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UTI question
I'm sorry to be gone for so long and come back with a question :-(
I had a UTI start up today, very suddenly and very strong. Of course it was after all the pharmacies were closed. This is my 3rd UTI in the last 6 months. Ever since my last one, I've been worried about another one, so I have started the routine of drinking a glass of 100% cranberry juice on the 3 mornings a week that I work out. I also have a yogurt twice a week.
I do not think I have any urine retention problems. I have not changed hygiene products or routines, or laundry detergent, etc. I am not sure what could be causing so many UTIs lately!
When I talk to my doctor tomorrow, I'm thinking maybe I should ask about preventative measures? I'm not crazy about the thought of daily antibiotics. Is it possible to just have antibiotics on hand to use as needed?
Thanks for help!
~Jess
I had a UTI start up today, very suddenly and very strong. Of course it was after all the pharmacies were closed. This is my 3rd UTI in the last 6 months. Ever since my last one, I've been worried about another one, so I have started the routine of drinking a glass of 100% cranberry juice on the 3 mornings a week that I work out. I also have a yogurt twice a week.
I do not think I have any urine retention problems. I have not changed hygiene products or routines, or laundry detergent, etc. I am not sure what could be causing so many UTIs lately!
When I talk to my doctor tomorrow, I'm thinking maybe I should ask about preventative measures? I'm not crazy about the thought of daily antibiotics. Is it possible to just have antibiotics on hand to use as needed?
Thanks for help!
~Jess
Thanks everyone!
Lulu, my doctor is calling in a prescription for an antibiotic that DH will pick up on his way home, and tomorrow I need to call the doctor to set up an appointment, so I'll ask him about a urogynacologist. I'm sorry you are having UTI issues too :-(
maestro, thank you for the well wishes! Kidney stones are horribly painful from what I hear. Yikes on both at once! I'll try the tip of leaning on a hip, thank you!
Mary, hi! How are you? Luckily the elephant on my chest has gone away again. I'm not looking forward to the return! Other than this UTI, things are going pretty well, just super busy! I should have free time again in June...just before the kids are out of school for the summer :-)
Erin, my mom was actually diagnosed with IC in the last year! I never even thought of that! I will make a note and talk to my doctor about it, thank you!
~Jess
Lulu, my doctor is calling in a prescription for an antibiotic that DH will pick up on his way home, and tomorrow I need to call the doctor to set up an appointment, so I'll ask him about a urogynacologist. I'm sorry you are having UTI issues too :-(
maestro, thank you for the well wishes! Kidney stones are horribly painful from what I hear. Yikes on both at once! I'll try the tip of leaning on a hip, thank you!
Mary, hi! How are you? Luckily the elephant on my chest has gone away again. I'm not looking forward to the return! Other than this UTI, things are going pretty well, just super busy! I should have free time again in June...just before the kids are out of school for the summer :-)
Erin, my mom was actually diagnosed with IC in the last year! I never even thought of that! I will make a note and talk to my doctor about it, thank you!
~Jess
Hi Jess,
I am pretty new to this forum, but I read your question and I was wondering if anyone has mentioned a bladder condition called Interstitial Cystitis (aka Painful Bladder Syndrome) to you. I had constant UTI's (or what I thought were UTI's) only to find out that I actually have the condition I mentioned above.
Interstitial Cystitis mimics the symptoms of UTI's very closely and therefore tends to go undiagnosed for several years in some cases (over 4 years in mine!). I have included a defenition and list of some symptoms below. While this may not be the outcome in your case, it would not hurt to look into it. After recieving this diagnosis, I found out all of the things I had been doing that were making the condition even worse and most of them centered around my diet. For example, one of the worst things for an IC patient to consume is CRANBERRY JUICE....I was probably single-handedly keeping the Cranberry tablet companies in business...little did I know...lol. Anyway, just something to think about.
Hope you feel better soon,
Erin
Interstitial cystitis is a long-term (chronic) inflammation of the bladder wall.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a painful condition due to inflammation of the tissues of the bladder wall. The cause is unknown. The condition is usually diagnosed by ruling out other conditions (such as sexually transmitted disease, bladder cancer, and bladder infections).
IC is frequently misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection. Patients often go years without a correct diagnosis. On average, there is about a 4-year delay between the time the first symptoms occur and the diagnosis is made.
The condition generally occurs around age 30 to 40, although it has been reported in younger people. Women are 10 times more likely to have IC than men.
Symptoms
•Pain during intercourse
•Pelvic pain
•Urinary discomfort
•Urinary frequency (up to 60 times a day in severe cases)
•Urinary urgency
I am pretty new to this forum, but I read your question and I was wondering if anyone has mentioned a bladder condition called Interstitial Cystitis (aka Painful Bladder Syndrome) to you. I had constant UTI's (or what I thought were UTI's) only to find out that I actually have the condition I mentioned above.
