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Recurrent UTIs

Posted , 9 users are following.

sarah83878
sarah83878

since 2016 I have had 13 UTIs...usually e.coli infection.  I have seen a urologist, had a scan, a cystoscopy and nothing shows up...I have been prescribed both trimethoprim and Nitrofurantoin for treatment and they clear up and then recur, I was put on a 6 month prophylactic course of Nitrofurantoin 50mg and then dr switched to Cefalexin whilst I was waiting for follow up appt with urologist (who said that should do the trick.) within 2 weeks of stopping the Cefalexin I had another recurrence, and a Nitrofurantoin 7 day treatment which cleared it up then another 3 months of prophylactic Cefalexin which I finished 8 days ago and have just got another infection!  I feel so low. Can anyone give any useful advice?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Pepasan
    Pepasan sarah83878

    Posted

    The only thing I can think of is that you could be reinfecting yourself. Forgive me if this is a daft question, but as a female were you taught to wipe your bottom after defecation the correct direction i.e. from front to back?
    • sarah83878
      sarah83878 Pepasan

      Posted

      Yes of course. I use no bath foam, an alkaline non perfumed was, cotton underwear.....all the usual believe me
  • rebecca53435
    rebecca53435 sarah83878

    Posted

    Hi your story sounds exactly like mine! Are they related to intercourse or have they come on with no other reason? If it's intercourse I have been off my prophylactic for 5 weeks now which has made me anxious but I make sure I pee Literally straight after intercourse and a teaspoon of D mannose. 5 weeks with no infection for me is actually progress and I believe the D mannose has helped. I take it whenever I'm at 'risk' e.g. Sex, travelling or on holiday etc. I take a probiotic as well to balance my flora which can also cause utis as well as yeast infections. Cranberry tablets alone didn't work for me but I take one a day with all these other things as extra precaution and so far so good seeing as I was getting them every 2/3 weeks

    • sarah83878
      sarah83878 rebecca53435

      Posted

      thanks for this Rebecca, no not intercourse related. I am 66 so maybe age related.  What is d-mannose and where do you get it .. Will give anything a try!
    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite sarah83878

      Posted

      Hi Sarah, I'm 64 and my UTI's began after a hysterectomy 3 years ago, my GP explained it was a lack of oestrogen causing it, I began taking D-Mannose about 4 weeks ago as I had heard so many good things (I had previously bought some but only took them a couple of days), when I started taking them this time my symptoms had just started, within 2 days those symptoms had gone and I have remained symptom free since then, D-Mannose is a supplement, I think from what I have read that it is a sugar of some kind that sticks to e-coli then that in turn makes it easier to flush the nasty things out when you pee, you can buy it over the counter in powder or capsule form, I take 2 capsules each morning, it certainly seems to be working for me, fingers crossed it keeps working and it could also work for you, worth a try.

      Phoebe.

  • lynda20916
    lynda20916 sarah83878

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    Sorry you're going through this.  I am wondering if you have been checked out for bacterial vaginosis.  The entire body, including the pelvic area contains bacterial colonies, those classified as good and bad co-exist, and as long as the balance is proper, the bad bacteria doesn't proliferate and lead to infections.  

    I would suggest that you are already practicing good hygiene.  You could have a resistant form of e-coli, which the two drugs you've been taking can't manage, unless you take them continuously.

    I suggest that if you're not already doing so you drink 64 ounces of water daily and take a probiotic specifically designed for women.  You can also insert probiotic containing suppositories into your vagina which will encourage the growth of the proper flora. There is also a specific kind of sugar, known as mannose which can be taken to prevent e-coli from implanting on the wall of your bladder.  It can cause diarrhea as a side effect, though.  

    I have had a couple of uti's since my hysterectomy, and I got desperate enough to take cipro.  It cleared the uti caused by e-coli and so far, so good.

    Best of luck to you! xx   

  • lina99524
    lina99524 sarah83878

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    I have the same history as you the past three years with a short break.  I was never offered a reasonable explanation from doctors, just the usual about drinking water and cranberry, showers, not baths, and care wiping (I know this already).

    I have not been sexually active and yet this came on.  

    The urologist suggested that I use estrogen cream.

    I just finished 7 days of Augmentin and it made me feel terrible and as soon as I'm off, the Symptoms returned!

    I've read everything online possible and now have been taking dmannose every two hours the past 48 hours!  It's dreadful during the night losing sleep. But there is some relief.

    I'm also taking probiotics but have done that before and it didn't help, nor did cranberry.

    You will need to try to find what works for you but do try dmannose if you can.  I'll go with herbs for now!  Sick of antibiotics and they only work temporarily for me.

    Good luck and I'm not sure why we got burdened with this problem,

    • sarah83878
      sarah83878 lina99524

      Posted

      Lina thank you for this advice and I am so sorry to hear you are experiencing the same....I will certainly try dmannose ....someone else has mentioned ...I will try anything!! So debilitating.   Good luck and hope it does the trick !
  • jane34113
    jane34113 sarah83878

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    I had the same problems both with UTIs and with your same antibiotics. I tried D-Mannose for several months but found, sadly, that it did nothing for me.  Then 4 years ago I discovered  "HIPREX"  =  METHENAMINE  HIPPURATE,  which the outpatient department  didn't know about,  but  which the g.p.  was willing to prescribe  as an  experiment.  Experiment  worked  -   I've not had an infection since, and there are no side effects for me . I take it in tablet form  twice per day,  very easy . Hiprex, however, must not be taken by people who have gout or certain liver or kidney problems.

    • sarah83878
      sarah83878 jane34113

      Posted

      Jane thank you so much for this information.....I will certainly mention to the GP I will try anything,!  I am so pleased y have found something that works! I do hope it continues for you. Good luck and thanks !
    • jane34113
      jane34113 sarah83878

      Posted

      It's been like a miracle for me !  I do keep checking it out,  just in case any side effect might be discovered, but so far, nothing,  except the kidney / liver / gout warnings I mentioned.  So get googling. BTW,  it's only available on prescription,  but the gp   did not require  any persuasion   (and it's saved the poor guy from repeated visits from me when all those antibiotics failed to  work).

      Can't remember how / where I discovered its existence  -   maybe on this site, maybe just searching the net or scientific journals.

      Good Luck !

  • marilee43089
    marilee43089 sarah83878

    Posted

    Regarding Hiprex, good that it worked for a couple of you.  I did not work for me.  It's been around for years, so I am  surprised all doctors don't know about it.

    My understanding is that it is to be used to prevent UTI's, no cure them.  In order for that to happen, the urine needs to be less than 6ph (very acidic).  That is hard to do, and it isn't healthy either to eat foods that result in acidic urine.  

    The research is that  when the urine is acidic enough, the Hiprex then converts to formaldehyde and kills the bacteria.  People that have urinary retention are good candidates for it.

    When I was on it, I managed to stay without UTI for maybe a few 'days' longer than usual.  That's it.  However, it's worth a try for anyone I guess.  Beats getting a UTI.

  • lina99524
    lina99524 sarah83878

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    Methenamine hippurite kept me uti free for ten months but it costs $150  for a -30 day supply..  My Insurance doesn't cover.  And I had a few incidents on it where my bladder burned really bad and I thought surely it was an infection but it wasn't.  So I broke those huge pills in half thinking they were too strong and within a few days had a UTI.

    I felt best with dmannose but I have had to take a teaspoon every 2-3 hours and dropped it down to twice a day and got a bladder infection.  Then I began on the antibiotic cyclesad. I'm thinking about trying Chinese herbs but am taking dmannose for now!  It has worked for the most part and never gave me bladder burn.

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