Questions to Ask About Complicated UTI Symptoms

Every year, almost 3 million people in the U.S. have a complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI). A cUTI is a UTI that has moved beyond the bladder. If you develop a fever, chills, pain in your lower back or side, flank pain (pain between your ribs and hips), or you’re feeling very unwell, these could be signs of a cUTI, and you should seek medical help as quickly as possible.

It’s important to see a clinician when you feel any UTI symptoms, but appointments can feel rushed, especially when you’re not feeling well. You might leave only to remember something important later, or you might not be sure what the next step is. We’ve put together this guide to help you prepare for your appointments and be ready for the conversation.

Before you go

It’s not always easy to remember all the details, so before you go to your appointment, it’s a good idea to make note of other health conditions you have and all medications you take, including over-the-counter ones, supplements and vitamins. Don’t forget to also note if you have any drug allergies or if you’ve had a serious reaction to an antibiotic.

Here is a list of topics to think about that can help guide your conversation:

When your symptoms started and if they’ve worsened, stayed the same or improved
What type of urinary symptoms you are having, such as burning or pain when you pee, urgency (needing to go now!), or frequency (peeing more often than usual)
Any additional symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, blood in your urine, or pain in your lower back or side
How the symptoms affect your life and ability to sleep
Previous UTIs and whether the symptoms are different this time
Treatments for previous UTIs and how well they worked
Known abnormalities or issues with your urinary tract, or if you have a history of kidney stones
Whether you use a urinary catheter or other urinary device

While you are at your appointment for a cUTI

Good communication with your clinician depends on you understanding what they say and clearing things up if there’s something confusing. Taking notes or recording the conversation, with the clinician’s permission, can help you keep track.

Aside from discussing the issues listed above, here are some questions you may want to ask:

Do I need a urine culture or blood tests? When will I get the results?
What are my treatment options?
Once the results of the culture or blood tests are back, could my treatment change?
How long might it take before I feel better?
How long do I need to take this medication?
What should I do if my symptoms don’t improve, come back or get worse?
What side effects should I watch for?
Should I be evaluated for kidney stones or issues with my urinary tract?
Do I need to see a specialist to prevent future infections? If so, what type of specialist? How do I get a referral?
Could past UTIs and antibiotics affect the chances that the bacteria might be resistant to some antibiotics?
Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of another UTI?

Downloadable Resource: Questions to Ask About cUTIs >>

Glossary of relevant terms

When learning about cUTIs, you might come across words and terms you don’t know. Here is a list of some of the more common ones you might encounter:

Antibiotic: Medication that kills bacteria to stop them from growing; used to treat bacterial infections

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): When germs such as bacteria or fungi change (mutate), they may resist drugs that used to kill them or keep them from multiplying. This is called AMR.

Bacteria: Very small (single-cell) organisms, invisible to the naked eye

Bladder: The hollow, spherical organ that holds urine until you pee

Bloodstream infection: Infection in the blood

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI): A UTI related to having or using a urinary catheter is called a CAUTI

Complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI): A UTI with symptoms that suggest that it has spread beyond the bladder, including fever and pyelonephritis (kidney infection)

Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder, often caused by a bladder infection

Dysuria: Discomfort, pain or burning when peeing

Flank pain: Pain in the side of the body between your ribs and hip

Hematuria: Red blood cells (blood) in your urine

Lower urinary tract: The part of the urinary tract that includes your bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body)

Pyelonephritis: A kidney infection

Recurrent UTI: UTIs that happen two or more times within six months or three times in a year. Recurrent UTIs aren’t necessarily cUTIs. Also called chronic UTIs.

Sepsis: The body’s extreme reaction to an infection; a life-threatening emergency

Systemic symptoms: These are symptoms that affect more than one part of your body beyond your bladder. These include fever, chills, low blood pressure or feeling very unwell.

Upper urinary tract: This part of the urinary tract includes your kidneys and the ureters (tubes that bring urine from your kidney to the bladder)

Urinalysis: A test that examines urine for different substances, including blood and the presence of bacteria. It can’t tell what type of bacteria is present, however.

Urinary catheter: A thin, flexible rubber or plastic tube inserted through your urethra to the bladder that allows urine to drain

Urinary frequency: Needing to pee more often than usual (more than seven times in a 24-hour period)

Urinary incontinence: Accidental or unintentional release of urine, loss of bladder control

Urinary retention: The inability to empty your bladder completely

Urinary urgency: The very strong, sudden need to pee

Urine culture: A urine test that identifies bacteria and other germs in the urine. If bacteria are found, testing can show what types of antibiotics are most likely to work.

This educational resource was created with support from GSK.

Marijke Vroomen Durning, R.N.

Marijke Vroomen Durning, R.N., is a freelance writer in Montreal, Canada. Her work has been published in many outlets over the years, both online and in print. Marijke often describes her writing as the bedside teaching nurses want to do but rarely have the time for. Her experience working in healthcare has taught her what types of information people need and how to share it. One such need is medication and drug safety, so Marijke wrote the book," Just the Right Dose: Your Smart Guide to Prescription Drugs and How to Take Them Safely."

Marijke is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ), the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and the Authors Guild. She is also a member of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and is registered with the Ordre des infirmiers et infirmières du Québec (Order of Nurses of Quebec).

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