Constant Bladder and Yeast Infections

[DizzyGirls]

My daughter is still having major issues with alternate bladder and yeast infections.  It started with a yeast infection, then went to a bladder infection,  then back to a yeast, etc.  You get the pattern.  This started back in November.  Thought we had the yeast under control about a month ago, but the medication daily dosage ended abruptly after 3 weeks and it came back within about 5 days.  The UTIs go away for a couple of weeks after an antibiotic (last one was levofloxin) but then return.  My daughter is taking a daily dose of fluconazole, and has been on Macrobid, Cipro (twice), and levofloxin for the UTIs.  We are obviously missing something, but even the gyn at UCSF doesn't know what to do now.  My daughter has an appointment with a local urologist tomorrow.  Very compassionate office woman squeezed her in so that she wouldn't have to go through the weekend with a raging UTI.  So nice!  Has anybody ever had this happen?  Her autonomic symptoms are just going haywire.  Her heart rate keeps going up and down as well as her temperature (it's now 99.6 usually 97.6).  When it's high she gets really shaky, vision gets blurry, and, of course, her vertigo gets even worse.  The fatigue has just gotten beyond tolerable.  Could this be related to something else?  I know she has some mild issues regarding overactive mast cells, is this possibly related. Anything, absolutely anything anybody can think of that might contribute, please let me know.  We do tons of probiotics, mild soaps, also she can't take the cranberry tablets (cause really bad bladder cramps).  Lots of fluids, etc.

[dancer65]

I believe yeast infection can be affected by the corticosteroids  ( I think your daughter is on florinef ?)and by rising levels of estogen that's why women can be more prone to infection before a period .  

Just throwing this out there but many foods have estogen in the like milk ( I was advised to go dairy free after a change was seen in ny mamo gramme )

i am sure you done all this but no underwear ,  avoiding soaps and douching as water makes the yeast increase. 

There are natural remidies such as  using garlic cloves vinegar yogart  I can't remember the others but I know they are on Google , not sure if they would help though as this seems to have got a hold 

 

 

[Katybug]

I found this article the other day. I found it interesting.  Even if she has yeast and bacterial infection,  I wonder if the dietary changes mentioned in this article (which seem to be fairly simple changes) could bring some relief. 

https://www.yahoo.com/style/happened-chronic-condition-misdiagnosed-utis-160000347.html

[Sylvie33]

Hi,

I just responded to Faye on this topic, and Katy, I wanted to thank you for your link to the article on Interstitial Cystitis....I have this too, and a correct diagnosis can save a lot of grief (let alone use of antibiotics and anti-yeast meds!)

Testing is a tad complicated, but we're already used to that (and diagnosis does not mean a UTI might still be present).  Also, AZO is wondrous for pain.

[Katybug]

I liked the article because it's written from a patient perspective. I don't have IC or chronic UTI, but I know this topic comes up frequently on this forum and members in past years have ended up diagnosed with IC. 

[DizzyGirls]

Katybug,

Thanks so much for the link!  I just read it.  I think this is it.  I have considered this off and on, but I never knew that it had the potential to get this severe.  It's funny, but I've tried to give her cranberry tablets off and on through this and they always make it considerably worse.  I'll bet this is what she has.  Going to the urologist at 3:00 today. 

Thank you so much for all of the other info, too, dancer65 and Sylvie!!  I knew you all would come through! 

[Sylvie33]

Best to you and the girls!

[DizzyGirls]

Quick update on our appointment.  Ugghhh!!  If I see one more doctor that doesn't believe a teenager can have interstitial cystitis I'm going to scream!  He was a nice enough doctor, but was too much old school.  He wasn't really interested in her past chronic history of yeast and UTI.  He said that yeast isn't the same as UTI.  I said I know that!  I was trying to explain what was happening over the last six months.  He was having too many problems with the computer and typing while I was talking.  Probably an excellent doctor for the elderly with no other complicating conditions, but definitely not for us.  To top it off, they had a therapy dog there to greet us and show us our way, but I'm really allergic to dogs and I left coughing and all stuffed up.  Still trying to get my allergies to calm down.  Guess I'll have to take my Zyrtec early.  Did prescribe Macrobid for her.  If it works, it was a UTI, if it doesn't, it's more than likely IC and I'm going to have to start calling around to find someone whose capable of taking my daughter's difficult case on.  Think I'm going to go grab some ice cream and watch American Idol so that I can forget about this miserable day...

[Guest]

When I was younger I went through phases of non-stop UTIs and yeast infections.  I was also told I have what they believe is Interstitial Cystitis, but lesions weren't actually seen during the scope.  The non-stop infections resolved on their own, but I still get them from time to time.

