| Author |
Urinalysis Question
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| I had some blood work done before I went to the neuro last week and
they finally got back to me about it today. But other than faxing the
abnormalities to my family doc, they didn't respond to them. Mostly I'm
concerned about the urine test. My cbc showed elevated white cells and
neutrophils which indicate infection. Then the Urinalysis was positive
for nitrites and few bacteria. Wouldn't all this put together mean a
UTI especially when the person has symptoms of one? Anyone know about
this or am I totally off base here? . Thanks -- DianeW
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| You're definitely not off base here. Testing positive for nitrites
usually means a urine infection ( i've had a UTI on and off for about 6
months now ). Are you having any symptoms?: burning, frequency, pain
in the kids? If so, keep bugging them until you get someone to review
the results. They should inform you, either way.
MSers tend to be prone to UTIs (especially women) because of our
immunosuppressed status.
-Lucy
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| Ok - that was wierd - the message I was typing just disappeared.
Anyway, I talked to the med tech at the MS clinic again who is telling
me that the nurse practitioner I saw last week (who sees everyone
instead of the neuro most of the time) said she won't treat my MS until
I get a release from my family doc cause my lab tests were so off. Of
course, there is a logical explaination for most of it, primarily the
UTI! My blood glucose is high because I am steroid induced diabetic
and I'm on more steroids with the flare. My kidney functions are
elevated since I was in the hospital in Dec on some very strong abx and
I'm anemic from Rheumatoid Arthritis and have been since I was six! I
haven't been taking my iron because well I just was sleeping so much I
never got around to it. How she can say my problems aren't being caused
my MS when my foot is numb and I have no balance, can no longer walk
without support and am totally incontinent. Well, a lot can be caused
by a UTI but normal people don't get all that from a UTI! I'm so angry
at them! I told the med tech all of this who is supposed to call me
back later this afternoon. My family doc is out of town till next week
so I can't even call him for help. I did make an appt with him for
Tues.. ARGGGG! DianeW
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| Laura\(wow\) 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| your ms symptoms flairing could be exacerbated by the active infection. She
wants your family doctor to treat that infection before they look into the
ms problems. My neuro does not treat urinary track infections even if the
underlying cause is MS. really just com on sense. Go to your family doc or a
urologist for the infection,.
--
LAURA
"DianeW" <DiWitt@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1140638231.096231.83520@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Ok - that was wierd - the message I was typing just disappeared.
> Anyway, I talked to the med tech at the MS clinic again who is telling
> me that the nurse practitioner I saw last week (who sees everyone
> instead of the neuro most of the time) said she won't treat my MS until
> I get a release from my family doc cause my lab tests were so off. Of
> course, there is a logical explaination for most of it, primarily the
> UTI! My blood glucose is high because I am steroid induced diabetic
> and I'm on more steroids with the flare. My kidney functions are
> elevated since I was in the hospital in Dec on some very strong abx and
> I'm anemic from Rheumatoid Arthritis and have been since I was six! I
> haven't been taking my iron because well I just was sleeping so much I
> never got around to it. How she can say my problems aren't being caused
> my MS when my foot is numb and I have no balance, can no longer walk
> without support and am totally incontinent. Well, a lot can be caused
> by a UTI but normal people don't get all that from a UTI! I'm so angry
> at them! I told the med tech all of this who is supposed to call me
> back later this afternoon. My family doc is out of town till next week
> so I can't even call him for help. I did make an appt with him for
> Tues.. ARGGGG! DianeW
>
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| Diane;
>My blood glucose is high because I >am steroid induced diabetic
>and I'm on more steroids with the flare.
Sounds like more than a UTI is going on here. Steroids play havoc with
your muscle controls because they deplete your body of potassium; low
potassium makes your muscles even weaker.
A neuro didn't tell me any of this until about 5 years into the steroid
adventures, but I had already figured it out by reading a 30 year old
book.
Now I get a warning about "high salt" intake every time I go back on
the steroids.
Absolutely demand to be seen by somebody for that bladder problem NOW.
