Urinary Tract Infection

[zsazsa]

I am a 28 year old female and have been having a reoccuring urinary tract infection for the last year I feel like it never fully goes away. they have put me on several different antibiotics but like I said I feel as if it never fully goes away. I have seen different doctors that seem to not have done anything different except give me diffrent antibiotics that aren't fully working, I feel like a test dummy! I am in constant pain to where it's affecting my life I can't sleep or relax because I always have that urge and pain and I'm seriously tired of having orange pee(because of the other pills they give me). I don't know what else to do they are going to put me on yet another antibiotic and see how that works before they put me on the 6 month antibiotic or finally refer me to a urologist I did start first getting it when I met my husband a couple of years ago but it has never lasted this long I'm starting to get really worried, I want to be able to enjoy life and not be in pain constantly. Has this ever happened to anyone and if so is there anything that you did to get rid of them? I read in another post that people were advising the girl to get her husband tested as well because he could carry the infection without any symptoms. should I look into that? Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you.

[sylvester1982]

I have had UTI's for over 10 years. Believe me, I know how frustrating this can be so I have done hours of research on the internet, through books, and not to mention the countless doctors I have seen and thousands of $$ I have spent! I finally came to realize that I need to take matters in my own hands as the doctors can no longer help me. I have been on antibiotics for so many years that I am now resistant to most of them anyway. Also, be careful what advice you follow from the internet many old wise tales still exsist about UTI's that sometimes make things worse like Cranberry juice to rid yourself of the infection - that is only useful if you are trying to prevent further UTI's not getting rid of a current infection. It is also not true that your husband is infecting you - the bacteria are your own; they come from your perineum, vagina , or anus through sex which is normal! The UTI is not caused by the bacteria getting into your bladder but rather it not being able to get out!! Then infection will occur, this is a mechanical or functional issue.

The first thing you must do is buy an at home test kit (from your local drugstore) or go to the doctor and get tested to determine if you have an actual bladder infection or just symptoms of a UTI but no infection. Then you can determine how to treat it. You must do this because if you take antibiotics for a Urinary Tract Infection and you do not really have one you are doing far more damage than you know. The antibiotics will then irritate your bladder lining and make you more prone to Interstitial Cystitis.

If it turns out you are negative for an infection you could have a condition called "Interstitial Cystitis" or if you have just recently gotten over a UTI then it is not abnormal to still have some symptoms because your bladder lining is irritated. The worst thing you can do if you still have symptoms of a UTI but no infection is to take more antibiotics - I cannot stress this enough! You must know if you have an infection still or just the symptoms.

If you are negative for an infection, you can mange your symptoms by taking tums and 1/4 tablespoon of Baking soda in water. Pyrdiam (RX only) or Azo (over the counter) will also help alleviate your symptoms however do not take them for more than 2 days as they can harm your kidneys.

Please read this book: "You don't have to live with Cystitis" by Larrian Gillespie. She talks about both Cystitis and Intersitial Cystitis. She adresses common causes of repeat UTI's (like lower back nerves being faulty due to injury you may not even know about that send improper signals to your bladder causing you to not pee as much as you should which in turn causes UTI's) and how diet can affect Interstitial Cystitis. Things you will not hear from your Urologist or on the internet, but it is so very helpful. Also, you should change your tampon during your period every time you go to the bathroom before you pee because it can obstruct your flow and trap bacteria giving you an infection. These are just a few things I learned from the book.

Personally, I have found that 100% D-mannose supplements or powder taken daily keep away infections, but I still have symptoms of a UTI with no infection too and I will use Quercetin vitamins to reduce the inflammation (which I suspect is my problem and it helps). Try lubricant like Astroglide (Not KY!) when you have sex too and pee after you are finished. I think the book can help you - I paid $4.50 used for it on Amazon. It is extremly useful because there are far to many factors that could cause UTI's or just the symptoms, so without knowing you personally I think this is the best thing you can do; try and evaluate yourself.

