I feel like I have to pee all the time. No pain. Could I have a bladder/urinary infection w/o pain?

[allnaturalmom]

For the past few days I feel like I have to pee all the time. It doesn't hurt or burn when I go. And I do actually go, just in small amounts more frequently than usual. I try to hold it as long as I can if I just went like twice. After I pee it just still feels like I have to go a little more and that feeling doesn't seem to subside. I do not have extreme urgency, like i need to go NOW, sort of feeling, but just like a low-grade feeling of having to go. Does that make sense?

I stayed home all day yesterday and drank a bottle of real cranberry juice (you know the 5-buck-a-bottle one at whole foods) intermittently throughout the day and did feel better for a while, but today it seems to be bothering me again, .

I already take clo, probiotics, and vit c each day and have up'd my doses of those a few days back when (*TMI WARNING*) my girl parts started to feel a little 'irritated/off' down there (which doesn't usually happen, but when it does a few extra doses of probiotics usually clears it up right away).

Anyway, I'm in uncharted territory w/urinary issues in adults, and was wondering if any of you wise mamas had any experience/insight as to whether this could just be a passing thing or if it is something like an infection that would need to be treated?

TIA

[desertpenguin]

it's possible that it's a UTI. i have had friends that developed kidney infections when they didn't feel they ever had discernible symptoms of a UTI. if your back hurts to the touch, i would definitely take that as a warning sign. but it could be other things, like overactive bladder...i would go to your hcp for diagnosis and then decide on treatment.

[kjbrown92]

All the major drugstores carry Azo test strips for UTIs (it measures nitrites and white blood cells, and costs about $10 for 3 test strips). It's cheaper than a co-pay, then you can at least rule that out without going to the doctor if you want. But there could be lots of reasons, and a doctor's visit is probably in order. Also, if you're taking high Vitamin C amounts, it gives you in invalid result (makes the test result look okay but it really isn't; guess how I know?).

[FondestBianca]

My bladder is really sensitive due to interstitial cystitus so the one time that I had a bladder infection I was having symptoms even before a urine culture would really have picked much up. For a week or more I was having frequency without pain and I thought my IC was just flaring up.... until one day it burned like crazy. So I went in to the doc and sure enough, bladder infection. They said it was a really mild case and I should not have had any symptoms a week or more prior like I stated to them I had. But, seems pretty likely to me. I randomly get urgency and frequency issues (but when I did pee not all that much came out) then a week or two later I get a positive diag for a UTI. My IC makes my bladder more sensitive to irratation and pain so if ANYTHING is bothering my bladder in the slightest I start showing symptoms like what you listed.

Have you ever had a UTI? If so, do you remember feeling much the same as you do now in the weeks (or even month) prior to getting a UTI diag?

If it isn't a UTI it could be IC (somewhat rare, so not likely and usually includes other symptoms as well) or another condition that causes frequency issues like overactive bladder syndrome. There are quite a few bladder conditions actually.

[Ruthla]

Is there any chance you could be pregnant? That kind of urinary frequency is normal for me in early pg.

[FondestBianca]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Is there any chance you could be pregnant? That kind of urinary frequency is normal for me in early pg.

yes, this too! I totally forgot about this. I have no idea why but during even the first trimester my bladder goes totally nutty. Baby isn't big enough then to really cause any problems so maybe it's a hormonal thing. idk??

[allnaturalmom]

Thanks so much for all the info!!

I'm not preggers. Dh had the big V after dd2 was born. Plus, I'm mid-cycle and we haven't dtd since the start of this cycle anyway. I don't think so anyway .

I've stayed home all day today and have been taking d-mannose every 2 hours as directed on the bottle. I'm feeling a little better but not 100% yet. The bottle lists a 3-day treatment plan and I'm planning to follow it for all three days. Hopefully it will do the trick :. If not I'll be going to the pharmacy for those test strips.

I never realized there were so many different bladder issues... I'm off to research.

[Talula Fairie]

I've had a UTI without pain before. Since you're not pregnant, my money would be on that but of course it could also be something else.

[Subhuti]

Not to scare you ... but if it doesn't clear up you might want to get checked out for any mass in your belly. I had some urinary frequency and it turned out that I had a one inch fibroid in my uterus that was pressing into my bladder. I had it checked out because needing to urinate/fullness in the belly can be a sign of ovarian cancer. my grandma had it, so I wanted to rule it out.

Liz

[Kyamo]

When I get a UTI, my symptoms are pretty much exactly as you describe. I can sometimes clear it up by drinking humongous amounts of water, as long as I keep up the drinking schedule for a day or two AFTER my symptoms are gone.

[tolovemercy]

I've been dealing with these symptoms for months and recently started seeing a ND about it. I thought they were recurrent UTIs, but began passing tiny, freckle-sized kidney stones after she gave me a tincture to relax my ureters. Sorry you're dealing with this, mama!

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by allnaturalmom

For the past few days I feel like I have to pee all the time. It doesn't hurt or burn when I go. And I do actually go, just in small amounts more frequently than usual. I try to hold it as long as I can if I just went like twice. After I pee it just still feels like I have to go a little more and that feeling doesn't seem to subside. I do not have extreme urgency, like i need to go NOW, sort of feeling, but just like a low-grade feeling of having to go. Does that make sense?

I haven't read any other replies but this is exactly how I would feel when I used to get UTIs frequently. (The bolded part was particularly indicative of infection for me.) If you've had this for a few days, it may be to the point that you'll need antibiotics. Or at least, that is how it worked for me. I could fend off an infection with cranberry/water if I caught it early (first day or maybe two) but if it continued to get worse, I inevitably ended up needing an antibiotic. The only good thing is that it doesn't take much to clear a UTI. Usually just a 3 day course.

I wouldn't fool around with a UTI too much. My mom didn't have any pain for a while but then started passing blood. It can go to your bladder or kidneys and both are rather unpleasant!