Screw the USA and health insurance.

[blueamy66]

I live across the street from a hospital. I have a raging UTI. Don't have insurance right now. So I will drink cranberry juice and roll around in pain.

This is BS.

[VanillaRhapsody]

1. From past experience....take a dose of aspirin....I usually had considerable relief after

cranberry juice and a second dose of aspirin several hours later.

Sorry you are experiencing that.

You must live in a state that didn't expand Medicaid.

[blueamy66]

2. I'm in Indiana

Aspirin? Cause I'm about to just go to the ER.

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. Yes...aspirin...

are you running a fever? If you think it is serious or the pain is too unbearable....by all means go to the ER....

[tammywammy]

4. Get some AZO.

It works, but be warned you'll have bright yellow pee.

Edited to add: it's sold at Walgreens, CVS, etc.

[blueamy66]

5. Got Uristat

Not working.

[tammywammy]

6. I've only had a UTI a couple of times. AZO worked for me. n/t

[winter is coming]

9. AZO is marginally higher dose of the same med. I agree with post #7; you need a doctor.

I hope you don't have to wait forever to be seen and that a simple antibiotic will do the trick.

I don't have insurance, either. Sorry you're going through this.

[lostincalifornia]

17. It isn't simple. To do it right they need to do a urine culture to determine the bacteria that is

causing it, and which antibiotics will were on that bacteria. Without that you are going blind, and may be dealing with a resistant strain of bacteria to a specific antibiotic.

The problem is too many doctors just give an antibiotic without a culture and susceptibility test to determine which antibiotics are effective. They can start an antibiotic, but once the results come back, it will confirm that that antibiotic is the correct one, or they need a different one.

Just my two cents

[winter is coming]

20. By "simple" I meant an antibiotic that's not ruinously expensive and no hospital stay. n/t

[lostincalifornia]

21. You are absolutely right in most cases

[blueamy66]

48. Since I live across the street, I guess that I can just stroll over in a few days to see what the

results are.

I will definitely do so.

[lostincalifornia]

10. If you truly have a UTI caused by e-coli or other bacteria, AZO will only relieve symptoms. it will

not cure the infection, and if it is a uti caused by e-coli or some other bacteria it can kill you. The only way to determine it is with a urine culture, which takes 2 to 3 days. It will demonstrate if there is a bacteria causing it, and they will then determine what antibiotics are susceptible against it. At least that is what a good doctor would do

[lostincalifornia]

7. No, absolutely NOT. You need to have it treated. It can create a major problem including sepsis

It will NOT go away with cranberry juice if you have a UTI

Sepsis would be the worst, but you could also damage your kidneys and other organs if you ignore it.

Go to urgent care or an emergency room. Your life is at stake

[blueamy66]

8. Now I'm going to the ER

Yeah me

[lostincalifornia]

11. Sorry didn't mean to scare. Insist on a urine culture when you go to the doctor. In other words do

if they just give you an antibiotic, still have the culture done to confirm that the bacteria is susceptible against that antibiotic, and if it is they can give you the right one.

You'll be ok as long as you have it treated properly

take care

[blueamy66]

12. Going

Now

[WillowTree]

13. Don't trifle with a UTI.

I had one that I tried to treat on my own. It went to my kidneys and I wound up with septicemia and even stomach ulcers from the fever and infection. Was inpatient for a week and the doctor told me afterward that he was getting really worried before the heavy-duty IV antibiotics finally started to take it down.

Repeat......a UTI is nothing to take lightly. Please take care of yourself.

[lostincalifornia]

15. Exactly. I do not know why UTIs are assumed to be trivial by many. It isn't. The big problem with

UTIs is that a lot of e-coli strains have built up a resistance to antibiotics, but that can easily be determined which ones will work with an appropriate urine culture.

If you went septic you were in serious trouble. So glad things worked out, but sorry what you went through

[WillowTree]

23. Well, I did lose 14 pounds that week........

One of the only two bright spots that came out of what was otherwise an awful experience.