UTIs usually don't get better without help, and it sounds like you've
got other problems.
Sylvia
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| Rob Duncan 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
|
"Lucy" <vodkee@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1140634404.060080.47230@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> You're definitely not off base here. Testing positive for nitrites
> usually means a urine infection ( i've had a UTI on and off for about 6
> months now ). Are you having any symptoms?: burning, frequency, pain
> in the kids? If so, keep bugging them until you get someone to review
> the results. They should inform you, either way.
>
> MSers tend to be prone to UTIs (especially women) because of our
> immunosuppressed status.
>
> -Lucy
MSers dont have an immunosuppressed status. Woman MSers are prone to
bladder infections because of incomplete voiding.
Rob
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| Rob Duncan 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| Go to the emergancy room. A bladder infection can result in an
exacerbation. Dont fart around...
Rob
"DianeW" <DiWitt@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1140638231.096231.83520@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Ok - that was wierd - the message I was typing just disappeared.
> Anyway, I talked to the med tech at the MS clinic again who is telling
> me that the nurse practitioner I saw last week (who sees everyone
> instead of the neuro most of the time) said she won't treat my MS until
> I get a release from my family doc cause my lab tests were so off. Of
> course, there is a logical explaination for most of it, primarily the
> UTI! My blood glucose is high because I am steroid induced diabetic
> and I'm on more steroids with the flare. My kidney functions are
> elevated since I was in the hospital in Dec on some very strong abx and
> I'm anemic from Rheumatoid Arthritis and have been since I was six! I
> haven't been taking my iron because well I just was sleeping so much I
> never got around to it. How she can say my problems aren't being caused
> my MS when my foot is numb and I have no balance, can no longer walk
> without support and am totally incontinent. Well, a lot can be caused
> by a UTI but normal people don't get all that from a UTI! I'm so angry
> at them! I told the med tech all of this who is supposed to call me
> back later this afternoon. My family doc is out of town till next week
> so I can't even call him for help. I did make an appt with him for
> Tues.. ARGGGG! DianeW
>
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| QQQte@webtv.net 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| diane i would be totally feeeking, peeing, mad. get on your high horse
this is your health protect it. many and i mean many msers go into a
relaspe from a uti.. your neuro knows that... call and talk to the doc
your doc is having his patients seen by.
i've been known to show up at the office un-expected because the air
heads on the phone don't listen..... be assertive, get to the point so
they get the point you ain't leaving until your treated for your uti..
uti's are not horse play when it comes to ms.... you sure do have a
platefull to handle and you don't need anymore.. i hope thru cyber space
i have made my self loud and clear..... just the pred alone can mask
other more seriouse problems... you might have a damn bad uti.... let
miss nosey here know how it goes..... dory
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| >MSers dont have an immunosuppressed status.
I guess I was speaking more on my behalf for that one. Cellcept makes
you immunosuppressed, as does a good ole round of solu-medrol. I guess
we can be on both ends of the spectrum on that one.
Monoclonal antibodies Monoclonal antibodies (MAB's) are a newer
strategy for modulating the body's immune system by interfering with
specific steps in the development of the immune response against
myelin. This approach differs from traditional immunosuppression by
virtue of its selectivity. Preliminary studies have included only a
small numbers of MS patients. Some of these studies suggest that
monoclonal antibodies are promising treatments for MS. Other studies
have shown no benefit or unacceptable toxicity. The role of monoclonal
antibodies in the treatment of MS is, therefore, still unclear.
^ This is what I'm on. I guess I was immunnosuppressed a lot so I
ASSumed everyone else is on some kind of immune-modifying med. My bad.
-Lucy
-Lucy
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| Laura\(wow\) 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| oh yeah. after 5 days of high dose roids in the hos[ital I was on some
special high alert sick people stay away from this girl status. LOL everyone
who came to see me thought I was dying.. it was amusing the reactions I got
to the warning..people thought I had AIDS..
