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UTI/Cystitis

[I have posted this in a couple of forums so I apologise, but I am hoping for a quick and accurate answer from anyone that can help me]

I have recurrent Cystitis (at least that is what I think it is - I also don't know the difference between normal Cystitis and Interstitial Cystitis) that used to be triggered by cold feet, however it seems to have got worse and is now triggered whenever my body gets cold (and it's hard to stay warm 24-7).

I have had a Cystoscopy and they found nothing there. A few times bacteria has been found in a urine test and I was given antibiotics (Alprim) yet symptoms often remained after the course of tablets. When a urine test has been re-taken no bacteria was found. I was also tested for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea and tests came up clear and an ultra-sound on my kidneys showed my kidneys are fine.

I have taken Cranberry tablets, Hiprex (urinary tract antibacterial), Ural (drinking sachets), Alprim (antibiotic). I keep myself warm as much as possible at all times yet this is difficult through winter which is when I suffer most. I don't drink caffeine and have a high alkaline diet. Eat chocolate VERY rarely. I drink Apple cider Vinegar and honey in hot water.

I take many other necessary precautions but still have a lot of trouble with this condition.

The symptoms:
It first starts off as discomfort in the urethra and frequent urination. As it worsens, I begin to feel pressure and pain in the bladder (cramping and sharp pains), frequency increases incredibly and it becomes hard to hold, and the pain while urinating begins. There has also been traces of blood in the urine. Walking and other movement become uncomfortable, even certain sitting positions there is discomfort.

I also have Cold Urticaria which is an allergy to the cold. Whether the two are related or not I don't know. Thing is NO ONE has been able to help me and I have seen specialist after specialist; doctor after doctor and they can do nothing but give me advice on how to prevent it. Every bit of advice they give I am already doing and more, yet I still continue to suffer.

What should I do? Please help!
Best Answer
568812 tn?1379165794
Hi, i empathise with you as ive had many UTIs and also had a cystoscopy to find out why i was getting them and utrethral pain.

Women are more prone to UTIs because of our shorter urethras (i took part in a study to discover if it could be on a cellullar level also) but some women get them recurrently for no apparent reason...its a mystery.

The difference between cystitis and interstitial cystitis is that cystitis is a bacterial infection (e. coli usually) and the other is a condition where women present with the symptoms but do not actually have an infection. understandibly, many women get frustrated and upset as antibiotics will not take away the symptoms, they have to settle down on their own as far as i know but there may be some treatment out there.

Try to avoid acidic drinks/foods as that can irritate the bladder (tho may prove useful if you do have a bacterial infection as the conditions in your bladder then become too hostile for bacteria to survive.

I would defo keep going to the docs and not stop til you get an answer. hmm, maybe the cold effects your immune system and triggers an infection OR if you have IC which i hope isnt the case, may aggrivate your symptoms.


I do hope your find an answer...i got so upset when i would go to the loo to find i was getting yet another infection. Touch wood i dont get another (its been nearly a year since my last) and that you dont get another!

let us know how you get on x
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568812 tn?1379165794
Yes, that makes sense....having infections leaves other parts of your body suseptable to other infections.

I have to say i much prefer seeing nurse practitioners than to doctors.....especially lady doctors....every one that ive met is so stuck up her own backside! im sure there are nice ones but ive yet to meet them lol

I guess nurses spend more time with patients and we have to develop our skill in holistic care (well we should lol, not all nurses are angels), im not sure if doctors do the same but recently, i saw a doctor tell a patient, when she didnt have family with her, and in front of the other patients and their visitors that her test results were in and it was bad news....then left....how someone could think that was acceptable i have no idea. poor woman was distraught.

but yes i agree, if they cant see that something is wrong then it isnt, its just your imagination and in my case; 'im a student nurse and i see lots of illnesses etc so i think i have them' XD waste of time explaining that the UTIs started BEFORE i started my training and all i know of UTIs (well most) is from my own research.
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Avatar universal
In regard to the cold... maybe your feet and body are trying so hard to stay warm that it is not fighting off any bacteria. It's possible. When we catch a cold we don't catch it from the cold... the virus is in the air, but when we get cold, our bodies are so busy trying to keep ourselves warm that we are susceptible to catching the virus and getting sick. Make sense?

I also know that cold feet causes a reflexive reduction in blood flow to the pelvic organs so we need to keep our bodies warm.

Doctors are stupid that way... I have had some that look at me like I'm crazy. If THEY can't find anything, then how can anything be wrong? That is their mentality, and it's not right. Many people suffer because doctors stop caring.
Helpful - 0
568812 tn?1379165794
It is frustrating but I can't imagine how much for you because you can't get an answer.

I found it frustrating because my urethra was so sore after the assault of UTIs and so I had the cystoscopy and even I could tell that there were no physical signs! So they suggested urethral dilation to blunt out my nerves but it never happened and I'm hoping eventually the discomfort goes away. Along with the utis, the antibiotics gave me thrush, and even when I didn't have it I was still sore so I used a feminine soap but got told to only use water so I have been and that's helped.

They gave me all the same advice you mentioned which i was already doing anyway so the doctors didn't really help, specially when they found out I was a student nurse. They implied it was all in my mind lol

The cold thing makes sense actually...I get cold feet quite easily so I'm wondering if that had something to do with me getting utis (but all were bacterial)
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Avatar universal
I have done a lot of research in regard to UTI's and Cystitis. The difference between normal Cystitis and IC were what I suspected but just needed someone to confirm. The reason I asked is, I was told nothing came up in the Cystoscopy but IC is diagnosed by doing one. There is no infection either which leads me to believe that it is IC and they missed something during the operation. All symptoms I have are the same as IC.

It is triggered in cold weather for me. If my body gets cold, the IC flares up. I also have Cold Urticaria which is an allergy to the cold so it makes it even worse for me.

Funny thing is, is that doctors have done nothing to help me and I have had to do everything myself, even manage the irritation. I saw a specialist not long ago who said she couldn't help me and that i was already doing everything I could.

I don't eat acidic foods (I stay clear of orange now) and no acidic drinks - except for Apple Cider Vinegar and honey in hot water (this is a life saver for me and eases the pain well, apple cider vinegar works wonders for the human body) - and I keep a high Alkaline diet. No coffee and chocolate is minimal. I don't even meat and I cut out most dairy, both of which turns acidic once in your body. I have a Urinary Tract Antibacterial, Cranberry Capsules, use cotton underwear, I wipe front to back and use a body wash that has no soap etc. I also have antibacterial stuff to shower with. These are just some of the things I do, the list goes on and I still suffer, thing is it is starting to ruin my life - I have fallen behind in my Uni work and it is only the second week back this semester and I haven't been there.

Sorry for my complaining, but I am sure you know what it is like. Thank you for your reply.
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