Re-occuring UTIs

[smyns]

I cannot stand re-occuring utis. i have been to urologists and my FP doctor. i do not drink any caffeine, i urinate after sex, i wipe from front to back, i just dont understand how i keep getting them. i havent had one for about 6 months and now i have had 2 within 2 weeks. with the first one i had Bactrim for 3 days and it helped a little and then it went away, then i got my period and it came back!!!! its very frustrating for myself as well as my partner!!!!! tell me whats wrong with me!!!!

thanks alot.
i dont mean to be rude but i just cant take it!

thanks again!

[Lsuarez777]

I have had UTI's back since 2002.  They seems to show up frequently but only a few times do I get symptoms such as frequent urination, itch or pelvic pain. Twice I have had to go to the ER with pelvic pain.  I just went to the ER on Nov. 5, 2008.  It was so bad I could not sit.  My blood and urine was tested and a CT scan of the pelvis was done.  They administered pain killer over IV and diagnosed UTI.  I was given antibiotics.  When I was done with them I returned to my PCP for a follow up.  Blood, leukeocites and Protein were present in the urine.  He gave me more antibiotic and tested me a week later.  The test results had not changed one bit.  He started me on another antibiotic and referred me to a uroligist again.  Back in 2006 I had a test done where the urologist went into my bladder with an instrument and tested that. It was ok then.  I don't see blood myself but sometimes the urine looks a bit darker in color like watered down soda.  I am currently on Plaquenil for the past year for Sjrogens and Lupus.  I did schedule to see a specialist on the 19th of this month but want to know what you think.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
Your symptoms could be due to UTI, or urinary tract infection, at any level from bladder to ureter to kidney. It could also be due to a stone in the urinary tract or cancer of the urinary bladder. What you need is a urine culture and sensitivity test done and a lower abdomen sonography. Next time you have this problem, please go to a laboratory and give your urine for culture and sensitivity in a sterile bottle. This will tell you what organism is causing the infection and what antibiotic will kill it permanently. Please do not take any antibiotic without this test because if the organism is not sensitive to the antibiotic, it will only sit quietly for some time and then flare up again.
It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!