Seriously recurrent UTI's!!! Any advice, natural remedies, etc. please

[A1 Steak Sauce]

I know this is a strange subject, but I'm at my wit's end.

Ok, so in early 2009 I had about 8 UTI's in 6 months, antibiotics would help but about a week after I stopped taking them (yes, I took all of them and went back for a pee test afterwards) I got another blasted infection. Fastfoward to late January (about 6 months after the last one,) I get another one, get put on a week of Macrodantin (Nitrofur Mac,) had adverse reactions and had heart-attack like symptoms, which they say was probably caused by that. (I've had similar reactions to Bactrim but not near that extreme.) Anyway, it's been about a month since then, I've done nothing, and I truly mean nothing, to get one, haven't even drank any pop, caffine etc, been drinking more water than you know what to do with, and I think I might be getting another one.

I take 2 Azo cranberry things a day (except for the last few, I ran out and keep forgetting to get more lol,) and I'm just getting sick of this crap! (Also had it spread to my kidneys before several times as a side note.) I don't know if it's just 'nerve damage' from having so many or if I'm getting another one, but I can't be on these antibiotics forever, I have a really bad feeling about taking many more of them. I've been to a urologist and he didn't see anything abnormal, but I can be perfectly fine and an hour later my back hurts so that I can't stand up. I have to go in later and make sure, I've had so many the doctor doesn't even charge me for the visit anymore lol. Is there any natural ways that don't require those strong antibiotics? I'm getting kind of scared of them, especially after I passed out and hit my head cuz of that Macrodantin lol.

 

[babylady4]

Have your thyroid levels checked and see if you have a lactose intolerance issue..... you might also have a small kink in the ureter that is causing the infections to keep happening.... just a possibility.


Good luck!

 

[A1 Steak Sauce]

Lactose intolerance... That can cause that? I know I can't drink cows' milk without feeling like junk, but I didn't know that could help in getting UTI's... I'll definatly check into that then, thanks!

 

[MagsC]

Echinacea/Oregon grape root tablets, two at least three times daily.
Increase vitamin C
Avoid food that will irritate the uti and dont take any artificial sweetner.(dairy products, chocolate, alchohol, spicy foods.)
I have also heard a hot compress in the area sometimes relieves some of the pain.
Good luck.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I only had one in my life and It is painful! I feel so bad for you

All I know is I was told to ask the doctor for the little pill that makes your urine green/blue and THAT little pill was heaven! (can't remember the name of it) It took the pain away almost instantly...other wise I was afraid to go to the bathroom! Good luck and hope you find whatever it is that is causing so many for you

 

[PineappleMama]

For me the only time I get a UTI is when bacteria from my ... woman's parts manages to get into my urethra and thus into the tract. Thankfully it's been a while! We've got shorter urethras then men, so we're more prone to them, but a couple things that seem to have helped... Avoiding pants and unders that are too snug, making sure to tinkle after activities that are... uh... well... is it okay to say grinding? in that area... just those two things and I haven't had one in years. Peeing is basically flushing your system, so doing so after possible contamination stops the bacteria from having a chance to settle and multiply. That said, being sure you're hydrated is a given. The more you're voiding, the less time bacteria has to settle in your system. Of course, if you're getting one from the other side (IE diet) then those tidbits wouldn't help at all, except maybe the water, but that's my two cents, feel free to take it with a grain of salt and best of luck.

 

[HEChicken]

PineappleMama - I like the way you put it! I was going to offer the same advice (re the "grinding") but couldn't think of a family friendly way to put it. The other thing is to always wipe front to back for the same reasons - it moves bacteria away from the area instead of towards it.

To the OP - probably you already know all of these things from the multiple doctor's visits but just in case....good luck to you!

 

[babylady4]

If it is a lactose issue, try cutting out just plain milk at first and consuming just 'cooked' dairy like yogurt and cheeses. If you can get back to drinking milk, try goat milk instead of cow milk, the proteins are different and more easily digestible by humans since the composition of goat milk is almost identical to human breast milk.

You can also get your needed calcium from other areas of your diet, just do a quick internet search on non-dairy foods containing calcium.

 

[Chicken Chaperone]

I know I used to get them with some frequency and PineappleMama's advice about going to the bathroom after um...well.. having fun...
is the best in the world! In addition I would recommend 2 things- both are over the counter meds that I've found in CVS, Walgreens kinda places in the
same section of the store as you probably find the AZO Cranberry (which I've tried and didn't think helped....)
The first med is Uristat (which, the last time I bought it, was in a white box with blue and pink lettering) and it is a urinary analgesic and is basically the little pill
that Hangin Wit My Peeps is talking about except this kind will turn your urine pumpkin orange but it will take the pain away dramatically!!! But we want
to treat the symptoms and the cause so the next med to look for in that same part of the drug store is called Cystex. It is an anti-bacterial which
has made a world of difference for me! It is in a white box with black and red lettering. Since you have had problems with other antibiotics I would recommend
you read the info on both boxes carefully. I just sat and read both and I don't see anything contraindicated with what you said but since I am not a doctor
and you know your body better than anybody just be aware, ok?

I hope they help and you can find some relief! The pain of UTIs is a pain unlike anything else on earth
and my heart goes out to you a million times over! Feel better soon!!!

 

[A1 Steak Sauce]

MagsC - Aw not chocolate too! Giving up pop was hard enough.

Where do you get the Echinacea/grape tablets, I don't believe I've ever seen them in our (podunk) store, but I'll look. I don't drink sweet tea either, that took awhile. Yeah, I have a heating pad ready to go at any time, believe me lol.

Hangin Wit My Peeps - I have similar to that pill you're talking about, except this particular one starts your pee blue and eventually ends up hunter orange lol. It's almost fun to go just to see what color you're going to get next lol.

PineappleMama - Good advice. Also remember that for horseback riding, apperantly that's another good way to get stuff from point A to point B so to speak lol. The dr. thinks that's how this whole mess got started, actually (just a quick warning for those of you who ride horses.)

HeChicken - Yeah, quite a bit of it, but some folks might not so you really never know, that's for sure.

babylady4 - I'll try that and see.

Chicken Chaperone - Cystex huh, I'll sure try that then. Is it a daily thing or what?

Thanks so much for the advice y'all!