Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMissed DosesAntibiotic ResistanceIncorrect AntibioticChronic UTIsOther ConditionRecovery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Missed Doses
Antibiotic Resistance
Incorrect Antibiotic
Chronic UTIs
Other Condition
Recovery
Having urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms after antibiotics may mean the antibiotics were not taken properly, you have an antibiotic-resistant strain, a different antibiotic was needed, or you have a new infection.
Some people havechronic UTIsthat frequently recur despite effective antibiotic therapy. Others may be treated for a “UTI” that wasn’t actually a UTI.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
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Missed Dose or Stopped Medication
The reason you need to do so is that the different bacteria that cause UTIs are made up of a multitude of variants (strains).
The main variants are usually fully susceptible to antibiotics prescribed, but some of the lesser variants may be partially susceptible (resistant) and harder to kill. If you stop treatment early, these harder-to-kill bacteria can begin to multiply and re-establish the infection.
Another issue is that antibiotics have shorthalf-lives(meaning the amount of time a drug remains at an effective concentration in the bloodstream). If you skip doses or take the drugs inconsistently, the concentrations can drop to where it is less able to kill the bacteria.
What to DoTo properly treat a UTI, you need to commit to taking the antibiotics every day as prescribed, ideally at the same time, even if your symptoms have cleared and you are feeling better.
What to Do
To properly treat a UTI, you need to commit to taking the antibiotics every day as prescribed, ideally at the same time, even if your symptoms have cleared and you are feeling better.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when a bacteria has mutated and is able to escape the effects of the antibiotic drug. One of the main reasons for this is poor drug adherence.
When you stop treatment or fail to take your antibiotics as prescribed, the otherwise small population of resistant variants can quickly multiply and become the main variant. Thereafter, the resistant variant can be passed to others through sex and other means. And, with each passing, the resistance can deepen and deepen, leading to multi-drug resistance.
People who pick up a resistant strain (referred to as acquired resistance) may find that the antibiotics prescribed to them do not work. This can happen even if they’ve never had a UTI before.
In such cases, your healthcare provider may repeat the treatment or prescribe a stronger antibiotic or combination of antibiotics.
Or, they may opt to perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) in which a sample of your bacteria is grown in acultureto see what types of antibiotics it is susceptible to. This can ensure you receive the most effective antibiotic or antibiotics possible.
How Common is Antibiotic Resistance?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections happen every year in the U.S.
How Common is Antibiotic Resistance?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections happen every year in the U.S.
Wrong Antibiotic Prescribed
According to a 2022 study, around half of the study participants with a UTI did not respond to the antibiotic prescribed to them. An inappropriate antibiotic was cited as one of the main reasons.
Having the wrong antibiotic prescribed is more likely to occur when a virus, fungi, or less common bacteria strain is causing your UTI. This may also contribute to antibiotic resistance.
If this happens, a urinalysis and urine culture are done to determine the microbe causing the UTI and change the antibiotic to one that will kill the particular microbe.
Some people get UTIs more often than others. These chronic (persistent) infections can often return three or more times per year despite effective antibiotic treatment. The problem is that the more often a UTI recurs and is treated, the more likely it will be to develop antibiotic resistance.
Common causes of chronic UTIs include:
For people with frequently recurring UTIs,prophylacticantibiotics may be prescribed—low-dose antibiotics are taken every day to helpreduce your risk of getting a UTI.
When It’s Not a UTI
You might feel like you have a UTI when in fact you have another medical condition. Even healthcare providers may sometimes assume you have a UTI based on your symptoms, only to realize that you have some other condition that does not respond to antibiotics.
Examples of conditions that commonly mimic UTI include:
What to DoIf antibiotics fail to resolve your symptoms despite optimal adherence and an AST confirming susceptibility to available antibiotics, don’t remain silent or try to “live with it.” Seek a comprehensive evaluation from aurologistwho specializes in conditions affecting the urinary tract.
