UTI/Kidney inf.....IV antibiotics and hospital admission?!

[TheSparkyPony]

Hi all, venturing back onto here, been a while! For those who can remember me, I started uni in March to do my nursing training, and it's been so busy it's unreal!

Anyhoo, had a question and was hoping you lovely people could help me

I have a UTI, but seems quite poss kidney infection and 3 lots of antibiotics have failed. Trimethoprim, Nitrofurantoin and Co-Amoxiclav. The Co-Amoxiclav failed due to it making me nauseous and physically sick.
I've now been put on Cephalexin, which isn't looking too good as once again being sick and symptoms don't seem to be going.
I've had cultures sent off but don't get results til tomorrow, they've been treating it blind since last Tuesday (and I'm fed up of it now!).
Due to being a diabetic, they are wary, as am I, as my sugar levels are all over the place and they have said if this lot of antibiotics don't work then it's hospital and I/V ABs for me

Has anyone had to do this before? Seems like such a waste and overkill to take up a bed just for a course of antibiotics.
I'm pretty savvy with cannulation anyway (student nurse and frequent patient at hospital) so did offer to do it myself, with immediate rejection!

Have googled to see if similar cases of needing IV for what is essentially at this stage a UTI, but no luck, so opinions/experiences gratefully received!


ETA - I know this is a diabetes forum, and that none of you are medical professionals, and if you were you couldn't advise me anyway! I'm in regular contact with a dr (more than my liking), but just after some reassurance xxx

 

[Elc1112]

Re: UTI/Kidney inf.....IV antibiotics and hospital admission

Hi,

I used to suffer quite a lot with UTIs and kidney infections. Absolutely horrible things and they'd often take a long time to go.

I had to be taken into hospital once. Similar to you I'd been on a few rounds of antibiotics and nothing had worked. I was being sick and my sugars were all over the place. My doctor was worried so I was admitted into hospital. Long and short of it - with the throwing up and high sugars and infections they were worried about DKA.

I was put on fluids for a couple of days and sent home with strong tablets. It did feel like a huge waste of time but, I have to admit, I felt ao much better for it.

I hope you feel better soon. Fingers crossed before you need to be taken in!

Take care x

 

[Snodger]

Re: UTI/Kidney inf.....IV antibiotics and hospital admission

I had something similar many years ago, although probably a bit more sudden-onset acute pain than what you are describing. They did take me to hospital and whack IV ABs into me, which made me throw up. I managed somehow to persuade them not to put me on a sliding scale so i was in control of my bgs, they were high but I just kept jabbing quick-acting every few hours and kept them below 18. Eventually they discharged me, I still wasn't well, but I managed at home for the next few days and kept out of DKA. I honestly think I did better at home, because they didn't know anything about diabetes in the ward where I was (they didn't even do a check for ketones). But having said that, if I'd been more able to trust the nurses/docs on that particular hospital I would have been better off sorting it all out in hospital. It's a question of making sure you don't damage your kidneys, too.

anyway not sure any of that helped at all but I also wanted to say how good it is to hear from you again on the forum and I really hope things are going well for you.

 

[Tracey167]

Re: UTI/Kidney inf.....IV antibiotics and hospital admission

Hi I have had kidney infection twice a good few years ago and on both occasions i was admitted to hospital and given antibiotics by I.V and it cleared it up both times, even though a stay in hospital is'nt to great having the antibiotics put straight into your blood stream is alot quicker way of getting over the infection, you may still have the pain in the back for a few days after but you will not feel half as bad.

Tracey167