Hi, My daughter was diagnosed with Lyme she is 12 years old.
Among her symptoms she has been having urinary frequency and her bladder feels full even after going to the bathroom.
She is currently taking Zithromax and will begin two chinese herbs.
Has anyone experienced bladder issues with lyme?
I have read that it is not unusual to have bladder isssues with Lyme and co-infections.
How long after beginning treatment should we see some improvements with the bladder issues?
She has been on Zithromax for 4 weeks.
Thanks for any input.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Hi Mom,
I have urinary frequency and the feeling that I need to go again 10 minutes later. It is a common symptom of Lyme...so my doc says.
So far after 9 months of treatment, I am sorry to say that I still have the constant urge....this may not be your daughters experience though. Everyones symptoms clear in their own time.
Feelfit
Posted by Jeni (Member # 16257) on :
I have horrific bladder symptoms. I am 29. Have had them since I was 23. I am unsure whether I have Lyme though. It may be Bartonella. I am waiting for the Fry result.
Does your daughter have any other symptoms besides bladder stuff?
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
count me in too with bladder stuff. They are one of the only symptoms remaining for me.
I have bart, babesia and lyme, and who knows what else.
Also if the abx is killing off the lyme then it could be irritating the bladder.
Lyme can cause interstitial cystitis as well.
Maybe you can ask her dr if he could prescribe a medication to help with her bladder while taking the abx. Something like urelle or pyridium, may help her so she can comfortably treat.
She is not alone with this symptom.
Posted by Cass A (Member # 11134) on :
Buhner says, in Healing Lyme, that Lyme bacteria colonize the urinary tract in animals and people as a way of spreading themselves.
Don't know what to do about it.
I had urinary problems since I was a child, so no help here....
Best,
Cass A
Posted by breezywings (Member # 9222) on :
A resounding yes to bladder issues with me. Doc said he hears it so much with Lyme, especially in women.
Also, have to be careful about yeast as it causes the same urinary problems.
I just got done with a course of MacroBid for a really bad bladder infection. Stuff made me herx worse than any abx I have ever been on.
Go figure. Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
macrobid was horrible for me too!!!! felt like death and so sick to my stomach!
i had to be switched to cipro.
i agree yeast of even a bacterial infection can cause bladder symptoms. If in doubt go to a gyn and get a culture. Ive had horrific frequency caused by bacterial vaginosis(one wicked bug)
Posted by Alv (Member # 15192) on :
I have specualting for it for a while ago.
Well when me and my dauhgter felt sick at the same time( we used to sit on the grass in the parks in GERMANY) , I recall her having at 3 1/2 years old problmes with her blader.
She was fine until than and I just could not undedrstand how a baby had no problems with her blader controlling and at 3 1/2 she had continuysly problmes...until many years after and sore throguth and ear infections.I recall at 5 years old she compleied about her shin pains.
Well now she is showing she has bart.Still trying to get FRY lab done.But the lab quest showed past infection of henselae and quintata.
So I am wondering ...are this people having BART issues ? as it looks as it is an infection that is SO WIDE spread amoung PEOPLE?
By the way you can get it by a mousquito bite too....WHO has not been bitten ?
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Thanks for all the input. This board is so helpful!!!
Posted by bejoy (Member # 11129) on :
Keep in mind the possibility of a candida or fungal infection as a result of antibiotic treatment. I believe I have had both problems.
For me the bladder issues flair up with a candida flair, and subside entirely when lyme and candida are both managed.
Posted by hokie (Member # 14720) on :
Hopefully your daughter's situation will be more like mine... after 3 months of treatment, frequency and hesitancy went away completely. I didn't have urgency though. Good luck.
Posted by nancyb (Member # 10154) on :
Hi Jane,
From my experience, bladder problems seem to be more common in Bartonella.
If your daughter is already on Azithromycin, ask her doctor to add Rifampin to it. This is a great combination for Bart and I have had 2 kids a bit younger than your daughter take it with great success.
The azithromycin will hit the Lyme but with the added Rifampin, it will hit the Bart if she has it.
My kids were on 250mg/day Zithro and 300mg/day Rifampin.
Pure cranberry juice (not coctail) is excellent for UTI infections as well.
It's so hard to see our little ones suffer.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
me too...
i had urodynamics EXPENSIVE testing done last year; BLADDER SPASMS! **************************
many other folks it's INTERSTITIAL cystitis, which is for ALL PELVIC PAIN many of us have!
Posted by Littlesprout (Member # 7406) on :
Lyme LOVES the bladder....I used to have a major problem. It has gotten some better after yrs, yrs of abx but I am still not "normal"
Citric Acid really makes the pain worse and freq, so read labels on everything. On one of my Lyme tapes, they say the bladder is the best/easiest place for a lyme biopsy. Easy to get to, better the the heart or brain.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
A definite YES! Read my story below! My IC has made a comeback in the past few weeks. Hope it's temporary!
