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Urinary Tract Infection


sandy

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Hi Everyone.. I have a dilemma and I am not sure what i should do. I have been having weird symptoms when I urinate and yesterday I had blood in my urine.. So I went to the doctor today and he took urine and said it is probably a UTI.. I have never had one before and am very nervous cause he wants me to take the antibiotic Cipro.. I looked up the side effects and am petrified to attemp to take it.. My body is so sensitive to meds and now I have to take something that is hard on the central nervous system. I am thinking of trying a holistic approach. IK just don't want this infection to get worse and spread to my kidneys.. Any ideas or suggestions would be so appreciated. I am going to the health food store now to see what I can find...

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In my experience, you really do need antibiotics for a bladder infection. Did the doc do a culture to determine what the bacteria would respond to? Could you ask for a different antibiotic? Bactrim is one of the few I'm not allergic to, and it usually clears up an infection for me. But the doc may think your uti will respond best to cipro... I understand your reluctance, though.

The natural route comes in for avoiding utis. I have to drink a lot of fluids, not too much caffeine. Cranberry juice or extract can help ward them off. I hear it makes it hard for the bacteria to stick. I drink the kind sweetened with splenda, diluted with water on a regular basis. and if my bladder feels irritated I really double up. there have been times when I was convinced I had a uti, but the culture was negative. my bladder was just really irritated and i needed to drink and drink to get it settle down.

And till you feel better, the more you drink, the better you'll probably feel.

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Maybe you could talk to your doctor about the sensitivities, and see if he could recommend an antibiotic that would be easier to handle, but still get the infection cleared as well. This is why docs need to get more serious about ANS disorders, because we also get other illnesses, and we often can't tolerate the treatment plans that work for people without ANS dysfunction. This leaves ANS patients frustrated, and in danger of other complications that can worsen their dysautonomia.

I am also very sensitive to antibiotics, all my ANS symptoms get worse-------and I feel so sick.

Your certainly not wrong for feeling worried, but sometimes we don't have a choice in some necessary medications. The best thing to do is keep a close relationship with your pharmacist, and your doctor if he/she takes your illness seriously. If he/she doesn't, then fire him/her, and get a new doc. You need a doctor that takes your illness seriously---------THE ANS IS NOTHING TO SCREW WITH.

I remember when I had my neck surgery I was given high doses of an antibiotic, and I tolerated it fine. I need to call that hospital for my records and see what it was they gave me----- :( I took keflex--(spelling?) when I got an infection near my thumb nail. 500mgs twice a day. I did not tolerate the 500mgs, so I called the doc and asked if I could cut the dose in half @ 4 times a day, and he said ok. I ended up tapering the dose to 250mgs twice a day for the last few days because it was so difficult to tolerate, but it still wasn't terrible.

Sometimes you can just find a way around it, and still get the job done. It's very necessary to keep close contact with your physician to get your infection under control so it doesn't manifest into something worse. All antibiotics should be completed------I know----easier said then done.... :)

I hope it all works out for you----and you can tolerate the antibiotics well enough to get rid of your infection.

BIG HUGS to you.

Maxine :0)

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obviously you have to make your own decision that you feel comfortable with, but as someone who has had several kidney infections i can affirm that you definitely don't want to head in that direction. (i have impaired sensation so that i don't feel the more typical UTI symptoms until infection has progressed to my kidneys.) but it sounds like it may be a possible infection at this point rather than a definite...something you may want to clarify with your doctor. there are a good number of things other than infection that can cause blood in urine.

if you truly do have an infection though via a culture done in the lab i'd ask your doc before trying to go your own way without antibiotics. the results your doc receives specify the type of infection, the extent, etc. some degree of bacteria are normal so if you're just outside of normal ranges perhaps it would be okay to try to avoid antibiotics. on the other hand there are some bugs that can be really nasty that - if present - you wouldn't want to play around with, even if the antibiotics gave you temporary side effects.

while i don't want to minimize your sensitivities to medication, prescription information has to list pretty much anything/everything that occured in any test subjects...even if not definitively b/c of the med/ drug itself. more people than not take the med without problems (or with very minor problems). personally i've never had a problem with cipro (or with any other antibiotic for that matter). if you have had problems with antibiotics in the past you may want to be certain that cipro isn't in the same family.

hope this helps,

:) melissa

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Thank You so much for all the advice.. I have been searching on the internet for holistic therapies. I went to a high end holistic store and spoke to one of the reps and was given three different remedies to take.. So I am now taking D-Mannose which is known to cure 90% of all UTI's. I am also taking a high dose of Cranberry extract and Emergen C (which is Vitamin C). It's odd how I don't feel any symptoms at this point. I just felt it yesterday morning and then saw blood. I told my doctor I am very sensitive to meds but he said don't worry you'll be fine.. Cipro stimulates the Central Nervous System which where my main problem is so I am really hoping that this holistic approach works.. Again thank you for all the info...

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I am sorry Sandy, but I think you are going down a dangerous path. If you have been diagnosed with a UTI and could SEE blood, you need the appropriate antibiotic therapy.....you don't fool with this as you can indeed end up with a kidney infection and possibly need stronger antibiotics by IV. There are several antibiotic options. I cannot tolerate Cipro either, it is just standard quick respose treatment for UTI's used by all doctors. There is Bactrim and other options your culture will say what will heal the infection. I am not against alternative care, but an infection is not something to take a chance with when it could unnecessarily lead to something dangerous.

I said this with care and concern ( I am a Registered nurse ).

Patricia

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WOW! No offense but I would not buy something PUSHED from the 'health' store. The more they sell, the more profit. MARK UP is unreal in those stores though they 'can have their place.' DISCERNMENT is the KEY.

Blood in urine ain't to be messed with. CIPRO could be way too strong but as others said, there are MANY antibiotics to help with this. Best to get a culture.

I would at LEAST go with an ESTABLISHED antibiotic with a LONG track record.

Lot's of things are natural but it doesn't mean it's GOOD.

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, etc. Please be careful and take real meds for this.

I have only taken antibiotics 5 times in my life and I am 50!!! So I do not believe in taking them without a GOOD REASON.

Please speak to your doc. ALL drugs can have HORRIFIC side effects when you read the tiny print but there are lesser potent atbx.

Due to liability, EVERYTHING must be mentioned nowaday.

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