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My mom has been treated for a UTI for about 3 weeks. Admitted into the hospital last week for two days of IV antibiotics. She still has the UTI. I think this is the 3rd round of different antibiotics. Why would these antibiotics not be working and what can I do? Thanks!

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My mother-in-law had constant UTI's for years and years. When I began as her caregiver over 6 years ago, she was on a maintenance antibiotic for it. I took her to several urologists as I was determined to get her off the maintenance antibiotic and find out the root of the problem. After bladder lift surgery, different treatments and methods, it was never discovered. She eventually became incontinent - which would make you think since the urine can't be held in - the infections would go away. But they didn't. I was told by these specialists that this just happens with some people sometimes that they can't figure out what is causing the constant infection and there is nothing further that could be done but keep her on the maintenance antibiotic to keep the infection down and then treat it aggressively when it flares up. They would send her urine out to the lab to see what antibiotics would work on it. She eventually built up a resistance to the antiobiotics and unfortunately none worked anymore. But unfortunately UTI's are common in the elderly. Usually all you can do is treat it when it happens.
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I can say... I was getting UTI all the time and when I got off of a medication that I was on they finally stopped. The medication was a anti depressent and the warning label warns of kidney problems not UTI but I was having constant UTI. Also a UTI can come with the person not empting completely. Maybe a little 'dip' or pocket in the bladder that is not allowing the bladder to empty all the way. I know for a fact that if the person has a dropped bladder (like vw9729's mother in law) if it is not cleaned properly and completely you will get the UTIs and with the surgery the woman will complicate the fact that she will get more UTIs or if you get the bladder lift insert you will get the UTIs,. not really sure why on all of these accounts. My mom has a dropped bladder and it makes her have to go a lot more often. She has to have it checked by a urology specialist more often and he has told her as long as she is keeping it very very clean and she doesnt mind cleaning it... having surgery would be his last very last result. He made mention that the surgery could complicate the situation more. My thought would be to check her meds she may be having a reaction to something... maybe also something she is drinking or eating. I also know that if you don't drink enough the UTIs are more frequent. I will say on one last note... to be sure it is not a vaginal infection or not a yeast complication. My daughter who is in a wheel chair and when she first was getting through hurdles of cathiters and diapers and just alot of strange physical stuff.. she was getting UTIs all the time. She had many infections in that area. I was told that it is more complicated for the female in that area because any kind of yeast can affect both areas. Once the system is affected it has to be completely cleared of all the infection or it just keeps reaccuring. I would suggest lots of clear liquid I was told water is really the best thing. Probiotics are fabulous for the whole system. My mother in law just got over a UTI... they put her in a rehab facility to be sure all was clear. I guess it was making her real loopy and off balance... Good luck.
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My husband, who has dementia and Parkinsonism, has been self-cathetering for 20 years due to a neurogenic bladder. (He had this condition from before he developed dementia, fortunately, since he would not be likely to learn how to do it now as a new skill.) Like most people who self catheter, he is subject to frequent UTIs which, due to his brain disease, cause severe behavioral and neurological symptoms when he gets them, sometimes resulting in a hospitalization if I don't pick up on the problem quickly enough and get antibiotics into him. More recently he became resistant to Cipro, the antibiotic which he has been taking for years, and was prescribed something stronger. When he continued to get frequent infections, I took him to a urologist for a full work-up. While nothing new was found, the new urologist put him on a medication called Hippex (generically: Methenamine Hippurate 1 Gm tablets, given twice a day). This medication is a urinary antiseptic (not an antibiotic) which works by altering the ph in the bladder, making it more acidic and therefore less friendly to bacteria. There are virtually no side effects from this medication. So far, my husband has not had a UTI in two months, which is actually a record, so it seems to be working. You might ask your mother's doctor about prescribing this medication for your mother. I think it's worth a try.
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hmmmm, doesn't cranberry juice help with UTI's. Is it non-responsive to it?
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Get Egyptian black seed oil (nigella sativa). Only Egyptian, cold pressed.
Get rid of any candida in the system (yeast). Get Threelac.
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My dad had many bouts with UTI, same answers not drinking enough. not fully emptying bladder. After many different antibiotics and a few hospitalizations and developing MRSA as a result, he has been clear of infections for a few years. We now give him cranberry extract which is in the vitamin aisle and he hasn't had any more infections (knock on wood!!)
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I use cranberry extract exclusively at the first sign on a UTI and it clears it up immediately.
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My mom also gets frequent UTI's, last one they discovered while she was in hospital for another matter...they put her on antibiotic, one of the Z-pak types for the three days she was there. Got her home and she ended up right back with one. Her doctor informed us that since she is diabetic she must take a seven day antibiotic. So far, so good this time around. I can usually tell she has one when she gets more confused and tired than normal...UTI's do affect the brains of the elderly very quickly. I do like the sounds of the Hippex and will definitely talk to mom's doctor about that this month during her check up, thanks, balexander9!
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Call the doc. List all the antibiotics that have been used to treat this infection.
