Recurrent E-Coli UTI
Discussion
Hi,
Sorry might be a long post.
Wondering if anyone can help or has had similar. My 5 year old daughter has for the past year had a recurrent UTI which is coming back from the lab results as E-Coli. We are being pushed from pillar to post by the GP and hospital and have no idea what is going on.
Basic summary is:
Drs give antibiotics for the first few infections
Referred to Urology, do an ultrasound, find nothing wrong, put her on prophylactic low dose anti biotics.
Smarmy t
t of a registrar basically says there is nothing wrong and she wees herself because she isn't potty trained (which is bks, she only wees herself when she has an infection).
GP says she needs a CT scan and can't understand why hospital wont do it.
Back to smarmy tt registrar who says "she hasn't had infection whilst on prophylactic so all is good".
Two weeks later an infection is back.
GP gives more ABs, says hospital should be doing scan. Hospital meanwhile have dumped us on pediatrics.
Now we have had a tit full so we pay £250 for a private consultation. This chap seems great tells us that it is a recurring e coli infection and some people juts suffer from it. It is not a cleanliness issue and she will grow out of it.
Great we think. Back to the GP to get the test results for the latest infection and a change of ABs (first ones given were ineffective against e coli.). GP says she still needs a CT scan, as she could have a stone and writes to the hospital.
Now we have no idea where we are, all the while my daughter is still wetting herself and is in pain and is becoming quite self conscious about it.
The cynic in me tells me that the hospital don't want to pay for the scan and so are trying to hope it will go away. The private consultant didn't think a scan was needed but they don't do the CT scan privately so would have to be NHS and the NHS and Private consultant are one and the same chap.
Anyone got a suggestion on where to go next? We are going to phone the consultants secretary next week once the letter from the GP is in and demand to see him. Then I am going to get him to explain why the GP thinks a scan is needed and why he doesn't and what the next step is.
Sorry might be a long post.
Wondering if anyone can help or has had similar. My 5 year old daughter has for the past year had a recurrent UTI which is coming back from the lab results as E-Coli. We are being pushed from pillar to post by the GP and hospital and have no idea what is going on.
Basic summary is:
Drs give antibiotics for the first few infections
Referred to Urology, do an ultrasound, find nothing wrong, put her on prophylactic low dose anti biotics.
Smarmy t
t of a registrar basically says there is nothing wrong and she wees herself because she isn't potty trained (which is bks, she only wees herself when she has an infection).GP says she needs a CT scan and can't understand why hospital wont do it.
Back to smarmy t
t registrar who says "she hasn't had infection whilst on prophylactic so all is good".Two weeks later an infection is back.
GP gives more ABs, says hospital should be doing scan. Hospital meanwhile have dumped us on pediatrics.
Now we have had a tit full so we pay £250 for a private consultation. This chap seems great tells us that it is a recurring e coli infection and some people juts suffer from it. It is not a cleanliness issue and she will grow out of it.
Great we think. Back to the GP to get the test results for the latest infection and a change of ABs (first ones given were ineffective against e coli.). GP says she still needs a CT scan, as she could have a stone and writes to the hospital.
Now we have no idea where we are, all the while my daughter is still wetting herself and is in pain and is becoming quite self conscious about it.
The cynic in me tells me that the hospital don't want to pay for the scan and so are trying to hope it will go away. The private consultant didn't think a scan was needed but they don't do the CT scan privately so would have to be NHS and the NHS and Private consultant are one and the same chap.
Anyone got a suggestion on where to go next? We are going to phone the consultants secretary next week once the letter from the GP is in and demand to see him. Then I am going to get him to explain why the GP thinks a scan is needed and why he doesn't and what the next step is.
Wow, that reg is a weapons-grade tt.
I'm not a medic but have spent a couple of months of my life on a urology ward (shared between something like 5 admissions across 18 months). I'm pretty damned sure that an ultrasound can't do much more than establish that there is no obvious big structural problem - bladder and kidneys are where they ought to be and are the right size and shape, kinda thing - and maybe also that she is emptying her bladder fully, which I know is one potential cause of repeat infections. So if the ultrasound looks OK, there's a lot of problems you've ruled out, including most of the really worrying ones, which is great - but definitely not every possible cause!
