VCUG - has anyone had a child who had this procedure done due to a urinary tract infection?

Question

my daughter had a urinary tract infect (bladder infection) when she turned 1. she ran a high fever of 103.5 for 3 days. doctors said she was fine. we insisted they run more tests so they took a urine sample (using a catheter). the results came back negative but they let the sample sit over night to see if bacteria would grow. it did and turned out to be a UTI. they said since she had this infection that she should have a VCUG done (an injection of die into her bladder using another catheter) to see if the ureters are working properly by ultrasound. they said that if they create a backup and she gets another infection, it could go into her kidneys and cause scarring. if the ureters do cause a backup, they said they usually fix themselves by age 3. i've read a ton of research. many moms said that it wasn't worth the trauma to the baby and that there is nothing that they do for it anyway. they have to strap the baby down for 20 minutes while the "work". has anyone experienced this??

Answer 1

They did something similar to me when I was about 8 and it was very traumatic, I am 43 and remember it vividly. It was painful and scary, also it hurt to urinate afterwards. I still get UTIs occasionally and just take antibiotics for 3 days and they go away. What I went through served no purpose if I still get them 35 years later.

Answer 2

I did!  Several times in fact.  Turned out my ureters were not attached to my bladder correctly and when I was 8 I had surgery.  The test itself was not that traumatic and them finding the issues and fixing them changed my life.  All the antibiotics I had to take due to the kidney and urinary tract infections were more traumatic than anything.  Antibiotics wreak havoc on a kiddo's little digestive system.  As a former kiddo that had to go through this I say the "trauma" that these other moms are opposed to is absolutely worth it.

I haven't had a kidney or urinary tract infection since my surgery...so taking this first step of determining the issue is key to not getting the infections anymore.

Answer 3

It is absolutely necessary to determine whether or not the ureters are not deformed or too small - which could be the cause of the UTIs. If there is a structural problem, then surgery can be done to repair it. She DOES have to have some kind of testing done - I don't know where you got your research!

My daughter, now 15, has had recurrent UTIs since age 4 and when she was 6, they did an x-ray while voiding and an ultrasound to determine whether or not her problems were structural. In her case, it wasn't and she was supposed to "outgrow" the problem. Needless to say, she's been on combo antibiotics and daily antibiotics for years and it's not getting that much better. She does see a pediatric urologist now (I would recommend a 2nd opinion with one, in your case) and other pediatric specialists for GI problems.

They didn't have to use dyes for my daughter and they could see everything. Now - that being said, I don't know if this is the right test for your daughter or not. I would ask a lot of questions though, if it were me. It isn't fun for anyone to go through and it can be scary for a little one.

Get a 2nd opinion, ask lots of questions. You have to rule out the structural issues though so they can help her get better. You do not want her to get kidney infections. My daughter has never had one - thank goodness! If you suspect a UTI ever - get treatment immediately and get a culture done so she is on the right antibiotic for that specific bacteria. Have her drinking lots of water and cranberry juice (at least 8 oz per day) when she is infection free - it flushes out the bladder. And! No baths, no harsh soap, bubble bath, she needs to be wiping from front to back when potty-trained, etc... as preventative.

Best Wishes!

Answer 4

my brother and I both went through that. its not a bad procedure. you gotta consider what the outcome is. it would be better for you daughter to find out if they are working or not. Had my brother and I not had it done we would never know why we have so many UTI's. we found out that we have 2 sets of ureters and both sets work, but because we have 2 sets and both work we get twice as many UTI's than the norm. its a good idea to have it done! good luck!!

this procedure would not keep your kid from getting them but to find out if the ureters are both working. if you child does not have both working and you dont get the test done she will have many many problems in the future. its not going to keep the infections from coming back that you have to do yourself by drinking plenty of water and electrolytes. no procedure is going to keep you from getting UTI's good luck!