Are your Bacterial Infections Always Treated with Antibiotics?

Hello everyone!

 I’m 31 years old and a freelance cartoonist/illustrator by profession! I just finished sorting out the papers in my urology folder so I can tell you my Ureaplasma STD Test story! Let me start by saying that I have always had sensitivity to cystitis and candida: the former came to me now and then as a child; in 2010, I had a small series that I treated with Monuril every time, then the doctor prescribed me Unidirox, and they disappeared for a few years.

Seeking Professional Help

In the autumn of 2013, they start again, once every 3 months or so; I always take Monuril. In May 2015, I had a very strong episode. The type of pain was different: for me, STD Cystitis has always been crazy burning in the urethra, lower bladder and vulva, but now, in addition to this, it had become a sensation of heaviness and pelvic pain, as if I had a full bladder to explode, even if I had just emptied it. I asked the doctor to repeat the Ureaplasma treatment with Unidirox, but it didn’t work.

They recommended an STD Urologist 1 (we will call them that so as not to name names); we went to him, who told us to do urinalysis and urine culture (my Ureaplasma Doctor never considered it necessary), which was positive for Escherichia coli. He gave me Augmentin for 10 days; the follow-up tests were negative, but the pain was still there. I asked him if he would stop by, and he replied, “Ah, good question!”.

In the meantime, however, I continued with STD blood tests every year and urine tests every time I was ill (bacterial infections were always treated with antibiotics); I had an abdominal ultrasound and regularly went to the gynaecologist to check that it wasn’t a problem of gynaecological origin, everything was negative apart from a bit of inflammation (you feel like it with all the stress). I also had tests for Ureaplasma, mycoplasma and chlamydia, all negative. I also did allergy/intolerance tests to determine if something was influencing my health: nothing, just a little allergy to meadow grass (the common grass). The gynaecologist during my visit prescribed Cistalgan for the pain, but it was not very effective.

Treatment Attempts and Frustration

In autumn 2015, the doctor gave me the name Urologist 2, the head doctor in one of the hospitals in the area. I went there, and she advised me, as I already did on my own, to avoid peppery foods, alcohol, fried foods and chocolate. He prescribed me Pelvilen forte (2 per day) and Ialuril capsules (2 per day) for a few months. I improved, and the periods of acute pain barely lasted 3 days a month. I could live with it. But then summer arrived. The Ureaplasna infections and more began again, and I met those shady figures of Klebsiella P. and Enterococcus F. and well’s return of E.coli.

Meanwhile, the pain stratified:

It stopped coming at specific periods, it was never completely absent, and it seemed as if, at the worst moments, someone was digging into me with a sharp-edged spoon; I started to get pangs and spasms during normal physical activities (walking, sexual intercourse, etc.).

Two years passed, during which the urologist2 alternated various dosages of Ialuril and pollen, antibiotics (indicated in the susceptibility STD test of each urine culture), and any ferments. In the winter, I was better, and in the summer, worse. At a certain point, he gave me some oxybutynin for a suspected contracture, which I must say helped a little—until the next infection!

At the beginning of 2017, he scheduled me for a cystoscopy, which was postponed from February to April due to a new infection.

In the meantime, in addition to the routine Ureaplasma Swab tests, I continued with blood tests every year and urine tests every time I was ill (bacterial infections were always treated with STD antibiotics). I also did the ANA reflex test: the first two results on the list were out of the norm, but further investigations were negative.

Unsuccessful Treatments and Procedures

In April, I had this blessed cystoscopy: urologist2, who carried out the exam, found a leukoplakia of the trigone, which she CAUTERIZED SO, DE BOTTO, WITHOUT SENSE!

 According to her, this would have solved everything, removing something that could attract bacteria. He sent me home with two pellets a day and a D-mannose supplement to take consistently. Result: I lost bloody clots for two weeks, and that summer, I got 2 more infections! Since the beginning of 2017, I have already had 4.

Enduring Pain and Seeking Solutions

At that point, I had been sick for three months, all day, every day, and when I went to her to find out what to do, she replied, “Eh, but it doesn’t give you fertility problems!” who cares about children, I’m sick, intercourse is painful, and I keep getting infections “you’ll have to learn to live with it!”.

