I think I am being stupid

[Luv Bunnies]

I'm a self-proclaimed expert on bladder infections. I get them all the time. In fact, I'm on antibiotics for one right now! I see a urologist for my frequent infections and have learned a lot about them. First of all, cranberry juice won't treat or cure an infection. The acid can keep the bacteria from settling in the bladder in the first place so the time to drink it is before you feel like you have an infection. Also, there are no over-the-counter medications that will cure a bladder infection. There are some that will minimize the pain and burning but they will not treat the cause. Most importantly, bladder infections need to be diagnosed and treated immediately. They can quickly escalate and the infection can move into the kidneys causing a massive kidney infection and, possibly, kidney damage.

If you think you have a bladder infection, please see a doctor immediately and get it treated. I can't imagine waiting more than a day to get started on antibiotics. I've had some where I had to wait almost a day before getting meds and I was dying from pain after just a few hours. Now I have a standing antibiotic prescription and a supply of sample cups at home. My doctor trusts me to know when I have one and I have to take a sample to her office but i can start myself on the meds when I think I need them. It's not a fun condition to have and it's definitely not something to mess around with!

 

[Cornhusk]

Well, my doctor told me to drink cranberry juice AND water. She also said cranberry pills can work. I did, however, go on medication because I left the bladder infection go on for a while (I was pretty young and stupid and didn't know what it was) but finally went to the hospital due to the fever and blood in my urine.
DO NOT GIVE BLOOD. I am not sure if someone else could be affected by this, but I reason that if you are sick that you should never give blood.

 

[pigletgirl]

My GYN told me that at the first symptoms that you can drink water and cranberry concentrate and it should clear up. If not get an antibiotic. She says there is too may drug resistant strains out there and that it should only be used if necessary.

 

[Acklander]

My GYN told me that at the first symptoms that you can drink water and cranberry concentrate and it should clear up. If not get an antibiotic. She says there is too may drug resistant strains out there and that it should only be used if necessary.

I was told the same thing. To drink TONS of water, and if that didn't clear it up, to then get the antibiotics.

 

[Muushka]

I was thinking of Cystex, which you can buy OTC. Maybe it is not for bladder infections exactly. I thought it was.

That drug helps the symptoms, but does not treat the disease.


As Luv Bunnies said, bladder infections can escalate into much worse conditions. In fact, you can die from one if it turns into septicemia (blood poisoning). Remember this?

Mariana Bridi da Costa has died according to PerezHilton.com. She was a model and Brazilian Miss World finalist. The cause of death was septicemia. Her hands and feet had been amputated due to septicemia-related
necrosis (tissue rapidly dies). Septicemia impedes blood flow and may also lead to organ failure.

Mariana Bridi da Costa had a UTI infection (urinary tract infection) that led to the septicemia. According to PerezHilton.com, septicemia is the "10th leading cause of death" in America; about 800,000 Americans die of septicemia every year.

Medline defines septicemia as "the presence of bacteria in the blood that is often associated with severe disease. Septicemia may begin with spiking fevers, chills, rapid breathing, and rapid heart rate.

A septicemia infection will be treated with antibiotics after diagnosis via tests such as a blood and urine culture, CSF culture, CBC, platelet count.

Mariana Bridi da Costa's death certainly teaches the lesson to appreciate every day. One never knows when death will arrive. She certainly had beauty, vitality, and a career many young women would be envious of. None of that stopped death from arriving.

I once heard in an interview that Oprah likes to keep a gratitude journal and to say "thank you" as each of her feet hit the floor in the morning. Gratitude is such an important emotion to remember to experience every day. Right now many people are struggling. This young model may have had an easier existence than many other people; however she is now gone and the rest of us struggle on.

It may be a struggle to feel grateful now with stock portfolios demolished, job losses, savings dwindling and fear on the plate of many in America. However, gratitude for each day we are given is an admirable skill to develop.

So many people are struggling with serious disease or felled unexpectedly by something like septicemia. One never knows what life has in store for one's future. Mariana Bridi da Costa probably never could have imagined that she was approaching death as she went about her life in her final year. She probably thought death was at least 6 or 7 decades away.

Here is the link, but I can't get it to work http://***************************/...ract_infection_induced_septicemia.html?cat=62


I sure remember that incident. It happened right around one of my UTIs. One weekend I got sick with one and there was so much blood the doc wasn't going to treat me for UTI because he thought I had a kidney stone. I had to beg him for antibiotics (he wanted me to wait until Monday to have an IVP).

