My Quest 3021 results are back!

[massagedoula]

So...After my dissatisfaction with the Quest 3020, I got my doctor to write me a lab slip for the 3021 that everyone has been talking about on here, the one where it is a special culture where they identify all the bacteria found and culture it out. I was quite excited.

So...I got the results back, and I was so shocked!

It says:

Urine culture, routine
Source: Urine
Sample: adequate
No Growth

OMG! This is not what I had expected! It makes me relieved in one way...But also I was so expecting this culture to show something that now I guess I am also still stunned. I guess I really have the definition of IC...Bladder irritation with sterile urine. I had always expected that I had some low level bacterial colonies growing in my bladder, and because of my damaged lining, they were irritating me. I even held my urine for 3 hours before doing the sample for the 3021 just to take sure that as many bacteria as possible got into the cup. But...I guess there were none.

[Julie B]

That is very interesting......I have said for a long time that only an IC patient is happy when they have a documented UTI...that means there is something they can do about it........

Well at least you know.......I guess it will take some time for the idea to sink in.......especially since your intuition seemed so strong........

[mich2604]

wow, I guess this might mean there is some accuracy to that test. It found two bacteria in me.


Thanks for sharing and im glad that you didnt show any bacteria.

[massagedoula]

Martha et.al,
Sorry for the confusion, this was the 3021 that was done. On the lab slip that I got from my doctor, she did not check the routine culture box. Instead, she wrote Urine culture, special, 3021 on the blank spot on the form. When I dropped it off at the lab, the tech had to look up the code to make sure it was right since she had not seen the 3021 requested before. Then, when I got my culture results back, even though it did say "Urine culture, routine" the way the lab results were written look different from any other results that I have had before. So I don't think that Quest substituted another culture for the 3021. Firstly, that would be illegal for a lab to not follow a doctor's order! Secondly, The other routine culture that Quest does is the 3020, I believe. I have had that one a few times before (one time was 2 weeks ago, actually!) And the way that they write the lab results is very different than the way this one was written.

So, anyway, I have wondered and speculated, as I am sure that many of you have too, about a low level bacterial component to IC. I still think that it may be the case for some, but I have never thought that it was the case for all IC patients. The reason why I did this testing was because I wondered if it may be me...One of the ones who had low level bacterial colonies. I hadn't liked the idea of sending my urine in the mail to a lab, I felt that it was too much time for it to become contaminated en route. I patiently waited for a local lab to be able to do this specific type of testing, and to see if my "Mixed gram positive organisms" amounted to anything of interest. That is why I followed up with the 3021 after I heard Quest was now doing it, here on the ICN! So, I don't doubt the results...But as Julie says...An IC patient could be one of the only ones who gets disappointed that they don't have a UTI! I suppose that I have to look in other areas to find out my personal cause. However, I will continue to take the Femdophilus...Because it sure can't hurt, and I hope that it will protect me from any future problems.

[massagedoula]

I just want to say that I am impressed that a simple post about urine culture results could become the center of such contention! I really don't know what else to do in this case. I truly believe that the lab ran the correct test and it showed no growth. Why is that hard to believe for everyone? Maybe this Quest 3021 is similar to their normal urine culture, but this one will specify every bacteria in the sample, and not just say "mixed gram positive organisms" like we all have seen (frustratingly.) I haven't seen any reason to doubt that this was the correct test...I am sorry to have started something here.

[ICNDonna]

It's not at all hard for me to believe --- and I'm with you in feeling glad you're feeling better. Thank you for sharing.

Warm hugs,
Donna