UTI? No UTI? That is the question.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017
Hi, Tracy.
As far as I know, the latest urinary tract infection is gone, but it has left reluctantly. Until a day or so ago, I still had to visit the loo several times a day, with some urgency. One afternoon when I arrived home I was fortunate enough to have a coat I could hold in front of me as I made my way to the apartment, where I could get out of my wet jeans. On another occasion, there was some blood in urine. And even now, when I first enter the condo, or pour myself a drink of water, I sometimes feel Dr. Pavlov tapping me on the shoulder and I hasten to the bathroom.

Rather than panic, I took a Flomax the other day, started drinking plenty of fluids, and placed a pad in my underwear. I thought I was done with those, and almost donated the package, but now I've decided to hang on to them for a while longer. For the time being I plan to continue with plenty of hydration until I'm confident that I have flushed out the demons.

The adventure continues . . .

Love,
Dad

P.S. Oct 31, 2017 (Halloween). Hiked Tiger 3 today and had "urgencies" at least five times, involving a couple minor accidents. 

Yet another pesky UTI

The "egg"

Saturday night, Oct. 21, 2017
Hi, Tracy.
This time the UTI came on rather rapidly. In the morning there was a little tingling when I peed, and I noted it, and wondered whether I needed to drink more fluids. By afternoon I was peeing small amounts over short intervals,  the stream was pink with small clots of blood, and there was a burning sensation. By nightfall, I was suffering incontinence and having to rush to find a bathroom.

I had spent the afternoon with a friend who came in on the ferry and left by the same route. So I had to walk up Madison, not confident that I would make it without an incident. Fortunately, there were places with bushes along the Madison street route. As soon as I got home I called the Kaiser Permanente on-call nurse, who suggested that I come in. I also began drinking lots of fluids, and that helped to relieve the discomfort when I urinated.

The experience made me wish I hadn't been so quick to stop carrying absorbent pads. I got some out for the trek to Kaiser Permanente and they were used. I drank more water as I awaited in the urgent care facility for the medical staff to see me.

When I was  consulted by a member of the medical staff, I raised the question as to whether my recent self-administered test for libidinous responsiveness might have irritated the prostate and caused a problem. Was this the "ex post" fallacy, or was there a connection, I asked. He noted that I had experienced several UTIs and said this was definitely a legitimate question and I should ask the urologist.

Before heading home I picked up two medications from the pharmacy: Azo tablets for urinary pain relief; Monurol, an antibiotic which I dissolve in water and drink. I will take yogurt two hours before or after, to put some probiotics into my system, because the Monurol can cause diarrhea. And the Azo also give you very orange sweat and urine. (Check out the "egg" in the accompanying photo higher on this page.)
Cost for this adventure:\
$20 co-pay
$4.95 for the AZO, which I purchased as an over-the-counter medication. It would have been more expensive if I used a prescription. (Go figure.)
$38.68 for the Monurol (fosfomycin tromethamine)

Sunday morning, 7 a.m. 
I took the Monurol at midnight, two hours after eating the yogurt. I rose a couple times during the night to pee, and the pain was mostly gone. This morning I peed a clear stream with no pain and  no evidence of blood.

And the night shall be filled with music, 

      And the cares, that infest the day, 

Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, 

      And as silently steal away.  --Longfellow

Love,
Dad