Flare vs UTI- is there a difference in symptoms?

[Tmbrtiger]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone gets UTI's and if they are noticably different than a normal flare. I went to bed last night with what I thought to be a flare and ended up taking an herbal mixture that always takes the flare pain away. Usually when I take that, the flare disappears in about an hour and it doesn't come back (until I eat something else that doesn't agree with me!). However, the burning pain has not fully gone away and came back with a vengeance this morning. I have always gotten UTI's throughout my life, but since IC I haven't had one, so I am unsure of how to view my symptoms. If anyone can help, I'd greatly appreciate it!!!
Thanks!
--Heather

[Sarojini]

I know that a lot of times I can't tell if it's a UTI or IC -- I keep test strips at home and test my own urine. If that comes up positive, I know it's time to head to the doctor for an actual culture and some antibiotics. However, sometimes, even if the strip at home is negative, I go to the doctor anyway just to be sure... it can't hurt. All I know is, I have a hard time distinguishing between an IC flare and an infection, so that's not unusual... you're not alone!

[Tmbrtiger]

Oh the joys! lol
What kind of test strips do you use? I'd like to get some myself due to my history with UTI's. It would definitely help with being sure if I need to head to the doc or not!
Thank you so much for your reply! It is definitely nice to know that I'm not alone with this!

--H

[SharonA]

For me, I am pretty certain it is a UTI and not a flare if I get a horrible, time to scream burning pain when my urine stream begins and when it ends. The pain grows in intensity each time I urinate. This does not happen when I have flares.

[ICNDonna]

Sometimes it's hard for me to know if it's a flare or an infection. I use the test kits too. The one I like best is "First Response" because it foams if there's infection and you don't have to compare colors on a test strip.

Donna

[diane57]

Off topic a little, what's the herbal mixture you take to reduce the flare?

[Tmbrtiger]

I mix marshmallow root, meadowsweet, corn silk, and kava...all tinctures (I use the Pharma. I add it to a small amount of boiling water to evaporate the alcohol, let it cool a bit, and then down it in one swig..it's tastes awful! But, after anywhere from 30mins to 1 1/2 hours, the flare is gone. Sometimes with the really bad ones, I will do that 2-3 times a day, but so far I've only had to do that once.

Hope it helps for you, too!

Good luck!

[diane57]

Thanks for the herbal recipe! I'm going to add it to my arsenal...

Hope your flare/UTI disappears from your life SOONEST.

[Tmbrtiger]

Well, I thank you all for your input! I went and bought a test kit and it came back negative, so this is just one heck of a flare! I have taken my herbal concoction and am starting to feel a little better...maybe with a couple of doses it will finally go away! We shall see....

Thanks again!
You guys are great!!!!

[NanciK]

Heather - what is the amount of each tinture used?

Thanks!

Nancik
(I've been gone for a while but used to be here all the time from 97-2000)

[Tmbrtiger]

It depends on which brand you use, but the Herb Pharm brand that I use says 30-40 drops 2-5 times per day for each of the tinctures (and even that varies on what the tincture is). If you read the back of the bottle it will give you the dosage. I usually use anywhere between that and have had great success with it.

Good luck!!

[NanciK]

Thank you Heather :)

[poetgirl]

The only big difference I ever noticed between a flare and UTI was the type of burning I experienced upon urination. I tend to have some urethral burning with a flare or if I've ingested something that irritates the bladder/urethra -- it usually burns once I'm done urinating and can continue for a while afterward. The burning is more diffuse and can sometimes be relieved by rinsing the urethral/vaginal area with cool water. With a UTI, I always experienced immediate searing burning pain that would cease once I finished urinating. Hope that helps.

[Betsie]

When I flare (very seldom other than menstrual pain), i seem to feel an all over sensation of feeling "off". My whole health seems to get slowly comprimised....when I flare, it seems to be isolated to bladder and pelvic pain and increase in frequency/burn.

[twiggy]

I can't tell the difference between IC and a UTI. They are the same for me!

[Debgail]

If I do get a legitimate uti I feel as tho it is a flare just much worse than a normal one. And if i have to take antibiotics it justs puts me into a flare all over again ...everytime.

I asked my GP Dr. to save an empty test strip bottle originally for me and everytime I have gone to her she has handed me a handful of strips. I think every icer should have test trips at home.

Take care Debbie

[sparklebabyprincess]

I cannot tell the difference either But I actually have not had a UTI since being diagnosed. I have only had two in my whole life one was in high school, about three years before any symptoms of IC started. then after three years I kept getting the same pain I had with my first UTI only worse. so I kept going to the doctor because the antibiotics was not working, he claimed it was a recurring UTI. well finally I went to a urologist and he was looking at all my previous UTI tests and said only one out of all of them showed I had a UTI all the rest did not. he could not understand why my doctor would say they where UTI's.

Now I will get the pain so bad my ears will sound like I'm under water, and I feel very close to passing out. this pain gets worse when I urinate But after a few hours a day at the most the sever pain will leave, then I will still have pain But not bad enough to effect the way I walk just if I stretch, run, lift something, sit down to fast, stand up to fast........

I have not gone back in to the doctor for a UTI ever since I was diagnosed I would if the pain did not let up, but it always dose and usually the next day or the day after I'm back to my "normal" self.