UTI to Kidney Infection

[MagicMadjeski]

Hi all you lovely people!

I'm hoping someone can enlighten me regarding my current urinary tract infection issues which I can't stop obsessing worst case scenarios and reading Dr. Google to the point I'm fearing everything from kidney failure to sepsis! Luckily I start my CBT in the next few weeks to address my obsessive thoughts and health / death anxieties.

So the short story is, last week I got classic UTI symptoms for the 2nd time in 12 months and went to the GP for tests and antibiotics. The dip test revealed nitrates etc and he gave me Nitrofurantoin for a week. I also sent off for urine culture before taking the antibiotics but they came back as negative! The classic UTI symptoms are getting a bit better but still there so GP and now prescribed me Cefalexin for 2 weeks. I've also done a second urine culture which again came back as negative. The past couple of days I have been getting back ache along with the occasional bouts of chills but no other symptoms and I'm afraid it has spread to my kidneys.

Does anyone have any similar experiences or could put my mind at ease that since these cultures came back as negative the infection should be gone... Thank you!

[Toots24]

Hi Magic

I have been through your situation exactly.

I had a UTI which didn't seem to budge with antibiotics, cultures came back clear but still had symptoms pain in bladder pain urinating and pain in back. I had a really rough time with it because doctors seemed baffled by it, I had excruciating back pain and the GP said I had a kidney infection he sent me to the hospital, the hospital did blood test and ultrasound and sent me away saying it was only a UTI very frustrating. Many an antibiotic later it kind of went away but still suffer from the odd bladder twinge and back pain, I constantly have blood and sometimes protein in my urine which I think was throwing the doctors off I think this is something I just have and is unexplained. I've since had a CT scan and cystoscope and everything showed up normal.

I was like you and feared Kindney failure and sepsis these are very rare complications of a UTI. If you have a kidney infection you'll have severe back pain, you'll be vomiting and shaking - this is what the hospital told me. I honestly felt horrific I was in so much pain and after all the tests it was just a UTI.

---------- Post added 27-02-16 at 00:02 ---------- Previous post was 26-02-16 at 23:58 ----------

Sorry I clicked post too fast!

You should be absolutely fine if your cultures came back negative. If it's still sore when you go to the loo it may be bladder irritation your experiencing like cystitis and i wouldn't worry about the back pain if it's not severe.

You'll be absolutely fine, trust me! I went through months of worrying about those things.

[MagicMadjeski]

Hi Toots,

Thank you for sharing your experience and I'm glad things are looking more positive for you. I have been to see a Urologist on Friday who did a prostate exam and a full ultra sound of my urinary tract which came back with an enlarged prostate so he thinks I have prostatitis and has put me on 6 weeks of antibiotics and will see me again in 2 months. In the mean time, my typical UTI symptoms are still ongoing and he warned it will take a while to clear up due to where the infection is. I'm still getting the back pain on and off and some chills but they checked the kidneys and said it was all good.

One issue was the cultures weren't negative and did show E Coli which apparently was resistant to one antibiotic but not to the Nitrofurantoin which is what I was on but didn't really help. I will be speaking with my GP next week to get the longer course of antibiotics and complain about the results not being communicated correctly!

I literally cannot wait for my CBT to start so I can learn not to obsess on these health issues! Thank you again for sharing your experience, I know exactly how you were feeling with the worry about it and it's good to know it can be cured.

[Toots24]

Hi magic

That's great, I'm glad they have figured out what's causing your problem. I hope the treatment works for you and quickly! I always found nitrofuratoin and co amoxiclav were the best at clearing mine up.

Really happy for you that your starting CBT definetly a step in the right direction, it can only get better from here on out :D