Is this a UTI?

pishajane · 11-03-2009, 04:29 PM

Hi all!

I'm 21 wks, and for the past week i've had quite a bit of pressure down low but off to the left side, also been feeling AWFUL - headaches, nausea and just that really *off* feeling.

I thought it was a virus, and the awful feeling has subsided, but the pressure hasn't. It doesn't hurt when i pee, but someone mentioned UTI as a possibility. Is this something i should be treating, or should i just wait and see?

The pressure doesn't really feel like the normal pressure you get when you're growing, but then again, every pregnancy is different, so perhaps this is just normal for me?? A hard question to answer i know. This is my 3rd pregnancy by the way.

Any advice would be appreciated!

dandelionfirebird · 11-03-2009, 08:58 PM

I am also pregnant with my first child, and am about 21 weeks along. I have had recurrent UTI's for the last 2 years and less frequent recurrent yeast infections for about 7 years, so I know the symptoms of both pretty well. It can be confusing sometimes telling the difference between "Is this an infection?" and "Is this just pregnancy and I'm not used to it?." I get that. But with a UTI I would just go to the doctor and take a piss test. If you have insurance, or you're covered under Medicaid like I am, I would err on the side of caution. They shouldn't give you any medication unless you actually need it, and even if you don't want the medication at least you'll know the issue and you'll know where to look for homeopathic cures. The most obvious are cranberry juice, cranberry pills, or powdered D-mannose supplements (the effective sugar in cranberry used against E-Coli in the urinary tract). One of the lesser known natural cures are corn silk tea - use 1 ear of corn's worth of silk for one cup of tea, tastes like corn, old native american remedy. When not pregnant I recommend Alka-Seltzer - the vitamin C and baking soda combine to create an inhospitable environment for the bacteria. For a few days I would cut down on sugar and stop drinking any coffee if you are. Hope this helps!

pishajane · 11-03-2009, 09:40 PM

Thanks so much for replying. You're right - i should just go get it checked out. Better than leaving it to become worse.
I will start taking the cranberry and the d mannose if i can find it, also cut down on the sugar/coffee.

I've had a few BH contractions today, which i've actually never experienced at all before, not in either of my other pregnancies... is this normal for this stage? It seems a bit early.