Originally Posted by Natalie8

Well, it looks like I may have my first UTI since being diagnosed with MS. I'm on Tysabri and have had 4 doses. I have had UTI's over the years off and on, before the MS diagnosis, when I sometimes had sex (common for some women). But I have some questions:

Is anyone out there on Tysabri who gets UTI's after their infusions? I know it is listed as a side effect.

I ignored it for awhile because I haven't had one in over a year and for some bizarre reason I just thought it was the MS causing urinary hesitancy, and urinating many times a day since I hadn't had sex. I thought maybe I had a new symptom of MS. But then it occured to me that it might be a UTI since my urine was cloudy and I had pain coming and going. Anyhow, I have Nitrofurantoin that my primary care doc. had given me a year plus ago to take after having intercourse to prevent UTIs. I have started taking it now. I've been on it for 2 days. The UTI doesn't seem to be clearing up as fast as it did in the past. It does seem some what better but it is still not really gone. I am urinating normally but the pain/pressure is still there.

Should I wait a few more days to see if it completely clears up?
Could this be because my immune system is lowered from the Tysabri?
Is this antibiotic too mild for the kind of UTI's that people with MS get?

I called the neuro and they said come in and give a urine specimen. I'm worried, though, since I've been on antibiotics that the bacteria may not pick up in the sample. I guess I should just go give the urine sample, right? And then see what it says? It's just annoying because I have to drive a ways to get to the lab.