Turning to a New Specialist

On August 31, 2017, at the first visit, he listened to me, checked my entire medical history and diagnosed me with Chronic Pelvic Pain as well as relapsing cystitis and urethrocystopathy. He gave me 4 months of cetraflox laroxyl for the pain. Also, He prescribed me a drug that must be ordered outside Italy, Hiprex, a strong disinfectant of the urinary tract that should not create resistance like antibiotics do. He told me to follow the interstitial cystitis diet strictly.

In fact, within a week, I had already improved a little with the diet. During the first year, urologist3 gave me several supplements, again pollen, cycles of enterobactin, hyalurìl and mannose, the latter then replaced by Uroial.

In total, in 2018, I had 3 infections, which, compared to the average of 6/7 in previous years, was not bad; under his instructions, I treated them first with antibiotics, then with a month of rex. Generally, however, I felt better and started to reduce the amount of laroxyl (from 10 drops to 5).

Persistence of Symptoms and Medical Consultations

Every six months, I had an ultrasound of the abdomen and uroflowmetry (which always came out horribly because I couldn’t empty my bladder all in one go).

At the beginning of 2019, he allowed me to relax my diet slightly. I had periods where the pain flared up a little (usually before my period), but I kept it at bay. Also, I started having sex a little more frequently. I was positive and felt better, but then summer arrived, and I swear, from the first hot day to the last three months later, my Ureaplasma was as bad as two years before, every day, all day.

Urine cultures are all negative. In the autumn, I improved, but at a check-up, the STD gynaecologist found me a little irritated and gave me Meclon ovules to remove the vaginitis, which didn’t go away because a month later, it was still there, so much so that she failed the pap test.

Seeking Alternative Opinions

In October, I returned to the urologist3, who, perhaps on a bad day, began with, “Look, if you get pregnant, everything with Ureaplasma will go away”. Even on the first visit, he suggested it to me, but he was courteous and did not put any further pressure on my contrary wishes; this time, however, he was annoyed, he insisted, and he made a “tic toc” gesture with his finger to indicate that time is passing, that I’m 30, that it’s time and it would certainly all go away.

When I bitterly refused, he scheduled a cystoscopy to classify me as a case of interstitial cystitis, which, according to him, occurs only in the total absence of infections. It’s a shame that in December, at the pre-operative visit, they found me positive for E.coli (among other things, one of the most painful infections ever.

And they gave me 7 days of Bactrim. From here, the collapse began. At the follow-up STD test in January, I still tested positive, more Bactrim. Memorable was the round of phone calls with the secretaries of the clinic where in February I was supposed to have the cystoscopy, who each told me a different thing: take the antibiotic until the day of the operation, no, if you are on antibiotics you cannot be operated on, you she does the cystoscopy precisely because she is infected, no if she is infected it cannot be done…

Additional Medical Consultations and New Challenges

 “Fortunately”, the second bactrim caused me to have an allergic rash, and the operation was suspended. I had time to think: in addition to the relapses of Ureaplasma cystitis, I had this fluctuating vulvar inflammation. Furthermore, the intestinal problems I had during adolescence had returned, i.e. colic, which at the time my doctor labelled as nervous and treated with Debridat (muscle relaxant). Now and then, they came back if I was under stress, but it was rare. Instead, now it had become normal to have very painful bouts of dysentery one day, even have a week without going at all and colic again.

I made an appointment with an STD urologist because many things didn’t add up to me, this time inside with me, but I also brought my partner (lucky my star, 14 years together; if he and my mother weren’t there, I would have already shot myself in the face).

Urologist 3 was very attentive during this round as I told him about the mess that I was in, his confused secretaries, and the situation in general. He prescribed Neofuradandtin for a month (10 days, 3 per day, then 10 days 2, then 1). A gastroprotection, the usual ferments and added pure birch d-mannose at 3gm per day for 3 months. After the antibiotic, Hiprex was in a higher dosage than the treatment two years earlier.

