[Gigi3000]

Originally Posted by Boomer

If by ‘cystitis’ you mean a simple UTI, your aunt’s primary care doc or even an urgent care should be able to treat it with a run of antibiotics.

If by ‘cystitis’ you are referring to interstitial cystitis that is more complicated to treat. My very limited understanding comes from knowing someone who had the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis. I think that would require a specialist.

I hope your aunt’s cystitis is one that can respond to simple treatment with the right antibiotic. Even though gastroenterologists specialize in the digestive tract, I cannot imagine why he could not treat a simple urinary tract infection or would not be recommending a urologist or urogynecologist if the condition is complex.

Another thought that just occurred to me is that as a dialysis patient, I assume your aunt must have a kidney specialist, a nephrologist, she could see.

I wish you the best as you work on finding the medical help your aunt needs.

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While I am here this morning — posting at the crack of dawn — I am going to elaborate a little on UTIs because there is something about them that people might not know:

In an older patient, a UTI can cause symptoms that look like dementia. I have seen this happen with at least 3 people I have known.

One was my dad. My dad’s mind remained sharp for his whole life, but later in life, he got at least 2 urinary tract infections that caused him to appear to have dementia because he would go back in time to being on the farm, as a kid.

The first time it happened, it really scared me. I called his doc who put him in the hospital on IV antibiotics.

I remember asking his doctor, “Will we ever get that good brain back?” His doctor told me not to worry and sure enough, when the antibiotics kicked in, Dad was back. (I cried because I was so happy.) He and I talked about it and he even remembered the things he had said while the infection was raging through him.

I am throwing this info in here, just in case someone reading this needs to be aware that if they see sudden dementia-like symptoms in an older person, it could be an easily treated bladder infection. (I know Dad would not mind me telling that story because it could help someone else.)

Boomer

Thanks Boomer. This is so good to know.