could i have a uti?

[Purple Princess]

I had a physical at the doctors recently. Anyhow most of my labs were normal but my wbc count was a little low, theres some leukocyte esterase and a moderate amount of bacteria in my urine. I also sence that I may have a yeast infection and will need to get that cleared up. I do notice slight pressure in my lower abdomen, i tend to pee frequently, sometimes i leak, undies get damp, it doesn't actually burn but more like a feeling of irritation when i go sometimes. My back hurts but heck i'm a cna so i wouldn't know the difference anyhow. At work i'm constantly bombarded with various infections just from being around the residents like cold, flu, pneumonia, staph, mrsa, vre, uti's, e coli, and c diff. So far i've only caught colds and the flu once. i'm also feeling tired lately and today i felt as if i hadn't slept at all. I called the doc today and he is going to call me back. how serious could a uti be anyhow?

[MizRani]

Well, first of all, you don't really catch a UTI like you do colds and flu. It's more hygiene stuff and 90 percent of the time its E.coli related. Things like wiping front to back, urinating before and after sex, being a girl and having a shorter urthera, if you take frequent baths, or it could just be that you're susceptible to them. Some people say it can be caused by not drinking enough water, immobility, and certain sexual positions. Last year alone, I had 8 UTIs. Some people have mild ones, but mine are especially evil. It burns to pee, the urge to go is constant, I have a fever, and the symptoms come in less than fifteen minutes of each other. ANd I do all the right things for them, so I'm on some special antibiotics for them now. A UTI can be serious if it goes untreated cuz it can travel up higher into your kidneys and cause pylenophritis (spelling is prolly wrong). And if that goes untreated, I think sepsis is the next wrung down the line. For now gets some AZO tablets from local pharmacy. I'm sure you're doctor will prescribed Cipro or Bactrin when he calls you back. Make sure you take those until they're gone because you'll think you won't need to after two or three days cuz you'll be feeling back to normal. Anyways, good luck hope you feel better.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Best way to find out is to get a urine culture and analysis done.

[Purple Princess]

my doctor did call today but told me that he didn't feel that I had a uti and that i wouldn't need any antibiotics. But to be on the safe side anyhow I will on my own take care of the yeast infection, take my vitamins, eat nutritiously, and excercise to relieve my stress. cause they say if you stay stressed out for a prolonged time that it will impair your immunity and you'll be more susceptible to infections. I keep myself clean, use the standard precautions at work, lots of hand washing etc. plus this urinalysis wasn't a clean catch specimen so more than likely what happened was the bacteria from this other infection got mixed in. maybe i'll try that azo tabs just to be safe, is that otc? thanks