[ellemarie]

Hi ladies! I'm new here and actually joined just to jump in here and ask a few questions.

I've recently been having the urge to pee VERY badly a LOT and noticed that I can barely hold it if I don't make it to a bathroom "NOW!". And sometimes, when I do, it's barely a trickle that leaves a weird sensation as if I still need to go afterwards even though I don't.

I thought this was an infection, clearly, but I only have a Vagisil screening test at home. I took it and immediately (no more than 2 seconds later) did it show my pH balance at a 5.5....which indicates I need to see a doctor.

I don't believe I have itching anymore down there than the average person and I am not sexually active. I also only get discharge every once in a while but it isn't "stinky" it's just...there. I guess it's hard to compare everything because I have nothing to compare to because I thought all this was normal up until I started having to run to the bathroom so much!

I'm not on birth control or any other medications other than a while ago (several months maybe?) I DID think I had a bladder infection so used medication that my mother gave to me that she had left over from when she had a bladder infection. I took them once a day as indicated but missed a few days every now and then and then forgot about it (I wasn't really taking it seriously, bad mistake?!). So now I'm thinking my body may have become immune to the medication?

Anyways, I don't usually have a a fishy smell or anything down there. Sometimes it is but usually only around my period and very mild.

The discharge I get is also mild and usually is clear/foggy but not sticky or anything...I thought (think) this was (is) normal?

Anyways, is this just a bladder infection or could it be something worse?

However, one symptom I read that someone posted on here that I thought was weird because I didn't think people actually had it was the sharp shooting pains like a large needle! I get them completely randomly throughout any day (not daily or weekly really--like I said, random) but it is so painful when I do get it that it almost cripples me for a second and I have to squeeze my legs together and squeeze my eyes shut and breathe through it (a couple seconds, max). I just thought it was a random normal pain. Didn't happen often enough for me to worry.

I know this may sound weird but what IS a normal smell to have down there regularly? Or is there even a normal smell?

Anyways- Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[ellemarie]

Sorry! Didn't mean to post two threads!

[Sarah001]

It sounds as though you have a UTI so I'd suggest taking a urine sample to your doctors and getting it checked out. The medication you used may have been the wrong antibiotic which is why you need to get your own.

[lafemelle]

You really should just go see a doctor. I don't think it's helping that you're trying to treat something specific when you don't know it's the problem--it might be making things worse. I do agree it sounds like a UTI, and you'll want to get it checked by a doc sooner rather than later so it doesn't progress into something worse if that is what's going on.

[kira]

Most likely a urinary tract infection but it is possible to have all those symptoms without an obvious medical reason. I would say maybe 1 time in 100 it turns out to be something unsolvable. Both my sister and I suffer from it. My sister much worse than me but I avoid all caffiene due to insomnia. I would suggest doing that until you see what's wrong since it will help take some of the stress off the bladder. My sister had extensive testing done because her problem is constant rather than my occasional issues and they found nothing. They had her do kegel exercises and I've done them plenty with no improvement. The only thing that does help is my next temporary suggestion; phenazopyridine hydrochloride tablets. Sold as azo urinary tract relief or uristat in the feminine hygiene section. This is a dye that also numbs the urinary tract so you don't have urges to pee or pain. It will not cure anything and if you take it too long your eyes will turn permanently yellow as well as potentially staining clothes. However it will work wonderfully for a variety of urinary tract problems for a few days until you get to a doctor and they find what is wrong.

[miamiamia]

sounds like UTI for sure. Make sure you pee straight after sex, and wip front to back and wear cotton underwear. Avoid things for a while. You can pick up anti-biotics for this from your doctor. Drink lots of water and alot of people suggest cranberry juice, through i haven''t found relief from this.

[Sarah001]

Cranberry tablets are a good idea, they've found if you drink the juice you'd have to drink something like 16 glasses a day for it to do any good whereas the tablets have the right amount.