I'm pretty certain parents still have the right to ask for their child not to see a certain doctor, and indeed to ask for a second opinion or a referral to an equivalent team elsewhere. If you can't get through to the consultant (and you might want to anyway to let him/her know that his/her registrar is an arse), you probably want to look at seeing whatever other paeds urology team is within reach for you guys. The GP might be able to help by re-referring, maybe.
I've had E. Coli UTIs - she has my sympathies, it's not fun.
Anxiety and unhappiness affect everyone's health, let alone little ones struggling with continence due to infections, but the anxiety itself will also make getting to the toilet on time harder, and medics involved really should also be taking that seriously as its own potential health/wellness problem. If she would like, you might be able to find some absorbent pads (nb incontinence pads, they look similar to but are very distinct from sanitary towels) to put in her knickers as that's a bit more grown-up than nappies or pull-ups.
t. I'm not a medic but have spent a couple of months of my life on a urology ward (shared between something like 5 admissions across 18 months). I'm pretty damned sure that an ultrasound can't do much more than establish that there is no obvious big structural problem - bladder and kidneys are where they ought to be and are the right size and shape, kinda thing - and maybe also that she is emptying her bladder fully, which I know is one potential cause of repeat infections. So if the ultrasound looks OK, there's a lot of problems you've ruled out, including most of the really worrying ones, which is great - but definitely not every possible cause!
I'm pretty certain parents still have the right to ask for their child not to see a certain doctor, and indeed to ask for a second opinion or a referral to an equivalent team elsewhere. If you can't get through to the consultant (and you might want to anyway to let him/her know that his/her registrar is an arse), you probably want to look at seeing whatever other paeds urology team is within reach for you guys. The GP might be able to help by re-referring, maybe.
I've had E. Coli UTIs - she has my sympathies, it's not fun.
Anxiety and unhappiness affect everyone's health, let alone little ones struggling with continence due to infections, but the anxiety itself will also make getting to the toilet on time harder, and medics involved really should also be taking that seriously as its own potential health/wellness problem. If she would like, you might be able to find some absorbent pads (nb incontinence pads, they look similar to but are very distinct from sanitary towels) to put in her knickers as that's a bit more grown-up than nappies or pull-ups.
Hello
Sorry to hear about your experience so far with regards to this problem
pleaae see below link for recommended imaging in children with recurring UTI
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x200...
CT scan isn't on the recommended list, and is not usually done when investigating recurrent UTI in children. you've mentioned that your GP has recommended it to exclude renal stones, but your child's presentation doesn't appear to represent a classical one of renal / bladder stones.
I can see you're getting frustrated the whole experience, and I agree some further clarification with the consultant after they have received the GP letter is the next logical step.
Ultimately, recurrent uti in young children is common, and thankfully most do grow out of it.
All the best
Sorry to hear about your experience so far with regards to this problem
pleaae see below link for recommended imaging in children with recurring UTI
http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x200...
CT scan isn't on the recommended list, and is not usually done when investigating recurrent UTI in children. you've mentioned that your GP has recommended it to exclude renal stones, but your child's presentation doesn't appear to represent a classical one of renal / bladder stones.
I can see you're getting frustrated the whole experience, and I agree some further clarification with the consultant after they have received the GP letter is the next logical step.
Ultimately, recurrent uti in young children is common, and thankfully most do grow out of it.
All the best
Thanks both. I am more inclined to take the work of the urology consultant as they are the specialists here. Its just very confusing and my wife and I don't know who to believe.
No one wants to take ownership of and the hospital and GPs just seem to bat it back and forth between them. Will see if we can get to see the consultant again and get some straight answers.
No one wants to take ownership of and the hospital and GPs just seem to bat it back and forth between them. Will see if we can get to see the consultant again and get some straight answers.
944fan said:
Hi,
Sorry might be a long post.
Wondering if anyone can help or has had similar. My 5 year old daughter has for the past year had a recurrent UTI which is coming back from the lab results as E-Coli. We are being pushed from pillar to post by the GP and hospital and have no idea what is going on.
Basic summary is:
Drs give antibiotics for the first few infections
Referred to Urology, do an ultrasound, find nothing wrong, put her on prophylactic low dose anti biotics.
Smarmy tt of a registrar basically says there is nothing wrong and she wees herself because she isn't potty trained (which is bks, she only wees herself when she has an infection).
