High White Blood Cell Counts in Urine??

[VCNJ84]

I am still in the process of going to different doctors and such to figure out what is causing all my pain.

I was curious if anyone else before diagnosis, would ever take a UTI test...and have it come back negative for bacteria...but still have high white blood cells.

This has happened to me at the doctor, gyno and that home AZO test kit. Just made me wonder.

Thanks.

[ICNDonna]

It's possible to have white cells and not have a culture grow anything.

Donn

[amylr]

When I was first trying to figure out what the heck was going on with my bladder, the doctor tested my blood and it came back with high white blood cell counts. Additionally, I went to the gyno a few weeks later, did a urine sample and the sample came back with high white blood cell counts and blood in the urine as well. She suspected I had a UTI (as she said "I had all the classic symptoms...") and put me on Macrobid. I would just like to say that that stuff, for me atleast, was HORRIBLE! I had the worst headache and my urine smelled so strongly of chemicals. After taking the Macrobid for 5 days as instructed, the gyno's office called and basically said, "Whoopsy, nothing grew in the culture so you didnt have a bladder infection after all."

[VCNJ84]

When I was first trying to figure out what the heck was going on with my bladder, the doctor tested my blood and it came back with high white blood cell counts. Additionally, I went to the gyno a few weeks later, did a urine sample and the sample came back with high white blood cell counts and blood in the urine as well. She suspected I had a UTI (as she said "I had all the classic symptoms...") and put me on Macrobid. I would just like to say that that stuff, for me atleast, was HORRIBLE! I had the worst headache and my urine smelled so strongly of chemicals. After taking the Macrobid for 5 days as instructed, the gyno's office called and basically said, "Whoopsy, nothing grew in the culture so you didnt have a bladder infection after all."

Ughhh I have wrongly been given Macrobid before too. :cussing: it actually made me feel worse!

[Chellethinques]

I have had times where there were white cells in the urine, negative for bacteria in that quick dip thing they do in the office, but definate infection once the culture grew. This is especially true during times when I've been on antibiotics for something else, or low-dose preventative antibiotics, like for recurrent UTIs or for acne.
I'm kinda difficult - I insist on a culture every time now, and a call-back with results to make sure I'm on the right medication for that bug.

[Preacher-Girl]

I hate macrobid. I'm glad I wasn't the only one with a headache. I always have weird side effects that seem to only happen to me. I didn't have a UTI the time I took it either. It was fun.:rolleyes:

[keydawn]

When mine first started I had a lot of white blood cells according to the home test- which was what started the course of multiple different antibiotics for me. The same was true at the doctor's office- white blood cells but no evidence of infection (even when they grew the cultures).

Strange thing was, I always seemed to get better on the antibiotics (through like the first half or more of the course), but then my symptoms would always return. This went on for like the first month and a half before anyone mentioned IC.

So, yes, I've definitely had high white blood cells in absence of infection.

[BT2008]

Hey all,

What is the difference between having white blood cells in our urine specifically, and having a high WBC in our blood?

For several years previous to being hit with the pain of IC, I consistently had a high WBC for several years that the docs could not explain. It wasn't terribly high, but it was high enough that they wanted to watch it to see what it did.

Week before last I had another round of blood tests done--the first since being hit with IC--and I don't know what my WBC was yet. (I will find out this week, I am sure.) But, does anyone know if there has there been a particular pattern with IC and blood series WBC's?

~Beth