--
LAURA
"Lucy" <vodkee@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1140646447.802668.120760@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> I guess I was speaking more on my behalf for that one. Cellcept makes
> you immunosuppressed, as does a good ole round of solu-medrol. I guess
> we can be on both ends of the spectrum on that one.
>
> Monoclonal antibodies Monoclonal antibodies (MAB's) are a newer
> strategy for modulating the body's immune system by interfering with
> specific steps in the development of the immune response against
> myelin. This approach differs from traditional immunosuppression by
> virtue of its selectivity. Preliminary studies have included only a
> small numbers of MS patients. Some of these studies suggest that
> monoclonal antibodies are promising treatments for MS. Other studies
> have shown no benefit or unacceptable toxicity. The role of monoclonal
> antibodies in the treatment of MS is, therefore, still unclear.
>
> ^ This is what I'm on. I guess I was immunnosuppressed a lot so I
> ASSumed everyone else is on some kind of immune-modifying med. My bad.
>
> -Lucy
>
> -Lucy
>
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|
| Ha! That must've been a sight. I wonder if we can get that on a
t-shirt? That should keep snotty people away from us!
-Lucy
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| That's what i thought about the potasium also and supplemented it to
see if it helped and then when I got the blood test back the pot was
high! But the sodium was low. Go figure. The nurse prac was supposed
to call in an abx for me today ... but didn't . I'm tired of fighting
with all this. I just want to get better. And my spare Cipro is empty!
DianeW
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| No way I can do an er -- last time I went to an er I was there for 10
hours till 5 am only to be sent to another dr after the er doc sent me.
Our er's are so screwed up. Ya get sicker there. Bitching on the phone
tomorrow should do some good. Or a walkin clinic but not an er....DianeW
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| Rob;
>MSers dont have an immunosuppressed status.
We do if we're on Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif.
Sylvia
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| Rob Duncan 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
|
"Sylv" <Sylv772003@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1140665359.213352.254520@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Rob;
>
>
> We do if we're on Avonex, Betaseron, or Rebif.
>
> Sylvia
Im sorry, but no, they arent immunosuppresents. In fact their all three
antivirals and are used to treat more than just a few diseases.
Rob
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| Rob Duncan 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
|
"DianeW" <DiWitt@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1140657930.957228.62400@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> No way I can do an er -- last time I went to an er I was there for 10
> hours till 5 am only to be sent to another dr after the er doc sent me.
> Our er's are so screwed up. Ya get sicker there. Bitching on the phone
> tomorrow should do some good. Or a walkin clinic but not an er....DianeW
Whatever you decide to do Diane, I hope it all works out. Good luck.
Rob
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| Lossandra 2006-02-25, 8:29 pm |
| Huh, I also thought the interferons were immunosuppresants...but I
suppose it would make sense for them to be antivirals as they are so
similar to the interferons used to treat Hep.C.
I'm shocked to find that I may have such a gross misunderstanding of
ABR. I know I don't have a great understanding of Copaxone (which I'm
taking) and I hope that it's not a complete misunderstanding.
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|
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Rob Duncan wrote:
> "Sylv" <Sylv772003@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1140665359.213352.254520@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> Im sorry, but no, they arent immunosuppresents. In fact their all three
> antivirals and are used to treat more than just a few diseases.
d'oh!! Rob, the NMSS describes the CRABs as 'immune modulators,' and
makes a distinction of them from Novantrone, which they go ahead and
describe as an 'immune suppressant,'
as far as i'm concerned, it's just semantics. the drugs' own literature
tells you you can expect to catch the things you're exposed to, and may
take longer to heal. so call it 'modulation' if you like, but it
definitely affects your immune system -- everything i'm aware of tht
treats M.S., from steroids to CRABs to the 'Bigger Guns' such as
Novantrone has immune system suppressing components, and isn't that why
they 'work' to the extent that they do?
