Urine Infections

[danielle_dw9547]

Hi,

I've been a type 1 diabetic for around 13 months now, was diagnosed late as I'm 27 this year!

Since November 2015 I've been having constant urine infections. I'll do a course of antibiotics after seeing the doctor and then after a few weeks it comes back. I'm now on my fourth one so far, but now there's a hell of a lot more blood in it this time round than there was the first three times. My doctor has given me more antibiotics and taken my sample to be thoroughly tested as they're slightly concerned at this point about the function of my bladder and kidneys! I don't have a fever and my BS is within range. I feel dehydrated and am in pain, especially trying to wee, but other than that I am fit and well. The last two infections I had, they found blood, sugar and quite a bit of protein in the sample I did for them. Nothing seems to be working, I feel like I'm going to be on antibiotics forever!

Has anyone else had this problem? Have they found anything wrong? Should I be worried? I have heard this is normal amongst diabetics!

Thanks guys!

 

[MH2010]

I have never had anything like that at all and been diabetic for 25yrs (I'm 29)

I know I find it horrible but try drinking cranberry juice, my sister drinks it with any type of urine infection and it helps her.

What are your BGLs typically like?

 

[Mep]

Yes, I have had a lot of uti's since being diagnosed with diabetes. I get them in waves (my best description). What I mean by that is I will get one after the other and it will go on for a few months or more and then I don't get any for quite a while. But I have been diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (IC) in 2013 because I live with constant uti symptoms but they do not find any pathogens in the test results. What they always find though is high leucocytes which apparently is abnormal and indicates inflammation. I get red blood cells too when I have uti's. But I sometimes have red blood cells when I don't have uti's. I've had to change my diet to try and curb my bladder symptoms. If I eat the wrong thing I'm in a fair amount of pain and suddenly can't pee too well, etc. Any activity seems to aggravate it also. I've had numerous kidney infections also in the past. I got hospitalised in 2014 about 3 times with them. But otherwise my kidney function is normal. I'm having trouble getting appropriate treatment for the interstitial cystitis though because I'm having all different answers given to me by 3 urologists so far. But basically I live with stabbing pain, aching/throbbing type pain, burning, either retention or peeing for the country, urgency, frequency, uretha spasms. Are you living with constant uti symptoms as well? Do they always find pathogens (bacteria or fungus)? I ask because some docs misdiagnose IC too and treat you like you have a uti when you don't. But I guess it could be anything. If you have protein it sounds like your kidneys should be checked too. I wish you the best.

 

[PatsyB]

I havehad Urine infections for a long time even before i was diognosed with type 2 Diabetes ...they told me it was a sure sign of diabetes so i said then why you not tested for diabetes before now ...no answer laughs but yes still get them periodically

 

[Lynz84]

Hi Danielle

I havent had one for a while but have suffered from these and lovely doses of thrush i was on antibiotics for near 4 months straight. Its actually very normal for diabetics because of the sometimes higher levels of glucose.

 

[GrannyAnnie]

Hi Danielle,
I am just recovering from uro-sepsis (for the third time in 4 months) due to a urine infection. I don't get any symptoms, so I asked if I could have some test strips to do a dip test every few days, but my GP refused saying they were too expensive!! I bought a tub of 100 on Amazon for £8.75!! I have had all sorts of investigations don, including a camera push through my urethra and around my bladder! They put men to sleep for this procedure - but women have feel the pain like a piece of broken glass being pushed into their most delicate areas!! I have also had a constant 3 month antibiotic treatment using 2 type of antibiotics on alternate weeks. I have only been treated for the last three UTI's because I did my own dip test and found I had Nitrites in my urine. I have never had any glucose or protein show up. Although I have had leucocytes a couple of times. I drink lots of water and cranberry (light), but a few days after finishing a course of antibiotics, I dip test and find I have another UTI.I get my husband to take a urine sample to the gp's with a note as to what to do. I have been taken by Ambulance on three occasion (including last weekend) and put on strong antibiotic via a drip. They also did loads of blood tests, a chest xray and a heart trace. I had a temperature of 39.7c and was constantly vomiting. But.....as A&E got very busy, they said they were sending me home as i could manage the sepsis at home! I was still vomiting when we got into the car in the carpark! I just got the car door open in time!!! A car pulled up and the driver asked my husband if we were ok. He said not really, but I had been discharged. The driver turned out to be one of the doctors at the hospital! My husband got the impression that he thought I was being taken against my will! He asked if I had been given any medication, and my husband showed him the packet of antibiotics they had given him for me. The Doctor reluctantly seemed to accept this and said he hoped I would be ok. Well........the next day, my husband called 999 again as the A&E had said to do so if he got worried about me. We got the same ambulance crew as the day before (after waiting nearly 4 hours and making 2 calls to 999) and they couldn't believe I had been sent home! They did some tests and sat with us for a while so they could do the tests again, and we decided that I could stay home this time as it seemed the the antibiotics were working. It's now Wednesday and I am finally feeling a lot better.
The point of telling you all this to advise you to Never ignore any symptoms you get and get to the doctor straight away, as it could turn into uro-sepsis fairly quickly. I don't mean to frighten you, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. I have been type 2 for three and a half years now and have had perfect BS control for the past 18 months. I've not had glucose in my urine at anytime. Push for every test they can think of to get a reason for these infections. Saying Diabetes means you are prone to UTI's is not a reason for getting them! I am going to have a hysterectomy next month in the hope that it will help. Well, I'm 60 now and my baby days are over!
I wish you the very best of health and good luck with your GP
Ann x

