Uti and Menstruation

[trishgvt]

I religiously get a UTI 2-3 days after my Menstruation is finished. I have been having them for over a year now - every month.  I have tried to get rid of my Menstruation for a couple of months and then once I have my period I get my Uti back.  During my Menstruation I take a shower and rinse 3 times a day and change my kotex every 2 hours - I only use the pure cotton kotex pads. I don't use tampons.
I am drinking plenty of fluids. I only drink alcohol moderately and 1 cup of coffee a day. I do see a urologist.  I have been all of the antibiotics for uti's and I am wondering what I am doing wrong?
I take probiotics - drink kombucha.
HELP!  Is there something that I am missing?  What is the correlation with my menstruation and uti's?

[JessarahFL]

UTI
How I now control UTI.

I used to get UTI often and took the usual antibiotics treatments.

The problem is that bacteria builds resistance to them and it gets tougher and tougher to fight them.

It was a nightmare.

Now I drink D-Mannose powder. Make sure is 100% natural. When I feel the ITU is starting, I empty my bladder; then I take a 1g (3/4 tea spoon) dissolved in water. I wait 30 min, prepare about a litter of rooibos tea (1 bag) and drink it within the next 30 min. Any non irritant diuretic tea would do it.

Eventually the need to pass urine comes and after the tea it is usually copious.

That usually does it!!  

Some times, I might repeat the process 2 or even 3 times in a day.  

And if you place a warm bag in your groin that speeds up the recovery time as a lot of the bugs the body fight with increase in temperature(fevers)

Also keeping clean dry (cotton undies) and nicely warm is the best way to prevent UTIs. Remember always clean from the front to the back. So the urethra keeps naturally clean as it passes urine.

Thank God it has been 4 years since my last regularly visits to the doctor and antibiotics treatment. The tea and d-mannose is much healthier and cheaper.

I hope it is useful to you as it is for me. Love,
Jessica

[xTitchx]

I haven't got an answer but with me it's the opposite I get it 2 days before my period and then I get my period and I have been getting it twice a month I am stop drinking coke and eating to much sugar no-one is giving me help...

[shimshimary]

Mine seem to come a couple of days before my period.  I have been septic four times because of this and without fail, whenever I am in the hospital, my period comes.  They can't find a physical issue that would cause these, I am not sexually active, i try hard to keep the area clean.  They have detected glucose in my urine before I and I randomly go from being pre-diabetic to not being pre diabetic.  I don't know about you ladies but I am starting to suspect that the pms is raising my glucose levels and the glucose is spilling into my urine.  Glucose in urine is the perfect environment to grow bacteria for UTI's.  I tried to get my glucose levels tested while premenstrual but then I missed my period for the first time ever so the test results were inaccurate...of course.  

I am desperately trying to find the cause of my utis because right now I am on preventative antibiotics.  With my last bought of sepsis I was told to go off the antibiotics and only take them when i felt symptoms and then I got a UTI with no symptoms.  I became septic within a day or two of having an incredibly mild UTI.  So they figured I had no choice but to be on antibiotics for life.  however since I have a condition called Ehlers Danlos, I am most likely sensitive to most sulfurs which is in a good deal of antibiotics.  They are worried if I become immune to the few antibiotics I can definitely take safely right now, I will be screwed.  I am only 23 so this is stressing me out entirely too much.  Not to mention I am fairly certain that constantly being on antibiotics has caused my skin to break out due to causing an imbalance in my yeast levels.  That is a minor note and I must admit partially vanity, but also partially terrifying me cause it seems like a sign that being on antibiotics every day for years is not good for me.  If anyone makes any headway with connection menstrual cycles to UTIs, I would be so happy to hear them.

[Lulu285]

I believe there is definitely a relation to utis and periods or hormonal imbalances. I'm 35 and have had recurrent utis since I was a baby and have been doing ongoing research for about 15 years. Since getting my period, they always come within a couple of days after finishing. I see an acupuncturist and tcm practitioner who have treated me with Chinese herbs and acu which have been really effective (shop around for a praccy though, it took me a few goes to get a good one). Utis seem to come with stagnant blood (Chinese term)so it's a matter of pushing this through and correcting the energy flow in the body.

Other things that trigger me are
1. Sugar and processed food
2. Alcohol or coffee
3. Stress

A good natural treatment whilst working on your long term plan is a liquid herb called golden seal (a naturopath can get this for you). It's a premium anti microbial herb which tastes awful but really helps when you feel that uti coming or taking a low dose everyday instead of an ongoing antibiotic (I'm now resistant to 3 types of antibiotics from long term use).  