AFAIC, 'modulator' 'suppressant' it's all just semantics. their
effectiveness is tied to their suppression -- or 'modulation,' if you
will -- of our immune systems, not to their anti-viral properties.
rose
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DianeW wrote:
> My family doc is out of town till next week
> so I can't even call him for help. I did make an appt with him for
> Tues.. ARGGGG! DianeW
Diane, Tuesday is too long to wait, IMHO. if the UTI continues
untreated, it can spread into your bladder and be more difficult to
cure -- i think they should be treated ASAP.
does your doc arrange someone else to see his patients in emergency
situations when he's out of town? if so, give that one a call. if not,
is there a clinic close enough for you to get to? then i'd say, go
there!
even without the possibility of the infection getting worse and being
harder to clear up, there's no reason you should have to suffer for
days on end -- UTIs SUCK!! see if your regular GP has a substitute for
while he's out of town; if not, get to a clinc and getcha some meds!
cranberry juice is also good....but you need to get a prescription too.
;->
all the best,
rose
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| I get infections all the time, but don't know it as I have usually no
symptoms. I am always asking my doc for a urinalysis, he says why ? I say
because I may have an infection, he gets mad and says you would know if you
had an infection, I say but I don't. sure enough when the results come in
it's high bacteria and high red and white cells. I do take a cranberry
capsule every day to try to help keep these infections down.
Joyce
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|
| Lossandra, copaxone is a non-interferon, that's what makes it different from
the others. just talking of bladder infections has me off and running to
pee, I pee a lot day and night. but some years ago I couldn't go properly I
would sit and dribble just little bits, then get up off the toilet and want
to go again. I had bladder testing and one side is weak and one side is
tight, I was given a self catheter set, and they showed me how to use it,
funny but ever since then I can pee for Oregon. (where I live) I did
catheter a few times but I kept poking the wrong place.it's very awkward.
Joyce
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| QQQte@webtv.net 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| diane i think your pussy footing around until you probably get real
sick.. do you have an obgyn? dang i mostly lilely spelled obgyn
wrong.... he's the doc that takes care of female anatomy.....
uti's can send you crazy with pain when you try to pee. if one come on
me like during the night, i'd spend the rest of it setting in a tub full
of warm water till morning.. and then off to any doc that would see
me...
i think you mentioned you also had lupus which can also affect the
urinary track... i wouldn't wait take care of you first.... lupus as i
understand it attacks the conective tissue of the body just as ms
attacks the brain....
be kind to your body as it is working so hard to help you and needs
help to keep you going
your plate is full and i feel real bad about that..... but you must get
on your high horse about this stuff!!!! ok gal saddle up and get
going.... also if your doc doesn't have anyone covering his patients
fire the dude..... take care.. dory
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| QQQte@webtv.net 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| joyce i get the uti's too. but even without symptoms of a uti my ms
starts to act up a bit.... you are so right about the cranberry juice or
pill..... two thumbs up to you from me:-).... dory
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| Rob;
>Im sorry, but no, they arent immunosuppresents. In fact their all three
>antivirals and are used to treat more than just a few diseases.
Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebib most certainly ARE "immunosuppresants."
Now the drug companies are hiding behind semantics, and calling them
immune system "modulators" A cheap tactic to obscure facts if I ever
heard one.
Copaxone bills itself as NOT being one, as opposed to the other three.
I was pulled off Betaseron for over 4 months because the doctors said a
nasty sore I had would NOT heal if I continued taking the
immunosuppresant, Betaseron.
Please check your facts before you spout like the voice of God next
time.
Sylvia
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|
| Lossandra;
>I'm shocked to find that I may have such a gross misunderstanding of
>ABR. I know I don't have a great understanding of Copaxone (which I'm
>taking) and I hope that it's not a complete misunderstanding.
You don't; Avonex, Betaseron, and Rebif ARE immunosupressants.
Copaxone is NOT one.
As for any of these being "antivirals," that's news to me.
I was on an antiviral as well as Betaseron for a while; it didn't work
for me.
Sylvia
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| Oh I got antibiotics -- just took too long for the clinic to call them
in! They will treat a UTI but unfortunately in their own good time< I
started on them yesterday. Not so sure it's the right one but we will
see. Apparently , the test came back resistant to cipro. So I'm on
macrodantin which hasn't done squat in the past but showed up
suseptable this time. I spent last nite nauseus and sweating. Oh joy.