I can tell you that Cephalexin won't work. Try Cipro. Dosage is important.....max the dosage. Drink plenty of water, but don't over do it...
Clothng must be loose. Potty must be near. Keep tabs on night-time potty breaks.
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She's either got a resistant strain of bacteria in her urinary tract, she's had too many antibiotics, or her UTI isn't what is causing the high WBC count. Have doctors check for other infections in the body (i.e. she could have an abscessed tooth). Give her 3 billion live cultures (in pill form) of acidophilus (the refrigerated kind) to restore the flora in her stomach during antibiotic treatment. Keep trying to get that UTI under control so her kidneys are not damaged. Best wishes!
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In reading all the answers to this question, I am a little concerned about the cranberry juice or the cranberry pill. My husband takes Coumadin every day and thought cranberry juice is not recommended. I have made note of some of your comments and will check with the Coumadin Clinic and his Dr. for advise. My husband has Alzheimers and Parkinson's Disease and suffers from constant UTIs. He has also been to the rehab recently (twice this year) to get antiobodics by IV. I offer fluids all day long but it is hard to get him to drink much. I monitor his folley and noticed yesterday and today the output is less so I am once again a bit worried. Thank all of you for your questions and answers. It is so helpful
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Hi , I'm a PT. The nurses I work with in home care recommend to sneak in extra fluids to the elderly with vegetables and fruits with High Water Content . "celery, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, tomato and zucchini. Other nutrient-rich vegetables with high water content include broccoli, green cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant and spinach. the following fresh fruits have a water content of 85 percent or higher: apricot, blueberry, orange, peach, pineapple, plum and raspberry. Melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon have some of the highest water content, at more than 90 percent. These melons are good choices for snacking because they contain less sugar than many other fresh fruits."
Cindy-
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Alsooo, check out the Egyptian black cumin seed oil, cold-pressed.Nigella sativa has been used for a few millenia for many ailments because it contains so many nutrients and is amazing with infections. Of course your dr may not have heard of it because it is more popular in Muslim , Middle Eastern, and N African cultures. I did recently meet a neurologist doing deep brain implants, at a Parkinson's conference, and mentioned it when he stated that he was looking for compounds with neuroprotective properties. He said he was already aware of nigella sativa (Philipino dr at Cleve Clinic).
Here is how I came across nigella sativa, available over the counter in a Whole Foods.. I went to a supermarket looking for buckwheat groats because I avoid wheat products and buckwheat is in the rhubarb family. I struck up a conversation with a black employee putting food away in the aisle right next to the buckwheat. He went on to describe how his 88 year old mother had her right hip replacement removed due to infection and subsequently unsuccessful treatment with vancomycin, the big guns. The dr gave her 2 wks to live at best. He was desperate. A Muslim friend told him about taking 2 softgels /day of 500mg black cumin seed oil (called Kalonji in Arabic) He gave his mom that- I don't know if they'd sent her home by then. He smiled and said "That was 5 years ago. She is 93 now, has another hip, and walks all over the house with her walker"
I'll tell you what. I was so amazed I decided to get some that very day. I've been ordering from blackseedproducts.com. Theirs is coldpressed and 1000 mg. I take it every day now. I have never gotten an upper respiratory infection or UTI since starting to take it this past fall. I usually have to take a couple days off after taking the live flu shot for work. This year, only 1 day.
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Great idea about offering fruit. My husband will eat pineapple, rasberries, melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon. Being summer, these are great choices and I will add them to my list for shopping tomorrow. I just kept thinking I needed to get him to drink the fluids but fruit is an excellent source. He isn't good with the veggies but I do try to get him to eat them.
Thank you.
Donna
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You are welcome Donna.
Cindy
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Yes, if he doesn't take enough water or fluid there will be less output for sure. A good way to check that we are taught: Have him relax his hand, resting his hand on thigh. Pinch the skin on the back of the hand between your thumb and index finger so that your thumb and index finger would be touching if the skin fold was not there. Let go suddenly and watch the skin. If the skin is slow to return to normal, he is slightly dehydrated. If the skin stays pinched, that is reason to consult the dr.or perhaps go to the ER. Other signs: dry lips, unable to wet whistle, and lastly inability to make tears (more useful for babies). The pulse may weaken in strength with loss of blood volume and the HR will increase . ---Cindy
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I forgot to mention, normal pee is the color of straw. Most people don't drink enough and have yellow pee, especially the first of the day. Dark urine is reason for concern.
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Sounds like she has a resistant strain (the kind you can catch in the hospital pretty easily) and might need to receive the next level. Also, if she uses a catheter or is not perfectly careful in wiping, she can actually keep re-infecting herself. My husband used to have to use catheters and kept re-infecting himself because of them. I had a nightmare problem once with an abcessed tooth and wound up with a resistant strain. The abcess got so bad I got Bell's Palsy and I was put on three different antibiotics at the same time. Is she diabetic? I am and that is why I have a hard time getting rid of infection. I had dental surgery and the doctor gave me a course of antibiotics since I am a diabetic. Well, I got a bacterial infection even while on antibiotics! The dentist can't get over it . I feel so sorry for your mom! I know how miserable a UTI is. I hope she feels better soon.
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Um, I don't think that I saw whether a culture was actually done? That'll tell what organism(s) is/are causing the UTI and what antibiotics are best for that/those organism(s).

