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Question:
I'm a mess. I had bacterial infection about two months ago. A few weeks after I finished the medication for that, I developed a urinary tract infection. Shortly after I finished the medication for that, I went to my family doc to try to find out why I've been having horrible headaches, a very sore abdomen, and pain in my middle to lower back along with lots of hair coming out when I shampoo (not in clumps). She ran a test on my urine specimen and said that there was just a little bit of infection left and prescribed more antibiotics. I have to take them for seven days. I'm on my 5th day and feel exactly the same and have also noticed that I have odorous thick white clumpy vaginal discharge. I went to the clinic and the tests for I think, chlamydia, syphillus and ?gohneria all came back negative. Any possibilities on what I should ask my gyno about what I have?
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Answer:
by Susan Kellogg-Spadt: (06/14/2004)
Recurrent infections can be very frustrating, but for many women, they are very common. Due to the physical closeness of the urinary opening(urethra) to the vaginal and anal openings, it is not uncommon for "normal" bacteria from the vagina or the rectum or from outside sources (like through sexual acts) to enter the urinary opening and cause a urinary tract infection or to overgrow in the vagina and cause a bacterial vaginal infection. It is important to consult a medical clinician whenever you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection, which may include, burning with urination, fever, frequent urination, blood in the urine, pain in the lower abdomen and/or pain on either side of the low back or the signs of a bacterial vaginal infection which may include a thin watery white or grey vaginal discharge, an irritation of the outside of the vagina and/or a bad odor coming from the vagina (some women say its like a fishy odor). A medical clinician can help you to identify the exact bacteria that is growing in your urine or your vagina through routine STD testing and through a test called a bacterial or a fungal "culture and sensitivity". Through these tests,the precise bacteria or fungus is identified,the proper medication can also be identified and prescribed for you. Recurrent infections might occur when a course of antibiotics either isn't completely finished by the woman or the antibiotic wasn't completely effective in killing the type of bacteria that was growing in the bladder or in the vagina. Sometimes recurrance is related to sexual intercourse, particularly if without a condom (during which, lots of bacteria gets passed around). Sometimes a fungal vaginal infection, often called a yeast infection, can follow a urinary tract infection, because the antibiotic which is given to cure the bacteria in the bladder may allow yeast in the vagina to flourish. Signs of a fungal vaginal infection may include: redness of the outer and inner vagina, intense itching, and/or white thick curd-like discharge. Instead of antibiotics, this type of infection only responds to medications called antifungals. These come in cream and oral form, both over the counter and by prescription.
A way to be sure that an infection is truly over is to revisit the clinician who prescribed the medication after the medication is completed and get another culture and sensitivity, which should come back normal if the infection has been cleared.
Some simple self-care techniques to decrease infections are:
Drink lots of water and urinate before and after sex in order to decrease any bacteria in the bladder before it causes an infection.
Practice safe sex! If for some reason you and your partner don't always use condoms, at least use condoms until you know if you have an infection or while you are on antibiotics or antifungal trewatment programs. If you have recurrent infections, use condoms until you have not had any type of infection for at least three months.
Do not douche (even if you have an odor) because it causes protective "good" bacteria in the vagina to be lost and it will actually lead to more infections in the future.
Always follow up with your health care provider if you think you have an infection of if an infection doesn't seem to go away after a course of treatment. Reviewed by Sexual Health Editorial Team
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