But hey -- my fever broke.! Thanks for all ths suggestions Rose! DianeW
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| Joyce - I'm like you. the only way I usually know I have an infection
is that I get more incontinent than usual. I don't get the buring and
such because of past scare tissue and loss of feeling. I have a
standing order with my neuro for a urinalyis with cs&r so I usually get
it checked regularly. I just don't know how much the results get paid
attention to. DianeW
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|
| sometimes the only indication I have is that I get itchy and sore (you know
where) to me that is an indication my urine is burning me,
Joyce
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| QQQte@webtv.net 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| diane i'm glad your on meds and your fever broke....many of us reached
out to help you i'm glad you found a hand:-) dory
........" There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in
the best of us that its rather hard to discern which of us ought to
reform the rest of us"...........
.........Alain Fournier.........
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| Diane;
>Oh I got antibiotics -- just took too long >for the clinic to call them
>in! They will treat a UTI but >unfortunately in their own good time<
Glad you finally got something! I HATE it when those people take their
own sweet time, and you needed it yesterday!
Hope this works for you; I was getting a little worried about you!
Sylvia
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|
|
DianeW wrote:
> see. Apparently , the test came back resistant to cipro. So I'm on
> macrodantin which hasn't done squat in the past but showed up
> suseptable this time. I spent last nite nauseus and sweating. Oh joy.
> But hey -- my fever broke.! Thanks for all ths suggestions Rose! DianeW
glad your fever broke, Diane, and i hope you're feeling lots better
soon!
i had a UTI that spread to my bladder, and it was also a
Cipro-resistant thingie -- STAPH! i took all the Cipro, nothing
happened, went to my OB/Gyn, got a more thorough test, found it was
staph, switched to one of the -cillins, and that sucker finally started
clearing right up. :->
best for a speedy recovery,
rose
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|
|
Sylv wrote:
> Diane;
>
>
> Glad you finally got something! I HATE it when those people take their
> own sweet time, and you needed it yesterday!
Sylvia, i seriously thank the Lord that yeast infection treatments are
now over-the-counter. seriously! back in the day, i couldn't even tell
you how many times i'd get one, know *exactly* and immediately what it
was, call the gynecologist, have to wait for an appointment, spend
money on the doc visit, get a prescription....all the while going ARGH,
OUCH, WHAAAAA!!
yes, i do realize there are very good reasons antibiotics are *not*
sold OTC, it's just another example of getting something, rcognizing it
for what it is, and having to wait it out *most* uncomfortably while
the doc's assistant searches through his appointment book.
rose
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| DianeW 2006-02-25, 8:30 pm |
| Yeah - I know what you mean. I had a staph infection in my kidneys
once. VERY painful! I think this infection has gone into the kidney as
well because of the amount of back pain I have. Only think that makes
it go away is the pyridium stuff. Which I'm trying not to take too much
of because so many of my drugs are hard on the kidney to begin with.
And it is also.
I'm thinking I need to see my ID doc again about these UTI's. I get
them so much and they are always the same e coli bacteria. When my leg
wound was infected, they did a culture and it came back positive for
e-coli. hadn't seen the light of day in over a week when the infection
showed up. The wound care doc said I was "colonized" for e coli. I'm
not exactly sure what that means but I'm sure it must have something to
do with the chronic UTI's I'm always getting. When I was in the
hospital for cellulitis in December they said the same thing so I think
I might need to let the ID treat my UTI's for a while. He did get rid
of my sinus infections. Last time I saw a urologist about them he just
wanted me on a low dose abx all the time and I'm not for that. Of
course, taking meds like Enbrel for my RA doesn't help the infection
thing. DianeW
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| Lossandra 2006-02-26, 5:58 pm |
| My neuro actually suggested that I may want to have urinalysis done on
some regular basis because I may not be able to tell when/if I have a
UTI. It astounds me how different doctors can work in such very
different ways.
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