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How Long Does UTI Take To Spread To The Kidneys?

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Posted on Mon, 20 Mar 2017
Question: How long does it take for a UTI to spread to the kidneys? Im a little bit worried because apparently ive had a UTI for 3 weeks now.. i didnt know im not even sure yet, i just took the test and it comes on 2 days. i thought it was a yeast infection but a doctor said is UTI because of my symptoms. I had urges to pee all the time and very little pee would come out,it hurt after peeing and pain during sex and discomfort through the day. i took Cantharis 30C and Dmannose and pure cranberry juice without sugar and lots of water. ive been doing it for 9 days now.. my symptoms went away for 2 days but came back, not as bad but my only symptoms now is pain during sex and pain after peeing (not during), and sometimes not even that. But they are not gone completely.. my doctor told me to take antibiotics. is a powder of a single dose, but i want to wait until im sure that is a uti. if it is, im i in risk because of the waiting? i dont have any back pain, or colored urine, or smell, blood, anything like that. but i got a flu 2 days ago.. my boyfriend had it before me so im guessing i got it from him and it was nothing crazy and its going away but i read it could be a symptom for kidney infection, i also have a little bit of a feeling in the groint.. not strong at all but i feel something since 2 days ago and my period started yesterday, dont know if could be because of that.. i just want to know whats the risk for the kidney? what should i do?


I wrote a question before this one to another doctor but her answer didnt cleared me completely, and ill give it to you so i can be more clear.. i hope you can help me im very worried:

Hi, Im 18 years old and about 3 weeks ago I had sex with my boyfriend and after an hour i was feeling weird down there.. no burning or itching but uncomfortable.. the next morning i was experiencing some symptoms like urge to pee all the time, and when i went it was very little pee, sometimes when i drank a lot of water i peed normal. discomfort during the day.. kinda like burning and after i was done peeing i felt a very uncomfortable and painful feeling, like pressure..even if i was peeing normal but no pain or burning during peeing. No blood, no smell in urine, no abnormal color in urine, no abnormal discharge, no itching but i had pain during sex. Ive never experienced something like this before because at all so my mom told me that it was probably a yeast infection because i just started having sex a couple months ago and its normal.( I DIDNT GO TO A DOCTOR SO I WASNT SURE WHAT IT WAS)I never use any kind of medication at all.. so i was trying to avoid pills but I used Canesten 1 and it didnt go away.. the urge to pee went again but still something there. A week later i was having the urges to pee again and all of the symptoms like in the beginning. A friend of my mom that has had this problems before told me to use these products: Genestra - HMF Candigen Ovules (6) 1 every night. / NFH D-Mannose XXXXXXX with pure cranberry juice with no sugar and water 3 times a day after meal. / Cantharis 30C, 5 pellets 3 times a day with no food until the symptoms were gone or it could make it worse. She said that probably the yeast infection went to my urinary tract so it was important to take treatment for both. At the first day of doing this my symptoms went away, just the uncomfortable pulse after peeing was still there but not as painful as the beginning. At the 3th day everything was gone so I stopped using the Cantharis 30c and I didnt apply one ovule the next night because I wasnt in my house so I couldnt but i was still with the Dmannose and cranberry juice. Everything was good but the day later i woke up and i was feeling uncomfortable down there again.. not as bad but not perfect as the days before and i had the pain after peeing again. It went away in about 5 hours.. i was back to normal and i didnt have the pain after peeing at all.. That night my boyfriend and I tried to have sex again because we havent since i started with this. It still hurt.. not when it goes in but i fill kinda the same pulse as when im done peeing.. and i was feeling the need to pee during.. i didnt enjoy it at all so we stopped. I went to pee and i didnt feel the pulse and i wasnt hurting at all, the pain was just during sex. Im tired of this so on tuesday because im not even sure what it is.. i went to a clinic, i described the symptoms to the doctor and he told me it wasnt a yeast infection.. that it was just a UTI and prescribed me an antibiotic of a single dose.. Im not a big fan of those things, i believe that just make the symptoms go away but the problem is still there and it can kill a lot of things in the body and ive heard antibiotics is the main cause of yeast infections.. and he didnt even took a test or anything to really be sure of what it is.. because i dont have the urges anymore is just the pulse after peeing and pain during sex.. you cant really tell what it is. He was telling me that if i dont take it it may go up to my kidneys.. i went to a lab the next day to take a urine test. Im waiting for the results. Ive been good these days, sometimes i feel the pulse, sometimes i dont, sometimes is not as painful as others. Is very weird. So my question is.. what to do you think it may be? and if its a UTI why isnt gone by now?? what can i take naturally to make it go away or something not as bad as antibiotics? and if it wasnt a yeast infection, was it dangerous for me to take the cream and the ovules?? (i just used 4 ovules, didnt use the 6) Im worried about that.. because yesterday i think i got my period.. but is early.. it usually comes around 28 or a bit later and it was like watery pink brownish and with blood clots, is usually like that when my period is about to start and a couple of hours later its normal blood. But hours later it was the same.. or nothing i woke up today and the same.. in the pad is some brown blood but i wipe and its watery pink and brown with some clots, and i have i started having big red clots.. Im scared cause i usually feel when my period is coming.. i really feel it and this time i didnt.. i dont usually have cramps but i feel a little bit sick a day before and i didnt. Im freaking out because ive heard it could be pregnancy, or cervical cancer or i dont know.. im really worried.. ohh and two days ago i got sick.. like the flu, my boyfriend was sick too so i probably got it from him, but i dont remember the last time i was sick.. my diet is very healthy, ive been vegan for 2 years now and i never get sick even if someone around me is. I eat a lot of fruit in a daily basis but i stopped for the past to weeks because of the yeast infection so i think thats why but yeah i dont know if it could have something to do whit my system.. please help
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (28 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
UTI going to the kidney is rare.

