Bladder infection

[Lucy Lu]

Hiya, think I just need some reassurance and to have a bit of a rant

I went for my first MW appointment towards the end of March, took a urine sample and it took my doctors 3 whole weeks to get hold of me to tell me I had a bladder infection. They say they couldn't get me on the house phone! - so try my mobile!!!!

Anyway, I was really surprised to hear this as I've had no symptoms at all (I've had urine infections about 3 times in the past few years and usually get excruciating symptoms!). So I took another sample in in the last few days for them to check I hadn't just flushed it out in the meantime (had been drinking loads of water since getting pregnant), but no such luck, and apparently it is still there.

my question is, is it ok for the baby for me to have had an untreated bladder infection for AT LEAST a month now and not taken anything for it? Because I haven't had the slightest symptoms, I have no idea when it started, so could have had it the whole of the first trimester. Just wanted to know that it won't have affected babby in any way really.

 

[HeidiLSparks]

I had one for awhile and didnt catch it either but my doctor did thank god. I got put on meds and it was gone and he said since we took care of it, she should be ok.

 

[CatStorey]

I know how you feel Lucy, I am so worried too.

About 3 weeks after having my urine taken I received a letter saying to contact my GP and the rest didn't make sense as it was written in doctors terms. I was freaking out crying and stuff as I thought it might mean there was something wrong with the baby. I googled the medication that had been prescribed and managed to figure out it must be a urine infection.
I called the doctor who couldn't get me in for another 2 weeks but luckily I persuaded them to give me the prescription without seeing a doctor as I obviously needed it sooner rather than later.
I have now completed the course and am still waiting for my doctors appointment to get a proper explanation of what it was and also to check if its gone.

I am just so worried it could have harmed my baby in anyway.

 

[CatStorey]

I know how you feel Lucy, I am so worried too.

About 3 weeks after having my urine taken I received a letter saying to contact my GP and the rest didn't make sense as it was written in doctors terms. I was freaking out crying and stuff as I thought it might mean there was something wrong with the baby. I googled the medication that had been prescribed and managed to figure out it must be a urine infection.
I called the doctor who couldn't get me in for another 2 weeks but luckily I persuaded them to give me the prescription without seeing a doctor as I obviously needed it sooner rather than later.
I have now completed the course and am still waiting for my doctors appointment to get a proper explanation of what it was and also to check if its gone.

I am just so worried it could have harmed my baby in anyway.

 

[10thSept]

Sorry to hear this hun, I can't believe they've been so incompetent with you, so sorry.
I'm afraid I don't about the effect of bladder infections on the baby, but I doubt it's too much of a problem - it's really common from what I read on here.
Good luck and sorry I couldn't be more help
xx

 

[Lucy Lu]

That is so cr*p - bl**dy NHS. How awful of them to worry you unnecessarily AND to take 3 WEEKS!!! Sure you will be ok lovey. I just googled and it said that if you leave urine infection untreated, you could be at increased risk of kidney infection BUT the symptoms of that are apparently so excruciating, you would know if you had them so I'm sure we don't. Bit worried though that it will reoccur during the pregnancy and I won't even know - I'm still so surprised I have it, felt nothing at all.

I would take a urine sample directly down to your midwife. Sounds like they are keeping you waiting for ever to check it's cleared!

I couldn't see anything on internet on how it could affect the baby, that must be a good sign. Surely it wouldn't have any impact if we had bacteria in our bladders???!! - it is quite separate.

I am going down there now to pick up the prescription and have a rant - they have been so infuriatingly blaze about it, I'm so angry. They only caught my MIL on our house phone by chance in the end because she was at our house during the day one day last week. Otherwise, were they ever planning to tell me??!! Plus they haven't even explained that I should get retested after the antibiotics to make sure it's gone away. Grrrrr!

On a happier note, just noticed we are the same way along! Congrats! Although I think my ticker is a day out now as the dating scan put me at 28th Oct. Are you due 27th?

 

[CatStorey]

I'm glad it seems that it won't effect our baby's.
Your right just how frustrating it is when nobody seems bothered and seems willing to help.
The letter that was sent to me was also sent to the doctors and they were meant to make contact with me for an appointment (?!?). Like you nobody has said that I need to go back to get retested after taking the antibiotics to check it had gone or anyting, I just assumed I did.
I will call the doctors after work and see if I can get in sooner. My midwife is only in on a Tuesday and its by appointment only. Not quite sure how to get hold of her otherwise?

Yeah, I am due on 27th! Hoping baby comes 2 days early so will be my Dads birthday!
Seems like forever away though, I want it to hurry up....I'm so impatiant!!

 

[Lucy Lu]

I read that symptomless bladder infections were quite common in pregnancy too. I didn't know that, I just thought it must have meant I'd cleared the infection unknowingly.

If they'd have told me that I would have started taking the antibiotics a week ago, and not waited for the results of another more recent sample this week!

Could you just drop off a sample and ask them to test it before you have an appointment? Speeds it up a bit then.

Well am just about to start mine now - did they give you Cefalexin?

We had our scan really close to yours - it was last thursday - amazing what you get to see isn't it? The baby was moving around more slowly in this one than in one we had at 9.5wks. Don't think it was a problem, but shame we didn't get to see it kicking around a bit more! I can't believe how much more it has developed though. We can see the facial features on the photo!

I know what you mean about the wait - feels like forever! How exciting we are about a third of the way there now though!!!

 

[AP]

Funnily enough i am so prone to these its unbelivable and was very very surprised when mw asked if i had a urine infection.

I said "Funnily enough, no, not since I've beenpregnant, which is weird, because i get them often?"

3 days later we found I did have an infection, taking Keflex for it now.

 

[CatStorey]

Yes, I was taking Cefalexin too. I warn you it tastes horrible, like chemicals!! Yuck!

Thanks for the advice! I called my doc and I can go in before work and just drop off a urine sample and they wil have the results back by Tuesday. I really hope its gone cos I don't want to have to take more antibiotics!!

Yeah, I had my scan on Monday and it was so fantastic. Baby was moving around so much, waving there hands in the air, you could even see the fingers!! I didn't really see there face though, that must have been amazing!
Just a shame we've got ages until the next one now

I couldn't believe it when you said we are a third of the way through, I never thought of that! Blimey, maybe its not going as slow as I thought!!

 

[tasha41]

One of mine during pregnancy went untreated, I was like 10 weeks along when it started, I had no symptoms so they let me be rather than putting me on antibiotics, just told me to increase fluids and it should clear up on its own, if not, antibiotics for it the next time we test for it.

 

[Seraphim]

I had one which went 6 weeks untreated - but I was handing in samples left right and centre I was so uncomfortable! :/
Even when the tests came back clear, i still felt like I had it.

Like you say - kidney infections make themselves known, but it's something you could do without.

Hope its all cleared up now.