Hi all. I've been following this community for some time now. You people are amazing so I know I should be able to get some help from you.
I'm F, 38. I've been having UTIs for the last 20 years. There was a period in my early 20s when it was bad for some time. Looking back, my urologist was a horrible person, and I think I got better just so I can never go to him again.
Had 2 babies in the meantime and my UTIs got manageable. For the past 10+ years I would get around 1 UTI per year that responded beautifully to antibiotics. I had an amazing GP doctor that always had me have a round of antibiotics at home, as my yearly UTI would always come on holidays, weekends or while travelling. My cultures never or rarely showed any growth.
Fast forward to this year, my doc retired. A new, young GP came in her place.
In March, I got my yearly UTI (on a weekend, duh). Took the antibiotics my GP gave me to have "on hand". It was Cefuroxime, which was weird, because it did not seem familiar. It worked but not quite. I gave it a couple of days, but i contacted my new GP to let her know what's on. She sent me for a urine culture and lab. Those came back ok, but since my symptoms were not ok yet, she gave me a round of nitrofurantoin. It, too, did not help, but I took it like a champ, cut out coffee, alcohol, acidic foods and sex and in about 2 weeks I was good as new.
Then followed 2 weeks of pure bliss. No pain. I even travelled. Had sex. Drank coffee and ate pizza.
Then 10 days ago on a sunday I had the worst UTI ever. I was curled up in the shower for hours. I live in a small town, no hospital. No doctors on weekends. I went to the small ER.
They tested my urine, it was positive for Leukocytes and Erytrocytes, told me I for sure have a UTI, but they cannot help me. Called my mom, she told me she had some Monurol at home. I took the Monurol, and overnight my symptoms slowly eased. I was exhausted. Called my GP next day, she said that should do it.
5 days later the UTI was back, even worse. Called my GP, she said I "Probably needed more Monurol then just one dose" and gave me Amoxicillyin+Clavulic acid.
I'm now on day four of this. My symptoms got better, but are not clear yet.
This whole thing has been going on for 2 months. I feel exhausted and my mental health is at rock bottom. I fear my body.
I asked for urology referral, but I'm still waiting for my GP to write back on that.
Am I cooked? What do I do? I feel so hopeless.