I think I have a urinary tract infection. What should I do?

4 comments

1. 

   janedoe99 on November 30, 2009 at 4:38 am

   Make an appointment with your campus health center. That service should be free with your college tuition or you might have to pay a small fee for the check-up and the medication. Schools typically offer lower prices for students.

   For the time being, drink lots of water. I’m talking about gallons. It will help flush out the infection.

   Cranberry juice definitely helps and is better actually. Cranberry juice can kill the microbes due to its acidity.

   You’re going to feel crappy for hours on end… Drinking lots of water will suck because you will have to constantly go up and pee, but if you want the constant "having-to-go-pee" feeling to go away, you will just have to drink the bucket-loads of water.

   Be sure to see a physician right away. If you don’t, you might get bleeding in your urine. If that happens, you’re one step closer to a bladder infection.

   By the way, when I got my UTI, it was because I was too stressed and my immune system was impaired. If you are stressed, seek ways to manage your stress. If it’s not stress, you could be contaminating your urethra with fecal matter either by 1) wearing a thong and your thong shifts forward, 2) having sex or 3) wiping from back to front when you’re on the toilet.

   When you see your physician, he/she will give you antibiotics and hopefully, a medication that will relieve that "urgency" feeling– it numbs down the sensation, however this particular medication will turn your pee orange.

   Good luck.

2. 

   scoutma53 on November 30, 2009 at 4:38 am

   Drink lots of water and cranberry juice. The college may have a doctor on site. I don’t think you HAVE to see an obgyn. Antibiotics. Can’t help with the insurance but surely it covers infections?

3. 

   Jennifer on November 30, 2009 at 4:38 am

   What are your symptoms? I don’t think your parents would be bothered by a urinary tract infection, unless you are worried about a STD. The symptoms of a UTI may be like a yeast infection so you could try an over the counter yeast medication like monistat. If you have fever or blood in your urine, you should get checked immediately. You could even go to any general doctor or even an urgent clinic to get this checked–they will want to do an exam and check an urine sample. It will probably be around $100 or so, but if you have severe symptoms it’s better not to wait, or you may end up in the hospital with a kidney infection, costing much more! Take care and hope you feel better soon–

4. 

   Danielle on November 30, 2009 at 4:38 am

   You need to see a doctor and take a full course of antibiotics as soon as possible, or you risk a bladder infection and worse… This should cure it, but if not you need to go straight to the doctor again. The longer you leave it the more damage it might cause, and also the harder it is to get into a normal routine once you’re finally better.

   It will be worth paying or telling your parents, if you have to. Your mum should be fine with something like that, though it is a bit awkward. It is very common.

   As well as the antibiotics, it is true that cranberry tablets help to prevent and treat both the infection and the symptoms, and drinking lots of water–even if you don’t want to. Not a dangerous amount at once, but a cup of water very regularly through the day. This will help to flush the infection, and also when the urine is concentrated it irritates worse. Other things that really help, though they should be secondary to antibiotics, are:
   -Apple cider vinegar, which doesn’t taste great but has good antibiotic qualities. Drink a tablespoon of this in a cup of water, three times a day, until a number of days after you feel better–and also if you think the symptoms are recurring.
   -Eat some parsley a few times a day, to stop the infection sticking.
   -Have things like Vitamin C tablets and yoghurt to help with immunity, eat mainly high fibre foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables; avoid anything high in sugar or acid.
   -Exercise helps, with your body and stress and all that. Also try to sleep enough.

   Even though you’re drinking a lot, even when you’re out (wear a pad if you’re worried?), try to hold on as long as you can, especially when it starts getting better, and letting at least the first urge pass if possible–just so you’re able to re-set your system properly into normal routine. But make sure you empty fully every time you use the bathroom, and wipe front to back, etc.