Pyridium Question

[asiansalad]

I've been fighting a kidney infection for about 3 and a half weeks now, and the doctor sent me home from the hospital yesterday with 2 antibiotics and 2 days of Pyridium. I was just wondering - how long will this turn my pee orange? How long does this effect last after I stop taking the drug?

(I have post-traumatic stress disorder, and for some reason, I find this side effect very triggering/unsettling, so looking for it to end quickly!)

[Briza]

The orange color should be gone from your urine in toilet probably 5-6 hrs, max, after each dose, in my experience. Usually it takes about an hour before it shows up orange when I pee, usually less than an hour before I start feeling relief, and at least for me after 5 hrs max of taking a dose no more orange. Of course if I take one at bedtime and don't get up in the night to use the RR then in morning, yes I will pee orange because it has been sitting in bladder while I slept...and if so that is good b/c that means I slept at least 5 hrs and I didn't have to wake up during night to pee.

It can give EXCELLENT relief VERY quickly for many symptoms: burning, pain, frequency, urgency, spasms so stick with it for the two days you got a supply for and take as prescribed for best and continous relief...

For orange in toilet...when you pee, flush toilet as you are peeing, that way you won't have to see the full bright orange effect that is disturbing you....it may take a second flush to get all residual orange out of bowl, but the first flush while peeing should get most, if not all of it, down the drain.

(((hugs))) I have PTSD, too. So I really do understand when the tiniest unexpected thing can make the anxiety set in. Hopefully this med will give you some great fast relief, and like I said, flush while peeing so hopefully you won't have to see that full bright orange in bowl. Hope this helps...also, you can wear a panty liner to prevent stains on your undies....or do as I do and just wear black undies. Hope any of this helps...this med really can help with your symptoms, so please try to stick with it throughout the entire Rx!:)

[krisillis]

Briza is right it usually is 5-6 hours and you need to drink plenty of fluids and your urine may be darker than normal the next day. At least mine is. I think it is different for every person, and how effecient your kidneys are at cleaning it out of your system. But really 24 hours max.

Christine

[asiansalad]

Thanks so much! It's so great to know there are people here who understand. I had never tried it before, but I did manage to figure out the panty liner thing before the stains set in! Haha.

[bjt]

I find the orange color irritating--more just cause I hate how it stains the toilet and I'm a little obsessed about keeping the bathroom clean. I just try to flush before looking in the toilet.
as far as panty liners, I learned years ago to just to wear black underpants... its cheaper in the long run. :-)

[Goldfinch]

Asian salad-- (and oh how I wish I could have one!) perhaps for emergencies like a flare or UTI you could take one of the blue-pee meds instead of Pyridium. It might work as well for you. I find the orange color alarming too, although not as alarming as you clearly do. Maybe the cool blue antiseptic color would suit you better? See if you doc will get you a script for Urelle or Prosed or one of the other UTAs. They don't work exactly the same way, but I find both of these drugs help me.

I find the blue and the orange color both disappear within 6-8 hours, and the more water you drink the more dilute the color will be.