I am currently being treated with Bactrim for the 4th urinary tract infection I’ve had this year. I would like to draw on the collective wisdom of forum members as to what may have worked for you or a loved one to avoid these pesky UTIs?
Since I was diagnosed with the first UTI, I have increased my water intake to three 16 ounce glasses daily. At the doctor’s recommendation I take cranberry capsules twice daily and also I take a probiotic daily. I am tired of taking antibiotics but mostly I’m tired of having this pain frequently.
I have found cranberry tablets or cranberry juice to be an excellent prophylactic against urinary tract infections. Since taking cranberry pills, I have never had a UTI, and I used to have them often. I use cranberry pills because I don’t want to get the carbohydrates in cranberry juice. I don’t take any antibiotics, because I find I don’t need any.
How many mg in the cranberry pills you take? I also take cranberry pills, but maybe I’m not taking enough of them or consuming the wrong brand. I do know I feel poorly today.
I use Life brand cranberry, taking 9000 mg. twice a day. Cranberry is such a simple item to process pharmaceutically that I assume any brand will do. When I first started cranberry treatment I had an existing UTI so I took a combination of cranberry juice three times a day plus 9000 mg. twice a day in tablet form, and that enormous concentration of cranberry cleared the problem up in no time. Since cranberry is just a food, which people eat in enormous quantities in New England when it is in season, I wouldn’t think you could overdose on it.
Have you considered trying a different antibiotic? Macrobid, or its generic equivalent, has always worked extremely well for me. I’ve been told it’s targeted to treat UTIs.
The doctor always orders a culture to check for what appropriate antibiotic is best. Not saying Bactrim is the best, but it seems to do the job. I guess I just wish I didn’t have to be dealing with these UTIs so often.
Here is what I have found with my research into mannose.
Since D-mannose is absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, it doesn’t relocate the “friendly” E. coli normally present in the colon.) D-mannose treatment of E. coli bladder and urinary tract infections is ecologically sound treatment. (The very small amounts of D-mannose metabolized by our bodies and not excreted into the urine are harmless.) As an extra bonus, D-mannose tastes good!
Since D-mannose is naturally occurring, many of you may have guessed that cranberry juice (as well as pineapple juice) contain more D-mannose than most other foods. However, the amounts found in these juices are substantially less than in the ½ teaspoon (approximately 1 gram) adult dose, and are substantially less effective.
Do your research into mannose but I have been told by my doctor that there is not enough mannose in cranberries to effectively treat urinary track infections.
Update to the original post:
I finally was granted the opportunity to see a Urologist which I did yesterday. He said that there is presently no infection in the urine sample I provided. It is his opinion that a antibiotic called Clindamycin which I was prescribed for a totally unrelated infection (a cyst on my back) likely set into motion a chain of events that caused the first urinary tract infection which was never completely eradicated.
In spite of repeated requests on my part for either a different antibiotic than the one I was taking (which was Bactrim) or a little bit longer course of Bactrim, my request was denied by the treating physician.
The Urologist gave me two options, one was a 6 month course of low dose antibiotic OR a trial with a daily dose of d-mannose powder. Because I had extremely unpleasant side effects with Bactrim, I chose the option of a trial with d-mannose powder. The Urologist made mention that a bidet might also be helpful.
It is my hope that my story might benefit someone else who is having chronic urinary tract infections.
I am T1 and my 86 yr old mum is T2. She gets frequent UTIs because of incontinence issues. Her doctor prescribes a product called Monroe. It’s generic name is Fosfomycin Tromethamine. It is a single dose product and stops her pain within twelve hours. May I suggest you check this out with your doctor.