New Treatment Regimen and Response

The first month went well, and no problems with neofuradantin. Then, I started the three months of Hiprex and mannose. Two weeks after starting the treatment, I started to feel pain, burning, and the sensation of having a speck on my clitoris. They were almost identical to the symptoms of my past candidiasis; I also had white, waxy deposits in the folds between the labia majora and minora. The gynaecologist on the phone (it was full lockdown due to COVID-19) told me to put on melon cream and then to use Diflucan for a week, but it didn’t go away; in fact, it got worse. I had a suspicion and did a urinalysis… guess what? Positive for enterococcus. HOW THE HELL COULD I BE POSITIVE AFTER A MONTH OF Ureaplasma ANTIBIOTIC AND WHILE ON HIPREX AND MANNOSE!??

Persistent Challenges and Medical Consultations

Among other things, there was also “possible vaginal contamination”. I sent everything to the urologist. He replied (always via the secretary, by email or telephone; he is never available) to suspend mannose and hiprex and take Augmentin for a week. It doesn’t give me allergies, but it has always weighed on my stomach.

The following month, the follow-up test, Ureaplasma, tested positive again, this time for Klebsiella. Another message was sent to urologist 3, who, at this point, raised his hands and advised me to contact an immunologist. In the meantime, my doctor gave me ciproxin for the Klebsiella… I did it for 5 days. Then, one night, what was a boring pain became atrocious. I couldn’t sleep; it felt like they were sticking damned knives into my vulva around and above the clitoris, and it burned like crazy from there down to the anus area. Also, I stopped ciproxin immediately.

I was screaming and sobbing in pain. Keep in mind that I already suffer from cluster headaches and migraines. I have a high pain tolerance, so this situation was truly beyond the limit.

My partner dragged me to the local polyclinic. The gynaecological emergency room Ureaplasma doctors were super scrupulous. They examined me with a speculum (I was dying at moments) and took an intravaginal ultrasound. They observed all areas of the vulva. I think they also did an STD swab test because I felt like they were touching me with something to understand where it hurt the most.

Unresolved Symptoms and Seeking Further Expertise

In the end, they diagnosed me with quite serious Vulvodynia, telling me to go to a specialized centre. In the meantime, they gave me Pelvilinox 2 times a day for a month. They advised me to continue further, with that or with pollen, and Vagisil to be applied topically. Coming home, I was devastated by pain. I managed to talk to my gynaecologist and update her. She has experience with vulva/vestibulitis but recognized that I needed someone more experienced. She just told me to increase the carboxyl to 15 drops. These and the treatment given to me in the emergency room eased the pain a bit.

Complications and Misdiagnoses

In the following weeks, thanks to a friend who has Vulvodynia, I discovered your STD site and joined it. I am starting to look at the professionals and reading the forum to compare your experiences! 

Last month, I took yet another urine test, which came back positive, again enterococcus.

I made an appointment with the Ureaplasma Immunologist, who turned out to be superficial. He didn’t let me talk, didn’t consider my medical history, and strictly adhered to his mono-disciplinary belief. BUHe isn’t interested in vaginitis or gastric problems.

He is fixated on the previous cystoscopy and wants to do another one. And he wants to see if the leukoplakia is still there and what to do next. But he can’t with infections.

So, he prescribed me 5 days of neofuradantin, 3 a day. Then immediately after monuril for two evenings and repeated the latter once a month for another 3 months. Do the Ureaplasma and other tests each time the day before taking them. If all tests are negative, go off to cystoscopy.

He assured me these STD antibiotics are the lightest for good bacterial flora and mucous membranes. But he didn’t give me any lactic ferments to associate with. I already didn’t like it during the visit.

Also, I got confirmation that we weren’t there when, after the neofuradantin, I took a monorail, and the pain increased again.

I read in the information leaflet that THE FIRST of the common side effects is vulvar/vaginal inflammation.

Current Treatment Regimen

Today, I am continuing to apply vagisil only at night and limited to the clitoral area. I take pelvilen (or pelvilinox) twice a day. And I use Dimann’s candida cream, which helps a little with the irritation.

I take laroxil every evening, and on my initiative, I continue the mannose 3gm per day.