Would you trust the results of an expired UTI test strip? Especially if you had symptoms of a UTI? (bladder, cyst)

[sunshinelove0000]

I've had symptoms of a what I suspect is a UTI. I remembered I had UTI test strips from a while back and so I used one to test my urine. Sure enough it shows as positive. Then I noticed the box says it expired 3/2015. Not that long ago, but I am wondering if I got a false positive. I've never had a UTI before. In the past I've experienced similar symptoms and paid a copay plus lab testing all to be told I don't have a UTI. So I am wondering if I should ride it out or go see a doctor. Would you trust an expired test strip?

[suzy_q2010]

What are your symptoms?

[sunshinelove0000]

Originally Posted by suzy_q2010

What are your symptoms?

Cloudy urine, pain off and on (not while urinating), cramps, fatigue, loose stools, frequent urination followed by a period where I am unable to go

[suzy_q2010]

It sounds like you need a formal urinalysis. Loose stools are not a typical symptom of a bladder infection, which typically causes frequent urination due to a continuous urge to do so and burning pain throughout urination that is worse as the bladder becomes empty. The urgency and terminal pain are due to inflammation of the bladder lining. There may also be pain over the bladder, right above the pubic bone.

If the kidney is involved, there may be back pain, which is high in the flank at the lower level of the rib cage, fever, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. One or both kidneys may be involved.

Cloudy urine can be due to white blood cells in the urine, but it also may be due to vaginal secretions. Many women are treated for UTIs based on poor quality specimens, so you want to avoid that. Anyone who needs to give a urine specimen for testing should use the clean catch midstream technique:

https://www.rexhealth.com/workfiles/...rinesample.pdf

Many medical practices can do a basic urinalysis in the office, then send part of the specimen for a culture if the urinalysis is suspicious. Perhaps your doctor would let you do the UA before actually deciding whether you need an office visit.

[Texas Ag 93]

There are lots of other conditions which could cause similar symptoms to a UTI, the most common one that comes to mind is BV (bacterial vaginosis), which is extremely common, maybe even more common like UTI's. Like PP says, you probably need to do to your GP and have a urinalysis and they might even culture it. They will probably give you an antibiotic at your office visit even before the culture comes back if you ask nicely. You will also need an antibiotic if it's BV, but they tend to use different ones for those two conditions. Further, almost any sort of inflammation in your abdomen could cause pressure to be placed on the bladder, causing discomfort and frequency. I have never heard of loose stools associated with a UTI.

UTI's are no fun. Once you have one, it's a pretty good bet you will get them on and off again in the future. I used to suffer from chronic UTI's and bladder spasms. After a couple of cystoscopies (where they insert a camera into your bladder) over the course of 5-6 years, I just started taking a antibiotic after each time I have intercourse (which for me, was a trigger for UTIs) and I haven't had a UTI in over 10 years, with only one exception, which was when I discontinued using it in my first trimester of pregnancy. My OB/Gyn said to go back on them, they are completely safe.

[Natsku]

Not sure if the strips being expired would make them likely to give a false positive but not doing a clean catch (like suzy said), washing genitals first, can certainly mess up results. Go to your doctor, they can do a urine dip test right there at the office to see if there's an infection.