Urinary tract infection - help!

[EllisH]

I was just told by my doctor I have a urinary tract infection. Now I have to take broad spectrum antibiotics (which I don't like - my brother has a disability, probably caused by medication during my mother's pregnancy, so I have been very careful with using any drugs). The (very nice) doctor even dropped off the prescription at my house and told me to go to a pharmacy straightaway (it was around the close of office hours). And I read that it can cause preterm labor and a kidney infection, which makes me very stressed. By the way, I am 25+ weeks.

Anyone been dealing with this before and got some wisdom?

[nova22]

I have used antibiotics for a UTI during pregnancy. I was in the first trimester.

I have also treated a UTI without medication with A TON of water, real cranberry juice, natural yogurts, acidopholus (sp?) - get the kind that needs to be refrigerated, it is more potent. If you use perfumed soaps/body wash, stop for now.

[Kim]

If you do a search for UTI during pregnancy on these boards, you will find overwhelming support for taking the antibiotics. It's one thing to treat a UTI when you are not pregnant with a mixture of herbs, water, cranberry juice...but a UTI can turn into a serious medical complication when you are pregnant.

I take a prophylactic dose of Macrobid (every other day, 100mg, broad spectrum - Class B drug) and have absolutely no qualms about doing so.

Hope you feel better soon.

[EllisH]

Thank you, Nova and Kim! I am definitely taking the antibiotics (already had first dose), as it's become clear to me how risky a UTI can be. Does either of you know anything more about that, as that's now starting to concern me? Should I be on the lookout for any symptoms?

[lillymonster]

I had to take Macrobid (?sp) last pregnancy for a uti. I didn't want to either, but everything I read it was best to do so. Baby is 3 1/2 now! She is fine.

BTW, I had NO symptoms! Of course I have never had a UTI before, but really I felt no different before or after I took the antibiotics, but I did it anyway.

I started taking probiotics at 9 weeks and I drink a ton of cranberry juice anyway (I actually like the stuff - the real stuff) so I haven't had one yet - not sure if that has anything to do with it, but if I did have one, I would take the antibiotic again.

[Kim]

An untreated UTI can become a kidney infection and from there the trouble begins. If after 2 days of antibiotics you notice that the infection is still causing symptoms (pain, persistence of urgency to urinate), you may want to call your doctor/midwife to discuss changing medication.

They are most likely culturing the urine (takes about 3 days to do so) to ensure that you are being treated with the appropriate Rx.

Rest, drink lots of water, make sure you are eating plenty of acidopholus-containing foods while on antibiotics. Feel well soon!

[EllisH]

Thank you both! I just stocked up on cranberry juice as a preventative measure (using it next to the antibiotics and will continue to drink it throughout.) And I put up a sheet to mark how many glasses of water I am drinking: I had pretty much stopped drinking much it as it made the urge to pee worse (now that was a dumb idea).

The doctor will tell me next week what bacteria caused it (also in case it's Group Strep B). I do find resting helps (moving is just rather painful). Reassuring to hear that it's the kidney infection that's the real trouble - I definitely don't have that (at least no symptoms - such an infection surely comes with symptoms, I take it) and think I caught the UTI in time and the antibiotics already seem to be doing their job.