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What Causes Strong Odor In Urine?

Posted on Mon, 8 May 2017

Question: Have you ever heard of strong smelling urine that has a smell like plastic? My girlfriend has been sick for almost a month--she is diabetic and wasn't controlling her glucose levels too well. Two years ago she was admitted into the hospital with partial kidney failure, but, after two weeks of treatment, her kidneys went back to normal, and her blood test since that time (util a week ago) showed that her kidneys have been functioning at almost a normal level, however, she has had a bad cold (bacterial-NOT viral) for a MONTH now and two weeks ago her doctor put her on Augmentin (850 MG) which did not really help so a few days ago he changed her meds to a cephalosporin, Cefdinir (300MG) which seems to be helping somewhat, but she also contracted a sinus infection about ten days ago which does not seem to be helped by Cefdinir, and every morning she wakes up with continued sinus pain. Throughout the day she suffers from hot and cold chills, with some sweating. She is supposed to see her doctor again on Monday, but I'm wondering what another doctor might think.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
She needs to be given an appropriate antibiotic as per urine culture report

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for query .

Based on the facts that you have posted your girl friend has severe UTI which is common in patients with uncontrolled diabetes .

Though she has been given various antibiotic but no satisfactory outcome it is most likely to be due to causative bacteria may not be sensitive to antibiotics that has been prescribed to her .

Get her routine urine test and urine culture done to find out the organisms causing this infection and antibiotics to which they are sensitive to.

Give her broad spectrum antibiotics like Cefixime along with urinary antiseptic like
Nitrofurantoin twice daily and urine alkaliser thrice daily.Later on switch on to appropriate antibiotics as per culture report.

Get the prescription of medicines from your family Physician.

Ensure she drinks more water.To keep her urine dilute This will help to control dysuria.

Ensure to keep diabetes well controlled with oral medication or Insulin .This is vitally important to prevent getting repeated episodes of UTI and other infection.A guidance and help of Diabeologist will be helpful .

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 (20 hours later)

Thank you for your response Dr. Patil--Jayne IS on Cefdinir (300 mg) and I guess--according to your response--that it is not specific enough of an antibiotic for her particular (bacterial) sinus infection. She still has sinus pain today, and will see her doctor tomorrow--hopefully he will be able to determine the strain of bacteria and prescribe a more appropriate antibiotic. However, I doubt that XXXXXXX ha a UTI as he has absolutely NO pain, burning or itching (or any abnormal sensations or odor) in her vagina. Can a person have a UTI with no unusual discomfort or odor? I do have her drinking plenty of water today, as well as taking vitamin C to help boost her own immune system. What type of test is her doctor (an internal medicine specialist) likely to do tomorrow?

I made a mistake when I said that there is no odor (my follow up question)--yes, there is an odor (which I mentioned previously in my original question) but it is not the odor that XXXXXXX has smelled in the past when she last had a UTI (at least five years ago). My girlfriend told me has never smelled this odor before (plastic).

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

Brief Answer:
Get urine culture done and ensure her diabetes is well controlled

Detailed Answer:
hello
Thanks for follow up .

Strong odor of urine in a known diabetic patient is mostly due to UTI secondry to uncontrolled diabetes .

Get her Blood sugar level test and Urine culture done to confirm the cause for strong odor to urine ,

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D