Urinary Tract Infection

Hi everyone. I was just diagnosed yesterday Wednesday, December 21 with a urinary tract infection and started on antibiotics last night. I asked my doctor about exercise while I have this and he recommended I wait to start exercising again until Monday. He however thinks I am still running which I had to give up due to back problems and now I cycle and paddle for workouts and participate in events. I didn't have a chance to clarify with him and I was just wondering if anyone else out there had exercised with a UTI and what your experience with it was. Would it be best to wait until Monday? Will I delay healing if I work out today through Saturday? I realize no one is a doctor here but I am just curious as this is my first UTI and I keep reading different information on exercise during UTIs. Thanks.

Karen

I've never had issues with exercising with a UTI. So long as the kidneys aren't yet involved, I'm not sure it's that big of a deal. Drink plenty of water for sure--but you should do that anyway.

But I emphasize that I'm not a doctor and have no idea how severe your UTI is. If you feel run down or urinating blood, it might be wise to wait a few days.

The last time I had a UTI, my pharmacist warned me the the antibiotic I was given made muscle tears more probable. He said to lay off on strenuous exercise for a while. By no means did he tell me to lay off altogether - just to take it easy. (He knew I was riding my bike home.)

In my opinion, it's good to listen to my body and let it tell me what it wants to do when I'm sick. If I'm feeling crappy and I want to lay on the couch, then I take a day off exercise and lay on the couch. But if I've got the energy, then I go ahead and work out.

I've been exercising regularly for so long that when I have to abruptly stop due to illness, I think that I feel worse from the lack of exercise and being cooped up inside than I do from the sickness itself.

Yikes. What antibiotic was it, Soprano?

Ditto what the others have said - if you feel generally ok, then go ahead. Sometimes with UTIs I feel run down and a little nauseated, and other times I feel ok (except for the UTI pain itself.)

Last time I had a UTI I did a 200 mile ride right after starting the antibiotics. I took extra precautions because the antibiotic I was on said it would make me sun sensitive (and this was September in the Bay Area - hot and sunny.) I was practically white from sunscreen but made it through no problem - and no burns.

The antibiotic also said it might affect balance :eek: but I didn't really notice being any more unbalanced than usual. :rolleyes:

I seem to recall that Cipro is one that can greatly increase risk of damage to the achilles tendon in runners. I think there are a few others that can increase risk of tendon/muscle injuries, as well. Probably not a bad idea to look at the contraindications for your specific med online.

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

the antibiotic also said it might affect balance :eek: But i didn't really notice being any more unbalanced than usual. :rolleyes:

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lol!

Cipro is what I'm taking and I did read it could cause tendon problems. I'm like you Soprano - I am so used to working out that I feel worse not doing it. I am feeling a little run down today so I will probably lay off today and see how I feel tomorrow. I'm pretty neurotic about missing my workouts as you can tell! :)

I just had a UTI last week. Unfortunately, it did start to affect my kidneys because I didn't recognize the symptoms early on. Within hours of taking the antibiotics, I started to feel better. I only took off one day of cycling. It never dawned on me to ask my doctor about exercising. I only took off that one day of cycling because I was in so much pain that sitting on a bike would not have been very comfortable. But like I said, once I started taking the meds, I felt 100%. Good luck...hope you feel better soon.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Yikes. What antibiotic was it, Soprano?

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Levaquin.

All the fluoroquinolones can cause tendon problems...these meds include Cipro and Levaquin (the most common ones) as well as Avelox (sometimes used for respiratory infections) and a couple of others that have been taken off the market for various reasons. I wonder if that's why the OP's doctor recommended taking it easy for a few days as opposed to the UTI itself...as far as the UTI I think it would depend on how bad the infection is and how one is feeling--listening to your body is a pretty good guide any time you're sick.

If it were me I'd drink some cranberry juice and ride if I felt like it. If I felt lousy, I'd rest and drink more cranberry juice.

I'd still take the meds as directed too.

I've had many UTIs and a kidney infection. I don't think there's anything wrong with light exercise, as long as you feel up to it. The frequent urination from a UTI would keep me closer to home. Whatever you do, drink lots of fluids.

So, as everyone else as said here, it's very important to listen to your body.

Having said that, anything you do that causes you to expend energy in such a way that it takes away from your body's resources to fight the infection, will lead to an extended healing time. If you're young and healthy, you may have a ton of physiological resources to draw from and it might not be an issue. So if you feel great and you really feel like you need to exercise, then go to it.

Also, as everyone else has said, hydration is extremely important with UTIs. So if you choose to exercise you have to be even more paranoid about your fluid intake. Drink tons!!!! Flushing your bladder frequently helps to carry away the bacteria that causes the UTI in the first place.

Finally, you only lose about 1% of your cardiovascular fitness by not exercising at all for 1 week. After that it starts to drop rapidly. I've had too many UTIs to count and my philosophy is that I want my body putting all of it's energy into fighting off the bug, so I tend to rest for at least a couple of days knowing that the rest is not really going to cause any significant harm to my fitness and could speed up my recovery.

Of course your mileage may vary.

I agree with Wahine (again, still).

Just got diagnosed myself yesterday...had suspicions Sunday night and by Mon morning I was sure and by noon had my fist bright yellow pill. I am on some weird thing called Macrodantin which I think sounds like "big teeth" in Latin LOL. (vagina dentata!!!)

I am taking that "billion-dophilus" capsule too and making some cool yoghurt when the SO brings the milk from the cows (extra special bacteria I have been saving for emergencies)

I am resting and drinking lots - but mostly tea's - green, herbal, fresh nettle, chamomile, fresh organic parsley. My GP told me that cranberry, cider vinegar and all that acidic/fluids home-treatment is great at the start (eg if yr suspicious) and can indeed knock it on the head but once you are really ill it makes things actually worse . FWIW.

I am concentrating my thoughts how to spend the Christmas gift card thingo from DD and DS#1 and looking at my other prezzies like the crazy hat DS#@ bought [It's royal blue black and white beanie and he being colour blind but in denial said "It was such a lovely purple I just had to get it for you"!! ]
'scuse my being such a Jewish Mother but I am under the influence of anti-biotics.
And UTI's make me furious and "fit to be tied" so I am trying to keep over tranquil as Every Little Thing sets me off screaming and I frighten the horses and am a danger to shipping.

Just looked at its little paper inside the packet .
Macrodantin is trade mark name for Nitrofurantoin -
which explains my angry outbursts (nitro) and the "furantoin" is probabaly short for furious-making!

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Originally Posted by margo49

I agree with Wahine (again, still).

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;)

I hope you feel better soon Margo.

Thanks, wahine; yeah woke up after a good sleep and feeling fine. The yoghurt turned out great and I am now really on the way the health and happiness