 3 different antibiotics, two bloodwork orders, and 4 urine cultures. They can't identify the bacteria, because they can't separate them in the lab!!! The most recent labs were Friday, so no results yet. Drinking water, cranberry juice and sleeping a lot more than usual.

This just seeems ifffy to me. I also have had fever up to 102 degrees. Tonight, just 101.

I am now being referred to a urologist, but I just have bad feelings about it. Do we ever not worry that it is cancer?

New Flower

Infection due to lack of estrogen
Lizzie, I am sorry that you have a fever. Since I was put on antiestogen medications (Tamoxifen and Arimedex I have had it several times. Every time we treated it with different medication.It is not fun, but it is not cancer. Also Chemo Cytoxan have caused some UTI even after finishing Chemo. I hope urologist will help you and recommend a successful treatment for you.
Wishing you to feel better soon.
Hugs
New Flower

lizzie17

New Flower said:

Infection due to lack of estrogen
Lizzie, I am sorry that you have a fever. Since I was put on antiestogen medications (Tamoxifen and Arimedex I have had it several times. Every time we treated it with different medication.It is not fun, but it is not cancer. Also Chemo Cytoxan have caused some UTI even after finishing Chemo. I hope urologist will help you and recommend a successful treatment for you.
Wishing you to feel better soon.
Hugs
New Flower

oh
didn't connect it to the arimidex.
thanks

Terin_fuelthecure

lizzie17 said:

oh
didn't connect it to the arimidex.
thanks

UTI Infections
I have the same thing i get them like crazy and anouther part of it the reason you can get them so much is if you have had your ovaries removed as well that anouther thing that can trigger them worse .Im on armindex for my cancer now that i will have to be on for quite sometime

Survivor73

Terin_fuelthecure said:

UTI Infections
I have the same thing i get them like crazy and anouther part of it the reason you can get them so much is if you have had your ovaries removed as well that anouther thing that can trigger them worse .Im on armindex for my cancer now that i will have to be on for quite sometime

UTI
Hello All. I just thought I'd share with you what I do with my daughter. She has reflux of the bladder, which causes UTI's all the time. (She's had 3 surgeries so far...but still not cured - she turing 10 next month)

The recommendation from the Dr's (and we've seen many specialists) is to ensure she drinks enough to need to empty her bladder every 2 hours.

So, my suggestion to all of you is to make sure you are going every 2 hours during the day...drink whatever you have to, of course they recommend water.

Even if you don't feel like you have to go, by emptying what is there, you are not allowing the bacteria in the urine to sit and grow. I constantly tell my daughter to go, and usually have to argue since she says "I don't have to" Anyway, if you can move what is there, it can't fester...

I don't know if this will help you, but it certainly can't hurt.

Take care

Dot53

Timely subject..
I was planning to call my urologist this morning.. I also have been having a terrible time with these.. I have always been susceptible to uti infections but they seem to be getting worse and more frequent.. I am not on any aromatase inhibitors...My gyn said that during menopause some women get them frequently but this is ridiculous...

Dot

CypressCynthia

Simple solution
Yes, after menopause, the same thing happened to me and my sisters.

Because I never liked cranberry juice (or the calories), I began taking cranberry soft gel pills and, voila, no mor UTI's. I take one a day and it works for me, but, if you are having more frequent infections, you should probably start with the recommended twice a day regimen.

Cranberry acts kind of like teflon, coating the bladder, so no bacteria can adhere.

Here is a link from the AAFP: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1201/p2175.html

You can buy the cranberry pills at any drugstore--in the section where you buy vitamins.

VickiSam

CypressCynthia said:

Simple solution
Yes, after menopause, the same thing happened to me and my sisters.

Because I never liked cranberry juice (or the calories), I began taking cranberry soft gel pills and, voila, no mor UTI's. I take one a day and it works for me, but, if you are having more frequent infections, you should probably start with the recommended twice a day regimen.

Cranberry acts kind of like teflon, coating the bladder, so no bacteria can adhere.

