Results from United Medical Labs

[massagedoula]

I just go back my results from United Medical Labs (from the broth culture) and I don't understand it. If I have it right, I think that they found 2 different things in my sample. One was Group D. Strep (of course, isn't that what they usually find in every IC person?) And the other is called Citrobacter Braakii. I never heard of that and maybe I am reading this thing wrong. If not, the Citrobacter Brakii seems to be resistant to many antibiotics and next to others it says "negative". I don't know what this all means. If anyone out there has experience reading these result sheets, can I scan it and send it to you? I am kinda in between doctors now so I plan to send a copy to my old doctor, but I don't know if she will get back to me. She referred me onwards to the university hospital, which I have an appt. in a few weeks with, but maybe it would be strange as a new patient to just bring in these abstract results from a lab that I mailed my urine to? I wonder if they will take me seriously.

But, I really want to know what this all means...anyone out there that can help decipher it?

[ICNDonna]

The "negative" means there was none. How much of the various bacteria there is could also be a factor --- if it's "trace" --- or just a few cells, it could be normal, or could be contamination due to handling before shipping and the time lag.

Sarojini (Jen) could probably answer your questions about the results. You might try sending her a private message.

Donna

[massagedoula]

Thanks for your advice. I PMed Jen to ask. The "negative" was not next to the amount or anything, it was when they did all the antibiotic sensitivity tests. For example it would say ERYTHROMYCIN-RESISTANT and then next would say GENTAMICIN-NEGATIVE and so on, down the list of antibiotics... This was only for the Citrobacter Braakii.
For the Group D. Strep it says something like AMPICILLIN-SENSITIVE and then ERYTHROMYCIN-INTERMEDIATE and so on...

It is very confusing! I plan to bring this up to my doctor next week, but as I said, it is a new doctor and I don't want to weird them out by bring this up at the first visit....I thought about faxing it to my previous doctor but she had said that she couldn't help me anymore and referred me onwards, I don't know if she would even look at it or if my file is closed with her. Like I said, I am between doctors so I would like help deciphering the results so I can at least seem like I know what I am talking about if I present it to my new one next week!

[massagedoula]

PS, any nurses or other "in the know" people out there, I can scan the result sheet and send it to you if you would like to help me figure it out....

[Romans8:28]

I believe that is telling you which antibiotics will work against the bacteria!
Negative means it won't work. Sensitive means that it should work, Intermidate means it may help but not kill it all! If it's like one of my old sheets anyway!
It would be a very important idea to take it to your new Dr and I think they would defiantely want to see it! Sounds like it would tell them exaclty what to prescribe!

[massagedoula]

I hope that my doctor takes it seriously....By the way, I called Untied Medical and they told me that the "negative" should not be on the sheet, that the lab tech pressed the wrong key and it should say "sensitive". I thought that something looked wrong! I just wonder how much of these 2 bacteria strains were present in the bladder and how much came from external contamination or grew in the shipping....Romans8:28, did you have a broth culture and then get treated for the bacteria?

[Romans8:28]

I had pseudomonias after a bad kidney stone surgery.., I didn't find out till we got my records. I've looked at that paper a lot of times because I feel like it helped to contribute to my IC.
I'm quite sure the doctor will take the paper seriously, even if it is to explain what is normal and what is not.

[emilyrose197377]

Message, it sounds like to it is reading what antibotics would be good to treat the infection. I have experience reading my own lab reports. Good luck at the dr.'s.You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Take Care
Kim

[barbaraz]

I just received my results back from United Medical Labs. I called to ask a few questions and talked to the gentleman whose accent is so strong I couldn't understand him. When I told him I couldn't understand, he said, "What don't you understand? You have an infection that needs to be treated immediately." I asked if >100,000 CFU/mL (enterococcus species) meant a bad infection and he said, "Yes and it could damage your kidneys." (At least that's what I believe he said)...I see my urogynecologist tomorrow, but this guy got me a little scared. I would think they could get someone who can be understood by the general public to give out information on their phones. Has anyone else had results like mine? Thanks! Barb

[massagedoula]

Hi Barbara!

I have gotten the same guy on the phone too! Sometimes he answers, sometimes other people do that are much easier to understand. Ok, basically here is what I have come to the conclusion about the United Medical Labs broth cultures. It showed the same thing for me too, the enterococcus and one other citrobacter species. I brought the results to my last uro appt. I was getting a cysto then, so I asked if they could please save the urine from the intital cathertization and send it in for a culture and sensitvity test. I showed them the results from United Medical. My uro was very understanding about the fact that I had gotten the broth culture, but she then told me that the Group D Strep (enterococcus) and the citrobacter species are common flora on the external genitalia. She said that it could have been possible that when I did my clean catch, I still got a little bit of the bacteria from my external labia in the sample. Then, add 24 hours of mailing time and a broth culture to it, and they will have surely found growth of >100,000 CFU/ml. But that bacteria may have never been in my bladder.

She promised me that if either of those bacteria strains or any other ones showed up in my cathed culture then she would immediately give me antibiotics. I waited and then got the call a few days later. My cathed specimen was totally clean of any bacteria, not even a trace. I even requested a copy of the C/S to read myself and sure enough, no growth. I believe that United Medical may be inadvertently culturing out bacteria that was never in our bladders, but was contaminated from out labias or pubic hair or vaginal secretions.

This is just my opinion, so please, do your own research. You should discuss it with your urogyn, but remember, there is no sense in taking uneeded antibiotics!