Cranberry juice and extract are only effective for e. coli infections. My mom has YET to have an e. coli infection.

And yes, cranberry is contraindicated when the patient is on coumadin.

My mom always gets multi-organism UTIs and needs to have two antibiotics to knock it out. And those antibiotics change, depending on what the culture shows.
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That's a question for her doctor. Keep pushing for the correct diagnosis and or treatment until it's resolved. Get a second opinion if necessary.
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My husband self catheters and is therefore very prone to UTI which he had been getting very frequently. I little while I ago I took him to a urologist to see if they was anything that could be done to reduce the number of infections he gets. He prescribed Hippex, a urinary antiseptic (not an antibiotic) which alters the ph in the bladder, making is more acidic and therefore less friendly to bacteria. This is a safe medication with very few side effects. Since going on it, my husband has not had any UTIs. You should ask your doctor about this medication.
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Just checked with the Coumadin Clinic and they told me to go ahead and give him the cranberry extract twice a day and he will be tested in a week. They were concerned about me giving him the cranberry and he hasns't had e-coli but I don't want him to get that either. Isn't e-coli an infection in the blood? Sorry for the ignorance. So much to learn to keep our family as infection free as possible. Thank you all for your answers. Donna
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How is Hippex administered?.....through the catheter? through an injection? orally/ (pill or liquid form)? I've never heard of it.....can't find it in the PDR.
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donnalee, e. coli is in the gut - it can cause food poisoning. Some is good, some is bad. It can also be in the blood, yes (as can - I think - any bacteria). E. coli as relates to UTIs for women is (as I understand) usually due to poor hygiene, wiping from back to front. I can't speak as to e. coli UTIs in men.

