Femdophilus and Quest cultures

[massagedoula]

Hi all, I just finally found a store that carries Femdophilus. It is really hard to find. The stores were just all sold out of it! Everyone I spoke to has said that it is a good, well-researched product. So I started it tonight and so far no increased bladder symptoms, that it a good sign! I decided to take it because I feel that anything that could positively affect the bladder and urinary tract couldn't hurt. I already took another probiotic, but I now plan to switch to Femdophilus if my bladder continues to tolerate it.

I sent in a Quest 3020 urine culture today, after advice from the Quest representative in Seattle whom I spoke to on Friday who said that the 3021 was not the correct test for a clean catch specimen. She said that the best thing to do was to order the 3020 and specify "culture out all bacteria found." I will let you know. (By the way, many people have posted that Quest would not speak to them because they were not health care professionals. As I am almost about to graduate from Midwifery school...I may have s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d the truth a little and told them that I was a midwife calling for a client of mine. Hey...At least I got info, right!)

I'll post when the 3020 culture comes back.

[massagedoula]

I just wanted to post that I am on day 4 with the Fem-dophilus and am feeling just fine. I think I can say for sure that it is not causing a flare. I am thrilled!

I am still waiting for the results of the Quest 3020, I'll post when I get them.

[massagedoula]

The results are in: It says "This urine was examined microscopically for the presence of WBC, RBC, BACTERIA, CASTS AND OTHER FORMED ELEMENTS. Only those elements seen were reported. Then there is a urinalysis result (like PH, Specific gravity, etc.) Everything is negative or says none seen. So I thought, great! I had a clean specimen! But then underneath it says REFLEXIVE URINE CULTURE: NO CULTURE INDICATED.

So...wait! They didn't do a culture? Huh? I can only assume this is because there were absolutely no bacteria in the microscopic evaluation. But...Can all bacteria be seen during that evaluation? Should I get the test re-run? Should I just do the 3021 anyway?

[leelee88]

I am confused, So they didnt test your urine?

[massagedoula]

No, they did. The 3020 has them use a dipstick, then look microscopically at the urine. I am assuming that since they found no bacteria when they looked microscopically, they did not reflex to culture. So this is frustrating. I am just going to try the 3021.

[ICNDonna]

If they didn't see bacteria under the microscope, it could very well be that there was nothing to culture --- what does your doctor say?

Donna

[massagedoula]

She is frustrated that they did not do a culture, even though she specified they should. They did not see anything under the microscope, so that is why they didn't but there is always the possibility of human error in these cases.

I now am just going to send in the culture for the 3021, my doctor wrote me out a lab form stating 3021, URINE CULTURE. So they have to do a culture this time, right?

I actually don't have anymore increased symptoms, so I doubt this might be a low level UTI, but now I am just being stubborn. I want my culture!

[jen74]

I also just started femdophilis. I hope it works. I have been taking regular acidophilis for a long time now, but I still get UTI's. I hope this is different and works better.
Jen

[Angeles]

Go back and ask them to culture it. Trust me I have to ASK them to do it: Dr would you PLEASE culture i.e. my vaginal fluids etc.

One time I thought that I have cultured my uirne at my gyne's office b/c that was what we we were supposed to do.
So they called me back and said "results negative". Great. I asked them to fax the results to my uro. Then, my uro called me back and said they didn't culture your urine that was just a microscope or stick or whterver but it conclusion it was not cultured.
I called back gyne office and asked them why my urine wasn't cultured as we agreed (yep...I'm a pain). They said: "oh, becasue there was not enough urine"

Voila. So my though is that they use part of the urine for dip, then they look at it in the microscope and if they don't have enough urine they don't culture it. (?!)
So next time make sure you filll up the cup! .
Another thing to keep in mind: The 1st urine in the morning is the best to culture b/c it is more concentrated. However, ICers drink lots of fluids and by the time whe go to our appointments the urine is crystal clear, like water.
I've seem other "cups" in the box where I leave mine... (sorry, yikes) and other patient's urines are sooo concentrated while mine is almost like water.

Conclusion: If you really want a good culture:
1- Always have sterile cups at home.
2-Tell your doctor that first thing in the morning you'll drop off your urine sample at his office or find out the nearest quest lab.
3- Have sterile urine cups handy at home and do a clean catch of urine with your first urine of the morning.
3-Take the cup asap to the uro or lab. If possible in a cooler.
4-Make sure the cup has your name, doctor's name and your date of birth.
If you are thinking you have a UTI you can do this and then take an antibiotic. Don't do the culture after you already took the antibiotic (the result will be negative most likely) and if you wait for the reslut of the culture to take an antibiotic the bladder wil be suffering all that time, depeniding how bad you are.
Learn your body, learn how to identify what's going on and take as much control as you can.
See if the mambo I suggested makes a difference.

[mom_in_ma]

Absolutely have them culture it again. When my symptoms were getting worse and I was really sick this fall, my local uro just dipped it and looked under a microscope and said all is fine. Didn't culture it. My new urogyn...two months later(!) dipped it and said it looked fine. But, sent off a sterile culture and it turned out I'd had a raging infection >100,000! And that was in dilute urine!

Good luck.

[MarthaF]

http://www.pure-hope.org/probiotics_importance_to_women.htm

This is a good explanation of probiotics and why they are helpful. This was written by someone with a Ph.D. especially to help women understand what probiotics are and the kinds of problems they can help prevent/treat.

Martha