Anyone else with recurring UTI?

[leftyladyfrommo]

This is so frustrating. Nothing I'm doing seems to work. I have had 4 diff. antibiotics in the last 4 months and I just hate that.

I have had problems most of my life. I'll go for a while with no problems and then wham, it's back and back and back - just keeps recurring about every 3-4 weeks.

I am drinking about as gallon of water a day, not eating anything spicy, no coffee or tea, and keeping everything really clean.

Went to the doctor yesterday and got more pills but after I read the side effects I really don't want to take them. There is a big warning that they can cause major tendon and muscle problems - like tendons that snap. And it can happen 2 to 3 months after you stop taking them.

Also am taking D-Mannose as that is supposed to help flush out bacteria.

[polly7]

1. Sorry you're having problems, uti's are no fun at all.

I'm just wondering, are you on any meds that might cause you to retain urine?

For prevention, I've heard from people who say that daily cranberry juice does wonders, by preventing bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. that is what D-mannose is supposed to do, too.

I am taking pills that have d-mannose and cranactin and vit. C.

And the only other meds I take are for acid reflux and I don't think those should do anything.

[polly7]

3. No, I don't think they would either.

Frustrating isn't it when you're doing everything right and still having problems. I really hope you get things worked out.

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. This is a really common problem for women.

And it is so aggravating and such a nuisance. And so painful. The condition can completely destroy a woman's sex life. Sexual intercourse is the number one cause of UTI. But other things cause it, too. And once you have one UTI then the liklihood of recurrence just goes up and up.

I have been reading up on D-Mannose and it sounds like it really might help. I just need to find out how much to take for an active infection rather than as a preventative. There are other fruits that might help just like cranberry - blueberry, peaches, apples.

Of course, there haven't been any really good studies done on D-Mannose.. You know, if this was a male problem that affects a high percentage of men there probably would have been zillions of studies done by now.

[postulater]

5. Have you tried a good pro-biotic / pre-biotic yet?

"Probiotics may also be of use in maintaining urogenital health. Like the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. The dominant Lactobacilli strains normally make it too acidic for harmful microorganisms to survive. But the system can be thrown out of balance by a number of factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and urinary tract infection.

Many women eat yogurt or insert it into the vagina to treat recurring yeast infections, a “folk” remedy for which medical science offers limited support. Oral and vaginal administration of Lactobacilli may help in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, although there isn’t enough evidence yet to recommend it over conventional approaches. (Vaginosis must be treated because it creates a risk for pregnancy-related complications and pelvic inflammatory disease.) Probiotic treatment of urinary tract infections is under study."

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0905c.shtml

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. I just bought a bottle of Kefir

It's delicious and a really good pro biotic.

I hate to say it but I think the D-mannose may be working. I bought some that also has cranberry and vitamin C and goldenseal and some other stuff in it. I take 5 pills 3 times a day and then drink a lot of water.

I feel better today than yesterday so am hopeful that this might actually work. It would be a godsend if it does.

[Warpy]

7. Don't worry so much about your diet, first thing,

but you can drink acidic fruit juices (and cranberry is only one) to try to acidify your urine and make it hostile to bacteria. Our kidneys are very good at eliminating any excess acid in our systems and pushing it into the bladder.

Call your doctor with your concerns about the antibiotic. Explore whether or not another antibiotic will do. If not, if you have a resistant bug growing in there, take it. Taking it easy for 3 months is a lot better than dying from sepsis in 3 weeks.

I've only had one kidney infection but it was enough. I felt like I still had it for a couple of weeks after the bugs were dead, just from residual inflammation. Azo was my friend.

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. Thanks for the reply.

I have been waiting to hear on the culture.

Actually I am feeling normal right now. I'm still drinking a lot and taking my D-mannose but I really feel fine. I have the antibiotics at home so if this thing starts to flare up again I have stuff to use.

I just really want to find someway to deal with these things using something other than antibiotics. I have taken too many of them. This is the 4th round since January.

What on earth did women do before there were antibiotics?

[Warpy]

9. We lived on switchel

until we died of sepsis, I guess. It's one reason a man of means would go through 3-5 wives in his lifetime, that and childbirth.

[marybourg]

30. I had my first UTI when I was about 2 years old

before antibiotics were available to civilians (during WWII). Years later in high school chemistry, my memory was jogged by seeing litmus paper. I had a flashback to my mom making me pee in a jar and then putting those colored papers in the jar. So I'm guessing there were pills to change the Ph of urine, and that's how they treated it post organized medicine, but pre antibiotics.

