Sudden UTI - no symptoms until catheter

Kidney and urinary tract
1

The other day I was constipated the whole day, but was able to pee fine. In the evening I could not pee and my stomach was really swollen so I called 111 who made an emergency appointment with a doctor. This led to a hospital referral so I went straight away. At the doctor's and the hospital I managed to pee 3 times which was difficult and I could not empty my bladder. It didn't feel painful to pee at this point, nor had it earlier in the day when I could pee like normal.

I had a scan which showed I had 850mls of urine in my bladder so the nurse put in a catherer and I had to spend the night in hospital. I had it in for maybe 8 hours - it was removed at about 6am. The doctor said I had a UTI which suprised me as I'd had no symptoms, though I've never had one before. After the catheter was out I had to pee into a container twice so the nurses could measure the amount (500mls altogether) and both times I only got a burning sensation after finishing. I told the nurse and she said it was the UTI. Whilst I was waiting to be discharged I peed again and it was very painful so I had to keep stopping. I was jumping off the seat with the burning. For the rest of the day, back at home, peeing wasn't that painful or the burning would only come at the end. Today however is different and I have just screamed the house down throughout a long excruiating pee. What can I do to relieve the pain? I only got antibiotics from the hospital and only started them yesterday. I need to go to the toilet but I can't take how painful it is.

I also don't understand how this is a UTI since I had no pain until the catheter was removed. Is there anything I can get from a chemist for this type of pain?

2

tilly this sounds absolutely horrendous and I'm wondering if the catheter has made your urethra sore. Have you tried sitting in a warm bath? You could try sodium citrate from a chemist or supermarket. Mix it with water and drink it, it could help neutralise the urine until the antibiotics start to take effect which by tomorrow you should see an improvement.

3

I've just been to the chemist and got some! Can't wait for this to be over omg

4

Well done tilly, hope it helps 

5

Google catheters and uti they both are bad news and now your urethra has to heal.

6

If a nurse/doctor uses what is called an aseptic technique there shouldn't be any risk of infection and it is extremely rare for an infection to be caused by the insertion of a catheter. I've performed the procedure myself and seen it performed in the operating theatre so I know it's highly unlikely to be caused by the procedure itself despite what you read on Google. If you knew how to perform the procedure you would realise it was almost impossible. The main cause is due to bacteria already in the urethra causing the actual infection as the catheter is inserted.