UTI and what other drugs can help for IC symtoms

[Natasa]

After couple of bad UTI and kidney infections I started to get IC symptoms.But this year I feel it is getting worse.

I'm keeping have UTIs,blood in the Urine and in most cases with the bacteria E.coli. I don't know what to do anymore.Iam at a point now where the antibiotic don't help much.I ended in the hospital,because I was becoming resistant to all antibiotics.

Beside the UTI,frequency,fever,and pain drives me insane.

I have been on Elmiron,Vasicare,Cymbalta,Effexor,Elavil and nothing helps.
I was also prescribed Lyrica,but after reading some patients responds to the drugs,I got really scared of taking in.Has anyone of you taken Lyrica?And what medications are you taking that has helped you?

Please advise

thank you:)

[ICNDonna]

How long were you on elmiron? It can take six monthys or longer to have any effect at all. I haven't taken lyrica, but I know others here have; hopefully you'll hear from some of them.

One more question --- are they culturing your urine to be sure you are on the right antibiotic for the specific organism?

Donna

[Claredale]

Read the patient handbook, it will give you some other information on meds that are helpful. That is the frustrating thing about treating IC as well as the many auto-immune diseases, none of us can determine our course of treatment by what worked fo other people suffering with IC.

I took Lyrica as well as several of the other nerve meds which for me the side effects were worse than the actual symptoms. I now take Prosed DS. I am VERY sensitive to Pyridium Plus. Prosed DS was my miracle drug, but there are others that it hasn't helped at all. What I have learned is to educate myself on what meds are out there and I have a doctor that is very receptive to allowing me to try the different meds. Together we have found a drug combo which currently is allowing me to be symptom free for the most part. I am certainly not in remission, but my symptoms are under control on my current meds. Most of which I have researched here on the ICN.

Hope you find your answers!

Hugs, Tracey

[elamar]

ditropan xl is what worked for me. That along with utira-c (generic of urelle). These meds took a while to work, it was a very gradual decline of the constant urge to urinate, so don't expect the meds to work overnight! I think it took at least 2 weeks until I finally started to get relief. Good luck to you.

[VickiB]

One more question --- are they culturing your urine to be sure you are on the right antibiotic for the specific organism? Donna

Good question! My last UTI, years ago, just wouldn't quit. Finally I stopped by my doctor's office to tell them I wasn't getting any better. They pulled my chart & culture results and said it's no wonder because the antibiotic prescribed wasn't successful with that particular bacteria I had!

-Now why, when then received my lab results, didn't they compare it to what they'd prescribed before putting it in my folder? Hmmmm!

Hope you find relif soon, Natasa!
Vicki

[hdb1982]

I haven't personally tried Lyrica, I did take Neurontin though. I did a search here and below are some links for Lyrica threads. Hope this helps.


Anytime you want info on a med/procedure/symptom just go to search in the blue banner, hit advanced search, type in your keyword and change the drop down to "in titles only".
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50401&highlight=LYRICA
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50105&highlight=LYRICA
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25661&highlight=LYRICA
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48968&highlight=LYRICA
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48397&highlight=LYRICA
http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47682&highlight=LYRICA

[Natasa]

Thank you guys so much for your support.


I used Elmiron for 2 years and nothing. Regarding the culture,I always tell them to send it out so that I know what antibiotic can help me.At the beginning it was fine,I could find at least 2-3 antibiotics that were on the list and they would help me threat the infection,but last Feb. I ended in the Hospital because It showed that I was resistant to all the antibiotics showing on the list.

However,last time I thought that I had a UTI,because I had all the same sympotoms,and It showed that I had a few bacteria,but nothing significant and they did not give any medications.But I was so much in pain I just took Cefdin I had at home,and after a day the symptom went away.How is it possible that I feel better after taking antibiotics,even though I did not have an infections or did I come to a point where every single bacteria now bothers me?

And this is what I am so afraid of,what If i became resistant to all of them and I have a UTI?? I am really scared.

[jen74]

I totally feel your fear. My bacteria are also resistant to alot of the antibitoics. My ecoli are resistant to cipro,amoxicillin, gentamicin, levaquin. I also am allergic to bactrim and cannot take macrobid due to severe side effects. I have a Ecoli UTI now and just finished 14 days of keflex.
I truely believe that IC is caused by bacteria. Since I have been on the keflex, my bladder pain has been soo much better. Now that I stop the antibitoic, I am sure my pain will come back. I think the issue is that the antibitoics likely do not kill off all the bacteria and that is why we continue to have symtpoms. I unfortulately cannot convince my urogyne about this though. He is stubborn and believes me feeling better on the antibitoic is just a coencidense. But I know my body and think otherwise. My husband even thinks that there is a good possibility that IC is caused by a bacteria. It is just to odd that when I take certain antibitoics, my bladder feels so much better. I look at it like this, if IC was not related to any bacteria, then I would not get relief from being on the antibiotics. I know there is that whole theory of how antibitoic have
anti-inflammatory agents in them, but This is not soo, at least not enough to make most of your pain go away. The reason the pain goes away is because the antibitoic is killing off the bacteria and therefore you bladder gets a chance to heal itself. This is hat I believe.
I do know your frustration on the UTI and antibitoic resistance though. They say ecoil is a very sneaky bug and has learned how to adapt and can even hide and not be detected ( I was told this by a doctor and a pharmacist). What did they do for you in the hospital, what antibiotic did they give you ( IV)?
Jen