I had one awful kidney infection where I couldn't lie on my back or sit down or stand up-constant pain. I was peeing blood (SO scary) and being a fool I stopped eating and drinking thinking it would stop the strain on my body. It came on well quick though, I went out for drinks then stayed with the guy I was seeing at the time and had to piss all night. Then just ignored it and didn't eat or drink for 4 days past the needed.
My doctor told me to take antibiotics and go to hospital if the pain didn't go within 12 hours but I just slept loads and kept taking painkilllers til the pain went away after a couple of days. I can remember in a confused state calling NHS direct at 4 in the morning and they asked something and I said that my urine was pink (blood) but I wouldn't admit to them that it was blood so they could send an ambulance, I kept saying I'd drunk lots of cherryade and was fine. Sorry to be graphic but I find that story funny, it's how like delirious I was at the time.
Since then I have been plagued with cystitis, I've had it about 7 times since September which is horrid. I also get the first syptoms but can just drink heaps of water to flush it. It is the most annoying thing in the world spend half your life waiting for the moment you get ill again and the other half being ill.
Damn my lame immune system.