Who knew?

[GLC1968]

Glad it's "just" a bladder infection, Catrin! Too bad they didn't give you that bladder anesthesizing med in the meantime, then. Usually they'll do that immediately. It may even be available OTC now. Anyone know? The stuff that turns your pee bright orange but helps so much with pain until the antibiotics can do their job. I used to know the name but haven't had a bladder infection for a decade or so, so have forgotten.

Uristat? It is available over the counter. My husband got it for me once a few years back when I was miserable because the pharmacist recommended it. Worked like a charm!

Glad to hear that you are on the mend, Catrin!

[Catrin]

I certainly wish I had known about it, even if my dr told me yesterday it wouldn't have been much help. I sincerely hope and pray that I never experience anything like that again - it ranked right up there with major abdominal surgery the old fashioned way - though thankfully only 24 hours until the Cipro started kicking in.

[Melalvai]

Once and only once, I tried to wait out a UTI over the weekend so that I wouldn't have to go to the ER. (This was before they had Urgent Care.) To make matters worse, it was a holiday weekend (Memorial Day). I ended up with a kidney infection and expensive antibiotics that cost as much as the ER co-pay would have cost.

[Catrin]

Once and only once, I tried to wait out a UTI over the weekend so that I wouldn't have to go to the ER. (This was before they had Urgent Care.) To make matters worse, it was a holiday weekend (Memorial Day). I ended up with a kidney infection and expensive antibiotics that cost as much as the ER co-pay would have cost.

YOUCH Melalvai! I was trying to wait out the Urgent Care since I've not spent anything toward my deductible this year but am very glad I gave in Saturday morning - the writing on the wall was plain. I am SO thankful that Cipro is now a very cheap generic!

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, I've never had a UTI like that -- mine have all been localized to my bladder. So sorry you had such an awful one, but glad that was "all" it was and that you are on the mend!

[Catrin]

Wow, I've never had a UTI like that -- mine have all been localized to my bladder. So sorry you had such an awful one, but glad that was "all" it was and that you are on the mend!

Be very, very glad...it gave me a new definition of pain. The urgent care doc thought it was something very different, so glad she was wrong!

[emily_in_nc]

Finally googled it: Pyridium is the medication I was thinking of. It has always knocked out terrible UTI pain for me when I used to get 'em:

http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/rx...id=fdb5661_pem

[soprano]

I seem to average about one infection a year, and pyridium never does much of anything for me. I get better results from drinking lots of water. Hard to do, when peeing hurts, but the more I drink, the less it hurts to pee. So weird.

PSA: Don't screw around with bladder infections. My grandmother died from one. It's not pretty.