Bladder Things

[Scarlett]

I tend to get bladder infections a fair bit- maybe twice a year. The last one I leapt on quick as it gets worse so quickly, and took some antibiotics the GP had given me for this purpose. I took them for 5 days then stopped even though the box had 7 days worth. Since stopping, my pee is clear of infection but I have a sensation of fullness, even though I have just been; no burning, just a weird and different feeling in my bladder. (The antibiotics were a different sort to usual). Also I've had to wee frequently through the night- every 2 hours or so. At one point I woke up and I had already started to go!! There was no sugar in my sample. I'm going to have an ultrasound soon but I wondered if anyone else had experienced similar? (I'm 48)

[-SharonA-]

I think you should have continued the antibiotics to the end. I once had that fullness, I couldn't wee for love or money. The doctor gave me a course of antibiotics, telling me I had bladder infection.

[Sqad]

Don't beat yourself up for not finishing you antibiotics, as that has nothing to do with your problem.
it is quite common for women to feel this fullness after an attack of cystitis and even the urgency to urinate.
From you history an ultrasound would be the next step.

[Scarlett]

Thanks both. I have cystitis quite often but never quite like this. It feels like my bladder can't switch off or relax, even when I've just been. Odd.

[Old_Geezer]

Even so, with resistance on the increase, surely everyone should finish an antibiotic course, barring harmful side effects ?

[Scarlett]

I think 3-5 days is the standard time for antibiotics; the box I had contained 7 days worth. I stopped after 5 as I thought that would be sufficient, plus it left me a couple of days worth for the next time :\

[Sqad]

O_G......I see you point.....but I am not sure that not finishing a course of antibiotics has anything to do with resistance.

The main reason for resistance is the wholesale use of antibiotics for which the body is quite capable of dealing with by natural immune mechanisms.

[Scarlett]

Sqad (if you see this), does it make any sense that I still feel a 'sensation' even though the dipstick test was normal?

[Sqad]

Scarlett...I don't quite understand.
This "dipstick test" what is it for? sugar?

[Scarlett]

It looks for infection I guess- the GP dips a stick into your wee sample and there's a number of things that change colour depending on what you are looking for. There was no sugar, but also no blood/infection. Usually when I have cystitis there's blood and god knows what there! I thought it might be diabetes linked as I needed to rush to the loo so many times in the night (no burning/pale wee). I only need to go around 1-2 times now.

[ummmm]

Scarlett - How much fluids are you taking in?

[Sqad]

Ah! got it.

The commonest cause of cystitis is a bacterial infection which would show up on urine testing and would respond to the correct antibiotic.

There is a type of cystitis called interstitial cystitis where there is no sign of infection on urine testing but all the signs and symptoms of cystitis and it appears that this is the type that you may have.
Difficult to treat and usually does not respond to antibiotics.
i would have thought that a look inside your bladder (cystoscopy) might well be the next step.

[Scarlett]

I'm not taking in any more water than usual, which is why it freaked me a bit. Interesting Sqad that it doesn't show up in testing. I usually have Trimethorprim which sorts it. But this time I had been given Nitrofurantoin which I was trying for the first time. I wonder whether the different antibiotic might relate to the different experience/result?

[Sqad]

LOL...if it is Interstitial Cystitis then it doesn't matter which antibiotic you are given.............it just won't help.

[ummmm]

I was wondering if you should drink more.

[Scarlett]

I think it definitely helped, as when I first felt the cystitis, I had all the normal burning and dark wee with bloody bits in. Then I took the antibiotics for 5 days and it def helped, but just not completely. Now I have no infection showing up, but still this weird sensation remaining.

[anneasquith]

Why not finish the antibiotic medication .ie 7 days ?

[237SJ]

The NHS site says that Nitrofurantoin is processed by the body very quickly and concentrates at the site of infection (bladder). Maybe that process has caused sensitivity

[Scarlett]

Interesting, thanks. I didn't take them all cos usually they tell me to take a 3 day course which never seems enough. So I took 5.

[anneasquith]

The gp prescribed a 7 day course for a reason,

[Scarlett]

Yeah, in retrospect I would have taken more!!