Are UTI's common

I have had like 4 or 5 UTI's in the past year and I think I am getting another one.  Even when I don't have one I have to go to the bathroom a lot more often than I used too.  Is this normal?  Sometimes I think I need to go and I sit down and I hardly go at all.  Not only that I have to concentrate on relaxing so that I can go.  I am just wondering if this is a problem others have.

I just want to figure out a way to stop them.  I get them soo often.  What do they do if you get them while you are pregnant?  Sorry we are thinking of having another kid in the near future as fibro and MS do not really affect your chances of a healthy child and/or pregnancy.

Tahiri

[Sunnytoday]

Wonderful question, I will await an answer as well... last fall I had one almost every month- that wasn't very much fun!

Hope someone knows!
~Sunnytoday~

[Tahiri_Veila]

I should mention, I drink plenty of fluids and don't take bubble baths or baths very often at all.   And yes, like one of the doctors I went to see suggested I go to the restroom before and after sexual intercourse.  

Is there something else I can do to prevent it?

Tahiri

[Heather3418]

It sounds like you are doing some of the correct things to prevent another UTI.  When I was first diagnosed with MS manyyears ago, I had very frequent bladder infections.  I was constantly on antibiotics.

My Neuro talked to me about making sure that my bladder was empty each time that I urinated.  I was diagnosed with Neurogenic bladder with urine retention.  I was never completely emptying my bladder.  They taught me how to self-cath to empty my bladder fully.  They also taught me Kegel exercises, which helped me to control those sudden urges, where I would leak just thinking about it.  I was also instructed to drink cranberry juice.  This was to keep my urine more acidic.  All these suggestions seemed to help.

Today, I suffer from zero infections "that I know of."  But still suffer from the same problems that brought me to the diagnosis of Neurogenic bladder. Frequent and urgent urination and dribbling if my bladder gets overfilled.  I was told that my problems were probably coming from my spinal lesion.  Oddly enough, just giving birth, can cause the identical problems with the bladder.  I have also had a hysterectomy, which can also cause bladder problems.

You need a thorough work-up by a Urologist to correctly diagnosis your bladder problems and get you back on the road to wellness.  Perhaps some of the methods they tried with me will also help you.  You are also correct in saying that you should make sure you empty your bladder after intercourse.  This apparently is very important.

Hope you can get this under control soon and you start the road to less bladder infections.  Infections of any kind sure play havoc with MS, I know that first hand.

Best Wishes,
Heather

[AmishErin]

I have had MS for about 5 yrs.  I remember when I went into my first neuro he told me that most patients would have a bad flare then not see him again for several years till they called him up and told him that they had a bladder infection.  At the time as I was sitting in his office half blind and unable to walk I thought that was an odd thing for a MS patient to complain of.  Last year my current neurologist asked me if I had freuquent UTI's...I told him I had had one since the birth of my 10 yr old... he scheduled me for a bladder ultrasound telling me we better get one to make sure that every thing was working the way it was supposed to be working.  It was.  Fast forward one year.  

My bladder is not working the way it is supposed to be working.  I have not seen a doctor yet.  According to the internet.... and this great site.  About 80% of all patients who have MS suffer from bladder woes.  last week mine was constant.  this week we are peachy keen.  I am learning with you guys ... I havent needed to self cath because mine is more of a storage problem so far ... meaning I can get it all to empty all day everyday anytime I want even if I don't want it to or don't need it too

but knock on wood everything in your body that has a nerve or touches a nerve or relates to a nerve can break.


Hugs and God Bless

rembmember that it can always get worse.... I think about the man who felt very bad because he had no shoes until he met the man who had no feet.

[MrsAristotle]

OMG i have had 6 UTI since january. I told my neorologist i can cope with the pains and sensory stuff, BUT not the bladder problem.

Anyway now i have been told they are treating me as though i have MS, on friday my GP rang me and told me she had done an urgent referral to see the Urologist again. I saw him 2 years ago, and he said my flow rate was almost non existant but my ultra sound showed i was emptying ok, it was just my brain telling me to go to the loo.

Now i have lesion in my spine its worse so i need it sorting, it drives me nuts. I have just finished another course of antibiotics and am now taking trimoprin each night for about 2 months to give me a break.

Its so wearing having to go to the toilet all the time.

I do take a cranberry tablet every day. I dont drink cranberry is too sweet YUCK dont like it LOL.

Got to think of me figure ha ha.

Anyway i know how you feel believe me. I spend more time in my toilet than any other part of the house LOL.