[jomin41]

22. In some, like me, acid it the worst

Anything acid would do me in - d-mannose saved me.

[ohheckyeah]

10. Are you sure it's an actual infection?

Interstitial cystitis mimics a bladder infection but actually isn't one.

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. I think you are absolutely right.

Sometimes there really is an infection and sometimes I just have all the signs and pain but no infection.

It is so frustrating. To actually tell the difference I have to go in and have it cultured. What a pain the ass.

[ohheckyeah]

12. I hate to tell you but that sounds like interstitial cystitis.

The next time you have the pain try taking Mylanta. If it's IC the Mylanta will most likely help the pain.

I've dealt with this for years and it's no fun. Whenever I eat or drink anything with acid in it, like coffee, tea, tomato sauce, etc., I take Prelief with it.

If you want more info let me know.

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. I have a friend with this.

When it starts she uses the stuff that makes your pee orange. You can buy it OTC. She just stays on for about 3 days.

I'm sure that part of mine is eating anything acid or spicy - tomatoes seem to trigger it bigtime. And I don't drink alcohol at all. And I quit drinking coffee completely.

But sometimes I really do have infection so I never really know which is which.

I have had trouble with this stuff since I was in my early 20's - so for about 40 years. And it really isn't any fun.

[ohheckyeah]

14. No, it certainly isn't fun. I've been dealing with it for more years than I care to count.

I can't take pyridium which is the medicine that makes you pee orange, it makes my bladder hurt more.

I get urine test strips to keep around so I can test for an infection myself. It's cheaper and easier than running to the doctor.

The Prelief is great for when you know you are going to eat something acidic. It's just a special calcium type antacid that has been proven to help the bladder. You can get it at Walgreens.

I would suggest a urologist but I went to so many and had so many tests that were painful and they really never helped me. IC is incurable at this time.

Some other things that might help (each person is very different when it comes to IC) is antihistamines.

[lady lib]

31. There's a diet for IC.

We went through this with my daughter. She kept getting treated for infections, supposedly strep B, and then finally was diagnosed with mild interstitial cystitis which she controls now with diet.

http://www.ichelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/food-list.pdf

You should give it a try and see if the pain improves. Also, see if a baking soda solution helps the pain - dissolve approx. 1/8-1/4 tsp sodium bicarb in half a glass of water and drink up. Marshmallow root capsules can also really help with the pain.

Good luck!

[LiberalLoner]

15. I had problems with that, turned out to be early signs of MS. I'm sorry to scare you

But if you do have that and it is caught early it will save you the years of misery and frustration I went through.

I love d mannose, use daily, a big tablespoon full in a glass of juice. Any less than that doesn't seem to work for me so I just set money aside for the stuff same way as I would for a regular medicine.

Hope you find an answer soon, I know exactly how miserable that pain is and feel badly for you.

I found a hot water bottle held between my legs masked the pain for awhile. I was careful not to burn myself. When it was just pain without infection, that hot water bottle gave me islands of pain free time that really helped me stay more or less sane.

[LiberalLoner]

16. PS if it is IC I have heard the new treatment of Botox injections has proven very helpful.

I took all the old treatments which didn't work for me but I guess Botox has a better rate of relieving the pain in most ICers.

[pertilotte]

17. UTI

1. PURE cranberry juice. No cocktail, no mix, no sugar. Healthfood store; expensive, but worth it.
2. PURE plain yogurt with ACTIVE LIVE BACTERIA; check the labels; should state so.
3. NO sugars of any kind! No sodas, alcohol, white bread, white pasta, white potatoes. No peanutbutter, jams, jellies, unless it is just peanuts and just fruit. You get the idea. This is tedious, but really worth it to read all labels, and better yet, to cook everything you consume from scratch. Even salad dressings and ketchups have sugar in them.

The end result should be no more UTIs and even more important, antibiotics as more and more of all kinds of antibiotics are useless the more clever bacteria become.

[hedgehog]

18. Take this with a grain of salt because of course it's the first thing

I happen to think of - but autoimmune diseases can present as interstitial cystitis -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial_cystitis

and it is the nature of autoimmune diseases to flare, then go into remission, only to flare again. It may be worth discussing with your doctor.

[efilon]

19. Alka-Seltzer

My sister swears by Alka-Seltzer. Takes it every day and doesn't have problems anymore.

