I think I have a UTI, I don’t normally suffer from them, I have dip sticks at home, has anyone got any ideas what to look for? Also, can a UTI trigger a relapse?
Hi Viv
I look for smell and colour of urine. Keep your fluids up and look forward to 7 days antibiotic and the symptoms should lift probably in day 3 but finish the course. I got my GP to give me a prescription just in case it repeated
Hello Viv
Re test strips and UTI, what you’re looking for are leucocytes, nitrites, protein and blood.
Leucocytes are what show up when you have inflammation.
Nitrites show infection as does protein and blood. Don’t forget though that if you are of menstruating age, as a woman you could have blood show up anyway. This would also make protein elevated. (Bloody stupid arrangement women have ‘downstairs’, three apertures a bit too close together for health!)
If you had for eg an e.coli infection (the most common), you’d expect to see leucocytes and nitrites. This would normally cause your GP to prescribe an antibiotic like Trimethoprim, Nitroferantoin or just possibly Ciprofloxacin.
You can also have faint leucocytes showing up when you don’t have an infection. In this case, I’d drink a whole load of water, weak tea, cranberry juice and/or weak squash. Retest your wee the following morning and it should be either clear or nearly so.
Make sure whenever you self test your wee that the strips are in date and dry - ie that the far left box is untainted by damp. It’s a good idea to either keep your test strips outside of the bathroom where they can be definitely kept dry, or in a sealable plastic bag.
A UTI can’t actually trigger a relapse, but it can make your body react as though you have a relapse. This is he reason for always testing, or having your urine tested, before taking steroids. Taking steroids when you have an UTI would cause the infection to get much worse.
Sue
Thank you so much for your helpful comments, I dipped my urine, it showed infection.
I then called GP Out of Hours, seen a Dr at 0900 hrs this morning, been diagnosed with a kidney infection, feeling really rough today. Been prescribed antibiotics for 14 days so hopefully will do the trick.
Thanks again 
Ooh, sounds truly nasty. I’m so sorry for you. Uncomfortable, makes MS symptoms worse, and a longer antibiotics course to boot. Hopefully the infection will soon be kicked into touch, the MS’y type symptoms will stop and you’ll be feeling much better.
Sue