Mom keeps getting UTIs; 4 in last 5 months! Doctor won’t give her long term low dose antibiotic because he's afraid of resistance!

Sorry you are going through this. It’s one of the many hard roads we have to travel as we watch our LOs age.
Mom was in the same boat. Recurrent UTIs and moderate incontinence. (UTI averaged one every 4-6 weeks). Primary sent her to urologist.
After cystoscopy determined bladder spasms, which was causing the incontinence, which in turn along with dehydration (man it’s tough to get her to drink water) and improper cleaning (she is determined to do it herself) were causing her UTIs.
She has now been on a low dose macrobid that she takes once at night. That with pushing water (I try to make it into a game for her) and giving her some extra tips on “keeping extra clean” as I tell her, she hasn’t had a UTI in 4 months now. I know it’s not that long..but it’s a start!
UTIs in the older folks are no joke. My mom presents with no other symptoms than dementia.
We are in the process of neuropsych testing to determine exactly what brain disease she has... so there always is some delirium and hallucination with the disease.
But when that ramps up, I know it’s time to call the doctor to get a sample cup.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestion...I’m definitely going to look into D – mannose as I would like to get her off the antibiotic sooner than later but for now it seems to be the only thing that’s helping.
Good luck to you and I hope you find your answers and mom gets some relief.
All I can say is thank God for this group. You guys are invaluable with your plethora of knowledge, insight and experience.
I have lurked for months now...Learning so much as I take on this new role and chapter of my life.

Change doctors... Obtain a second opinion. There are other meds out there that can help eliviate getting UTI's. Husband hasn't had one for over a year now. Last time (it was so bad) he was in the hospital for four days on IV antibiotics. He never has any pain. However, I'm now aware of a lot of the other symptoms.

The question should be why is she getting the UTI and what can be done to stop the illness. Something is going on in her system for this to keep showing up, I feel that people depend to much on drugs and not enough on change.

I was starting to have chronic UTI’s and my doctor sent me to a urologist. She said as we age, that our urethra gets more brittle and friction causes little tears that lead to infections. She has me taking D-Mannose with probiotics every day, and 1000mg of vitamin C. I also push water to stay hydrated. I use a peribottle to cleanse that area regularly too. I have not had one since I started this regimen 18 mos ago! My MIL started having them regularly and we started her on the D-Mannose and Vitamin C and it seems to be helping. I get my D-Mannose powder from Amazon.com and my Vit C from Sam’s. We didn’t think MIL would drink the powder/water-though it has a pleasant taste-so we give it to her in capsule form.

Yes!!! So it’s not just me dealing with this!! We just had similar issues!! My mom is ALF also and gets UTIs very often. Has been totally incontinent for years and has Alzheimer’s. I get weary of them saying oh she is fine or she hasn’t been complaining of anything thing. Finally yesterday I had to get firm and say either you do something or I’m taking her somewhere and it was amazing how fast we got something going. And guess what all the sudden her urine has odor!! Keep pushing them!! We have to be their advocate!
The doctor can order a home health nurse to come and do an in and out catheter to get a sample. They did that for us one time. Also they did put my mom on a probiotic which has helped slow them down as well.
So sorry for your stress!! I totally understand!

My mother also kept getting them. She gets less now that we changed her inhaler. If your mom uses an inhaler, read about the side effects. One was it could retain urine in the bladder and cause leakage. If that’s the case, get a different kind. Ask your doctor. We had to bring it to his attention.

Also, bathroom habits are of course important. Mom may have been wiping badly. Always have her wipe front to back after a BM, and don’t bring paper back “to look”. Do a few times. “Wipe back and drop” we remind her.

First of all she obviously needs her briefs changed more often and or needs to be reminded or toileted more often, on a regular schedule. Seems to me the facility needs to take more responsibility for this problem, that is what they are paid for. Then there might be a happier medium between long term antibiotics and hospital visits. Part of the key is to find those subtly indications that so often exist when the first get a UTI but before it's that bad, with my mom it's a change in her mental status her aphasia gets worse and she just doesn't act right, we know something is off and as soon as we suspect UTI we call the doctor and they call in an antibiotic. They like to have us get a sample before she starts it but they are always willing to call it in pre-test result. Are you able to get a sample normally, I mean before her infection gets so bad she needs a cath or does she not toilet at all? If she does use it or can and it's too hard to pick up on early Q's with her maybe if you resorted to getting a sample a day, not testing it but then once you do suspect UTI but aren't able to get a sample you have one. If she doesn't ever use the toilet, can't use it anymore I'm not sure how to get around that but the facility must have methods other than sending her to the hospital. If not maybe the doctor needs to be ok with putting her on the antibiotic when a UTI is suspected and not requiring a sample unless that doesn't help and she continues to decline, then she goes to the hospital or they send in a nurse to cath her for one. But I think you are more than right to insist something else be worked out on both ends, so to speak, with her caregivers to keep her cleaner and dryer and her doctor to treat a UTI earlier and easier. Your right seems like this back and forth to the hospital is likely doing it's own harm to her mental and physical health.

She needs incontinence briefs changed frequently. And perhaps she could be seen by a urologist.