If antibiotics fail to resolve your symptoms despite optimal adherence and an AST confirming susceptibility to available antibiotics, don’t remain silent or try to “live with it.” Seek a comprehensive evaluation from aurologistwho specializes in conditions affecting the urinary tract.
Signs a UTI Is Getting Better
You will know your UTI is recovering when your symptoms begin to decrease, such as:
Summary
Antibiotics used to treat a urinary tract infection (UTI) don’t always work. Reasons for that include the antibiotics being taken inconsistently or stopped early, having an antibiotic-resistant strain, needing a different antibiotic, or having recurrent UTIs.
Other people may be treated for a UTI when they actually have an unrelated condition that does not respond to antibiotics. As symptoms lessen you know that your UTI is getting better.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Kidney Foundation.Urinary tract infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2019 antibiotic resistance threats report.Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24;1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Eells SJ, Bharadwa K, McKinnell JA, Miller LG.Recurrent urinary tract infections among women: comparative effectiveness of 5 prevention and management strategies using a Markov chain Monte Carlo model.Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan 15;58(2):147-160. doi:10.1093/cid/cit646Storme O, Tirán Saucedo J, Garcia-Mora A, et al.Risk factors and predisposing conditions for urinary tract infection. Ther Adv Urol. 2019 May 2;11:1756287218814382. doi: 10.1177/1756287218814382Michels TC, Sands JE.Dysuria: Evaluation and differential diagnosis in adults.AFP. 2015 Nov 1;92(9):778-86.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Kidney Foundation.Urinary tract infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2019 antibiotic resistance threats report.Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24;1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Eells SJ, Bharadwa K, McKinnell JA, Miller LG.Recurrent urinary tract infections among women: comparative effectiveness of 5 prevention and management strategies using a Markov chain Monte Carlo model.Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan 15;58(2):147-160. doi:10.1093/cid/cit646Storme O, Tirán Saucedo J, Garcia-Mora A, et al.Risk factors and predisposing conditions for urinary tract infection. Ther Adv Urol. 2019 May 2;11:1756287218814382. doi: 10.1177/1756287218814382Michels TC, Sands JE.Dysuria: Evaluation and differential diagnosis in adults.AFP. 2015 Nov 1;92(9):778-86.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Kidney Foundation.Urinary tract infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2019 antibiotic resistance threats report.Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24;1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21Eells SJ, Bharadwa K, McKinnell JA, Miller LG.Recurrent urinary tract infections among women: comparative effectiveness of 5 prevention and management strategies using a Markov chain Monte Carlo model.Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan 15;58(2):147-160. doi:10.1093/cid/cit646Storme O, Tirán Saucedo J, Garcia-Mora A, et al.Risk factors and predisposing conditions for urinary tract infection. Ther Adv Urol. 2019 May 2;11:1756287218814382. doi: 10.1177/1756287218814382Michels TC, Sands JE.Dysuria: Evaluation and differential diagnosis in adults.AFP. 2015 Nov 1;92(9):778-86.
National Kidney Foundation.Urinary tract infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2019 antibiotic resistance threats report.
Clark AW, Durkin MJ, Olsen MA, et al.Rural-urban differences in antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated urinary tract infection.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 24;1-8. doi:10.1017/ice.2021.21
Eells SJ, Bharadwa K, McKinnell JA, Miller LG.Recurrent urinary tract infections among women: comparative effectiveness of 5 prevention and management strategies using a Markov chain Monte Carlo model.Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan 15;58(2):147-160. doi:10.1093/cid/cit646
Storme O, Tirán Saucedo J, Garcia-Mora A, et al.Risk factors and predisposing conditions for urinary tract infection. Ther Adv Urol. 2019 May 2;11:1756287218814382. doi: 10.1177/1756287218814382
Michels TC, Sands JE.Dysuria: Evaluation and differential diagnosis in adults.AFP. 2015 Nov 1;92(9):778-86.
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