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OT-UTI...or Kidney infection...need help

herewegoagain's picture

For a couple of weeks now it seems I had a UTI. I never get this, so I don't even know much about it. It seemed to be going away and I had my period too, so I couldn't really go to the doctor for the first week. The last few days it seems to be getting better and then gets worse again. I don't have fever, but I am having a very, very light pain in my lower back...I have no car to go to a dr, so I called today and I can go tomorrow. Is this something that can wait? I keep reading online that it's very dangerous after the first 5 days or so, so I have no idea if I should go to an ER or wait until tomorrow...I'm taking cranberry+vitaminc C pills and drinking water in the hopes that I can make it until tomorrow...but I am still worried...Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks so much in advance...I wish I had a car, but I don't, so I depend on my husband to take off work to take me to a dr...

Comments

Delilah's picture

You need to establish whether you still have an infection and you need to do it asap, as it could develop into something more serious.

I have had UTI's and I have gynae problems, I suffer with chronic pain so was unaware I had a UTI (thought it was my endometriosis). Eventually DH rushed me into the emergency room in the early hours one day because I thought I was dying the pain was so bad, turns out my UTI had developed into a kidney infection as a result I was put on numerous courses of antibiotics to shift it (btw it took several nasty courses as it was so bad). I also had to have a kidney scan to ensure that I had no lasting kidney damage because although eventually the UTI/infection cleared I still had back pain in my kindey region...luckily everything was fine.

So please get yourself checked out as infections can worsen and can cause permanent damage if left untreated!

smdh's picture

You should be fine to wait until tomorrow as long as you have no fever. I get UTIs a lot and they often cause kidney pain. If you can go to the pharmacy tonight when you have a car get some Cystex or AZO. They'll help relieve the pain until you go to the doc. THey will not cure it though. You'll need an anti-biotic.

AndSoItIs's picture

UTIs have a sneaky way of sticking around unless you get the proper antibiotics to "cure" them. that's why it seems to be getting better then will get worse again. The cranberry pills might help but they're more of a preventative thing. Once you have a uti you have to take antibiotics to get rid of it and if you don't you could end up with a bladder infection or kidney infection which could be much much worse. You should be fine until tmrw if you don't have a fever or pain in your abdomen. If either of those things happen, go immediately to the ER. Call an ambulance if you have to.

herewegoagain's picture

Thank you all for your help...I truly appreciated it. I just called the dr and made an appt for tomorrow and called my husband. If I start getting pains in my abdomen, then I will figure out a way to go to the ER or emergency clinic nearby. Thanks again so very much.

PS - the whole period thing I had something similar about 8 years ago and was told by the doctor when I went that because I had my period I should have waited...maybe he was just a lousy doctor...sigh

PeanutandSons's picture

Drink water like its going out of style. You will flush most of the bacteria out of your system, and feel a lot better.

I went through a phase where I got utis all the time, and got sick of the antibiotics. I just started chugging obsene amounts of water and then my body was able to fight the infection on its own.

forestfairy's picture

You'll be fine waiting for tomorrow if you have no fever. I wouldn't waste the money for the ER unless the pain was intolerable. Drink as much water as you can, keep taking the cranberry, and don't drink anything with sugar in it. Sugar is bad for bladder/UTI infections.

Unfreakingreal's picture

An unattended UTI can get very serious. I spent 8 days in the hospital with a kidney infection from a UTI. If you don't have fever you might be able to wait until your appointment tomorrow. Drink loads of water until than. Feel better.

Elizabeth's picture

Definitely go in as soon as you can. I had an undiagnosed UTI that turned into a kidney infection, and we didn't catch it until I finally went to the doctor and had a test and there was blood in my urine. The doctor said this is not something your body can fight off on its own, so it will continue to get worse until treated.

imjustthemaid's picture

Yeah I wouldn't wait. I had my first UTI a month or so ago and I had no idea what the problem was because I never had one before. I waited so long to go to the dr and I ended up with a worse infection and blood in my urine and I was in so much pain!!

I thought I was just bloated from having my period. Now I know the symptoms!! Ugh I hope I never get that again!!

herewegoagain's picture

Thanks much...I went an put a heating pad on my back and took a nap, a bunch of water, etc...I feel a bit better, now it hurts a bit like where my liver is :? I just called my DH and told him to check another clinic that although about a 40 minute drive from where we live also, might be open later than the regular doctor...I'll see if I can make it there tonight after DH gets home from work. Thanks much for all the info. I do appreciate it.

herewegoagain's picture

Thanks to all. Very, very, very strange...I did start taking Cranberry+Vitamin C pills and the pain, etc. went away. I went to the Dr anyway, he put me on an antibiotic for 3 days and we waited for the test results. It came back NEGATIVE. Of course, I no longer have the pain, etc. so I am thinking that these Cranberry+Vit C pills did a great job...because when I only took 1 a day, it was still there off and on, when I began taking the prescribed 2 3x per day, it went away.

Ended up going to a gyno because something showed up strange on the culture, but the gyno said I had nothing to worry about. We'll see. Thanks to all for the info.

caspianlundgren's picture

Antibiotics are the mainstay treatment for all UTIs. A variety of antibiotics are available and choices depend on many factors, including whether the infection is complicated or uncomplicated or primary or recurrent. Treatment decisions are also based on the type of patient (e.g., man or woman, a pregnant or nonpregnant woman, child, hospitalized or nonhospitalized patient, person with diabetes.) Treatment should not necessarily be based on the actual bacteria count. bactrim ds is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, traveler's diarrhea and many more