Now that I have read through and see I am NOT alone, that D Mannose has helped others, again, I say, I am an RN and honestly I do not believe in supplements and naturals and all that other stuff. I am a real Western Medicine girl. BUT I SWEAR by D Mannose. Please try it if bladder infections are an issue. You have only 30 dollars for 100 days worth to lose. And for me it has been a miracle.

Colloidal Silver! First you need to get rid of the infection. This can be done by taking 4oz of colloidal silver three times a day for 7-10 days.
Once the infection is cleared up, you can resume by taking 1-2 oz of colloidal silver daily to ward off any recurrence.
No you will not turn blue. My family takes 1-2 oz daily, which keeps us out of the dr.s office. I use in for all my pets and in my Berkeley water filters. The uses are endless. NASA even adds it to their water supply, that’s how good it is.
I have a generator and make my own, if you buy it it can get pricey.
Colloidal silver is nature’s antibotic and with any antibiotics you will need to replenish your gut bacteria by using a daily probiotic. Good gut health is the key to a healthy immune system.
Also you can put colloidal silver in a spray bottle and keep germs at bay with a few sprays, especially the genital areas.
Hope this helps?
FYI your doctors will poo poo this remedy because Big Harma can’t make money off of it.

What I read at the link I will provide seems to me to be advice I could have used for 3 elderly relatives. Basically, be sure that the UTI is diagnosed professionally. Then be sure f
that the UTI has cleared after treatment, by having another professionally conducted, wherein the urine is collected carefully and if the patient has dementia, that may mean 2 people assist so as to ensure the urine sample is clean, not polluted by inadequately-wiped bottom, etc. Then be sure the person is getting hydrated, ideally by drinking about half her weight (say 120 lbs) in ounces of water daily (60 oz or about 5 12-oz bottles ). SEE THE UROLOGIST to rule out pelvic floor issues and other potential physiological problems that might contribute. Then CONSIDER TOPICAL ESTROGEN because post menopausal women experience drying and cracking that can lead to infection, and the hormone works for many to minimize that as a cause. My parents' doctor finally put both of them on prophylactic antibiotics and they've not had another UTI in a year. This is supposedly normal in Europe. It sure beats constant craziness and hospitalization and all the resultant disorientation and struggle and further mental decline. Once we got a handle on it with water and prophylactic antibiotics, the mental decline stopped and they have enjoyed many hours. Here is the link https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/consultations/treatments-for-recurrent-uti-in-elderly-patients/

D Mannose with Hibiscus flower fixed my 86 year old Mother. It has been years of fighting these UTI's, found the HARMONY BRAND DMannose with Hibiscus worked in two days!!! I use it also. Keeps your bladder flushed and clean..it's worth a try. Amazon, read the reviews, its amazing!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Although OP's mom's ordeal may be past by now (I'm a little late coming to the party), there are many issues to be considered. Even if original poster cannot benefit from this, others might.

1. Symptoms for UTI in patients who have any dementia are varied. Our mother had one, but rather than complaining of pain, she went off the rails, generally later afternoon or early evening. Often this would happen at night and even worse on a weekend, when the doctor was not available. Lorazipam was used to calm her until we could get it tested and treated (symptoms/lorazipam did continue for a while after starting antibiotics.) Also note, many many years ago the only sign of a UTI for me was the result of a regular urine test for a physical. I had NO symptoms whatsoever!

2. Keeping hydrated IS important, however beware that being OVER-hydrated is an issue as well. The old standby of 64oz (morphed into 8 8oz glasses/day) INCLUDES fluids from ANY source (foods have fluids, as well as coffee, tea, other beverages.) SO, please do not encourage TOO many fluids - this washes electrolytes out of your system, and can lead to confusion or even more serious issues. If the person is eating a normal, healthy diet, 8 8oz glasses is really way too much!

3. Any doctor saying they want to avoid resistance by not giving long term antibiotics has no idea what they are doing! One should consult with a specialist, a urologist or the like. When I had a repeat UTI, that doctor told me if I had another, he WOULD put me on long term antibiotics. Resistance occurs when the current course does not treat ALL the bacteria, which results in the strongest of the critters surviving and reproducing (same result as not completing the full course of antibiotics, which many people have done, which leads to things like MRSA.) Culturing the urine sample is also VERY important, especially when the antibiotics didn't treat it completely. Some antibiotics are broad spectrum and may not be the best choice for the current infection (certainly not this case, when they finally determined it was MRSA!) Fine tuning treatment by culturing is the best, so they use the most appropriate antibiotic for the bacteria causing the infection. If need be, long term treatment should be the option used as well, to ensure the infection is treated fully.

Hopefully OP's mom is feeling better and maybe back to some semblance of her old self. Hospital (and probably any other care facility) stays are likely to throw anyone with dementia for a loop. Certainly surgery can do this, but being "moved" about leads to more confusion and possible setbacks. This poor woman has been moved multiple times (ER trips, scans, hospital, care facility), so it likely resulted in a setback, just like surgery might. MRSA doesn't help either. Hopefully she will be well monitored after she is declared "cured".