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Last Monday lunch time saw the start of blood every time I opened the flip flow valve. My overnight bag on Tuesday morning was black with the stuff. I was not feeling poorly at this stage. Nurse came out and changed the foley for a new one which went ok. She collected a sample for testing but said that it takes at least five days to get the result back as to what type of infection we might be dealing with. As I was not feeling unwell it was left at that.
Unfortunately the blood continued and yesterday evening the catheter blocked. The hospital is only 3 miles away so I rushed to accident and emergency. I booked in and explained the urgency of the situation but I spotted a toilet and said I would try it again. To my relief the clot came out and my bladder drained. I explained this to reception who said if I was happy to just go home.
Then what a night. By midnight last night I felt awful with a temperature of 103 which I could not bring down. I have hardly slept at all. By two in the morning I ditched the night bag and noticed that I was now running clear which I still am but I still feel very poorly. I have phoned the team who will no doubt come out at some part of the day. Is this my first UTI. I think it is but time will tell. I just don't want another night feeling so ill. Has anyone got any ideas. Just posting this had exhausted me. 4wheeldave. Update nurse just gone after doing dip test I do have UTI antibiotics being arranged.

Wow Dave,

That sounds like a heavy dose of suck. As soon as I read the temperature of 103, I knew it was going to be a UTI. Hopefully they wil get some antibiotics in you real soon. I don't know why they didn't give you some just in case.
Hang in there and if you like the Foley, don't give up on it just because of this little setback.

Thanks for that. Thought I had been doing so well until Monday. My wife is going to pick up the antibiotics in the next couple of hours as long as the prescription has been made out. I know it's going to be bad tonight but with the tablets hopefully I will see some improvement by Thursday. I am not going to give up this time with Foley I don't think I am anyway but if this keeps on happening I may have to do. 4wheeldave.

4wheeldave

Sorry to here you have a possible UTI but with a temp of 103º it sure sounds like it.
It am surprised you went to the ER and they sent you home. My doctor if I call and tell him I think I have a UTI I am put on Cipro antibiotic quick then a urine sample is sent to the lap. It takes 24hr to get the results then the antibiotic may be changed.
UTI’s can be serious and if it back up into the kidneys well that can be catastrophic.

Seeing blood in the catheter is kind of one of those thing. Depending how much blood, the color of the urine, are clots present and if the bleeding is present it could be nothing or it could be everything.
I am guessing you switch from a leg bag to a night bag and rinse the one out when it is not in use. This is one good way to get a UTI. You have a close system I like to keep it that way. I use a 1500ml leg night bag. I don’t switch from one to another but I do change my old bag out for a new one every week. I not saying this is what you should do but it did help me.
There are other tips and tricks to help stop UTI’s like never let the catheter or tubing come in contact with the toilet or even your own rectum this is the fastest way to get a UTI.
I been UTI free for going on four years knock on wood I hope it stays like that.

We are not doctors so to tell what can be done well that should be up to your doctor and if you are that sick try to get in to see him.

Foley catheters are a good way to handle retention but they have their problems.

One thing I would do is drink Cranberry juice when you are full then drink more keep your urine clear and get into see your doctor.
Studies don’t know if cranberry's juice helps or not but it won’t hurt you either and you can get the urine clear.

Lyle

Thanks Lyle. I only use a bag at night and it's a single use type then disposed of. I have a flip flow valve in day. They should have given me the antibiotics yesterday that's my only gripe but everybody over this side of the pond is a bit slow to prescribe these days after years of over prescription. My wife is collecting the tablets as we speak so will be on them in the next hour. Am feeling very poorly with flu like symptoms and still a high temp. Thanks again 4wheeldave.

Update. I now have the tablets they are called Trimethoprim 200mg. I am to take 2 per day for 5 days. I have just swallowed one it's 4 30 pm here I will take another one before bed then morning and evening after that. Has anyone had these.? Thanks 4wheeldave.

I am sorry to hear of your UTI but judging by the drug, Trimethoprim, a suphanomide not and antibiotic as such, you have the common E Coli infection which should get better in the 5 days. Sadly, that's how I got on each time I have had a foley catheter. It probably won't be your last infection either.

Really, if you need to catheterise and can't use intermittent ones (have you tried the Coloplast Speedi cath?) the only real answer to infections is a supra-pubic catheter. I had one for some years and never got an infection.

Thanks wheels for that. We still don't know what the type of infection is yet as it takes about five days for the lab to culture the sample so I guess they gave me that type of med to cover the most common type of infection. If it comes back from the lab different then I suppose they will prescribe something different. I am feeling much better now and have been out today for the first time sinc Tuesday.
Thanks again
4wheeldave.