If you have pain on urination, burning on urination, flank pain, foulf smelling urine, voiding frequently or in small amounts you probably have a UTI and will most likely need an antibiotic. It's best to be seen by an Md and to have a urine culture sent off. Good luck and drinking lots of fluids would be a good idea. Cranberry juice is great if you like it.

If you have pain on urination, burning on urination, flank pain, foul smelling urine, voiding frequently or in small amounts you probably have a UTI and will most likely need an antibiotic. It's best to be seen by an Md and to have a urine culture sent off. Good luck and drinking lots of fluids would be a good idea. Cranberry juice is great if you like it.

thanks Christine, I'll go down some more water right now- good idea-

Actually, cranberry juice is only good for a UTI if it is pure...and believe me, pure cranberry juice is awful, but you can add apple juice. But, you can get cranberry extract supplements at any drugstore. I took them for a while after a staph infection and the kabillion antibiotics I had to take.
I took them for a month or so after the infection.

BUT, yes...you definitely need to let your rheumy know you might have an infection. I have had them turn into kidney infections ( peeing blood!) so you do need a doc involved.

I can speak to this one! I don't think it is related to drugs, but since I have Lupus I know I am more prone to UTI. All the things Christine said are right on the money. I also get nausea with mine. If they give you one drug and it doesn't work, ask for another one.
Many times Dr.'s will give a "sulfa" drug. They don't work for me. I have to have Cipro to kick mine.

Pure cranberry juice is great to drink, but my Dr. said to not over-do it (2 gallons in a day!) because the acid can cause more irritation.

I'm never more miserable than if I have a UTI. Call the doc and get some help!

Good luck.

My problem with prednisone is not UTI but yeast! I had one infection in all my life pre RA and now this prednisone (if I'm on 10 mgs or above) causes me to get them pretty frequently- always right before my period.
This is a real drag!

I HAVE to add my trademark warning about quinolone antibiotics. I saw Cipro mentioned, which is one of the quinolones used for UTIs, also Levaquin.
These drugs now have a black box warning and 'dear doc' letter alerting healthcare professionals of the danger of tendon damage, ESPECIALLY in patients using steriods, and specifically mentioning people with RA.
Please please please talk to your doctor and ask for another type of antibiotic. I now list Levaquin as an allergy, per my rheumy's instructions.
I have info in one (or more!) of my journal entries, if you are so inclined.
DO NOT TAKE CIPRO OR LEVAQUIN. (I normally would never say it so strongly, but it is IMPORTANT.)

Funny I have that right now too. I am dousing H2o like crazy which seems to help. I am positive it's from the pred. I also drink cranberry JC. and also eat lots of Yogurt the plain kind only.

It's recent news that blueberries work just as well for UTI's. Just thought I'd throw it out there.
-SK

Blueberries also good for inflammation. I have been on the Dr. Weils AntiInflammatory Diet now for 2 weeks and must say it does help and i lost some weight too.

thanks for all the good input, y'all.
I got one of those OTC azo standard home tests for UTIs- plan to try it in the AM and then if anything at all is funny, I'll call the rheum pronto. I don't have any pains (not down there anyways) but rather be safe than sorry....