UTI... what is good and what isn't

[adidas7fire]

I don't know if any of you have experienced a urinary tract infection but take it from me... it's not fun at all. I was just curious -- those who have had this before, what procedures did you go through? What foods did you eat or not eat? What treatments did you undergo, physician-wise and/or home remedy-wise? I have been trying everything to get better quickly but I just can't get over the fact that I am scared to pee and can't get my mind off the pain.

 

Thanks!

[passions1]

UTI can be prevented by peeing after sex & using condoms. However, if you aren't taking antibiotics it will not go away. The doctor can also give you other prescriptions to help out with the painful urination. Also if you get a UTI, you will be more prone to getting them again! So take precautions such as peeing after sex, using condoms if possible. If already have UTI, avoid sugary drinks, food. Drink non-sweetened cranberry juice instead. Hope this helps!

[adidas7fire]

Thank you for your input. I have been eating basically nothing but fruits and veggies (non-citrus) as well as drinking cranberry juice but I can't stand the taste. I was assigned antibiotics yesterday so hopefully taking that, cranberry pills, echinacea, and pain killers -- it will go away quick.

 

When having sex, I do use condoms but I did read on how the spermicide can also be a factor to contributing the UTI. I guess just peeing out every little drop and maybe even just taking a shower afterwards will do the trick... let's hope!

 

Thanks again!

[Carthiana]

Ok, i'm not a doctor, but I've had literally years of experience with UTI's.

 

Some old 'staples' are still good, like taking acidolopholis (sp?) is still fine as precautionary.

 

However, the ol common referral of cranberry juice is NOT true any longer. Four uriologists have told me this over the past two years. I've had over 4 a year and NOT related to sex at all. Heck, at times I got them I wasn't even sexually active. I've had countless cyctoscopy(sp?) procedures, all showing a normal bladder and function. No scarring of the bladder, no thinned urethrea. I've avoided foods to see if they caused it. Nope, didn't help.

 

Cranberry Juice - no longer a staple food or drink to prevent them. Cranberries have a very POSITIVE affect once in your body, HOWEVER, they are acidic in nature, and if you have more acidic urine then you should stay far far away from them. It can actually increase your chances if you have acidic urine to begin with. Actually, staying away from acidic foods in general will decrease the acidity level, which having high acidity can cause bacteria and then lead to UTI's.

 

Common prescribed fixes: Bactrim, Macrobid or Cipro to treat the infection, Pryidium to treat the pain (localized anethestic of sorts) and then some girls get yeast infections from the antibotics so they'll need antibotics for that too.

 

Common ways to notice you have a UTI: If you aren't peeing straight blood when you urinate (which is how I notice), you might find your kidneys hurt or ache, stomach/ad. pain in that area, or feeling full bladder and not having any urine to release, having burning, very frequent need to urinate whether there is urine or not. UTI's untreated can lead to Kidney Infections. Kidney infections can also create UTI's, as can kidney stones lead to UTI's.

 

I've heard the common references of not cleaning one's self after sex, and not directionally wiping correctly your genitials after passing bowels/urine. I'm sure these apply to those that are NOT careful about hygiene, but honestly, it's not as frequently asked by doctors if you can't relate a bad hygiene habit with it.

 

A not as common possibility is your PC (or also referred to as Pelvic Shelf) muscles could be unnormally weak or to tight. This is what someone else in a thread on the Orgasm or Sex board referred to for increasing your 'strength' or 'length in the sack". These muscles, if not working correctly, could create an environment that could lead to the possibility of having more UTI's, or creating pain and symptoms like a UTI w/o the bacteria showing up in a urine culture.

 

Staying away from acidic foods (coffee, tea, tomatos, spicy foods), staying away from sodas (or caffiene in general) can be found to be helpful and could relieve or prevent future issues. Or at least moderate, it's not always about cutting out, but cutting back if you over do it.

 

It is true however, once you have one, the chances to have one again do increase. If you know the signs, be on the lookout for them. Even tho the cyct-something or nother test I mentioned above isn't joyful (but painful) they can look for irritation of the bladder or other physical issues that could be increasing your frequency of UTI's or explain why you are more prone to them if you continue to get them. I had to go through 4 doctors, finally end up with a Urologist who is a surgeon to get some real answers, breakthrough, etc.

 

I've also heard some talk about how stress can increase your chances of getting one, but haven't really proven that one yet myself. There is much speculation why people get them that don't have bad habits or physical explainations to why they get them that much. Still lots of research to be done. Keep us posted.

[adidas7fire]

Carthiana,

 

Thanks for your extensive post and knowledge. I have been extremely stressed out lately and I know that that doesn't help the situation at all. But I will take your words into consideration and hopefully this will all be done and over with soon!

[AloneinTexas]

does having sex on one's period greater increase the chances of a UTI?

[AntiLove_SuperStar]

You know...I had a terrible problem with what I thought were continual UTIs. I'd feel ill.

 

I'd feel like I REALLY needed to urinate.

 

I'd urinate up to ten times an hour, and

 

IT STUNG LIKE...well, you know. Of course you know.

 

And this'd happen....every few days, at one point? Just awful....I began to think I had autoimmune/intertital cystitis, y'know?

 

However, I went to the doctor. He gave me anti-spasmotic drugs to reduce my bladder activity.

All well and good, but the drugs gave me diarrohoea...back to drawing board!

 

Saw a second doctor. She suggested bladder retraining.

 

I laughed, (she'd kept me waiting an HOUR for..that?!??) but decided to

give it a go.

 

When I felt The Pain that normally started an attack, I simply took some painkillers, and gutted it out for 20 minutes before I "gave into" the urge to urinate.

 

Then 30 mins....40.....

 

Now, aside from the odd twinge, I go every 3-5 hours, and I havn't had a SINGLE UTI from....November?

I'm not saying the Sticking It Out technique is easy. It isn't...for the first week, I was in a fair amount of pain.

 

And all this is assuming that you have had a sample analysed, and that you don't have an actual bacterial infection.

 

I'm not saying its "all in your head" - yet, although my symptoms were very very real, it was ultimately a matter of retraining my bladder and using my mind to control my body. It was a hard task, but worth it.

 

On reflection, I realised that my "UTI problem" started during a very stressful period of my life last year, and I think it just flipped my bladder to "overactive".

 

Hope any of this is of a bit of help!

[ssgbestwife]

I joined the sight Just to let women know THAT ALL WOMEN SHOULD PEE AFTER SEX AND UNTIL YOU DO YOU WILL REPATEDLY GET uti"s, ingrown hairs, pimples, IT A MUST!!!!! ITS A NATURAL WAY TO CLEAN........OUT THE BAD (BACTERIA) THAT GOT IN WITH THE .....YEAH GOOD (SEX). DONT START COMPULSIVLY WASHING/ DOUCHING EITHER ( YOU WILL GET A YEAST INFECTION) YOU NEED THE NATURAL YEAST, BACTRIA THAT YOUR BODY MAKES TO PROTECT YOU. USE A CONDOM NO MATTER THE STORY !!!YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO READ THIS SIGHT SO YOUR TO SMART TO FALL FOR THE STORIES. PROTECT YOUR SELF FIRST SO YOUR LIFE WILL LAST

[Miss Firecracker]

The only time I've ever had a UTI, I had been wearing thongs. I threw them all away.