
May 13, 2002
Community Resources, Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Alpine, California, USA:
I am a 33 year old female who has had a few urinary tract infections in the past year. I am unemployed, I do not have insurance, and I cannot afford to see a doctor. Last week I went to a place to donate plasma for money, and the doctor took a urine sample, only to tell me I had sugar in my urine. He told me to drink a lot of water and come back in a few days to try to donate again. When I came back two days later, the doctor told me I had even more sugar in my urine now. I do have a urinary tract infection at this time also.Can having a urinary tract infection put sugar in your urine? I have no money and can’t see a doctor. I just live in pain from my urinary tract infection. What can I do?
Answer:
There is a strong possibility that you have diabetes and will need much more than medication to treat your urinary tract infection. This becomes an issue of how to obtain care for a chronic disease. If left untreated, diabetes can cause blindness, kidney failure, and result in premature heart attacks and stroke.
Alternative sources of care include medical schools, community free clinics, or local hospitals with teaching programs. I would look into one of these as a source for care. It is vital to your health and well-being.
JTL
[Editor’s comment: You should be able to get free blood sugar testing somewhere nearby. If you’re unsure, ask your county health department about where to go to get the test.
WWQ]