Do I look a tad overwhelmed and resigned? I tried not to for Sue's obligatory breakfast photo, but if I do look a tad flummoxed, there's a reason.
You see, yesterday evening I realized that I had all of the symptoms of yet another UTI — my third since my prostate surgery in early June.
So far, everything in this ongoing story has seemed to happen just before the weekend when doctors are unreachable, bless their hearts. (No, seriously, do bless their hearts.) Thank goodness, Tuesday is well removed from the weekend, eh? But the heckuvit is that my doctor is on holiday this week. What should I do now, eh?
I didn't fancy another trip to the ER if I could possibly work around it. I could call the surgeon in our family doctor's absence, but I was afraid that my request would sit for too long since his days are pretty busy with ... um ... surgery. Besides, he's not the best at calling back anyway. I poured out my woes to Sha who was able to get the doctor and nurse at her seniors' residence to fill out a requisition for lab work.
So that is why I drove to Perth. While I could have waited for her to bring the requisition home after work, it would mean that nothing would get started until tomorrow, and I know from experience that culturing the specimen takes a few days/
I went straight home and prepared my sample. I put the vial in a bag but the vial leaked and I ended up with more urine in the bag than the vial. I took bag and vial to the lab anyway, and they seemed to accept my offering although I don't think they were terribly impressed with me.
With that done, we went out for breakfast. It was a good initial outing for Sue after her ordeal, and it just felt plain good be out and about like real people and to pamper ourselves just a little bit.
Meanwhile, I don't know what to make of my predicament. I'd never had a UTI before, and now I have had three of them within two months. Actually, I believe it is just the one infection that has never cleared up completely. I think it was the two weeks with the catheter before surgery that did me in. That's when the night sweats started, and while they have lessened in intensity, they have never ceased.
Fortunately, I do not feel sick, but I do feel discomfort. Mostly it is a mild burning sensation; sometimes feeling more sorey than burny. And I am urinating more frequently and with somewhat more urgency.
I now wait for the lab results which should take two days. Will they even get it done and get back to me before the weekend?
When of when this never ending story end?
I couldn't seem to fit this next bit in the narrative, above, but I also made a trip to the pharmacy last evening. You see, pharmacists in this province have been given the authority to prescribe for UTIs. I waited while he talked at length to the lady in front of me. I could just make out that they seemed to be talking about dealing with a UTI situation. This gave me hope, but when it got to be my turn, he said that they could only deal with women because men, at least those in a situation like mine, were too complicated.
Just imagine: me complicated. Whodathunkit?
17 comments:
Oh my, AC. It is good that Sue is out and about again but you have to feel better! Soon I pray.
What a headache!
Your title says it all! Sigh.
LOL. Our dear uncomplicated AC! We've been doing a lot of reading here. Tim is having issues. Constant UTIs can be a sign of a partial blockage, the bladder not draining completely. More scar tissue? It is frustrating not to be able to get in touch with a doctor who knows your case.
Darn it all. If it isn't one thing it's another...or the same one again and again. Hope you get results and treatment soon. I know you're drinking lots of fluids (and cokes and coffee don't count!). I have my own woes, but just am grinning and bearing things for now.
I wonder if a knockout antibiotic is called for. It would be great to be done with all this. I wish you had better access to doctors. I never have to chase one. If mine's not available, her on-call is. I wish that for you. Universal health care that's not available isn't my idea of health care.
You need a break from it all.
This pisses me off! (too punny?) Seriously though, I'm frustrated for you, doing everything you're supposed to yet foiled by a wonky bladder. I'm sure you're right about the cause of the sweating and the periodic UTIs. I know our plumbing is different, but I would have thought women's UTIs would be more complicated than men's. There is an over-the-counter product that I use called AZO; it treats the symptoms more than the cause and I'm not sure it's for men. It does relieve the pain until you can get an antibiotic. And it turns your urine orange!
Oh John I've always thought of you as complicated.
In a good way.
I hope there is a final solution (to the UTI) this time! You and Sue need to get back into your old and familiar routines.
Surely your vacationing doc had another doc on call for him. At least in the U.S., a vacationing doc can't just leave his practice unattended. Pyridium is the ingredient that stops bladder infection burning and frequency symptoms and turns urine orange. It does not treat an infection: you need antibiotic meds for that. Pyridium used to be Rx but is now over the counter and part of the AZO family of pills that Margaret mentioned. Read the ingredients. The docs and labs usually like a sample before starting on the orange stuff. Hope the labs tell the docs which antibiotic to use this time. When we get older we're more prone to UTIs because the bladder walls are thinner, and we sit too long before getting up and going to the outhouse. Taking one 550mg cranberry capsule once a day is a good way to keep your bladder innards and pH happy. Pure 100% cranberry juice is expensive and tastes gross. Cranberry juice cocktail has a ton of sugar in it, which makes the bladder flora create more UTIs. Good Luck, Linda in Kansas
You certainly had this pegged correctly as a never ending story, AC, and that is unfortunate. It seems that now that Sue is recovering, you are on the downswing. Hope the test results do not confirm your fears about another infection, but by now you DO know all the signs😕
It sounds like those cranberry capsules might do the trick for you. What a nuisance!
I was wondering why you didn't go to a pharmacy. Men complicated?!
I had a UTI once while doing a 5 day exhibition & couldn't go to a doctor as there was no time. Cranberry capsules did the trick and I now drink unsweetened cranberry juice all the time and have never had trouble again.
You complicated fellow, you. I hope by now you have your results and that the pharmacist has given you what you will need. You were smart to get on top of it before the ER. Good luck!
I'm so sorry these UTIs are haunting you. I know that a UTI is a most miserable malady. Here's hoping you'll get your hands on some medication that will knock it out posthaste. xoxo
Goodness, what an odyssey. Maybe one more round of antibiotics will finally resolve the problem? At least you are able to recognize the signs of trouble before it gets too bad.
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