Ongoing UTIs - Spinewire nurse?

[Brinda41]

Is anyone (or HAS anyone) gone through a period of years with back-to back UTIs? I've had an indwelling foley for my 25 quad yrs.

I've held off on asking because it's all too individual. Anyway, the last 5 yrs I've had back-to-back UTIs. After 20 years of only 'a few.'

Three yrs ago I went to a Urologist and I had a KUB done. 3 tiny stones were found and he wanted to put me under and all to remove them. I asked him point blank - "Will this help my problem?" He said "no." I declined the procedure and the stones came out themselves anyway!

I had a bad experience with a cystoscopy in 1991 so I've never had one again. I was ok DURING the whole procedure but suffered from SEVERE bouts of AD A FULL WEEK after! I wasn't having UTIs back then... it was a routine procedure to see what was in my bladder.

Things have gotten worse since December. I got a nasty pathogen (proteus mirabilis) and mu ex-Dr treated it wrongly for 5 months! When I got a new Dr he thought for sure that the latest generation of correct antibiodic (Vantin) for THAT bug would work. It did not.

The next step was at-home IV antibiodics for ten days. My urine culture after that was completed was finally clear! I was so excited! Then a week later - BAM! My usual fever & dark cloudy urine symptoms returned. I'm now on oral Augmentin for it and as long as I'm on antibiodics the symptoms disappear and I feel fine.

But I can't, of course, be on ongoing antibiodics for resistance buildup reasons.

I finally got a referral to go to a Urologist who supposedly is familiar with SCIs since we have our own host of issues.

I've had really bad luck with ALL Drs over the years despite doing my homework prior to going, etc.

I haven't ever had blood in my urine or anything else flaky show up in my
cultures and urinalysis'.

I think my ureters are ok. I urinate fine and output is good. Input is great! And I don't have reflux at last check.

I learned FAST to have that loop on the bed so ALL drains downward.

The culture that showed no growth meant that the nasty pathogens I'd been fighting were gone after the IV antibiodics. I know I'll always be colonized.

JUST as I was going to ask my Dr abt anti-infectives ... bam ... my fever and dark urine symptoms occurred last Wednesday. And ya have to be free of symptomatic UTIs before beginning an anti-infective. I'm currently on Augmentin but finishing it soon and then Dr wants another culture.

The lab lost/dropped *last week's* culture to see what bug started my fever last week! grrrrrrrrrr

Has anyone else had these back-to-back UTIs? Any suggestions spinal nurse or Dr. Young?

Lori
C4/5 complete quad, 25 years post

I know it's going to be a freakin' guessing game. I think I'll ask if I can get a script for the irrigant Clorpactin and try it as it's for ongoing resistant infections too.

CLORPACTIN:
ACTION AND USES

For use as a topical antiseptic for treating localized infections, particularly when resistant organisms are present. Complete spectrum (bacteria, fungi, viruses, mold, yeast and spores); effective in cases of antibiotic resistance; nontoxic and non-allergenic in use concentrations.



ADMINISTRATION AND DOSAGE

Applied by irrigation, instillations, spray, soaks or wet compresses, preferably thoroughly cleansing with gravity flow irrigation or syringe to provide copious quantities of fresh solution to remove the organic wastes and debris from the site of the involvement. Also for preoperative skin preparation and postoperative protection. Generally applied as the 0.4% solution in water, or isotonic saline, but as the 0.1% to 0.2% in Urology and Ophthalmology.

[SCI-Nurse]

Are you sure you actually passed all your stones? There may have been more than 3. If you have stones anyplace, you will have back to back infections.

I am assuming by infection you mean fever, chills, AD, etc? You should not be treating just positive cultures with an indwelling catheter. You may want to look into D-Mannose and cranberry capsules. While research does not fully support these, many here swear by them.

I hope you are getting regular screening (annual) for bladder cancer. You should at least have urine cytology studies annually. Cystoscopies should be done with anesthesia for people at risk for AD, and the use of B&O suppositories as needed for any AD afterwards (generally due to bladder spasms) is usually effective.

(KLD)

[Brinda41]

Back to back UTIs -- response to Spinal Nurse

Yes, spinal nurse ... symptoms were (or are at the time) fever, chills, etc. I NEVER treat non-symptomatic UTIs.

My latest culprit (as seen in my first post) was proteus mirabilis. D-MANNOSE only works against E-coli infections. Haven't had an interim to try anti-infectives like Mandelamine.

I take the max dose of cranberry pills and 1000mgs of Vit C a day.

With a foley ... stones will always reappear and one can't have a cysto every month for their reoccurrence ... too hard on the bladder and on the patient. And the tests prior to SEE IF stones are present.

I don't have full medical coverage insurance so that would be a nightmare. We just spent over $1000 on IV antibiodics that essentially did nothing. And more bills for the PICC line insertion, it's supplies, etc.

Back in the 80s when I had a cysto done to remove stones (not for UTI reasons) ... the uro removed A BUNCH. Yet they caused no UTIs. I was awake and did fine during the office cystoscopy by numbing my bladder. It was the immediate FULL WEEK later that my HORRID bout with AD came on.

I have a uro appt on Sept 2nd. Have never heard of those suppositories for AD that you mentioned. Are they common enough for uros to be aware of them?

Lori
PS ... My epithelial cells are normal if that counts for anything?

[SCI-Nurse]

Not everyone with indwelling catheters has stones. If you leave them in, you will have recurrent UTIs. Your question was how to prevent recurrent UTIs. If you leave the stones in place, there is nothing that can be done. As you know, using an indwelling catheter significantly increases your risks for UTIs as well as stones.

Epithelials seen in a UA are not a screening for bladder cancer. They must be prepared for cytology studies with preservative added to the urine and the urine must be fresh.

Urologists should know about B&O suppositories, which are used for AD after cystoscopy or other GU surgeries, but not all urologists know much about AD.

(KLD)

[gilnwheel]

AD? What is AD

Can you tell me what AD? Also what are other names of Uroquid Acid...my Docs has never heard of it?

Not everyone with indwelling catheters has stones. If you leave them in, you will have recurrent UTIs. Your question was how to prevent recurrent UTIs. If you leave the stones in place, there is nothing that can be done. As you know, using an indwelling catheter significantly increases your risks for UTIs as well as stones.

Epithelials seen in a UA are not a screening for bladder cancer. They must be prepared for cytology studies with preservative added to the urine and the urine must be fresh.

Urologists should know about B&O suppositories, which are used for AD after cystoscopy or other GU surgeries, but not all urologists know much about AD.

(KLD)

[SCI-Nurse]

Autonomic Dysreflexia ( a possible life threatening situation with SCI). Please search above on this site or on google and you will find tons of information.

AAD