Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Interstitial Cystitis

Posted on Tue, 13 Sep 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 Answered on

Mon, 3 Oct 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I'm a 31 yr old female. I woke up this past Wednesday with a UTI (I've had a few UTIs before, so knew the symptoms). I had sex on Monday - so that's why I also associated what I had as a UTI. I went to an urgent care office and was given Nitrofurantn, which I starting taking that morning. I also took Azo Wednesday/Thursday. The burning while urinating pain went away, but by Saturday I still didn't feel that it was clearing up as fast as UTIs had in the past so I went back into another urgent care - this time they cultured my urine and I was switched to Sulfameth. As of today, I still don't feel right. I have an urgency feel to urinate and my bladder region feels bloated and I have mild lower back pain. I called to speak with the last doctor I saw today, but was told I should probably see a urologist at this point - which the wait time to get in to see one is weeks out. I'm curious if switching to another antibiotic would do the trick - or now that I've been reading more - if it's something else. Possibly Interstitial Cystitis.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
It is not Interstitial Cystitis

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for query .Based on the symptoms that you have posted it is obvious that you have UTI .
You were prescribed Nitrofurantoin fwhich you took for 3-4 days and later on urine culture was done .Normally urine culture takes 3 days to trace out the causative organisms and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern ,

I shall be happy if you can post me urine culture report so that I can suggest appropriate antibiotic .

The urgency that you have is due to irritative bladder which is always associated with UTI .

Please take urinary anti spasmodic like Oxybutinine twice daily for 10 days . Continue taking antibiotic as per culture report .

Hope I have answered your query ,please feel free to ask if you have more questions , I shall be happy to help you .
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (42 minutes later)

I do not have a copy of the urine culture report, but assuming I can request from doctor tomorrow. The doctor did say on Saturday, when the culture was run, that no bacteria was found. But had prefaced earlier antibiotics can skew results.
Is it common to be on antibiotics for, this is pushing 6 full days now, and still have UTI symptoms of: urgency to urinate, bloated feeling in the bladder/abdomen/mild lower back pain? What rules out Interstitial Cystitis?
Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
In Interstitial Cystitis one gets severe pain while passing urine .

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .

Interstitial Cystitis is characterized by severe agonizing, unbearable pain while passing urine .and always presents with symptoms for long duration of months or so .
I still think that you did not get satisfactory results because it is most likely that the organisms causing UTI may not be sensitive to antibiotics that you have taken.

Taking appropriate antibiotic with anti cholenergic drug like Oxybutinine or Darifenacin is the master key to resolve the problem of UTI and urgency for urination .

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar