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Thread: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

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    Senior Member KenzieJ's Avatar
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    Default Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    I did a search on this but didn't find as much info as I would have liked. Does anyone have tips or pointers on how to prevent, cure or lessen the frequency of UTI's? I have to take antibiotics about twice a year once they get to a serious point. I'd like to see if I can do anything to keep them at bay, or at least delay it becoming severe.

    I drink alcohol a few times a week, but not really to excess.
    I drink enough water.
    I wipe front to back.
    I pee after sex.

    I'm really at my wits end and I'm scared of future antibiotic resistance. Plus, this can't possibly be good for my body. I'm sad. I'd like to hear what has helped you guys..or other suggestions

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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    I usually just drink cranberry juice if I'm feeling one trying to come on & that helps most of the time. I drink too much dam soda & hate that feeling of uti so I guzzle cranberry juice for a day. HTH.
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    Veteran Member StellaRose's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Several years ago, I kept getting recurring UTIs. And then I eventually got tested positive for chlymydia and got treated for it with antibiotics, which helped. A few months after that, I stopped taking depo provera shots and switched back to daily combination pills. After that, I noticed a decrease in “pre-UTI” symptoms so I think that helped too. At the time I didn’t think the depo could have been causing anything, but I could feel the difference after it stopped. So maybe that was the issue for me?

    But that also correlated with me leaving school, starting to dance, and making positive changes in my life in general.

    Relevant: https://www.stoputiforever.com/sympt...raceptive-uti/

    Also, here is a list of supplements you can try:
    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition...edies#section7

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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Take D-mannose and cranberry pills. They can help prevent uti. I am all too familiar with recurrent uti's. I developed sepsis from one before and almost died. I use that and don't get them anymore.

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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    d-mannose every day and if you feel one coming on uva ursi knocks it out within a day typically (you can't take it every day, only when you feel one starting though).

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    God/dess Selina M's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Ugh, this is unfortunately something I know a lot about. I had urinary reflux as a kid and was constantly getting UTIs until it was surgically corrected. I developed an issue a couple years ago again and was getting them to the point that I had constant unrelenting low-grade symptoms between infections. I went through a battery of tests and had to be put on daily low-dose Macrobid to break the cycle.

    I don't know how extreme yours are - are you just getting them twice a year and feeling ok otherwise? Or are you constantly feeling symptoms but they're only going full-blown twice a year? That determines a lot of your course of action.

    See a urologist if possible. There's a lot of tests they can do to figure out why you're getting them. Have your hormones tested, low estrogen can cause bladder issues. They can do an ultrasound to make sure you're fully emptying your bladder which can cause infections if not. There's some urologists who will check to see if you have an embedded biofilm infection. Etc etc.
    Depends how in depth you want to investigate. I can get really detailed here if you're interested but if this is more of an annoyance than a "seriously fucking up my daily life" thing, you might not want to go crazy.

    As far as home prevention, D-mannose is really good. There's a method for flushing out existing low-grade infections, I think Chris Kresser has it on his website.
    Also, try the Azo that has methenamine in it. It cuts inflammation which makes your bladder less susceptible, as well as kills bacteria (it's not an antibiotic in the same way as Cipro or something, it just changes your urine to be less hospitable to most species). Just don't take it every day, there's an NSAID in there too.
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    Senior Member KenzieJ's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Quote Originally Posted by Selina M View Post
    Ugh, this is unfortunately something I know a lot about. I had urinary reflux as a kid and was constantly getting UTIs until it was surgically corrected. I developed an issue a couple years ago again and was getting them to the point that I had constant unrelenting low-grade symptoms between infections. I went through a battery of tests and had to be put on daily low-dose Macrobid to break the cycle.

    I don't know how extreme yours are - are you just getting them twice a year and feeling ok otherwise? Or are you constantly feeling symptoms but they're only going full-blown twice a year? That determines a lot of your course of action.

    See a urologist if possible. There's a lot of tests they can do to figure out why you're getting them. Have your hormones tested, low estrogen can cause bladder issues. They can do an ultrasound to make sure you're fully emptying your bladder which can cause infections if not. There's some urologists who will check to see if you have an embedded biofilm infection. Etc etc.
    Depends how in depth you want to investigate. I can get really detailed here if you're interested but if this is more of an annoyance than a "seriously fucking up my daily life" thing, you might not want to go crazy.

    As far as home prevention, D-mannose is really good. There's a method for flushing out existing low-grade infections, I think Chris Kresser has it on his website.
    Also, try the Azo that has methenamine in it. It cuts inflammation which makes your bladder less susceptible, as well as kills bacteria (it's not an antibiotic in the same way as Cipro or something, it just changes your urine to be less hospitable to most species). Just don't take it every day, there's an NSAID in there too.

