Group B Strep - Centreville, VA

I would recommend seeing a urologist. I would also suggest drinking cranberry juice. It has been proven alleviate and prevent urinary tract infections. Hope this is helpful.

Martha has the right idea. Also, if you do get put on penicillin again, make sure you are eating yogurt. Just one a day should do it. I had the problem that when I got a problem like strep, the medicine would dry me out and I would end up with an infection. Also, prune juice will clean you out as well. Hope this helps.

There are also cranberry pills that you can take that are designed to help heal/prevent UTIs. They do work, and they can be found at any pharmacy as AZO Cranberry.
Also, you should talk to your OB about a stronger antibiotic. You didn't mention how close together you got your UTIs but it is possible that they never totally cleared up in the first place. I wish I could remember what they put me on for my UTIs, but all I can remember is that it started with an M and it was not Macrobid.
Good Luck! You'll be fine, but don't forget to go to the hospital plenty early, they really do need to get those antibiotics into you :)

Your significant other might need antibiotic treatment in addition to your treatment. Men don't and won't experience the same symptoms to tip off a uti that women do (this also goes for yeast infections-first hand experience on this one! I kept getting them and turns out he needed the treatment not me!)

I battled with the same issue with my daughter. They kept putting me on antibiotics and the Group B Strep kept reoccuring. Finally at the end of the pregnancy I was just taking an antibiotic everyday to prevent the Group B strep. With my son (second pregancy, daughter was first) I never tested positive during the pregnancy in the urine but was positive at the 36 week culture. I think some women tend to get it more than others ( I think the stats are 10-50% depending on what population is studied or what source is contacted). Also each pregnancy brings on a different chemical makeup in the body. My midwives had me taking cranberry pills everyday as well (I can't remember the dosage). Continue to drink tons of water and the important thing is you take the antibiotics and follow up to make sure they are working because uti's can cause kidney infections (in that case you may end up in the hospital with iv antibiotics) and preterm labor. HOpe it helps.

I don't know about specific organisms, but it has been clinically shown that drinking cranberry juice can sometimes cure UTI, reduces the severity of UTI, and can prevent UTI. It has to be mostly cranberry juice, not mostly water, and it has to be real cranberry juice, not a flavoring. It is not known just what is the beneficial agent, but it is now medically accepted. I would try drinking several large glasses of cranberry juice cocktail every day, and see if it helps. Can't hurt, and it's a great source of Vitamin C.

This may not help but this is my experience. When I was a little girl between the ages of 2-5 I had utis all the time and I never had one since til I was pregnant with my son. He was my second child. I had group strep while I was pregnant, UTIs, and started having ear infections again too. When I went into the hospital to have my son they gave me an antibotics through my IV in hopes they the baby would not get it when he was coming down the birth canal. They cleared up after I had my son. I have had a couple attacks since then but it is because I don't drink cranberry juice and water like I should. My son is 4yrs. old now

I also agree that your UTI may have never been fully cleared up with only 7-days of penicillian.
At one point, I had 10 UTIs in 12 months, so my doctor finally gave me 10 days of Cipro (yeah, the same stuff that knocks out anthrax..but it worked!) and I've been following this list religiously since:
1. Make sure your cranberry juice is 100% juice...cocktails have only about 10-15% juice and the rest is sugar. But drink plenty of that, along with your water.
2. Limit how often you wear pantyhose or non-cotton underwear or thongs of any type.
3. Probably already know this, but always always always wipe front to back (kinda goes along with the thong thing)
4. Go pee after having sex--it flushes out any bacteria that may be introduced to your urinary tract (and I don't mean like your partner is dirty...just the normal bacteria that lives on skin, particularly since your system is so sensitive to infection now after several UTIs).
5. Go pee after taking a bath (unless it was a clear bath--no bubbles--and by yourself) and/or in the pool. Same thing...helps flush out any bacteria that may have gotten in and around the urethra.
6. While on any antibiotics, make sure you're eating yogurt and/or taking Acidophillus capsules to help prevent yeast infection.

Since you're pg again, the cipro might be too harsh...your doctor will know best, but since you've had 4 UTIs since May, you're going to need something better/stronger. The other tactics for preventing further UTIs, though, are totally pregnancy safe...and since implementing them, I've only had 1 UTI in 8 years!!!

Oh, and since you'll probably get the antibiotics while in labor once you have your baby this spring (congrats, BTW), be sure to watch for yeast infection and thrush if you're nursing your baby (thrush is yeast infection in baby's mouth and on your nipples...OUCH!!).
Good luck!!!

I had recurring UTIs in my pregnancy as well. My doctor put me on a preventive antibiotic -- I took Macrobid once per day throughout my pregnancy and it stopped the UTIs (and its perfectly safe). Yes, cranberry juice and water help, but sometimes its just not enough for those of us that are so prone to the infection -- and pregnancy makes it sooo much worse. Ask your doctor about Macrobid, its the best antibiotic for the bladder and kidneys.
Good luck and congratultions on the baby!