Be sure to consider the possibility of yeast causing the symptoms as someone else said!!!
It took about 2 yrs of treatment for my IC to get better from Lyme treatment.
Also..yes, stay away from citric acid and anything acidic.
NO tomatoes, oranges, etc .. and if she actually has IC, have her stay away from cranberry juice!!! Posted by karatelady (Member # 7854) on :
Hey TuTu,
Long time no talk to!
My understanding is that uncooked tomatoes are good for you and alkaline. Once they are cooked, they become acidic.
My stomach tells me that too as I cannot eat any kind of tomato sauce but a fresh tomato out of our garden doesn't bother me at all.
Sandy
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Yes...my sister (with lyme) did.
From a MEDICAL/traditional standpoint, pyridium helps.
It is another MINERAL (Rx required).
IMO...too bad they don't use a different mineral which is far too low.
The inflammatory cytokines and all the free radicals do a number on nerves.
Including those that send messages to the bladder muscles.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
karatelady!!! I've missed you terribly!!!
Are you "back?" Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Bringing this back up-- As the Zith did not help the bladder issues. However, the frequency is a little better.
We began seeing a new LLMD in May, 2009
Daughter is finally being retreated for Lyme, Treating Bart, Erhlichiosis, Myco P.
The urine frequency was around every hour before this new treatment starting end of May 2009.
So far it is a little better, 1.5 hrs sometimes 2 hrs..
I am wondering anyone with urine frequency, how long into treatment before you noticed any improvements?
Seems that Rifampin has helped, but the urine frequency is still here, although better at 1.5-2hrs.
Dr. says it takes awhile, just wondering how many had improvements and how long into treatment when it happened?
Many thanks, Jane
Posted by jennie08 (Member # 17351) on :
Hi, I had bladder problems that were not associated with my lyme. I was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis/bladder lining inflammation. A naturopathic dr. told me to try MSM capsules (like 6000mg/day but I'm an adult). It eliminated my bladder symptoms within a few hours. Might be something to ask her doctor about?
Jennie
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
It took at least 2 yrs to improve my bladder symptoms. I now can wait for 2 hrs myself... barely. Used to be 30 minutes.
I took MSM for years and years, never had it improve my IC....but who knows. ( I still take it ... for pain issues. )
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
Cantharis C 30 several times a day D-Mannose helps to avoid antibiotics.
There was a real great post some weeks ago - search for bladder.
You need to have Siemens Multistix 10 SG at home ( Walgreen can order them)and a prescription for a urine culture (only with morning urine) from your doctor, which you keep and only use in case you really need it.
So you save unnecessary visits at your urologist.
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Thanks for all the replies.
The urine frequency and urgency , and headaches were the first symptoms--
Looks like Bart is the culprit,but so many symptoms overlap with Lyme.
Well I am hopeful it will improve with continued treatment. Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
Wow, as I was reading this thread...I was thinking...add the rifampin! I see that you did and it is helping! That is great news.
I found that bladder issues were caused by bart in my family, and rifampin helped. I think with most of these symptoms, it takes a long time. How long as she been on it?
tickbattler
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
For me, it was lyme or babesia.. never had bart... thank goodness!
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
tickbattler, she has been on Rifampin since beginning of June.
300mg and then beginning of Aug, added in another 300mg, for a total of 600mg per day.
So only full dose of Rifampin since early Aug. 2009.
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
I have had bladder issues for years, no one ever found infections or anything else wrong, so now I fugure it's probably Lyme and co.
Mine has gotten somewhat better with treatment, but one thing I have noticed is that I seem to get more urgency about 2-3 hours after taking Rifampin--when my pee is orange.
Once the Rifampin is out of my system I seem to be better.
Since the Rifampin seems to be helping otherwise, I just deal with it.
Posted by btmb03 (Member # 18394) on :
This is a very popular topic ! (unfortunately) I remember a CFS doc telling me years ago about the fact that due to the HPA Axis dysfunction our anti-dieuretic hormone (ADH) amongst others things were not working properly.
As usual a lot of these things are 'subclinical' and not easily measured in our illness. Obviously a child won't drink tea/coffee but anything that makes us lose even more fluids is not a good thing.
Hope things improve for her!
Posted by dmc (Member # 5102) on :
IV Tigecyl helped heal my urgency. I now can hold 6-8hrs...
It is wonderful to be able to hold. Like Jane's daughter I had to urinate almost as often.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
My bladder issues have to do with what btm03 said. Well I think so anyway. I don't have bladder infections. I just have to go and go and go. Its like my body holds fluid a day or so(not that I can see), then I spend the next few days releasing it, until I feel dehydrated at times.
I have had days where I would go every 20 or 30 minutes. And I am not diabetic, but this is what is reminds me of. It has gotten better with treatment, but I still have days where I go way more than I should.
Posted by btmb03 (Member # 18394) on :
My Lyme brain remembered the word I was looking for: diabetes insipidus
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