My 21 year old daughter is on her third UTI in 3 months. All 3 times, the doctor prescribed Pro Ciprofloxacin 250mg for 3 days. Should she use a different antibiotic? Why does the infection keep coming back?

First of all, you need to make sure that your daughter has a urinary tract infection. To do this, the doctor will do a urine test and sometimes a urine culture. Once the tests are positive, he or she will prescribe an antibiotic for the infection

Sometimes patients may not have an infection, but rather bladder irritation (interstitial cystitis).

There are several antibiotics given for urinary tract infections, the main ones being: ciprofloxacin, septra (bactrim) or macrobid (nitrofurantoine). Normally, the doctor will not repeat the same treatment, i.e. with the same antibiotic in the following months, because it is possible that the bacteria present in the urine is resistant to this antibiotic. Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance is becoming increasingly alarming in Quebec, which can sometimes lead to difficulties in treating certain infections. This is why it is important to make sure that the symptoms you feel are really those of an infection

It is also important to make sure that the antibiotic has been taken (e.g. avoid milk with ciprofloxacin). It is important to see a doctor again in order to diagnose the infection and get the right treatment. The doctor may ask for a urine culture to identify the bacteria that is causing the infection and to find the right antibiotic. Remember that an untreated infection can develop into a kidney infection, called pyelonephritis. This is an emergency and you should go to the hospital

Unfortunately, women are more at risk of UTIs due to the proximity of the anal and genital area and also the shorter length of the urethra than men

The basic tips are: wipe from front to back after urinating, drink plenty of water regularly, urinate after sex. If infections persist, you can ask your family doctor for further investigation

Have a nice day