[PortersMom01]

HI Zsazsa,

I have a long history of recurrent UTIs. Mine started when I first became sexually active. This is commonly referred to as “Honeymoon Cystitis”, and is caused by bacteria, living on the skin, in that area, being forced into the urethra, during intercourse. Actually, in a healthy bladder, the urine is sterile, until it leaves the urethra and is contaminated by the skin of the perineum. As mentioned before, bacteria are introduced into the bladder during intercourse.

My UTIs were eventually brought under control by taking a prescription for Macrodantin, 50mg once daily.

CAUTION: Pyridium works great for stopping the bladder/urethra spasms. However, it should not be taken for longer than two days, as it can cause damage to the kidneys. If you notice that your skin and/or eyes develop a yellowish color, stop taking it and contact your doctor. Pyridium has been known to stain clothing and contact lenses. I have used Pyridium. However, I have found that taking Ibuprofen, is about as effective.

In 2005, my immune system crashed and among other things, I began to have recurrent UTIs again. At first it was every few months, then it eventually frequency increased to every four to six weeks, then to every two weeks. I would no sooner stop the Cipro they gave me, then the UTI would begin again, which meant that the Cipro wasn’t really working. I had become resistant to it. I then started taking Macrodantin, 50mg daily, but eventually that no longer worked.

After being sick for three years, and not being able to find a traditional doctor, who could figure out what was wrong with me, I wasn’t getting better. So, I finally gave up on traditional medicine and started researching holistic medicine. I eventually found a doctor, who did a LOT of blood tests and finally diagnosed me with MULTIPLE illnesses. He is treating me with nutraceuticals and bio-identical hormones, and I am finally starting to get better, after being sick for 15 years!

One other thing to consider, (although unlikely at your age), is the possibility of the pelvic floor collapsing. Although, this is more common in women who have had at least one child. What happens in this situation, is when the pelvic floor collapses, the bladder drops also. this causes a curve in the urethra, which is supposed to be straight, allowing the urine to flow downward by gravity. When there is a curve in the urethra, it prevents the bladder, from totally emptying, and the residual urine becomes stagnant, allowing bacteria to grow, causing recurrent bladder infections. The solution to this is usually a surgical procedure, to tie the bladder back up, into it's proper position.

I thought I would share, with you, some of the successful things that I have found, in my quest to be UTI free:

1. Basics -- Wipe front to back. Cleans the area and void (empty your bladder), both before and after sex. Drink plenty of water. This dilutes your urine, causes you to urinate more often so you flush out the bacteria, which doesn’t give the bacteria as much of a chance to multiply.
2, D-Mannose -- I haven’t read all the posts here, but did see that someone said that she used this with some success. I believe that this should be PART of a protocol (treatment plan) for treating UTIs, but not the only thing used. I get mine at Swanson’s Vitamins. Here is the link: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW1185/ItemDetail The way I take it, is to take one capsule (750 mg), twice daily (morning and bedtime), and one before or after sex, with a big glass of water.
3. Uva Ursi -- Uva ursi has a long history of use for urinary conditions in both America and Europe. Until the development of sulfa antibiotics, its principal active component, arbutin, was often prescribed, as a treatment for bladder and kidney infections. Uva Ursi acts as an antiseptic in the bladder. (It is, however, potentially toxic, if taken for extended periods of time. Most experts recommend that it not be taken for more than two weeks, at a time). I mark my calender, at the two week mark, so I don't forget. There haven’t been a lot of double blind studies on the herb, but is has been shown to be effective, as part of a UTI protocol.
4. Probiotics -- Use of probiotics is usually recommended to maintain a healthy bacterial balance in the intestines. However, it has been found that probiotics are also helpful for killing unwanted bacteria in the urinary tract. However, it should not be considered to be an antibiotic.
5. Homeopathic Remedies -- Homeopathic remedies are available to treat cystitis. However, it is best to discuss these with a Naturopathic Doctor (ND). There are sources for these remedies, online. However, you should be familiar with the correct dosing prior to taking these without proper recommendations.

