Why are the antibiotics not working for mom's UTI? It's been three weeks, what can I do?

My husband, who has dementia and Parkinsonism, has been self-cathetering for 20 years due to a neurogenic bladder. (He had this condition from before he developed dementia, fortunately, since he would not be likely to learn how to do it now as a new skill.) Like most people who self catheter, he is subject to frequent UTIs which, due to his brain disease, cause severe behavioral and neurological symptoms when he gets them, sometimes resulting in a hospitalization if I don't pick up on the problem quickly enough and get antibiotics into him. More recently he became resistant to Cipro, the antibiotic which he has been taking for years, and was prescribed something stronger. When he continued to get frequent infections, I took him to a urologist for a full work-up. While nothing new was found, the new urologist put him on a medication called Hippex (generically: Methenamine Hippurate 1 Gm tablets, given twice a day). This medication is a urinary antiseptic (not an antibiotic) which works by altering the ph in the bladder, making it more acidic and therefore less friendly to bacteria. There are virtually no side effects from this medication. So far, my husband has not had a UTI in two months, which is actually a record, so it seems to be working. You might ask your mother's doctor about prescribing this medication for your mother. I think it's worth a try.

Alsooo, check out the Egyptian black cumin seed oil, cold-pressed.Nigella sativa has been used for a few millenia for many ailments because it contains so many nutrients and is amazing with infections. Of course your dr may not have heard of it because it is more popular in Muslim , Middle Eastern, and N African cultures. I did recently meet a neurologist doing deep brain implants, at a Parkinson's conference, and mentioned it when he stated that he was looking for compounds with neuroprotective properties. He said he was already aware of nigella sativa (Philipino dr at Cleve Clinic).
Here is how I came across nigella sativa, available over the counter in a Whole Foods.. I went to a supermarket looking for buckwheat groats because I avoid wheat products and buckwheat is in the rhubarb family. I struck up a conversation with a black employee putting food away in the aisle right next to the buckwheat. He went on to describe how his 88 year old mother had her right hip replacement removed due to infection and subsequently unsuccessful treatment with vancomycin, the big guns. The dr gave her 2 wks to live at best. He was desperate. A Muslim friend told him about taking 2 softgels /day of 500mg black cumin seed oil (called Kalonji in Arabic) He gave his mom that- I don't know if they'd sent her home by then. He smiled and said "That was 5 years ago. She is 93 now, has another hip, and walks all over the house with her walker"
I'll tell you what. I was so amazed I decided to get some that very day. I've been ordering from blackseedproducts.com. Theirs is coldpressed and 1000 mg. I take it every day now. I have never gotten an upper respiratory infection or UTI since starting to take it this past fall. I usually have to take a couple days off after taking the live flu shot for work. This year, only 1 day.

My mother-in-law had constant UTI's for years and years. When I began as her caregiver over 6 years ago, she was on a maintenance antibiotic for it. I took her to several urologists as I was determined to get her off the maintenance antibiotic and find out the root of the problem. After bladder lift surgery, different treatments and methods, it was never discovered. She eventually became incontinent - which would make you think since the urine can't be held in - the infections would go away. But they didn't. I was told by these specialists that this just happens with some people sometimes that they can't figure out what is causing the constant infection and there is nothing further that could be done but keep her on the maintenance antibiotic to keep the infection down and then treat it aggressively when it flares up. They would send her urine out to the lab to see what antibiotics would work on it. She eventually built up a resistance to the antiobiotics and unfortunately none worked anymore. But unfortunately UTI's are common in the elderly. Usually all you can do is treat it when it happens.

She's either got a resistant strain of bacteria in her urinary tract, she's had too many antibiotics, or her UTI isn't what is causing the high WBC count. Have doctors check for other infections in the body (i.e. she could have an abscessed tooth). Give her 3 billion live cultures (in pill form) of acidophilus (the refrigerated kind) to restore the flora in her stomach during antibiotic treatment. Keep trying to get that UTI under control so her kidneys are not damaged. Best wishes!

Great idea about offering fruit. My husband will eat pineapple, rasberries, melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon. Being summer, these are great choices and I will add them to my list for shopping tomorrow. I just kept thinking I needed to get him to drink the fluids but fruit is an excellent source. He isn't good with the veggies but I do try to get him to eat them.
Thank you.
Donna

hmmmm, doesn't cranberry juice help with UTI's. Is it non-responsive to it?

In reading all the answers to this question, I am a little concerned about the cranberry juice or the cranberry pill. My husband takes Coumadin every day and thought cranberry juice is not recommended. I have made note of some of your comments and will check with the Coumadin Clinic and his Dr. for advise. My husband has Alzheimers and Parkinson's Disease and suffers from constant UTIs. He has also been to the rehab recently (twice this year) to get antiobodics by IV. I offer fluids all day long but it is hard to get him to drink much. I monitor his folley and noticed yesterday and today the output is less so I am once again a bit worried. Thank all of you for your questions and answers. It is so helpful

Hi , I'm a PT. The nurses I work with in home care recommend to sneak in extra fluids to the elderly with vegetables and fruits with High Water Content . "celery, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, tomato and zucchini. Other nutrient-rich vegetables with high water content include broccoli, green cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant and spinach. the following fresh fruits have a water content of 85 percent or higher: apricot, blueberry, orange, peach, pineapple, plum and raspberry. Melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon have some of the highest water content, at more than 90 percent. These melons are good choices for snacking because they contain less sugar than many other fresh fruits."
Cindy-

That's a question for her doctor. Keep pushing for the correct diagnosis and or treatment until it's resolved. Get a second opinion if necessary.

My husband self catheters and is therefore very prone to UTI which he had been getting very frequently. I little while I ago I took him to a urologist to see if they was anything that could be done to reduce the number of infections he gets. He prescribed Hippex, a urinary antiseptic (not an antibiotic) which alters the ph in the bladder, making is more acidic and therefore less friendly to bacteria. This is a safe medication with very few side effects. Since going on it, my husband has not had any UTIs. You should ask your doctor about this medication.