I have had a UTI for 7 months & can’t get rid of it !!!

My doctor prescribed for me a prophylactic dose of Nitrofurantoin (1 tablet each day). It stops the infections coming back.

I'm a male so UTI's are not so common for us.

However, I did have a UTI many years ago and antibiotics sorted it.

Then, last November I got a nasty one with some visible blood and they confirmed a UTI and tested my urine positive for E.Coli.

Nitrofurantoin was prescribed 1 week and it just about went (I thought) after 5 days of the 7 day course.

To cut a long story short, I was investigated for the blood in urine to rule out cancer, which was fortunately negative, but I've had 7 recurring UTI's up to the end of February. Trimethoprim was tried once, but the hospital lab said E.Coli was resistant to that. So, it has always been a 1 week course of Nitrofurantoin which I never really felt did the trick.

Finally, the last one in Feb., the GP put me on 2 weeks course of Nitrofurantoin and, fingers crossed, that seems to have done it.

I have bought a load of D-Mannose which I was going to try if I got another, as E.Coli seems to respond to that according to the research. However, I haven't needed to try it as appear to be clear at the moment.

I can relate to how you must be feeling.

That's my story so far. Good luck with treatments.

Hannah, sorry you're going through this.  What I think may be happening is that the antibiotics interfered with the balance of good and bad bacteria in your urinary tract.  All those antibiotics kill off the good and bad bacteria.  In reality, there has to be a balance.  

Start taking a women's probiotic that specifically contains cultures for your urinary and reproductive systems. Most commercially available otc probiotics only contain one or two cultures.  Make sure you buy one that contains cultures designed for women.  Get one that will survive the acid in your stomach. Take it every day.    

I'm sorry, but not eating meat or dairy will only make you more nutritionally compromised.  I know that there are several folks that will tell you that meat and dairy are bad for you. But giving them up will only mean that you'll have to work harder to get the nutrition you need. Grass fed beef and dairy, including butter, from grass fed cows won't hurt you.

Best of luck! xx    

I always like it when someone gives up meat etc, I have been vegetarian for many years but I don't preach it so will say to you that as a vegetarian I still get recurrent UTI's, mine do seem to have been kick started since I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago though and is because of a lack of oestrogen, I had only had 1 uti prior to this, about  40 odd years ago. I take a women's probiotic, d-mannose,cranberry tablets & vit c every single day and swear that they help in as much as they reduce greatly the awful symptoms of burning etc, I also try to drink at least 2 litres of water each day, though don't always manage it.

Hi Hannah, I had a terrible time with recurrent UTIs over the last 2 years and ended up in emergency with sepsis but have now been clear for 7 months. A cystoscopy showed that I had an extremely angry bladder, it was so red inside!! What has changed for me is drinking more water, giving up caffeine and white wine and taking A teaspoonful of DM morning and evening. I found that prophylactic antibiotics did nothing for me. I also  take concentrated cranberry tablets with meals and apply yogurt topically when I remember. I found the advice on this forum so helpful. Good Luck, I think these issues are manageable but GPs just jump straight to antiobiotics which is not helpful.

You must get to see a good doctor who will know what to do...... Perhaps the ones you have seen are the same as the 'doctor' who instructed that a catheter was put into a man and his daughter being a top assessment nurse in A and E said to me  when I told her I had had quite bad experiences with urologists lately ------  Don't get me going about Urologists ---my day had a catheter in for three months that "HE DID NOT NEED".

That seems to be a major c**k up   - excuse the pun.   

It seems obvious you have not found the right doctor yet because you are still suffering.......  It's time to get

serious!

Hi! I, too have had a UTI for 6 months. I had surgery in October 2017. I had uterine fibroid tumors, a cyst and polyp removed on a Thursday and by Monday, I had a full blown UTI. It has not been cured since. I've taken Cipro, Macrobid and Amoxicillan 500mg. I also take D-Mannose, cranberry extract and drink 100 ounces + of water each day. The pain is in my back and lower abdomen. I'm bloated and just feel run down constantly. I wish I had the answer to this so I could help. I'm planning to go back to the doctor again since this current Amoxicillan 500mg 3 times per day for 14 days isn't doing the trick

You should try a uro gynecologist