I hope this has been helpful.

Blessings,
PortersMom01

[TRuth]

Good tips! And your mentioning the pelvic floor reminded me of another thing all women should know about: the kegel exercises. In order to make sure you are doing the exercise right, a kegelmaster exerciser is most useful.

[zsazsa]

Thank you to everyone who responded to my post. I appreciate all the advice you all offered. I have been on another antibiotic for two weeks and just finished them today but of course I am in pain still. I have been looking into the waterfall d-mannose. Also what exactly is a naturopathic doctor and where can I find one? I wake up in pain and I've noticed that when I drink 3 glasses of water a day the pain goes away and if I drink water all day I will be good until I wake up again. Why would this happen? I've also read somewhere that drinking alka seltzer helps, is that true has anyone had any luck with this? Thank you again I feel very lucky to know that there are other people out there that are going through what I'm going through and can offer me advice.

[sylvester1982]

ZsaZsa,

You are most certainly not alone. I think a Naturopath is a type of doctor that specializes in natural medicine. So, no pharmaceutical drugs but natural herbs and their combinations are used as treatments. I think you pay for their expertise in knowing the capabilities of each herb and how it may be used, perhaps in combination with others to help treat the bodys symptoms. There is a website: www.naturopathic.org where you can search for a naturopathic doctor by city/state. I have not been to one, but it is worth a shot. I have been fortunate enough to treat my symptoms myself with herbs, but before I figured out which ones worked for me I was seriously considering going to see one myself.

P.S. You do not necessarily have to get the Waterfall D-mannose brand. The Waterfall part is just a brand name. As long as you get 100% pure D-mannose it will work. I use Clear-Tract brand which you can get at Whole Foods, Amazon, Market Street Grocery. Many other brands make it to though NOW brand is another one - most all make it in a capsule or powder form to add to your drink without affecting the taste. I use both!

[TRuth]

yup! There is a bunch of d-mannose brands out there. The one I am familiar with is UTI Slip D-Mannose from Wellness Partneres. But I guess if it is 100% pure d-mannose, any brand would be just as good. And in your case, I think it would help a lot if you took it as a supplement.

[Ozzie]

Dear,
I have same problem, Doctor prescibed Cipro for 30 days and I got more trouble than cure. I have joint pain and possible Achille rapture and now I can't walk and have sever shoulder rotator pain with stiff neck. Please read this article from this website and follow the instruction for Physical Therapy.
http://www.pelvicpainhelp.com/physical_therapy.php
Also try to go to natural treatment Naturopathic doctors in your area. But Headache in Pelvic.com will help you. Please avoid Antibiotic as much as you can because it will kills you. Also try to search for Cipro and side effect to see what I mean. Good luck.

[zsazsa]

Well I went to the doctor to give my urine sample after I took the other antibiotic for two weeks then I went back in to get the results it turns out that I was resistant to them (of course) so I requested the macrobotin(spelling?) so she put me on that for two weeks and said if this doesn't work then she will definitely talk to a urologist. I am still looking into the waterfall d-mannose I just want to be hopeful and see if these pills will work and I heard that if I take the waterfall d-mannose with the antibiotics that it will reduce the effectiveness. I also found a naturpathic doctor over here in the area but I'm wondering how does that work like do I have to pay cash the only reason I keep going to the doctor is because my insurance pays for it fully. On a good note I'm drinking more and more water than I have ever drank which is a good thing right? I just want this infection gone. I'm trying to be positive so hopefully things will get better. Prayers please.:)

[Ozzie]

Some insurance pays only small part such as 20% to Naturpathic, but some times it is worth it to pay $70 and get their opnion on your problem. Also try to search Google for your symptom but most time they scare you too much and they alway suspect cancer LOL. Drink water, take your vitamines and minierals.