# Awful smelling urine 17 month old



## WantsALittle1

Our little girl is currently being treated for an enterococcus UTI. She was diagnosed with it on Monday the 20th, and we started amoxicillin on that day. The following Friday, she spiked a 102.2 fever and we were scared that the antibiotics were failing. We took her into the Ped the next day, they cathed her, and the initial urinalysis came back negative for UTI. The urine was sent off for culture but we haven't obtained the results yet. The fever was written off to a virus of some sort after the doctor ran a CBC. The fever is now gone.

Today, I noticed that DD's diapers started smelling awful. Whenever I change her pee pee diapers, the pee is clear like water and smells the way urine smells after one has eaten asparagus. It's a very STRONG version of that smell, and no we have not had any asparagus. We did eat artichokes last night (DD's first time) but other than that, I can't think of a food she's eaten that would make her pee smell this way. Also, the likelihood of her having another UTI while on antibiotics is very low, right?

I called the Ped and she didn't seem worried since DD is not vomiting, has no diarrhea or fever, but I am worried. I am worried that she somehow has another UTI when she's still being treated for the first one, and that the only symptom right now is the awful smell.

Just wondering if anyone has any relevant experience or input?


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## messica

Antibiotics kill off good bacteria that's necessary to keep yeast in check. Is there any itching, burning, reddened skin or discharge that you've noticed along with the smell by chance?

Also, docs can guess which meds will work to treat a UTI but there are many strains of bacteria that cause them. Might have been hit or miss with the one doc chose vs. the actual strain she has/had.....or it could be that cathing introduced a new infection entirely :(

I'm assuming you are but, on meds, pushing loads of fluids is so important to flush her kidneys, is she being cooperative on that front?


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## Tigerlilyb

Artichokes make my pee smell sort of like that, but also when I have a UTI my pee reeks of wet hay! Like a really bad hamster cage or mucking out horses :sick: It is nasty. I can imagine it's just that. It could just be the bacteria being flushed out.


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## WantsALittle1

messica said:


> Antibiotics kill off good bacteria that's necessary to keep yeast in check. Is there any itching, burning, reddened skin or discharge that you've noticed along with the smell by chance?
> 
> Also, docs can guess which meds will work to treat a UTI but there are many strains of bacteria that cause them. Might have been hit or miss with the one doc chose vs. the actual strain she has/had.....or it could be that cathing introduced a new infection entirely :(
> 
> I'm assuming you are but, on meds, pushing loads of fluids is so important to flush her kidneys, is she being cooperative on that front?

No symptoms of yeast infection or discharge. Also, the urine is crystal clear. She had her urine cultured after the initial urinalysis, and that's when they found out she had enterococcus and that it WAS susceptible to amoxicillin. That's what she's on now. When she got cathed, the specimen was perfect but, just like you, I am concerned that the cathing itself caused a new infection, possibly with E. coli (which her current antibiotic may not kill).


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## messica

I'd hate to drag her back in but that's what I would do if I were you :(

I would be very worried about the kidneys seeming to not be concentrating her urine (which is why it's clear). It can indicate the infection is not in the tract or bladder but as far up as her kidneys themselves :(


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## WantsALittle1

Just got Saturday's culture results back--totally clear. Her morning diaper had a yellow color to it, so overnight (when she was not drinking fluids) it looks like the urine became concentrated.

I thought about kidneys too, but she has zero symptoms (no fever, edema, vomiting, diarrhea). I've put a second call in to the doctor to ask about the smell, and am still waiting to hear back.

Just based on what I've read, the foul smell accompanying bladder/kidney infections is usually not like asparagus, right? It's like concentrated ammonia I've heard. Is that true? Also, we ate artichokes for the first time night before last and I reintroduced her to breast milk too. I take supplements while nursing (iron and whole vitamin) so is there any chance that the small amount of breastmilk she's gotten has caused the smell because of the supplements?


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## WantsALittle1

So messica, just got off the phone with the Ped. Told her about the very clear urine with the strong, foul smell. She said that in the absence of other symptoms like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, fussiness, and lethargy, that she does not think it's a UTI. She said that when they cath for urine tests, it's very quick and sterile, and is unlikely to cause a UTI in the same way that cathing for a surgery would do.

I don't know what to do/think. The VCUG is scheduled for tomorrow and the doctor wants to proceed with it because she doesn't think DD has a UTI. She actually wants them to take a small urine specimen tomorrow to be sure of this.

Of course I am still very uneasy with all of this, but I don't know what else to do if the doctor thinks she is not having a UTI.