Here is a link from the AAFP: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1201/p2175.html

You can buy the cranberry pills at any drugstore--in the section where you buy vitamins.

C.C. .. You are spot on! After my
'kidney stones' episode .. my urologist recommended soft gel cranberry pills, and I have been taken them everyday ..as a precaution

UTIs are no joking matter, so my heart goes out to each and everyone of you WARRIORS.

Good luck, and Good health to you all,

Vicki Sam

Annette 11

Lizzie, I also had so many
Lizzie, I also had so many UTI when I was going through menapause. I just want to suggest that you get the "real" cranberry juice without added sugar. I get mine at Trader Joe's but many grocery stores have them these days. Take a couple of glasses of the juice during the day along with the cranberry pills and even more water than you drinking now. I was rushed to the dr's one of the many times that I had it as it got so bad just over night. I had blood in the urine. It was so painful. I haven't had one in 15 years. Your fever is because of the infection. It's so easy to get a UTI so be very careful of what you are doing everyday.
Hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon.
Hugs.
Annette

MAJW

Annette 11 said:

Lizzie, I also had so many
Lizzie, I also had so many UTI when I was going through menapause. I just want to suggest that you get the "real" cranberry juice without added sugar. I get mine at Trader Joe's but many grocery stores have them these days. Take a couple of glasses of the juice during the day along with the cranberry pills and even more water than you drinking now. I was rushed to the dr's one of the many times that I had it as it got so bad just over night. I had blood in the urine. It was so painful. I haven't had one in 15 years. Your fever is because of the infection. It's so easy to get a UTI so be very careful of what you are doing everyday.
Hope this helps and I hope you feel better soon.
Hugs.
Annette

Had them, too...
But they were years ago...not chemo related or hormone suppressions meds....had them so bad my bladder would hemmorage...yuk! Best piece of advice my gyn gave me...pee OFTEN and when you think you've gotten it all out.....then squat, actually lifting off the toliet as though you were using a public toliet....and drink drink drink! I am never without a glass of something liquid...I had a great fear of them returning during chemo but it never happened, thankfully...this new investigational, oral chemo that I start this week, states this is a possible side effect...keeping my fingers crossed! also...sorry if this is TMI... but frequent intercourse can worsen this.....so, no hanging from the chandeliers.....lol
Hugs

lizzie17

MAJW said:

Had them, too...
But they were years ago...not chemo related or hormone suppressions meds....had them so bad my bladder would hemmorage...yuk! Best piece of advice my gyn gave me...pee OFTEN and when you think you've gotten it all out.....then squat, actually lifting off the toliet as though you were using a public toliet....and drink drink drink! I am never without a glass of something liquid...I had a great fear of them returning during chemo but it never happened, thankfully...this new investigational, oral chemo that I start this week, states this is a possible side effect...keeping my fingers crossed! also...sorry if this is TMI... but frequent intercourse can worsen this.....so, no hanging from the chandeliers.....lol
Hugs

thank you everyone
I do drink water and then more water, I feel like I should float away....but, the cranberry gel pills sound like an option. I don't need any extra calories and have been drinking watered down cranberry juice.

Tonight's temp 100.4

CypressCynthia

lizzie17 said:

thank you everyone
I do drink water and then more water, I feel like I should float away....but, the cranberry gel pills sound like an option. I don't need any extra calories and have been drinking watered down cranberry juice.

Tonight's temp 100.4

I am glad you are seeing a
I am glad you are seeing a urologist as the fever may indicate a kidney infection and not just a bladder infection. Please let us know how you are doing!

