What Causes Frequent Urination After Taking Cephalexin?

Posted on Mon, 5 Dec 2016

Question: My husband came home from hospital with a UTI infection we think from catheter. Was put on cephalexin 500mg 3x day for 10 days. This is day 6. We are up every hour day and night because he has to urinate. We do not know what is going on. Could it be a side effect? Took another urin sample to dr on Friday but won't know results till Tues. Hard to do rehab for total knee replacement with no sleep! Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need to rule out Enlarged Prostate .

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for query .Based on the facts that you have narrated your husband has undergone Knee replacement surgery very recently He was catheterized during surgery and for few days after surgery and has developed UTI .

The UTI that he has is mostly secondary to Catheterization. However looking at his age of 74 years the cause of UTI and frequency for urination could be due to Enlarged prostate which is common at this age .

Consult qualified Urologist for clinical and digital rectal examination and get following basic tests done to help in making diagnosis .
1) Urine culture (I think this is being done and report is awaited .)
2) Ultrasound scanning of abdomen

In he mean while continue taking antibiotics as per culture report along with Tomsulosin once daily .

Further treatment will be decided by him based on results of these tests and final diagnosis .

Hope I have answered your query ,Please feel free to ask if you have more questions .I shall be happy to help you .

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (35 minutes later)

What is tomsulosin that you said to take along with antibiotic? Also was just recently diagnosed with Atrial Fib and for that is taking aspirin, metoprolol, and takes pantoprazole for acid reflux. Listing these additional medicines for your info in case any drug interactions. Thank you

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Tomsulosin is alpha blocker that helps to improve urine flow .

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .

Tomsulosin is a smooth muscle relaxant which relaxes smooth muscles in prostate and bladder neck and there by helps to improve urine flow .

It is routine protocol to rule out Enlarged prostate particularly in old age patients before they are subjected to undergo any major surgery in lower limbs or spine .
(You have not stated whether these investigations were carried out before going for knee surgery).

It is common for elderly patients to trigger and precipitate the problem of existing enlarged prostate who do develop obstructive voiding symptoms or develop retention of urine after surgery.

His urinary problem is not due to any drug interaction .

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar