My friend's Mom was told she had yeast show up in her urine sample--is this common?

A small amount of yeast is not uncommon to find on microscopic examination of urine and is regarded as simply a contaminant from collection as some yeast is normally found on the skin near the urethra.
However, it is important to know that yes, indeed, yeast can be a cause of infection in the bladder. It is not common and not necessarily related to vaginal yeast infections. Those on antibiotics, those who catheterize, or those with a suppressed immune system from serious health issues are all susceptible to yeast growing in the bladder and possibly the kidneys as well.

Michelle, I found this link interesting. Who of us has not been in a Quest Diagnostics Lab at one time or another? They have a patient health library that goes into detail about what certain lab tests can and cannot show.

For instance, their health library entry on Urine Test Results talks about what is normal and what is abnormal in several areas:

Color
Clarity
Odor
Specific gravity
pH
Protein
Glucose
Ketones
Microscopic Analysis

Some of this information you'd only have after getting results from a doctor, but the article is written in humanspeak (as opposed to doctorspeak) and even mentions things we all have laughed about from time to time, like how asparagus plays its own little games, LOL.

Yeast is mentioned under clarity and microscopic analysis. If your friend had a urinary tract infection, yeast cells can show up there as well.

Here's the Quest Diagnostics link:

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbase/topic/medtest/hw6580/results.htm

Also, UrologyHealth.org has a wealth of information about urinary tract infections, bladder and kidney functions, and it has a great glossary at the end:

http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=07&topic=147

As far as whether the yeast in your friend's mom came from the bread in her diet? Well, once my doctor told me I had too much protein in my urine, and I wondered if it was because I'd eaten a can of tuna the night before. He (very nicely!) assured me that that wasn't the case, but it's understandable how we think that way -- what goes in must come out, right?

Here's some information on what causes vaginal yeast infections:

"The yeast that cause a yeast infection are not the same as those that leaven bread. Therefore, a "yeast-free" diet will not by itself treat a vaginal yeast infection. The one diet change you can make is to reduce your sugar intake. Candida thrives on sugar and it is for this reason that diabetics are especially prone to yeast infections. Some fruit and some honey is fine; it's white sugar, and the hundreds of ways we use it, that needs watching."

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=Healing+Centers&type=AWHN_HealingCenters&mod=Home&tier=7&id=790331E2D71B41FB87AB48187B8F8928

And from WomensHealth.gov:

"Why did I get a yeast infection?
"Many things can raise your risk of a vaginal yeast infection, such as:
stress
lack of sleep
illness
poor eating habits, including eating extreme amounts of sugary foods
pregnancy
having your period
taking certain medicines, including birth control pills, antibiotics, and steroids
diseases such as poorly controlled diabetes and HIV/AIDS
hormonal changes during your periods."

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/vaginal-yeast-infections.cfm#e

Seems like sugar is a culprit in just about everything these days, isn't it?

Urine samples are not free from vaginal discharge. Candida albicans, and other forms of yeast, grow in the vagina, rectum, and mouth. In a healthy vagina, the presence of some yeast may not be a problem. When a woman's system is out of balance, yeast-like organisms can grow profusely and cause a thick, white discharge which can be present during a urine test.

In many routine lab tests of the urine when checking for glucose, ketones (dehydration or diabetes) blood in the urine, etc...lab technicians can also find the presence of Candida albicans in the urine and most of the time, this will be detected before people have any external signs. If your friend's mom had burning sensation during urination, it is very possible that yeast was the culprit and symptoms had began to show.

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