The other took place at a Harley Davidson dealership a few days after I got out. It was a nice day and the guy I was dating at the time was an insurance broker and took me with him when he called on the dealer who was a client of his just to get me out of the house for awhile. I was sitting in a little waiting area in the showroom while he did his business and after a few minutes, I was joined by this big old biker guy who struck-up a conversation. Nice guy, really. I don't recall how the topic came up, but I was telling him that I'd just gotten out of the hospital and he asked if I was still on any meds. When I said that, yes, they had me on Cipro he nodded knowingly and said just as matter-of-factly as you please "Hmmmmm.......Strong stuff! Made your anus go numb, didn't it?"

While I was taking a minute to catch my breath after that totally unexpected question, he went on to say that that had been a disconcerting reaction his wife had once had after taking Cipro. I said that was really interesting and that the doctor hadn't told me to expect anything like that blah blah blah. I just really didn't know where the conversation might go from there and was relieved when the BF came out to get me. I shook the man's hand and said good bye and we left. And boy, did we have a great laugh over that over lunch.

[lostincalifornia]

24. Weird. Never heard of that side effect

Actually some bugs are now becoming resistant to CIPRO and other fluoroquinolones
But if the bug isn't resistant then it is an excellent class of drugs

[WillowTree]

25. Well, don't tell anyone I said so.......

.......but yeah, that actually did turn out to be a side effect. Disconcerting as Hell, that's for sure.

[lostincalifornia]

26. Wow

[MADem]

46. I love DU.

Where else would we learn such a quirky factoid?

You never know...one of us may be a finalist in the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions, and that could be the "answer in the form of a question" to "Below the belt side-effect of Cipro!"

Cue the "Think" theme!!!! We're headed for big money!!!

[Logical]

14. MOST UTIs DO NOT cure on their own! See a doctor! n-t

[blueamy66]

16. In the ER waiting room.

Ugh

[lostincalifornia]

19. You are getting it taken care of, that is what matters

[MADem]

18. LISTEN TO ME....I can help you!!!!!

ANY one of these will provide you with fast relief--it won't answer the question if you've got something more serious, but it will help you in the short term:

D-Mannose. I have a relative who SWEARS by it. You put it in water and drink it down. Quote: It's a miracle! I think you can get this in the herbal aisle at CVS.

If you have a well-stocked pharmacy or mega supermart with lots of herbs and stuff, UVA URSI will ease the agony too.


Best bet, though, if you don't want to screw around and just want relief, is to go to the all-night pharmacy and buy, over the counter, a UTI ameliorating product. They have varying names (some are "house" brands--CVS, etc. has their own) but they have PYRIDIUM in 'em.

http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/rxlist_view_comments.asp?drug=pyridium&questionid=fdb5661_pem

If you're not sure what aisle, ask--they'll point you to the right stuff. It will make your pee turn LURID orange so don't freak out--but you will feel better in...MINUTES. Really.

This, of course, doesn't constitute "medical advice" and you should go see a doc as soon as you're able (find a free clinic, etc.), but these solutions will in the short term ease the agony, get you through the night, and do it way the hell faster than the cranberry juice solution. Cranberry, frankly, is more of a preventive -- you NEED one of the three things I have suggested here.

Drink LOTS of water once you take any of these. You will feel better.

Go. Now. Buy. Trust me. Best of luck to you. I feel for you, truly.

EDIT=I see you are at the ER--I hope everything works out for you. If it turns out that it's just an irritation that "got out of hand" you might want to keep some of that herbal stuff in your medicine chest and use it on occasion. The D-mannose, especially, is said to coat the urinary tract and prevent infections from sticking.

[blueamy66]

32. Thank you so much for the info...

will keep this for future use.

[MADem]

38. I hope you get some relief--it's terrible to be in pain.

And the doggone ER is no fun, either.

[Octafish]

22. Sorry you're in the ER.

Glad to read you're seeing the pros.

You'll likely need antibiotics and may need other treatment to prevent the infection from worsening. MDs and DOs are the ones with the expertise.