For the IC symptoms, (for me) Reiki relieves it within 15 minutes.  I'm not sure if you're into that sort of thing, but I got attuned so that I can give myself Reiki treatments.  Warm baths really help with IC too.   

On a side note, I actually lost a kidney when I was a kid from a bladder infection that traveled up.  It destroyed 88% of my kidney immediately. 

I really hope things suddenly resolve.  Aside from cranberry juice/tablets, the only thing I can think of is to drink a ton of water each day, and empty the bladder completely when going to the bathroom (these make it harder for bacteria to take root).  I'm sure you've already got both of those covered though.

[Katybug]

Hope you get to the bottom of it for your girl. It must be miserable. 

[SarahA33]

11 hours ago, DizzyGirls said:

  Did prescribe Macrobid for her.  If it works, it was a UTI, if it doesn't, it's more than likely IC and I'm going to have to start calling around to find someone whose capable of taking my daughter's difficult case on. 

Hi there,

How exhausting, that poor thing! Have they done a culture to see what the bacteria is? Like - e-coli, etc.? They have been starting to test mine, then they are able to see what the bacteria is antibiotic resistant and respondent to, instead of just throwing random antibiotics at what's "usually" successful at treating UTI's. For example, this last urinary tract infection I had, would only respond to Cipro and Macrobid, but had gone to my kidney and my doctor said that Cipro is more effective for treating UTI's that are "upper" and "lower" in the urinary tract.   Have they done a cystoscopy yet? I cant remember, sorry.     This seems next on the agenda for me if I get another infection. Also, a prophylactic antibiotic that I am starting seems like it could provide some good results. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2040239-overview#a3

My temp does the same thing and I feel awful.

[SarahA33]

Oh one thing I forgot.. I just had a test done (non invasive) sonogram that measures how much your bladder is emptying. It took just a few minutes. A cause of UTI's can be your bladder not emptying completely.

Hope she finds relief w/ the macrobid!

[yogini]

Have you looked into probiotics for your dr?  They help with yeast infections.  When you take antibiotics it destroys the good bacteria which can be restored through probiotics.

[Katybug]

Sarah, that a good point, too! Bladder dysfunction is a complication of dysautonomia and could be a significant consideration. 

[DizzyGirls]

Hi all!

So, the macrobid does not seem to be working.  She's feeling worse and worse.  Temp around 99.5 most of the day today.  Nausea, headache and chills.  UTI does not seem to be going away and yeast infection is back full force.  I don't think the fluconazole tablet she takes every day for the yeast is doing a hill of beans!  The OB/GYN mentioned that the fever could be from inflammatory properties, I agree, but I don't think that is the case because she's having some of the, well, more unpleasant issues with yeast.  Inflammatory properties from the fact she's still got a yeast infection and not secondary to something else.  We've tried OTC yeast treatments, yogurt, probiotics, creams, antifungal pills.  For the UTI we've done Macrobid twice (did not help), Cipro twice (gets rid of it, comes back after about 5 days), Levoquin once (came back after a couple of weeks this time), back to Macrobid.

Is anyone aware if there is something else (mast cell, autoimmune, EDS, some sort of imbalance) that causes these types of issues??  Round and round we go with yeast, uti, yeast, uti....it's never ending!  Doctor's just can't seem to put it all together.  Has been evaluated for diabetes (came back normal).  I know Dysautonomia and EDS can cause bladder issues, but this is infection, does that still hold true?  Any help is much appreciated. 

Also, thanks Sarah, for the sonogram suggestion.  She had one back in September or October.  It came out normal.    Also had a KUB x-ray and that was normal, too.  Before this all started (with one round of Doxycycline), she had only had one bladder infection in her life and had never even had a yeast infection. 

[Sylvie33]

I would like to echo Sarah that a culture should be done before any further prescription of abx.

For this could be simply very painful ISC and yeast.....which the abx would only exacerbate.

So, as you wisely said on Thursday, you will have to call around.  I'm so sorry.

The Azo can be acquired generically as well....(long name beginning with "p"....harmless I believe).

Best,

S

[Katybug]

Here's my two new thoughts...

1)Since the Cipro and Levaquin (both from the quinolone family) work, have they considered doing higher dose and for 2x the normal length of time. For example, when I had diverticulitis in December and we were trying to keep me out of the hospital for IV antibiotics,  my doc gave me 750mg Cipro (I had never had more than 500mg) and we kept me on it for 20 days instead of 10.

2) As the yeast goes, you might look up and try a "Candida diet" if it's ok with your docs. I will admit, it's no fun in that it eliminated all sugar and carbs but I know 3 people who had success getting rid of systemic candida infections this way when nothing else helped. 