GP says she needs a CT scan and can't understand why hospital wont do it.
Back to smarmy tt registrar who says "she hasn't had infection whilst on prophylactic so all is good".
Two weeks later an infection is back.
GP gives more ABs, says hospital should be doing scan. Hospital meanwhile have dumped us on pediatrics.
Now we have had a tit full so we pay £250 for a private consultation. This chap seems great tells us that it is a recurring e coli infection and some people juts suffer from it. It is not a cleanliness issue and she will grow out of it.
Great we think. Back to the GP to get the test results for the latest infection and a change of ABs (first ones given were ineffective against e coli.). GP says she still needs a CT scan, as she could have a stone and writes to the hospital.
Now we have no idea where we are, all the while my daughter is still wetting herself and is in pain and is becoming quite self conscious about it.
The cynic in me tells me that the hospital don't want to pay for the scan and so are trying to hope it will go away. The private consultant didn't think a scan was needed but they don't do the CT scan privately so would have to be NHS and the NHS and Private consultant are one and the same chap.
Anyone got a suggestion on where to go next? We are going to phone the consultants secretary next week once the letter from the GP is in and demand to see him. Then I am going to get him to explain why the GP thinks a scan is needed and why he doesn't and what the next step is.
My lad was diagnosed in utero with one swollen kidney, the hospital we were using was taking part in some kind of research trial and they reduced the limits normally put into the diagnoses of swollen kidneys a little bit and he was caught and included in the trial. Basically it's very common in young kids to have the defective flap thing at the top of the bladder, as your bladder fills there's some kind of pinch valve which closes off and stops reflux back up your piss tube to kidneys, it's very common in kids that that pinch valve isn't fully formed and hence why some kids are prone to recurring infections.Sorry might be a long post.
Wondering if anyone can help or has had similar. My 5 year old daughter has for the past year had a recurrent UTI which is coming back from the lab results as E-Coli. We are being pushed from pillar to post by the GP and hospital and have no idea what is going on.
Basic summary is:
Drs give antibiotics for the first few infections
Referred to Urology, do an ultrasound, find nothing wrong, put her on prophylactic low dose anti biotics.
Smarmy t
t of a registrar basically says there is nothing wrong and she wees herself because she isn't potty trained (which is bks, she only wees herself when she has an infection).GP says she needs a CT scan and can't understand why hospital wont do it.
Back to smarmy t
t registrar who says "she hasn't had infection whilst on prophylactic so all is good".Two weeks later an infection is back.
GP gives more ABs, says hospital should be doing scan. Hospital meanwhile have dumped us on pediatrics.
Now we have had a tit full so we pay £250 for a private consultation. This chap seems great tells us that it is a recurring e coli infection and some people juts suffer from it. It is not a cleanliness issue and she will grow out of it.
Great we think. Back to the GP to get the test results for the latest infection and a change of ABs (first ones given were ineffective against e coli.). GP says she still needs a CT scan, as she could have a stone and writes to the hospital.
Now we have no idea where we are, all the while my daughter is still wetting herself and is in pain and is becoming quite self conscious about it.
The cynic in me tells me that the hospital don't want to pay for the scan and so are trying to hope it will go away. The private consultant didn't think a scan was needed but they don't do the CT scan privately so would have to be NHS and the NHS and Private consultant are one and the same chap.
Anyone got a suggestion on where to go next? We are going to phone the consultants secretary next week once the letter from the GP is in and demand to see him. Then I am going to get him to explain why the GP thinks a scan is needed and why he doesn't and what the next step is.
My lad took low dose antibiotics for the first 3 years of his life along with quarterly checks and 6 monthly scans to check the reflux and effectiveness of his bladder valve thingymajig. He did get a couple of kidney infections around 24 months that were treated with stronger antibiotics, but they weren't E-coli iirc, although we were warned for kids with the reflux issue e-coli is a recurring issue...
Anyway to cut a long story short the scan is not a big deal, they inject a radioactive die and follow it through to spot the reflux, it may be expensive but I don't see why they wouldn't do it if she needed it but secondly it is something that they do grow out of most of the time, our lad did and by 3 was off the antibiotics and hasn't had any other infections, so whilst I know it's hard when you're kids aren't well I think there is a good chance she'll grow out of it - but I'm not a doctor so don't take any action based on what I've said for f
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