From the Mayo Clinic:

Signs and symptoms of a kidney infection may include:
Fever
Back, side (flank) or groin pain
Abdominal pain
Frequent urination
Strong, persistent urge to urinate
Burning sensation or pain when urinating
Pus or blood in your urine (hematuria)

Factors that increase your risk of a kidney infection include:
Female anatomy. Women have a greater risk of kidney infection than do men. A woman's urethra is much shorter than a man's, so bacteria have less distance to travel from outside the body to the bladder. The proximity of the urethra to the vagina and anus also creates more opportunities for bacteria to enter the bladder. Once in the bladder, an infection can spread to the kidneys.
Obstruction in the urinary tract. Anything that impedes the flow of urine or reduces your ability to completely empty your bladder when urinating, such as a kidney stone, structural abnormalities in your urinary system or, in men, an enlarged prostate gland, can increase your risk of kidney infection.
Weakened immune system. Medical conditions that impair your immune system, such as cancer, diabetes or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), increase your risk of kidney infection. Certain medications, such as drugs taken to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, have a similar effect.
Damage to nerves around the bladder. Nerve or spinal cord damage may block the sensations of a bladder infection so that you're unaware when it's advancing to a kidney infection.
Prolonged use of a urinary catheter. Urinary catheters are tubes used to drain urine from the bladder. You may have a catheter placed in your bladder during and after some surgical procedures and diagnostic tests. A catheter may be used continuously if you're confined to a bed.
A condition that causes urine to flow the wrong way. In vesicoureteral reflux, small amounts of urine flow from your bladder back up into your ureters and kidneys. People with vesicoureteral reflux may have frequent kidney infections during childhood and are at higher risk of kidney infection during both childhood and adulthood.

lizzie17

CypressCynthia said:

I am glad you are seeing a
I am glad you are seeing a urologist as the fever may indicate a kidney infection and not just a bladder infection. Please let us know how you are doing!

From the Mayo Clinic:

Signs and symptoms of a kidney infection may include:
Fever
Back, side (flank) or groin pain
Abdominal pain
Frequent urination
Strong, persistent urge to urinate
Burning sensation or pain when urinating
Pus or blood in your urine (hematuria)

Factors that increase your risk of a kidney infection include:
Female anatomy. Women have a greater risk of kidney infection than do men. A woman's urethra is much shorter than a man's, so bacteria have less distance to travel from outside the body to the bladder. The proximity of the urethra to the vagina and anus also creates more opportunities for bacteria to enter the bladder. Once in the bladder, an infection can spread to the kidneys.
Obstruction in the urinary tract. Anything that impedes the flow of urine or reduces your ability to completely empty your bladder when urinating, such as a kidney stone, structural abnormalities in your urinary system or, in men, an enlarged prostate gland, can increase your risk of kidney infection.
Weakened immune system. Medical conditions that impair your immune system, such as cancer, diabetes or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), increase your risk of kidney infection. Certain medications, such as drugs taken to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, have a similar effect.
Damage to nerves around the bladder. Nerve or spinal cord damage may block the sensations of a bladder infection so that you're unaware when it's advancing to a kidney infection.
Prolonged use of a urinary catheter. Urinary catheters are tubes used to drain urine from the bladder. You may have a catheter placed in your bladder during and after some surgical procedures and diagnostic tests. A catheter may be used continuously if you're confined to a bed.
A condition that causes urine to flow the wrong way. In vesicoureteral reflux, small amounts of urine flow from your bladder back up into your ureters and kidneys. People with vesicoureteral reflux may have frequent kidney infections during childhood and are at higher risk of kidney infection during both childhood and adulthood.

I love Mayo site!!
Thank you for sharing this and your concern. Still haven't heard about Friday's test results.
A few years ago I had frequent infections and the tests showed "benign" kidney stones in the
right kidney. Maybe this stems from that. (??)

Angie2U

VickiSam said:

C.C. .. You are spot on! After my
'kidney stones' episode .. my urologist recommended soft gel cranberry pills, and I have been taken them everyday ..as a precaution

UTIs are no joking matter, so my heart goes out to each and everyone of you WARRIORS.

Good luck, and Good health to you all,

Vicki Sam

Hoping your test results
Hoping your test results will provide an answer and a solution for your infection. I know how painful this can be.


Hugs, Angie