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## messica

If you trust your doc and your motherly instinct/gut doesn't protest, I'd put stock in what they say and go with it.

To test the artichoke theory I'd be temped to leave that out for a week and try it on her again though just to be sure. I agree that if it were something like the e.coli that she'd probably be presenting with other symptoms.


I don't think doing the VCUG will hurt things in any event at this point and may help clarify why she had one in the first place. Does she get them often? My goddaughters sister does and has had one of those done. She ended up on meds for quite some time as the infections couldn't be cleared with even broad spectrum antibiotics and it started to impact her kidney functions. Beyond that I'm not terribly informed when it comes to nephrology or the urinary tract.

I don't think the supplements in your supply would have caused the smell, there's nothing in them that would have that effect as far as I'm aware (or babies everywhere would be experiencing it because they're pretty popular you know?)



I know it's so hard not to worry, but odds are on your side that she'll be fine. Tomorrow will hardly be pleasant but should get you some answers. At her age I'd bug them to sedate if you haven't already but you and doc may have different opinions on that. I do hope it goes as well and as easy as it can for both of you!


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## WantsALittle1

She has only had the one UTI (that we know about) and that was diagnosed off a bag specimen but because it's enterococcus (which is very strongly correlated with vesicouretal reflux) it's an automatic VCUG. While I've had my thoughts that perhaps the bag was contaminated by surface bacteria, she was running a 103.3 fever at the time (common for enterococcus UTIs) and the number of bacteria present (10,000-25,000 parts per whatever volume) suggests infection and not contamination. She had a renal ultrasound last week and that showed absolutely perfect kidneys (no hydronephrosis or apparent nephritis).

I am terrified about the VCUG and feel like we shouldn't be doing it, even though I know better in my head. I am worried about her having to face cancer and infertility down the road due to the excess radiation she's receiving. Since she was a preemie she also had to have multiple abdominal and chest x-rays during her NICU stay to check for lung development and because they suspected NEC. But anyway, we're doing it, because her doctor said that if we don't and she has silent reflux, few years down the road we'll be "up the creek with a very small paddle."


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## joeyjo

It may even be the antibiotic making her pee smell! Hope she is better soon


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## WantsALittle1

Hi everyone, just wanted to update. The VCUG went okay this morning. They tested some urine they got via the cath and it was perfect (no UTI!). The rest of it was sent away for culture but we do expect the culture to come back negative too. 

The VCUG preliminary results are NO VUR! We are so happy to hear this. The radiologist said that he will do a more in-depth analysis later today but at first glance he said everything looks perfect.

We are so relieved! Still no explanation for the stinky pee though!


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## messica

Excellent news! :happydance:

Keeping fingers crossed the stinky pee was just a fluke, heaven knows how kiddos like to give us a bit of a fright every once in awhile just for good measure lol


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## WantsALittle1

messica said:


> Excellent news! :happydance:
> 
> Keeping fingers crossed the stinky pee was just a fluke, heaven knows how kiddos like to give us a bit of a fright every once in awhile just for good measure lol

It still smells to high heaven! Ugh! But she had her last amoxicillin dose last night so I am hoping that it was the antibiotic and once she goes off it for a few days, the smell will go away :)


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## mj2004

My son is also currently on amoxicillin, it makes their pee stink! He has been on it one other time and his pee was foul then it takes days a week for the urine to stop stinking, so I'd say it's the antibiotics!


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## mj2004

BTW I'm also in Texas!


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## WantsALittle1

Ohmygosh this is so reassuring to hear! Thank you so much for passing that along! 

I was getting so worried that it was other stuff--diabetes or some sort of liver thing.

Whereabouts in TX? We are in Houston.


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## mj2004

Your welcome! I know the feeling the first time lo had it I freaked out and his Dr reassured me it was the antibiotics and sure enough it went away.

So excited to meet a fellow Texan! We live in Spring about 25 mins north of Houston.


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## WantsALittle1

mj2004 said:


> Your welcome! I know the feeling the first time lo had it I freaked out and his Dr reassured me it was the antibiotics and sure enough it went away.
> 
> So excited to meet a fellow Texan! We live in Spring about 25 mins north of Houston.

Awesome! DH's parents live up that way, in The Woodlands :)


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## mj2004

Yes we are really close to the woodlands love it there!


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## JASMAK

Its too bad your doctor didn't tell you that it is normal and quite common for urine to smell bad on antibiotics. It would have saved you a lot of worry. If you even google amoxicillin and smelly urine, there is tons of info on it.


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