[Amalia01]

You mentioned that your daughter has chills and nausea.  Does she have pain in her mid-back region?  If so, the infection may have spread to her kidneys and she would need immediate attention. Hopefully this is not the case as she does not need additional problems at this time. I consulted with a recently retired obgyn nurse and she did not know what else to advise. Good points about the bladder dysfunction, IC, culture (possibly e-coli), probiotics, and antibiotics.  With this constant irritation of tissue, I am not surprised she is uncomfortable. I'm so sorry your daughter is still having problems with this.

[DizzyGirls]

So, here I am again.  Do think I've got this figured out, once and for all.  I've been reading all of your comments and suggestions!  Thank you all!  I am back to my original suspicion of IC or something else that is causing an inflammatory issue in the 'nether regions'.   Got the results back yesterday afternoon from her urine culture and it said no infection.  So....we are back to square one, but with the realization that this is most likely the cause of everything.  The OB/GYN from UCSF said that sometimes people feel better after an antibiotic, not because they had an actual UTI, but because there was inflammation going on and it helped to reduce that.  I think that was what was going on.  She did had an actual UTI at some point in here because the labs came back as positive for e-coli.  The yeast infections were based on the symptoms that she was feeling and that made logical sense, but really, I think it was inflammation. 

Katie,  I've been reading some of your posts on mast cells and think that this could be an issue with my daughter.  She's already had a bone marrow biopsy to check for mastocytosis as she's had consistent labs where her tryptase levels were high.  The bone marrow biopsy came up negative, so that's good.  No mast cells in the bone marrow, but I do think that her mast cells are too active, which would be MCAD, right?  I am in the process of reading the very long medical article on Mast Cells from a recent post.  Very enlightening.  I am thinking there is a link between my daughter's mast cell issues and her current inflammation problem. 

Nothing like a little brainstorming with a bunch of caring people who ought to have their MD's!

 

[corina]

Sending good thoughts your way DizzyGirls, it seems you're on the right track! Best of luck reading the article and tying up loose ends!

[TCP]

I had problems for years, but now I'm on a healthy clean diet, with no nasty foods, I have improved 100%. I have no yeasts, sugars or inflammatory foods in my diet. All meals cooked from scratch with fresh organic veggies and all are low histamine and anti-inflammatory. I'm vegan, so no dairy and no gluten. 

I wash with a PH neutral feminine wash. Avoid harsh soaps and detergents. 

[DizzyGirls]

Thank you Corina for your kind words!  Hope we are on the right track!

TCP, I was looking into the low histamine diet.  My daughter is already lactose intolerant, so we've made that adjustment, so what's another!  My niece was actually eating spinach one day and broke out in a rash.  Think it runs in the family.  Probably we will have to just cut down on some things, as totally eliminating everything that is high histamine will probably be too much for now.  But, because I mostly cook from scratch anyway, that will give us a good start.  Thank you!

[htberg]

I'm glad you found a lead to follow up on.  I have frequent UTI's--like 6 or more a year.  I have been trying an over-the-counter supplement called D-Mannose that coats the bladder and helps to prevent UTIs.  It has one of the same ingredients that cranberry pills do so I'm not sure if it would be an option for your daughter, but just thought I'd mention it.  It tends to only work on e coli infections and despite those being the most common cause of UTIs, i rarely have that so it doesn't work as well for me as i had hoped. 

 

[DizzyGirls]

So I've been thrown another curve ball.  My daughter's OB/GYN from UCSF has been brainstorming with her colleagues (that was nice!) and they think that there is a possibility that it might be vaginal dryness due to the Depo Provera shot she has been getting.  At first I didn't buy it, but the more I've been looking into it and the more she explains, it is a distinct possibility.  The shot does not have estrogen in it and when you are stiffling the body's natural estrogen making process, you've got vaginal dryness.  And...because none of our bodies work right and usually overreact at just about everything (my daughter's does, anyway), this might be a possibility.  Only a couple of the cultures ever came back positive and everything else (yeast and UTI) was negative.  We are still waiting for the mast cell testing to come back.  She has very sensitive skin anyway, so the fact that it is so irritated and inflammed would account for the low grade fever also.  We are going to try using some coconut oil (solidified) as a vaginal suppository and see if it helps.  It was one of the doctor's recommendations and I have a big tub of it in the fridge!!   Our bodies are always so extremely complex.  Nothing is ever simple.  It's been such a rough year so far.  She'll be 20 in a couple of weeks and is so hoping for a better decade!  Thank you all for all of your help! 

[Katybug]

Sent you a pm.