Leukocytes

[Romans8:28]

:hmm: What can cause leukocytes, low level protein and ketones in a clean catheter urine, anything other then infection?? The ketones and leukocytes were more severe, turned the stick to pink I do my own dipsticks everytime I instill. I have looked in all my books and am afraid I am going back into infection.., even on the Bactrim...,but this time other then a little kidney pain, I don't feel like I have an infection???? :dizzy: (I know both ketones and protein can be diet but I eat too many calories and plenty of protein) I have also noticed more "stuff"in my urine too.


Actually my IC has been pretty good. maybe because we are off the Cipro which was driving me crazy and he let me try to go off the UROCIT-K, and during the time the Cipro was driving my bladder crazy we upped the hydroxizine, started Elavil. Off the Urocit-K my urine is very acid but I don't have a lot of burning, just a little more frequency??

I just hate to bother my doctor even on Mon. If it is something else...,and with my history don't want to panic...,
Anyone know, nurses, midwives, etc???

Thanks for your help!:grouphug:
Shelly

[Elle]

I don't know if there are any causes other than infection or just IC in general. I almost always have a very high level of leukocytes in my urine and blood (from trace to 4+), and typically have ketones and sometimes protien without an infection. I've just always been told it's b/c of IC. Maybe someone else might know of something...I'm very interested to read the replies!

[Romans8:28]

Thanks Elle for your answer. I ask my GP on Sunday, (She is also a close friend and goes to my church), she said that on a cath. urine it usually only means infection and for me to talk to my URO. I am going to e-mail my URO and will ask him if IC itself can cause leukocytes. The protein ketone connection is very interesting to me, that you have these also??? I let you know if I hear back from the URO!

Thanks again for your response!
Shelly

[Romans8:28]

Just wanted to let you know I heard from my doctor. He told me even in a cath urine to make sure it is mid-stream. He also did say the WBC or leukacytes are often non specific in IC patients. So you were right! He bases the infection more on symptoms and cultures, understand that a neg. culture does not always mean no infection.

My urine has been pretty clear. But did a mid-stream cath again at the time of my treatment and had the same pattern..., So we shall see!

Shelly

[KendoSam]

I am a newbie on this forum but I was diagnosed with IC in November. I kept coming up leukosyte positive at the Urologist and I knew that I didn't have an infection. My Dr. has me on prydium (the stuff that makes your pee orange) twice a day to help with the pain, and he told me that it will give you a false positive. So ask your Dr. if you are on anything that could mess up the read. Good Luck.

Sam

[Romans8:28]

No prydium. Still so WBC even on a midstream cath urine, go for cultures and test tomorrow!

Thanks though!
Shelly

[dg2901]

Shelly,

Protein and ketones in a urine sample can be indicative of diabetes. Have you ever been checked?

take care
diana

[Romans8:28]

Yes, I check my sugar and am hyperglycemic (low blood sugar) though that has improved greatly in the last few years.., but it definately could be connected with sugar intack and I will watch that.., may check my sugar when I see it in the urine too!

Thanks, Shelly

[Sarojini]

Any kind of inflammation, including non-bacterial, can cause leukocytes (white blood cells) to appear. If you examined your nasal passages while you were having an allergy attack and then when you were not, you'd find elevated leukocytes during the allergy attack, even though the cause is not bacterial.

They're recruited to sites of inflammation; some of them promote inflammation and some try to reign it in... there are various kinds. "Leukocytes" is a broad term that covers CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, eosinophils, neutrophils and NK T cells.

The non-specific inflammation of IC can cause increased "leukocyte" counts in urine in the same way the allergy reaction in the nose can.

THE PRESENCE OF LEUKOCYTES DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN BACTERIA ARE PRESENT.

[KendoSam]

That is such a pain! Every time I go to the urologist i have to give a urine sample which is understandable, but I always get some nurse who doesn't quite get it. "You have blood and leukocytes in you urine, you have an infection." It took me 10 minutes to explain to this lady that I have IC so blood is normal, my medication gives off a false positive for leukocytes, and I am not symptomatic!

I hate taking antibiotics, they mess with my stomach and give me yeast infections and I don't want to take them on the whim of some nurse. Before I was diagnosed my GP had me on antibiotics for like 3 months even though they cultured me and there was nothing. I am a vet tech and we use the same urine tests as the Urologist so I test myself at work whenever I feel funny. I don't wanna rag on the nurses though, I just wish they wouldn't get so defensive and try and sell it to me that I have an infection. Sometimes I feel like people with IC know way more about it than the doctors and nurses, so I just wish they would listen more.

Sorry about the rant.

Sam