Interstitial Cystitis mimics the symptoms of UTI's very closely and therefore tends to go undiagnosed for several years in some cases (over 4 years in mine!). I have included a defenition and list of some symptoms below. While this may not be the outcome in your case, it would not hurt to look into it. After recieving this diagnosis, I found out all of the things I had been doing that were making the condition even worse and most of them centered around my diet. For example, one of the worst things for an IC patient to consume is CRANBERRY JUICE....I was probably single-handedly keeping the Cranberry tablet companies in business...little did I know...lol. Anyway, just something to think about.
Hope you feel better soon,
Erin
Interstitial cystitis is a long-term (chronic) inflammation of the bladder wall.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a painful condition due to inflammation of the tissues of the bladder wall. The cause is unknown. The condition is usually diagnosed by ruling out other conditions (such as sexually transmitted disease, bladder cancer, and bladder infections).
IC is frequently misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection. Patients often go years without a correct diagnosis. On average, there is about a 4-year delay between the time the first symptoms occur and the diagnosis is made.
The condition generally occurs around age 30 to 40, although it has been reported in younger people. Women are 10 times more likely to have IC than men.
Symptoms
•Pain during intercourse
•Pelvic pain
•Urinary discomfort
•Urinary frequency (up to 60 times a day in severe cases)
•Urinary urgency
I take the cranberry juice concentrate capsules twice a day as a preventative. They are either helping or I've been very fortunate in not being plagued by UTI. I'll have to check the price because I don't remember them being that outrageous. Maybe Copaxone makes everything else seem cheap?
Glad to see you back Jess. Sorry you're having more problems. Is the elephant off your chest these days? I sure hope so!
Mary
Glad to see you back Jess. Sorry you're having more problems. Is the elephant off your chest these days? I sure hope so!
Mary
Hi Jess.
I am sorry you are going through the frequent urinary tract infections. They can be so difficult and debilitating. A few years ago I went through a severe bout of them. I found out 2 important things, the second I learned the hard way. First, I was retaining some urine. Second, I had several kidney stones that helped cause the infections.
I learned that after I had emptied my bladder to lean onto one hip briefly, and it would empty more completely. I ended up in the emergency room with an attack of one of the stones, and eventually had them surgically removed. That is some intense pain!
I was given antibiotics in both situations.
I hope this helps a bit, and you begin to feel better.
I am sorry you are going through the frequent urinary tract infections. They can be so difficult and debilitating. A few years ago I went through a severe bout of them. I found out 2 important things, the second I learned the hard way. First, I was retaining some urine. Second, I had several kidney stones that helped cause the infections.
I learned that after I had emptied my bladder to lean onto one hip briefly, and it would empty more completely. I ended up in the emergency room with an attack of one of the stones, and eventually had them surgically removed. That is some intense pain!
I was given antibiotics in both situations.
I hope this helps a bit, and you begin to feel better.
Jess,
Welcome to my world - I'm on day 12 of a 14 day round of really strong antibiotics to deal with my latest uti, which was turning nasty without my knowing it. The only clue I had was the urgency was crazy- I mean really crazy.
Cranberry juice is tasty, but you would have to drink a lot more than what you are having tobe effective - you might check out the cranberry tablets. They are pricey but you can catch them on sale often in a buy one-get one sale. Same with yogurt, which if it is live cultures is promoted as a probiotic and good for intestinal health. There are probiotic capsules you can get at health food stores
Don't be so sure that you are not experiencing retention.My UTI's started because of the retention. The intermittent self-catherization helps some, but is not a sterile procedure and I am reintroducing bacteria into my bladder regularly. I was on a small daily dose of trimethoprim after I was hospitalized in October but unfortunately we now know its not potent enough.
If you were around in November you might have heard me also talk about the new catheters that I have been using that are treated with an antibiotic as well. I love these new caths because they are soft and not rigid. This combination of the two still did not help this time around.
If you are not being treated by a urologist and are just using your PCP/GP, then it's time to add a new doctor to your team. If you can find a urogynecolgist that would be even better.
I'm so sorry you are being plagued with this problem - keep working for a way to control it. good luck on Monday with the doctor. Lulu
Welcome to my world - I'm on day 12 of a 14 day round of really strong antibiotics to deal with my latest uti, which was turning nasty without my knowing it. The only clue I had was the urgency was crazy- I mean really crazy.
Cranberry juice is tasty, but you would have to drink a lot more than what you are having tobe effective - you might check out the cranberry tablets. They are pricey but you can catch them on sale often in a buy one-get one sale. Same with yogurt, which if it is live cultures is promoted as a probiotic and good for intestinal health. There are probiotic capsules you can get at health food stores
Don't be so sure that you are not experiencing retention.My UTI's started because of the retention. The intermittent self-catherization helps some, but is not a sterile procedure and I am reintroducing bacteria into my bladder regularly. I was on a small daily dose of trimethoprim after I was hospitalized in October but unfortunately we now know its not potent enough.
If you were around in November you might have heard me also talk about the new catheters that I have been using that are treated with an antibiotic as well. I love these new caths because they are soft and not rigid. This combination of the two still did not help this time around.
If you are not being treated by a urologist and are just using your PCP/GP, then it's time to add a new doctor to your team. If you can find a urogynecolgist that would be even better.
I'm so sorry you are being plagued with this problem - keep working for a way to control it. good luck on Monday with the doctor. Lulu
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