    I'm going to try the d mannose and add a TON of water every day. As far as how often.. It's pretty much all the time. I have to go to the doctor for anti biotics 2-3 times a year, by the point which it's gotten "really bad". Usually progresses to the kidney and I have a fever. In between that, I usually have symptoms and signs of infection. I always have urgency, strong and sometimes cloudy smelling urine. It seems like it never truly goes away. I'm definitely going to try some over the counter solutions before I go to a urologist.

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    Senior Member KenzieJ's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    I'd really like to thank everyone for replying. I'm going to try a few of these things and really stick to them.

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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Adding to this. A cautionary tale.
    I got a UTI from hell a few months ago.
    I haven't had one in well over 25 years, so I couldn't figure out what caused it.
    I haven't had sex in over 2 years. Don't use dildos, etc.
    I figured out that it was from a toilet paper brand that I bought at the dollar store.
    The main additive was powder.
    I don't have health insurance, so decided to ride it out.
    As others have mentioned, taking DMannose and then AZO for pain helped.
    That bitch lingered for over 2 months and was so disruptive to my camming job.

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    God/dess Selina M's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    Quote Originally Posted by KenzieJ View Post
    I'm going to try the d mannose and add a TON of water every day. As far as how often.. It's pretty much all the time. I have to go to the doctor for anti biotics 2-3 times a year, by the point which it's gotten "really bad". Usually progresses to the kidney and I have a fever. In between that, I usually have symptoms and signs of infection. I always have urgency, strong and sometimes cloudy smelling urine. It seems like it never truly goes away. I'm definitely going to try some over the counter solutions before I go to a urologist.
    Ugh you're giving me flashbacks. I had the exact same constant symptoms and then every 1-3 months it would flare to where I went to urgent care for abx. Mine never turned into a kidney infection, thank Jesus, but I ended up with hydronephrosis in one somehow

    Are they culturing or dipsticking your urine each time to make sure they get the right antibiotic for the bacteria and that there's truly an infection? Cultures are also not totally reliable so that's another can of worms.
    Are you sure you're emptying your bladder all the way? The inflammation (which is what cloudy urine indicates) can really fuck that up which perpetuates the cycle of infections. Not fully emptying turned out to be my source of infections :/

    I really do urge you to go to a urologist, kidney problems aren't something to play with and I'm sure this is making daily life really shitty. OTC solutions are often just a bandaid for symptoms.

    Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and am not giving actual medical advice, this is just from personal experience, yada yada.
    If you're really wanting to exhaust the OTC options, I would try the D-mannose first. Do 1000 mg/small amount of water, wait 45 mins, then drink 16 oz of water. The idea is to give it time to settle and let the bacteria bind to it, then to flush it out. Repeat every 3-4 hours for a few days, then back it down to twice a day. I prefer the powder form (Now brand), it literally tastes like sugar and dissolves easily. The capsules are nasty and grainy. D-mannose only works on E. coli though.

    There's also biofilm busters some people swear by but I would research those, it involves chelation I think and some other 'fringe' medicine type stuff. Biofilms are real though - the bacteria can be building little colonies in your bladder lining underneath films and bursting open occasionally, which is when you get the 'really bad flare' feeling. They don't show up on regular cultures. You can get a PCR DNA test for them, it's called MicroGen DX.

    Again, I really liked the Azo with methenamine. That was one of the few things I got any relief from. I would take it for 3 days at the dosage the package says and see if it helps.

    I can seriously go on and on talking about this bullshit all day if you want suggestions or even just sympathy. It really fucked my life up for a couple years and I hate to see other women suffering with it <3
    "People jack off with the left hand and point with the right."

    "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

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    Senior Member lightningfarron's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    They are common for me too. Cranberry pills/supplements are a godsend!! If I feel one oncoming I take the cranberry pills and the feeling goes away within 3 bathroom trips

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    Member Kiaoxx's Avatar
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    Default Re: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

    I used to have the same problem for years, come to find out it was my toys that were casing reinfections. Even when you wash your toys really well certain materials are very porous and they will hide bacteria so my suggestion is to use condoms on all your sex toys or get ones with on porous surfaces. Literally I went to every doctor and specialist thinking there was something really wrong with me when it was only this simple. I tried tons of pills and supplements and cranberry juice etc. it was none of that




    Quote Originally Posted by KenzieJ View Post
    I did a search on this but didn't find as much info as I would have liked. Does anyone have tips or pointers on how to prevent, cure or lessen the frequency of UTI's? I have to take antibiotics about twice a year once they get to a serious point. I'd like to see if I can do anything to keep them at bay, or at least delay it becoming severe.

    I drink alcohol a few times a week, but not really to excess.
    I drink enough water.
    I wipe front to back.
    I pee after sex.

    I'm really at my wits end and I'm scared of future antibiotic resistance. Plus, this can't possibly be good for my body. I'm sad. I'd like to hear what has helped you guys..or other suggestions

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