Detailed Answer:
Good day and thank you for being with healthcare magic!!!

UTI Is broadly classified into upper t tract infection (kidney) or lower tract infection ( bladder and urethra). More often than not organisms that infect the lower tract doesnt ascend to the upper tract and vice versa in healthy immunocompetent patients.

So to answer your question the risk of the infection going to your kidney is very low.

I would want to see your urine exam to check if you still have UTI and if treatment is needed.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (10 minutes later)
Thats a relief! thank you so much.

I think i still have it.. because i still have the pain after peeing sometimes, so i guess is not completely gone, I think just controlled because im still taking the dmannose daily? What else could it be? do you think a single dose of antibiotic would fix it? Or what do you recommend? Im scared on getting into a daily treatment of antibiotics because i know they are really bad for the body in general and it could cause me a yeast infection.. but if thats the only way ill do it
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Let's wait for the urine exam result.

Detailed Answer:
I think you may have been given a prescription for fosfomycin (monurol). It is a single dose antibiotic and it is a very effective drug. Yes you are correct in saying that any antibiotic may lead to fungal infection but it would less for a single dose antibiotic like fosfomycin.

Since you still have symptoms there is a big chance you may still have infection. A urine sample result would answer this question.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (29 minutes later)
Thank you so much! ill keep you updated with the urine exam result on saturday.
Have a great day! :)
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (8 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Welcome and I'll await the urine results.

Detailed Answer:
You are very welcome and I am glad to be of help to you. I will await the result of your urinalysis.

regards,


Dr Manuel See IV
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (34 hours later)
Hi again, my results were supposed to be for today.. but they told me that they found a little bit of bacteria but the urine culture was contaminated so they coulndnt tell exactly if i have it or not.. and i needed to take another sample so i did and i have to wait for 3 more days.. but im very worried because i was fine.. i wasnt feeling the pain after peeing this past days, just sometimes and very low but i drank a bottle of water to do the sample again and i felt a little bit weird, after 2 hours im feeling the symptoms again of going to pee very often and it hurts after i finish. i dont want to wait more and make it worse, what antibiotics should i take that will be 100% effective? and what probiotics can i take to prevent a yeast infection because of them? im desperate and very worried because ive been reading about IC cystitis.. its very scary and i relate to a lot of people who have it in those symptoms.. what do you think? is it possible for a simple UTI to become a IC cystitis? and whats the difference of a normal cystitis? im very confused.. please i need a detailed answer im freaking out.. and please tell me what can i take for this
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Take the prescribed single dose antibiotic.