Apparently I'm a very complex case, but hopefully can offer you some hope. Just remember there is always a cause so don't just treat the symptoms. Naturopaths, homeopaths and acupuncturists treat this daily and approach it very differently to a urologist or dr. Give it a go.

[melbatoast81]

I'm 51 and I too have had three months in a row where I've gotten symptoms of a UTI and last month was diagnosed and given antibiotics which helped. However, along with the horrible cramps I've been getting lately (so close to Menopause) this month I have added loose bowels due to medication for my migraines due to hormones and hemmorioids from the loose bowels, I'm about to lose my mind! The thought of this happening every month sounds pretty horrible! It is totally interferring with my life! What do I do?  I keep seeing women with the same UTI issues but professionals saying there is no correlation.  I find that very hard to believe!

[sunnyCJS]

I'm another who has been getting a UTI every month for the last 9-12 months, almost always starting 2-3 days after my period starts. I don't use tampons. I drink plenty of water. I change my pad often. I even started bathing that area 2-3 times a day during menstruation, all to no avail. Hygiene is not the issue. I'm 44 years old. I have one child, born vaginally at 40 weeks.

[cirawaweru]

I used to have candidiasis before my periods which would clear on its own after the menses..For the last 2 or 3months..I get UTIs after menses which often cause indigestion..am tired of antibiotics..somebody help...I try all that crap ofcranberry juice etc..doesn't

[szkb]

hello, I also have the same problem, I have an UTI every month, on the 2.-3 day of my menstrual cycle. it is not a problem of hygiene. I had two C- section, no natural birth, my bladder was perforated at the first C-section. but it was 8 years ago and my problem became regular since one year. do You have any helpful idea? it is very big problem for me.

[szkb]

hello, I also have the same problem, I have an UTI every month, on the 2.-3 day of my menstrual cycle. it is not a problem of hygiene. I had two C- section, no natural birth, my bladder was perforated at the first C-section. but it was 8 years ago and my problem became regular since one year. do You have any helpful idea? it is very big problem for me.

[MU55]

I have been diagnosed with IC.  But, I too get UTI's following my period-My period stopped yesterday and my urine is cloudy today and I have the tale-tale pain.  My urologist said there was a correlation between my cycle and UTI's-the hormonal imbalances and the bacteria the UT can be exposed to during menses leads to it.....I had started wondering if there was a correlation and brought it up during my last visit with him.  I believe I am also pre-menopausal-so my periods aren't as regular as they once were.  He gave me several anti-biotic refills for "just in case".

[beachcares]

I too have the urine/bladder trouble after menstral.  My urine culture is clear every time.  Years ago it showed bacteria and anti-biotic helps...I take anti biotic and its gone.  If I don't use Charmin bath tissue, I get infections and i'm thinking my pads I use during cycle are causing irritation.  I will get the more expensive kind in future and see if that helps.  

[MSKshelly]

I am not wanting to contradict the doctor...he is right in that your cycles themselves are not causing the UTI's

however, according to my URO who treats many with chronic cystitis, women often find an increase in UTI symptoms with their cycles.  Physicians are learning, it is not something your doing wrong...(sounds like your trying very hard as I did), but instead basically a biofilm infection can invade the bladder lining.  Dr. Hultgren has come out with recent research on this, "rethinking UTI's", in it he explains it is not a new infection but a continual infection that flares up with cycles etc.

You mention being on all kind of antibiotics etc. are you put on the only for during your cycle or continually for some time?

It is also possible that you do not have an infection at all but may have the symptoms esp. early symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis, For many of us, our cycles classically flare symptoms.  The biggest difference being that with IC the Urine test is usually clear. (Though it is not unusual to have WBC.)

Now chronic infection does not always show on dips sticks but if you are showing infection on a urine dipstick they I would think your more then likely have chronic cystitis.  Either way there are treatment options. If you want to pm me I would be glad to point you in the direction of some resources that might help!

Shelly Matthewson
Private Researcher
IC Support Group Leader
Director of MOARK IC

[Dr_Veena]

Hi,
     How are you? There is no relation between UTI’s and menstruation. It could be due to lack of hygiene, menopause due to hormonal fluctuations, or vesico vaginal fistula. VVF is common to occur with surgical procedures, prolonged labor or violent rape. Combined vaginoscopy-cystoscopy can detect if VVF is present.
Consult a gynecologist for further assistance.
Best.