Urogynecology Referral Solves a Decade of Constant UTIs

Watch Norkita share her story

After childbirth but before becoming a TriHealth patient, Norkita White underwent a hysterectomy that would leave her with an unsuspected symptom—persistent urinary incontinence.

To remedy this new development, Norkita elected to receive a trans-vaginal sling, a treatment she would have done twice after the first time was unsuccessful.

“My former gynecologist did the second surgery, and that’s when I started having most of the issues,” Norkita said.

These issues, however, went well beyond urinary incontinence, as Norkita would go on to experience near constant urinary tract infections for almost the next decade.

Despite the unusual recurrence rate of her infections, Norkita was frustrated by the lack of support she was feeling with her care team at the time.

“The doctors that I went to, even my previous primary care doctor, she just said ‘take this antibiotic…’ and then I’m back at the doctor’s office, I got another UTI.” Norkita needed a stronger partner in prioritizing her health.

That’s when she decided to make a change in her primary care provider, and suddenly a lightbulb went off in her care.

“I had heard good things about Dr. Baker… I felt at ease with her because being a woman, she can understand the issues that we face,” Norkita said of her new OB-GYN physician, Dr. Ginger Baker. “And she’s a Black woman, and that made me feel a bit better even more because she understands… that a lot of doctors don’t listen to us.”

This understanding manifested itself immediately in their first visit, where Norkita describes feeling truly listened to, and not just like the buck was being passed back to medication and dismissal of her underlying problem.

“She didn’t just throw medication at me,” she said. “She said ‘Let me refer you to the Women’s center and see a urogynecologist.’”

This is when Norkita met Dr. Catrina Crisp.

“My first encounter with her, she was so nice,” Norkita explained.

After learning more about her symptoms, Dr. Crisp was immediately interested in ordering some testing. Once testing began, it wouldn’t take long for the problem to be found.

“She was doing the exam, and she just said ‘Oh, Norkita!’ and my heart just dropped… first thing I was thinking was I got cancer,” she said of her feelings in that moment.

Norkita did not have cancer. What she did have, however, was a piece of the mesh from her trans-vaginal sling surgery that had eroded directly into her urethra—a foreign object lodged inside her that was directly causing her nearly constant UTIs. It had only taken a few minutes of focused testing to find, despite Norkita’s nearly ten years of suffering through intense pain and significant physical limitations.

After an initially panicked response, Norkita was able to find solace in her doctor’s calm.

“It’s something that shouldn’t have happened,” Norkita acknowledged. She continued, “but unfortunately it did happen, so I’m glad that Dr. Crisp was the one in charge of doing the surgery because she really saved my life.”

Norkita is very hopeful about the future—restoring her physical capabilities and healing from the mental and emotional stress.

“Now I can not worry about going to the restroom and having pain, I can walk now with no pain, I can sit long periods of time without having to get up and shift,” she said as she reflected on the independence she has been reclaiming since surgery.

As she looks forward, Norkita is thankful for her care team for making her feel seen.

“It’s doctors like Dr. Crisp and even Dr. Baker who take the time out, who listen to you and tell you… ‘We’re gonna figure this out.’”