*WARNING/Graphic Pic of Bloody Urine*
I’ve spent the last year on the edge of a bathroom visit.
Not just because I had to pee — but because I was constantly bracing for the next wave of pain, blood, and exhaustionthat came with yet another urinary tract infection (UTI). Only this wasn’t one UTI. It was eight.
And as I recently learned, it wasn’t even just one infection. It was three at once.
This is what happens when your body keeps ringing the alarm, and the system keeps handing you band-aids.
Eight Rounds of Antibiotics. No End in Sight.
At first, I did what most people do — I followed the treatment plan.
A short course of antibiotics.
Then a slightly longer one.
Then a stronger one.
But the relief never lasted.
Each time I finished a prescription, my symptoms would disappear for a few days… only to creep back in — sometimes with more pain, more urgency, and more blood than before.
By the time I reached round eight, I had taken:
- Nitrofurantoin
- Ciprofloxacin
- Fosfomycin
- Cefixime
- (and more)
And yet, nothing seemed to stick. I started recognizing the symptoms before the tests even caught them. And still, I was asked if I was sure it wasn’t just my period, or if I was “drinking enough water.”
Then Came April: The Month Everything Escalated
By the end of April, I knew something was seriously wrong. I had:
- Blood in my urine that I could see with my eyes
- Extreme urgency (needing to go every hour or less)
- Bladder pain that felt like stabbing or cramping with every fill or release
- Flank and lower back discomfort
- Exhaustion that hit like a truck
- Burning that made even passing a trickle feel like fire
I took three different urine tests at three separate clinics in just one week.
Every single one came back positive for blood and white blood cells.
So I pushed for something more in-depth — and finally, I was referred for a urine culture with full antibiogram testing.
The Truth Revealed: It Wasn’t One Bacteria — It Was Three
The culture results were shocking but validating.
🔬 Three types of infection were identified:
- Enterococcus – a Gram-positive bacteria that can be hard to kill and is often resistant
- Staphylococcus – also Gram-positive, known to form biofilms and linger in bladder lining
- Candida (yeast) – likely overgrown from prior antibiotic use, now adding a fungal layer to the fire
💊 Resistance Profile:
All three pathogens were resistant to most common antibiotics:
- Cipro — ✘ Resistant
- Fosfomycin — ✘ Resistant
- Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole — ✘ Resistant
- Levofloxacin — ✘ Resistant
- Cefixime — ✘ Resistant
The only ones that showed any effectiveness were:
- Amoxicillin (Susceptible)
- Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (Clavulin) (Susceptible)
- Nitrofurantoin (partially effective, but already failed once)
By the time I got those results, I had already finished my 5-day Nitro course.
I was still in pain. Still peeing blood. Still getting bladder spasms so intense they took my breath away.
Why This Matters: Too Many Assumptions. Not Enough Investigation.
What these results told me was this:
- I never had a “simple” UTI.
- I had been under-treated or treated with the wrong antibiotics multiple times.
- My bacteria had grown stronger, not weaker.
- And because no one had done a thorough urine culture sooner, I had spent nearly a year fighting an invisible war, with the wrong weapons.
This wasn’t bad luck. It was a failure of proper diagnostic timing.
And I’m not alone — thousands of women are dismissed or undertreated for UTIs that turn out to be chronic, polymicrobial, and resistant.
What I’m Doing Now
💊 Next steps:
- I finished the Nitrofurantoin as prescribed — even though it clearly wasn’t enough
- I’m probably going to need to start Amoxicillin this week, which showed full susceptibility
- I’m tracking my symptoms hourly, hydrating gently, and staying warm
- I’m scheduled for a cystoscopy in October and had an ultrasound this week
- I’m following closely with a several doctors, all who are aware of what is happening.
🧠 What I’ve learned:
- Urine dipsticks are not enough
- If you’re not getting better, demand a culture with an antibiogram
- Keep copies of your lab reports
- Advocate, document, and don’t let anyone gaslight you about “just being stressed” or “on your period”
- You know your body — and that is valid, every time
If You’re Still Fighting a UTI That Won’t Quit…
I see you. I am you.
And if your symptoms aren’t getting better — it’s okay to say “enough.”
You deserve more than trial-and-error medicine. You deserve a solution that works.
Deidre Matthews 