How do you know if its a UTI?

[Anongirl]

My mum had a UTI a month or so ago. She literally went overnight from relatively coherent to completely delusional. I knew from this forum that this can be a sign of UTI so had the morning off work and got a urine sample to her GPs, she started on antibiotics and within a day or two was stable again.

I have had a break away recently and my brother said in that time he noticed she forgot my name (she forgets other names but has never had a problem with mine). She couldn't remember a conversation I had with her while I was away and told my brother I hadn't contacted her at all. She was a bit aggressive (verbally not physically) to a carer last night and today seems very anxious.

How do you make the distinction between a UTI and a progression or dip in her condition? Are there any kits available to test urine at home?

 

[lin1]

Hello
I believe you can buy dip stick tests from Ebay, but I have no idea how accurate they are.

Hope this isnt too much info , I found the following helpful with my mum
Sometimes the smell can tell you if their is an infection,
fresh urine has no unplesant whiff, with UTIs urine often has a bit of a niff, with my mum it was often a fishy one, it can also look cloudy or dark.

Hope this helps

 

[FifiMo]

These are the strips we used to use. With ever increasing time to get an appointment with a GP, these are extremely useful.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Para...=UTF8&qid=1377399784&sr=1-1&keywords=uti+test

Ask your GP for some urine sample bottles so you can take in a sample straight away if your home test is showing an infection or, you can get these..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sample-Bott...77400199&sr=1-4&keywords=urine+sample+bottles

As Lin says there are sometimes other indicators. For us however it was a rapid decline, often within hours, where mum would start talking gibberish, show no interest in food or drink and sometimes started hallucinating. Then she would slump over and become unconscious (think this was due to effects of her diabetes kicking in). A few times this all happened so quickly that she was taken immediately to hospital by ambulance. As she was apt to decline so quickly her GP left us with ABs to start taking at first signs of UTI but unfortunately my mother could never be just run of the mill and invariably needed more specific ABs. Her GP tried lots of approaches with little success and she always needed IV ABs to shift the infection. Sadly for her the recovery period used to take around 9 weeks!

I hop I haven't frightened you. Just wanted to give you an idea of the range of things that were all evidence of impending problems. For some it is not as drastic as this but dementia seems to get affected and this alone means you have to move quickly.

Fiona

 

[Izzy]

Thanks for the reminder Fiona. I've just ordered both. My problem when I had them for mum was reading the strip! I was never sure what I was looking for.

 

[FifiMo]

Izzy,

We were used to these things as they were similar to the ones used by mum for her diabetes. Essentially you dip the stick in the urine and watch for any colour changes. Then you hold the strip near the grid on the tub and match up the colours to see what is going on.

Providing you're not deaf like me, you might find this explanation helpful...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_wW8zD9tEMI

Fiona

 

[Izzy]

Thanks Fiona. I'll have a look at the link. X

 

[CeliaW]

Thanks Fiona. I'll have a loo at the link. X

Its obvious there are a few wee things on your mind Izzy! Thanks for the smile although doubt you feel much like smiling today xx

 

[Nebiroth]

If someone is not diagnosed with Vascular Dementia then it is usually assumed that a sudden and significant decline is due to a UTI (or other infection, they have the same effect, but UTI's are particularly notorious because their effects on someone who has dementia can be so severe and also because the infection can be otherwise 'silent' with no obvious symptoms)

It is often the case that treatment would be given for a presumed UTI, because it does no actual harm (although it promotes anitbiotic resistance) and really it is the only thing that can be done.

Sudden declines are typical of vascular dementia so it may be difficult to tell.

UTI's are more common thatn people think, they may have no symptoms at all and the infection is simply dealt with by the immune system and go completely un-noticed. But such an infection can be devastating if there is dementia as well.

Infections may produce the classic symptoms, urinary frequency, burning sensations etc. If it is severe then the urine may be cloudy or foul smelling, but this is unusual. Otherwise, they are detected using special strips, these work by reacting with substances or cells that are not normally found in urine (fresh urine is normall sterile, as the body filters it in the kidneys and also 'rescues' blood cells that stray into it).

You can buy strips and sample bottles, although some GP's will supply them.

You can help prevent UTI's by drinking plenty and including cranberry (cranberry extract tablets are just as good if you don;t like the juice). Cranberry has natural substances in it which help to stop bacteria sticking to the walls of the bladder so that they are flushed out more easily.

Women are much more prone to UTI's than men, due to their anatomical construction. Elderly people are more prone as their immune systems are less active. People with dementia can have poor toilet hygiene.

So, elderly, demented women are very vulnerable to UTI's.

 

[Izzy]

Its obvious there are a few wee things on your mind Izzy! Thanks for the smile although doubt you feel much like smiling today xx

I've just noticed and edited my original post. A Freudian slip methinks!!!!

 

[Saffie]

A Freudian slip methinks!!!!

Ah, I see we blame poor old Freud now.
Makes a change from the French policeman!!!
- though that's probably because he's holidaying with me!

 

[Anongirl]

Thank you very much for the replies (and the Freudian slip, love it!).

I still can't make the call if she does have an infection brewing. I have spoken to her on the phone a few times and she does seem anxious though she quite often does (her usual morning carer is away and any change in routine throws her). I just don't want to rush to the GP every time there's a blip. The last time she had an infection it was more obvious, she was quite delusional.

I always encourage her to drink plenty. I order her lots of water in her shopping and decaf tea plus cranberry juice. Of course I can't say if she is drinking enough because I only have her word for it.

Anyway I will see how it goes. I will see her on Weds so see how she is then. She's got an MMSE test next Monday which will throw her again no doubt.

I think it's a good idea to buy some urinalysis sticks though. Sounds like lots of people do that!

Thanks xxx

P.S lin1 last time I took her sample unit was very cloudy, the GP seemed to know as soon as he looked at it! I just don't want to leave it that long next time x

 

[Anongirl]

Ordered! Thanks FifiMo for the recommendation.

I might even test my own, just out of curiosity. I'm a bit like that

 

[lillybabe]

thanks

These are the strips we used to use. With ever increasing time to get an appointment with a GP, these are extremely useful.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Para...=UTF8&qid=1377399784&sr=1-1&keywords=uti+test

Ask your GP for some urine sample bottles so you can take in a sample straight away if your home test is showing an infection or, you can get these..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sample-Bott...77400199&sr=1-4&keywords=urine+sample+bottles

As Lin says there are sometimes other indicators. For us however it was a rapid decline, often within hours, where mum would start talking gibberish, show no interest in food or drink and sometimes started hallucinating. Then she would slump over and become unconscious (think this was due to effects of her diabetes kicking in). A few times this all happened so quickly that she was taken immediately to hospital by ambulance. As she was apt to decline so quickly her GP left us with ABs to start taking at first signs of UTI but unfortunately my mother could never be just run of the mill and invariably needed more specific ABs. Her GP tried lots of approaches with little success and she always needed IV ABs to shift the infection. Sadly for her the recovery period used to take around 9 weeks!

I hop I haven't frightened you. Just wanted to give you an idea of the range of things that were all evidence of impending problems. For some it is not as drastic as this but dementia seems to get affected and this alone means you have to move quickly.

Fiona

thanks for the link i ordered those too my mam had one it was awful so good to have early warning