Interesting that your husband's clinic wants him to do the cranberry juice even though he's not had e.coli because they don't want him to get that organism - my mom's doctor and nurse practioner went exactly the opposite way and said that, because she never gets e. coli, it's not worth her taking the cranberry juice and mucking with her INR. So...go figure. :)
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I just googled Hippex - it's actually Hiprex (Methenamine Hippurate).
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The Coumadin Clinic wasn't happy about me giving my husband cranberry extract pills. I was insistent but he has had so many UTI's recently and I thought this might help. He will be texted next week and I can take him off the pills it it causes problems or before if I see problems. I am going to ask my Dr. about Hiprex and see what they say. I'll let you know how things go. Again, I am open to all suggestions and comments.

I don't want to make life misserable for my poor husband but am trying so hard to find something that helps him. Drs seem to wait until it is a full infection or bacteria before they are willing to treat. The antiobodics by IV seems to cause him a lot of problems with his bowels and his tummy. I guess we just keep trying to stay ahead of the game.
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donnalee, I know. My mom has a long-running wound and, every time she gets a UTI, it affects that as well. She's not good at articulating that she may have one (she also has chronic cystitis, so it's very hard to know which her urinary urges are from) and sometimes, by the time she says something, her wound has started to blow out with infection as well. This last time - I don't know how long she had the UTI going, she never said. But it affected the wound so fast and so explosively that she ended up in the hospital and now rehab for IV antibiotics.

What we've done in the past, and I guess I'm going to have to start doing it again, is have a standing order for a weekly UA to be done at the hospital's lab. Fortunately, her nurse practitioner is VERY on top of this issue with her and will do whatever it takes. I'm also going to ask about the Hiprex - that does cover some of the infections she gets so, if that'll help stop them before they start and it's relatively safe for her to take, I'm all over it.

We've talked about doing a prophylactic dose of antibiotics for her, but with the organism being different nearly every time, that probably wouldn't be that effective. AND she's started having VRE infections which are very antibiotic-resistent.

And, as I said, the NP doesn't want to do the cranberry since she doesn't seem to get the e. coli infections - she HAS said that, if that was an organism that affected her, she'd certainly consider adding a cranberry supplement and then monitoring the INR for a while to get it adjusted properly. Also, every time she has to go on antibiotics, THAT affects her INR as well - she hasn't been on a stable dose of Coumadin from almost the first of the year because she's been on antibiotics for nearly that whole time for this or that.

It's very frustrating.
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My husband's medicine bottle says "Hippex" under same the generic name that was mentioned. It is a pill that is taken by mouth. The pill is fairly large but is scored so it can be split.
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Get black (cumin) seed oil , cold pressed from Egypt. I get it at blackseedproducts.com. Never get UTIs or upper respiratory infections anymore, since I started taking it in the fall. . I take it every day as a tonic. I also get it for my friend, whose husband had been in the ICU for acute respiratory distress syndrome and then complications after survival . She doesn't give it to him since he is on SO much stuff. She takes it herself so she doesn't pass any infections on to him (she's a nurse in a nursing home) . One simple infection could kill him.
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The drug Hiprex/Hippex mentioned here is methanamine and hippuric acid. You can also purchase an OTC called Cystex which has Methenamine 162 mg and Sodium Salicylate 162.5 mg and benzoic acid to prevent UTIs and alleviate symptoms. I have read methenamine is NOT safe for long term use but a lot of people swear by it. It may also be recommended to avoid citrus fruits and juices (e.g., orange, grapefruit, lemon), milk and dairy products, and antacids during treatment with methenamine. These products may decrease the effectiveness of methenamine.
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