Detailed Answer:
Good day and thank you for the update.

Your urinalysis has bacteria but culture needs to be repeated. The original prescription, if it is Fosfomycin, then it's a very good drug and that's what I prescribe to my patients also. You may take that as what your doctor has prescribed you. That way you will eliminate the bacteria with a single dose of antibiotics. There is no 100% in antibiotics treatment but Fosfomycin for you would have a good treatment rate.

Probiotics can help you like erceflora (e.g.bacillus clausii ) usual dose is one vial twice a day for one week and yogurt drinks (yakults) can help replenish the normal bacterial flora of your body.

Cystitis is a general term for inflammation of the urinary bladder, bacterial cystitis is when bacterial infection causes the cystitis while interstitial cystitis is a chronic inflammation (lasting for more than 6 months) and interstitial cystitis can only be diagnosed in the absence of infection while having symptoms.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is mostly related to allergies and abnormal flare up of the immune system centered on the urinary bladder.

No, bacterial cystitis doesn't lead or become interstitial cystitis. What you have is what we call honeymoon cystitis. You can look it up. Infection a few days after having intercourse. Take the antibiotic and I'm sure you'll feel well after 3-5 days from antibiotic treatment.

Also another advise: make sure that you and your partner urinate before and after intercourse that way the bacterial count in each other's urine system remains low and to flush away the bacteria that you got after the intercourse.

I think there is no harmful effect in the intake of anti fungal and stop that medications since it didn't cause symptom relief.

I hope I have answered your question adequately and clearly.


Regards,

Dr Manuel See IV


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (30 minutes later)
Thank you thank you thank you so much!! you give me such a relief. I swear its so frustrating looking at different things like ic cystitis testimonials and symptoms.. i feel so bad thinking that i may have it because the symptoms come and go but i will try the antibiotic today.

So with this honeymoon cystitis is it normal for it to come and go?

and im i not at risk that the single dose antibiotic(monurol) doesnt work if its been almost 4 weeks since i started with the symptoms and took me 2 weeks to take dmannose(2-3 times a day, pure cranberry jucie and lots of water)? i had no idea at the beginning about this.. thats why im asking so much haha.. this is all new to me and i want to learn a little bit more so i can do everything to prevent it in the future.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (15 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please see detailed answer.

Detailed Answer:
No honeymoon cystitis doesn't come and go and need to be treated with antibiotics. But it would depend on the patients immune system and the virulence (lack of a better word) of the bacteria on how potent it is.

Yes I think the monurol would still work even it has been four weeks already.

I am glad I am helping you, and just stick to what I said earlier. Urinate before and after intercourse and you'll be fine.

Regards


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (2 hours later)
Perfect! sounds good. Thank you so so so much. You are a very good doctor!!:)

Have a great day.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (55 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
You are welcome.

Detailed Answer:
you are very welcome.
Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Dr. Manuel C See IV

Urologist

Practicing since :2005

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How Long Does UTI Take To Spread To The Kidneys?

Brief Answer: UTI going to the kidney is rare. Detailed Answer: Good day and thank you for being with healthcare magic!!! UTI Is broadly classified into upper t tract infection (kidney) or lower tract infection ( bladder and urethra). More often than not organisms that infect the lower tract doesnt ascend to the upper tract and vice versa in healthy immunocompetent patients. So to answer your question the risk of the infection going to your kidney is very low. I would want to see your urine exam to check if you still have UTI and if treatment is needed.