I think that some of us may have experienced more serious infections than others. When I get them (2 of 3 were like this), it is so painful I can feel it in my fingertips. So painful and fast spreading that if it is at night when it begins, I go to a urgent care, I can't even wait until my doc is in the office. If it had been more frequent than that, I too would have asked my regular doc to supply me with an Rx and the cups!

The type of bacteria has a lot to do with it too. Scary stuff!

 

[maiyasgram]

Okay I am trying to mature up and face the music and my disapointment of not giving blood but it is not easy becuse I belive I am addicted to giveing blood. It just feels so great

Please "mature up" and think of the people who could be potentially affected by your blood if you are not healthy. My DH is imuno suppressed and battling cancer. He recieved 3 blood transfusions last year that were vital in rebuilding his RBC and platelettes. While I applaud your efforts your self described addiction scares me. Maybe you should discuss that along with your bladder problem with your doctor.

Cherie

 

[tinkerbell198530]

I am not giving blood on wedsday and I am on antibotics right now as we speak also I found out were I can give blood when I am recoverd from it

 

[kaytieeldr]

I happen to have a (half) box right here. Each dose contains 162 mg of an antibacterial called Methenamine.

Warning on the box (any underlining done by me): Cystex helps inhibit the progression of infection until you see the doctor. Cystex is not intended to replace a doctor's care. Oh, heck - the whole warning needs to be emphasized.

 

[tinkerbell198530]

I happen to have a (half) box right here. Each dose contains 162 mg of an antibacterial called Methenamine.

Warning on the box (any underlining done by me): Cystex helps inhibit the progression of infection until you see the doctor. Cystex is not intended to replace a doctor's care. Oh, heck - the whole warning needs to be emphasized.

Never heard of Cystex and I find that weird becuse I have been geting blader infecons once a month for quite some time. I am not saying that it does not excists just wondering why I never heard of it

 

[Muushka]

I happen to have a (half) box right here. Each dose contains 162 mg of an antibacterial called Methenamine.

Warning on the box (any underlining done by me): Cystex helps inhibit the progression of infection until you see the doctor. Cystex is not intended to replace a doctor's care. Oh, heck - the whole warning needs to be emphasized.

I see, I just looked it up

While some women may self-diagnose themselves, particularly if they’ve experienced one in the past, a urinary tract infection (UTI) requires both confirmation with a doctor’s diagnosis (urinalysis and/or urine culture) and a course of prescription antibiotics to clear it up. However, it may take a few days to get in to see your physician, and a day or so more for the prescription antibiotic to kick in, so urologists recommend that instead of suffering while you wait, taking an effective, over-the-counter medicine to help with the infection’s pain and progression is a good bet. Cystex® is the only over-the-counter urinary pain reliever available with a dual-action formula that not only eases the pain and burning caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI), but also contains an antibacterial (methenamine) to help keep the infection from getting worse while you wait for your doctor’s appointment. It won’t cause a change in your urine color either.

Interesting. At first I thought that taking an antibiotic prior to getting a culture and sensitivity would not be advisable. But according to what you said and what I have looked up, it won't interfere and it does, in fact, contain an antibiotic.

As long as it is stressed that this drug will simply treat symptoms and not the infection. I may grab a box myself for that future time that it happens when even my urgent care is closed!

MariDisney, I apologize .

 

[oybolshoi]

if you are suffering from recurring bladder infections you need to be referred to a urologist to discover the root of the problem. the same thing happened to me a few years back and it turned out that I have a chronic inflammatory condition called interstitial cystitis. Long story short you feel like you have a bladder infection that never goes away - it's miserable but can be controlled with medication and diet. In this kind of situation beverages such as cranberry juice are something to avoid because the acidity only aggravates the condition.

push your doctor to find out what's going on and don't give blood until you know it's truly safe for you to do so - you put yourself and other people at risk when you donate if you're ill.

 

[MariDisney]

I see, I just looked it up

Interesting. At first I thought that taking an antibiotic prior to getting a culture and sensitivity would not be advisable. But according to what you said and what I have looked up, it won't interfere and it does, in fact, contain an antibiotic.

As long as it is stressed that this drug will simply treat symptoms and not the infection. I may grab a box myself for that future time that it happens when even my urgent care is closed!

MariDisney, I apologize .

No problem!!