For the past couple of days ive been experiencing off and on burning AFTER i use the bathroom (about five minutes after). i only notice it a couple times per day. i also dont really have the urge to go to the bathroom that much but my mom who is a nurse just thinks that im dehydrated so ive been drinking lots of water. i dont feel like i have to go pee all the time and when i do its a lot and there isnt any blood. normally when i have a uti i KNOW it, it is very painful for me. im just trying to figure out what could be going on with me. i did an at home uti test with my fmu and it was negative for both nitrites and proteins. so should i wait this out and see if it gets worse or go to the dr sooner than later? its been like this for about 3 days and hasnt gotten worse so far.

It doesn't sound like you have a UTI.

If you did, a urine test would be positive, you would be wanting to go all the time and when you got there, you would only pass a little and the urine would sting as you passed it, or as the flow stops.

A vaginal yeast infection would show itself with a white discharge so in the absence of all the symptoms of a UTI or yeast infection, I'd be most likely to agree with your mom and continue to drink lots of water.

An irritation around the opening to the bladder might cause your symptoms. This could be caused by sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases, tight clothing or wearing of pads.

If your symptoms persist for a week, or you develop a fever, I suggest you make an appointment to see your doctor.

yeah, like right now (its been about 20 minutes since ive gone to the bathroom) i wouldnt even think that anythings wrong. my hubby came back (he's in the military) and we have been having frequent sex, could it be that i overdid it? we are taking a two day break to see if i get better.

Yep... that could do it. There's a condition known as honeymoon cystitis caused by frequent intercourse but unless you develop further symptoms of a UTI, I'd wait and see if a few days of abstinance might help.

Contact your doctor if any of the following develop:

Signs of a UTI:
* Bloody or pink-colored urine (hematuria)
* Changes in urine color
* Cloudy urine
* Dysuria (difficulty urinating) and urinary retention
* Foul-smelling urine
* Frequent urination that often produces only a small amount of urine
* Painful urination
* Urgent need to urinate

Signs of something worse happening in your body:
* Abdominal, pelvic, or lower back pain that can be severe
* Fatigue
* Fever and chills
* Loss of appetite
* Nausea with or without vomiting
* Night sweats
* Pain during sexual intercourse
* Pain in your groin or side
* Redness, warmth or swelling

I hope that helps.

ive had that before. i try to take cranberry pills everyday to help with that and there were a couple days where i didnt take them and i started getting those symptoms i was explaining. i hope it goes away on its own.

i just used the restroom again and while it didnt hurt to pee, the pain ive gotten afterwards isnt going away. its been about 10 minutes. could it be that my urine is TOO acidic from the cranberry pills? i read that somewhere

I wouldn't have thought so but you could try stopping them for a few days, or you could change the PH of your urine to alkaline. You can do this with citrate salts (I buy URAL sachets from the pharmacy) or with one of the many home remedies you can find by doing an Internet search. One of those is: Take 1/4 teaspoon citric acid + 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for two weeks.

I am not a doctor but I do think your problem is most likely an irritation caused by your increased sexual activity but as you still sound anxious, then maybe you should see your doctor if only to ease your concern.

i know i need to calm down, its not as bad as i make myself think it is. this is the time when i wish we didnt have computers because i read things online and make myself anxious. i need to turn off this dang computer and breathe. thank you so much for your input. you are putting me more at ease.

You're very welcome. I hope you get relief soon.

I just returned from vacation... and see this thread already has good info on it from Koala.

I have a couple of other comments too...

1) soap residue down "there" can cause lots of irritation as well.
Women who shower and the soap suds, shampoo etc get down there and may not be rinsed off well, can set up lots of issues due to the chemical irritants. When washing down "there" use as little soap as possible. Some women find a drop of baby shampoo is the most gentle instead of soaps. The body protects those membranes and washing that protection off with harsh detergents/shampoos leaves you vulnerable to pathogens like yeast or other bacteria.

2) using bath salts, if you soak in a tub also can cause irritation and in some women lead to UTIs too.

3) and I agree with Koala about concentrated ACIDIC urine burning. If you have no frequency issues, or pain in the lower abdomen -- acidic urine may be a cause. Diluting urine with more water intake helps, or cautious use of bicarb or other alkalinizing salts may help.

4) there has been some concern that thong type underwear, may promote transfer of bacteria from the a n a l area to the bladder area. So using cotton underwear is a good idea instead.