 

[Bexter1111]

I've had this problem recently!

I've been a type 1 for 19 years but never had a uti. End of January tho I had excruciating kidney pain and started antibiotics. Saturday I started my 8th course. Been put on Cefalexin 500 for a week then 250 for 28 days after that. Just getting no improvement from anything tho!

They're sending me for an ultrasound to make sure everything is ok kidney wise though. Maybe ask your doctor for this if you're worried?

I totally understand where you're coming from though. I'm in constant pain and constantly worrying about it though!! Fingers crossed you get it sorted though!!

 

[D.G]

Hi,

I've been a type 1 diabetic for around 13 months now, was diagnosed late as I'm 27 this year!

Since November 2015 I've been having constant urine infections. I'll do a course of antibiotics after seeing the doctor and then after a few weeks it comes back. I'm now on my fourth one so far, but now there's a hell of a lot more blood in it this time round than there was the first three times. My doctor has given me more antibiotics and taken my sample to be thoroughly tested as they're slightly concerned at this point about the function of my bladder and kidneys! I don't have a fever and my BS is within range. I feel dehydrated and am in pain, especially trying to wee, but other than that I am fit and well. The last two infections I had, they found blood, sugar and quite a bit of protein in the sample I did for them. Nothing seems to be working, I feel like I'm going to be on antibiotics forever!

Has anyone else had this problem? Have they found anything wrong? Should I be worried? I have heard this is normal amongst diabetics!

Thanks guys!

I have had urine infections for years with blood and protein always in sample. Am type 2 diabetic. I have had umpteen tests and am still having them. I had one infection after the other. However a chemist. Suggested car bury tablets, I think they are made by sums or something like that. Don't go for cheap cause I think these are 1000 MHz and they definitely work , cranberry juice only has a minuscule of car bury in it compared to these. My infections became much more rare. I have an infection now but I ran out of cranberry tablets 2 weeks ago and didn't get more. I paid the price. They are definitely worth a try

 

[PatsyB]

will buy some cranberry tablets today, I sent a sample in yesterday to the doctors and now wait for them to get the results back which will take at least three days ...I am hoping I do not have the same fiasco as last time when i sent a test in and rang up a week later and they could not find it so had to do another...needless to say i was not pleased...the time before I had taken a sample in full of blood and they sent it away and I was told to go home and take paracetomol for the pain .. then four days later a doctor rang me to say she had a prescription ready for me as I had a nasty bug in my water works...I wonder if they realise how painfull a UTI is.....

 

[spaceman]

Hi,

I've been a type 1 diabetic for around 13 months now, was diagnosed late as I'm 27 this year!

Since November 2015 I've been having constant urine infections. I'll do a course of antibiotics after seeing the doctor and then after a few weeks it comes back. I'm now on my fourth one so far, but now there's a hell of a lot more blood in it this time round than there was the first three times. My doctor has given me more antibiotics and taken my sample to be thoroughly tested as they're slightly concerned at this point about the function of my bladder and kidneys! I don't have a fever and my BS is within range. I feel dehydrated and am in pain, especially trying to wee, but other than that I am fit and well. The last two infections I had, they found blood, sugar and quite a bit of protein in the sample I did for them. Nothing seems to be working, I feel like I'm going to be on antibiotics forever!

Has anyone else had this problem? Have they found anything wrong? Should I be worried? I have heard this is normal amongst diabetics!

Thanks guys!

well I'm a type 1 for 5 years now. I get urine infections the doctor prescribes antibiotics that give me pain...because of this I don't go to my doctors I drink loads of water and cranberry juice....that does the job for me......on reading your letter , but in your case I would ask for a second opinion you could have a kidney stone