My 93 y/o grandmother has had three UTIs this year going back to April. I believe either she has a new UTI or the previous one was never fully cleared up. She had a urine culture last week and it was negative so the doctor didn't prescribe antibiotics. However, looking at the results of the , I strongly believe she has a UTI.
Everytime she gets a UTI she ends up sleeping an excessive amount, she becomes grumpy in the evening when woken up, her urine smells super funky, and she just seems "off." When she takes the antibiotic, she typically returns to "normal" after the second or third dose. Then maybe four to seven days after the last dose, she slowly starts going downhill. I am seeing signs that point to a UTI.
The culture was analyzed a little under 16 hrs after the urine was submitted. Doesn't it typically take longer than 16 hrs. to get the results?
Could someone give me an opinion on the results:
WBC = 30> leukocytes present (Normal 0-5)
RBC =11-30 (Normal 0-2)
Urine Mucus = Present
Bacteria = Few (Normal=None Seen/Few)
Specific Gravity = 1.016 (Normal 1.005-1.030)
pH = 7 (normal=5.0 - 7.5
Urine Appearance = Turbid (Normal=Clear)
Leukocytes = 3+ (Normal=Negative)
UA = 1+ (Normal=Negative)
Nitrite = Positive (Normal=Negative)
I have also been told that frequent UTIs can lead to kidney disfunction, which is a serious problem. I hope that isn't the case with your grandmother. And I hope that a nurse can look at your data and make a better informed comment. Best wishes.
Insist that a urine culture is done.
Make sure the doctor is ordering both test. Once, I was positive I had a UTI - my surgeons nurse called me and said “nope, no infection”. I insisted that had to be wrong. They nurse actually had to have the doctor call the lab, instruct them to do the longer cultured test - and sure enough three days later the test was positive. This was my PCPs usual practice - both tests - but obviously not this different surgeons.
Soooo - it seems not every doctor initially orders both tests. Insist that your loved ones doctor is doing so.