Hospital visits and therapy, as we know, cost a lot. I hope you a dn your hospital can arrange a payment plan that is reasonable for you.

If ours were a civilized society, we long ago would have had universal coverage.

Did you know the B-movie actor Ronald Reagan actively campaigned against President Kennedy's health initiatives?



Operation Coffeecup.

[blueamy66]

27. I take this back.

Walked across the street to the hospital...waited 2 minutes....didn't care if I had insurance or not.

Got 2 scripts. Bactrim and Pyridium.

In and out....small town USA, I guess.

At home, with a nice bill to pay, but at least I got to see a doc.

Unbelievable!!!

[winter is coming]

28. I'm glad you were seen so quickly. I hope the Pyridium helps until the antibiotic kicks in. n/t

[blueamy66]

30. Got one pill in the ER.

Have to wait for the BF to get home to fill the scripts.

This would not have happened in Phoenix.

Still can't believe it.

[WillowTree]

29. Glad you got the meds.

Take it easy for awhile and feel better.

[blueamy66]

31. Thank you.

I will!!

[840high]

33. Good.

[ohheckyeah]

34. That's wonderful and

one of the joys of small town USA. I hope it clears up soon. I keep test strips because I have a neurogenic bladder (which means it hurts much of the time like a UTI does). One of the best pain relievers for an irritated bladder (no matter the cause) is 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Doctors no longer recommend cranberry juice because it is acidic and can irritate the bladder. Another pain reliever is Alka-Seltzer Gold because it has potassium bicarbonate and sodium bicrarbonate.

None of those things cure a UTI but can help with the pain.

[blueamy66]

35. Gonna try the baking soda

Let me add...I could have just walked out the door. The receptionist was busy with another family...but I hung around and offered my info. The other family? Amish.

[ohheckyeah]

36. If you have any potassium pills

one 99mg potassium pill taken with the baking soda helps as well.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this - it's so painful and annoying.

[MADem]

39. You should give that d-mannose a go.

I will quote a satisfied customer again (a relative, too): It's a MIRACLE!

Worth a try and I don't think it is terribly expensive either.

I guess it is a powder and you put it in water and drink it...coats the tract and makes life easier...

[ohheckyeah]

40. I tried it but my bladder didn't like it.

The neurogenic bladder condition can't tolerate things that one would never think would bother it. I can't take Vitamin B or C, either. What I have isn't an infection.....that could be cured.

The d-mannose is supposed to help prevent and sometimes even cure bladder infections...from what I understand it prevents bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.

[MADem]

41. Yes, that's a perfect way to describe how it acts.

I feel for you, though--I hope you can find something that works for you as well.

[ohheckyeah]

42. Thank you, it would be really nice if I could. I've been dealing with it for over 20 years.

Sometimes it just wears me out - one of the things that bothers it the most is narcotic pain killers. Just my luck, not able to take anything for pain for the pain. LOL

They think the problem was caused by either my back surgery or the endometriosis they lasered off my bladder. I seem to have been born with a screwed up body.

[MADem]

43. Oh jeez!

I don't suppose a tens unit would help? Those are totally non-narcotic but I don't know if it would do you any good. Here's a pdf on them, you might want to see if your doc would consider prescribing one if you both think it might be of benefit..?

http://www.pure-hope.org/IF_3WAVE_brochure.pdf

[ohheckyeah]

44. Thanks - I actually

have one that helps my back. I've never gotten much relief for my bladder with it, but I should probably try it again. The anti-depressant Elavil helps with the bladder a little bit but I can't take it every day.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention. It is certainly worth trying again - what works one time doesn't always work the next and vice versa.

I bookmarked that page.

[MADem]

45. Wishing you pain free days and nights!!!

[ohheckyeah]

47. Thank you - I

appreciate your kind words.

[lostincalifornia]

37. They should have done a culture also, but regardless, drink a lot of water when taking bactrim. It

Is a sulfonamide and the water is to prevent crystallization