[womanofthehills]

21. Marshmallow root sooths

Sounds like they gave you Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox. There are thousands of lawsuits and forums on the side effects of these drugs. People online call it "being floxed." My boyfriend and my cousin both have trouble walking after taking this drug. My boyfriend needs to walk with a cane now. Just check out some "being floxed" forums if you are even thinking of taking this drug. Taking a second round is even more dangerous.

Actually, if you now have no infection and your bladder still hurts, it could be from a previous round of Cipro. Years ago, I thought I was getting a bladder infection so I went to doc and was given Cipro. My bladder was maybe hurting at a 2 or 3 but after 2 pills of Cipro the pain went to an 8 and stayed there for 3 months. I ended up having no infection, but cystitis. I went online to check forums and the best advice I got was to take Advil - it stopped the pain, along with Marshmallow Root which sooths pretty fast and Uva Ursi.

Marshmallow Root is a urinary track soother. If you look at the reviews for this root on Amazon, many people say marshallow root and D -Mannose cured them. There are 94 reviews for Nature's Way Marshmallow root (66 are 5 star). Uva ursi is an herb often used for bladder inflammation. Buffered vitamin C , alka seltzer gold and baking soda also help to buffer the urine.

Here is a recent New York Times article (last week) on fluoroquinolones.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/?_r=0

and an article on uva ursi.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/314600-taking-uva-ursi-for-urinary-tract-infections/

[vanboggie]

23. Interstitial Cystitis

I went through what I thought were recurrent UTI's. I actually took the antibiotic you were smart enough not to - i snapped a tendon. I was in absolute constant agony. I then went to a urogynecologist and found out my problem was not UTI's, it was Interstitial cystitis. I pretty much healed my bladder with Desert Harvest Aloe capsules (available online). DH asks for your medical condition and sends recommended dosages tailored to you.

There are several Interstitial Cystitis support groups on Facebook and online. Mine is thankfully in remission, and when I feel a flare coming back, I have been able to quash it with the aloe. There are many treatments. I am a senior and very lucky to have learned how to quiet my bladder spasms.

There are many, many young women in their 20's who have it so much worse. There are studies connecting the Gardisil HPV shot now given to young girls. Based on the horrible pain I have endured and knowing young women seem to be the predominent sufferers, that is one vax I would hate to see my granddaughter get. I would put myself between her and the needle to prevent it.

[vanboggie]

24. No cranberries if IC

Just want to warn you that cranberries are very acidic and will make IC much much worse. Diet is one way to control it.

Interstitial cystitis is basically cracking in the wall of your bladder. When acidic foods or drink hit those cracks, it is excruciating.

[womanofthehills]

25. You are so right

Anything acidic will make it horrible. I just took lots of d'mannose . Now at the slightest sign, I take d'mannose to avoid any flairups.

[womanofthehills]

27. I've checked out the IC forums too

Some women are in so much pain they can't leave their houses. I've had IC two times. Once for three months about 3 yrs ago and recently for about 2 months - now it's totally gone. It's horrible! Advil helps a little but going totally acid free and drinking d'mannose helped me. Hopefully, it never comes back, but good to know about the Aloe.

There are videos online of very young girls who are very sick after taking the HPV shot - it's so sad. Many of them can barely walk and have no quality of life.

My boyfriend now has neuropathy after taking Cipro - we have both listed it as a drug we are allergic to on our dr med records so we are hopefully never given it if we end up in the hospital for something.

My daughter and grandaughter would never take the HPV shot - my daughter is a kinesiologist and questions everything.

[Purveyor]

26. You sound like my mother of 88 years. It wasn't until she went

to a urologist and was prescribed estrogen cream, to be applied twice a week that the reoccurring UTI's stop.

Knocking on wood, she hasn't had a infections is almost 2 years now compared to the situation you described.

Run it past your doctor or urologist and see what they think about estrogen cream.

The UTI can cause some very serious side-effects. My mom would lose control of her legs and totally space-out when she would come down with one.

Hope you find a solution, these are nothing to mess around with.

[womanofthehills]

28. I've been on a bio identical estrogen cream for yrs

I've never had a UTI while on it - but I did have IC. I mostly went on the estrogen cream because I started having pain with sex but it's also good for your bones, blood vessels and mind.

[annu100292]

29. There are few techniques to prevent UTIs

http://justdoc.com/blog/uti-urinary-tract-infection/Learn more about UTIs