After 32 UTIs and 32 rounds of antibiotics (with a 4 month break when I started vaginal estrogen cream), I found the cure! I went to a urogynecologist here in Montreal (Dr Walter) who gave me a slip of paper as I left his office which was an ad for a new product called UTIVA. He said that many of his patients had excellent results with it. I was highly doubtful because I have tried everything. My usual protocol was: Drinking lots of water, drinking cranberry juice unsweetened, reducing carbs, keeping active, fully emptying the bladder, taking d-mannose, showering morning right after BM and showering at night before bed and taking oral and vaginal probiotics. I ordered the UTIVA and as it is for PREVENTION, I took it the day after I finished the one dose Monurol for my 32nd UTI. As all the UTIs have been back to back pretty much, I waited for the next UTI symptoms to start; malaise, achy kidneys, cloudy urine, crampy peeing etc… Nothing! A week later, still fine. Now it is 2 months later and NO UTI! I was so thrilled to be well again that I contacted the owner of the UTIVA company and thanked him. I also wrote to Dr. Walter and thanked him. Thank God for UTIVA. No, I don’t have shares in Utiva. LOL
For the last 3 years, I have had a continual cUTI cause by E-coli. D-mannose takes care of my discomfort. I purchase from Amazon heath food stores. My E-coli is resistant to many high level strong antibiotics. It was decided by my doctors to stop effort to find one that would work because antibiotics can impair the kidneys. So, it just lives in my uninary tract. My hygiene is excellent. I have learned from my doctor at Stanford and my infectious disease doctor, Ecoli can live in your tract and not have an infection, just like it does in you intestine. It also buries itself creating a biofilm over itself for protection and “really never is gone” but infection can be gone and not E-coli itself. Then, it can cause an infection, inflammation when your resistance is low for whatever reason, fatigue, hygiene, hydration and other health issue. An a vaginal product for me did not help. I can’t have a knee replacementment because of it. Having this situation is high risk for any surgery. Always have a clean urin test done with a catheter to count the colonies, check kidney function and do what you can to stay off antibiotics if possible if kidney are weakening, always have yourself monitored. Your amount of UTI’S AND 32 round of antibiotics is overwhelming, I am sure has been frustrating and painful. I suggest an infectious disease doctor working with urologist to help with ongoing issues.
I would wonder if it is ever actually getting cured. I needed super strong antibiotics because ‘the usual’ didn’t cut it. You can’t allow those things to run on indefinitely. They can do damage.
I was at the point of going to an infectious disease doctor as a matter of fact. But since I have found Utiva, a product made from the pulp, skin and seeds of cranberries (unlike d-mannose which I took daily to no effect) I have been UTI free for 3 months. This is amazing because for the past 2 1/2 years I have pretty much gone from one infection to another.
You say that all your infections are caused by E-coli. Is your urine tested each time? Strange that it would always be the same bacterium. I had a variety.
My experience with catheterization was a cystoscopy in hospital (5 minutes…no big deal) which GAVE me a UTI with bacteria that is most often seen in catheterized, hospitalized patients. I would only be catheterized again if there was no choice.
If you are past menopause, are you taking estrogen (with progesterone, of course)? When I started taking estrogen my UTIs stopped entirely.
As for not taking antibiotics for a UTI…I have never heard of such a thing. The infection can go to the kidneys and then one is in big trouble. If it then goes to the blood, 50% die. But having said that, like you, I was able to stretch periods between UTIs by applying my Big Guns treatment. That is d-mannose, vaginal estrogen, vaginal and oral probiotics, drinking a lot, keeping away from carbs so that my Chestrips showed alkaline urine every morning. I kept active and took turmeric, garlic, and lots of veggies. I actually was able to go to the Netherlands for 2 weeks and walk15,000 steps per day WITH a UTI which I kept at a low level. The toilet pee was cloudy and I didn’t always feel 100%…and I did have antibiotics with me…but I had decided at that point, like you, to coast along with a minor infection. But when I got home, it flared up and my kidney was aching and I had a low grade fever so onto antibiotics I went. It was at that point, that a urogynecologist I visited gave me a slip of paper with an ad for Utiva on it. I had NO confidence in it as nothing had worked. When I finished the antibiotic, the Utiva arrived in the mail and since I was UTI free, I started it…and here I am today 3 months later, as I said, UTI free. I am not sure if it is sold in the UK. I have seen a comparable product in Germany… Research PACs for UTI and see if something shows up in the UK. And take it ONLY when you have no infection…so at the end of antibiotics. It is a godsend.
I understand all you have said. I have been referred to Stanford at Palo Alto just recently. My doctor does not " think" I have an infection. E-coli is there in my kidneys and uninary tract. My blood labs do not indicate an “infection”. He is the first doctor who has said this. All others say it is infection. Still, this situation eliminates any kind of surgery such as knee replacements. Unfortunately, because of my knees are so painful I can barely walk. Swimming is also not working because of ligament tears in both knee. My knees are loose. And I have use braces. I am just stuck! It is just a wonder and worry there are situations with no medical answer. We will see what Stanford decides.
I hope a doctor at Stanford at Palo Alto helps you. Do your research on line so you can ask all the appropriate questions when you see this new doctor. Good luck to you! Help is around the corner!
