Is bottled water causing my cystitis on holiday?

[Mugsandpens]

This has been happening for at least 20 years. I guess it was understandable when I was younger - drinking more, sex, not drinking enough water etc

But the last three years have been no sex, have been alcohol free for five years, drink plenty of water, wear cotton pants, generally follow all the rules to be healthy and and avoid UTIs.

But last year ended up on antibiotics in France, again. Flared up again when I got home and my GP thought it was to do with the menopause and has given me a gel that I use twice a week.

I'm going to Italy next week and dreading it. I generally drink bottled water when I go away and I now think there is something about drinking only bottled water that is aggravating my bladder, maybe to do with the mineral/salt content. Is this possible?

Has anyone else experienced this?

I think your GP is right, it is to do with the menopause. Bottled water isn’t going to give you a UTI.

It sounds like vaginal atrophy. Ask your GP for some Ovestin cream. It’s fab x

Could it be the tap water you are washing with? Drying yourself with a towel washed in a different detergent could affect you also.

Are you suffering with UTIs when you are not on holiday?

So sorry to hear this and agree with previous post about vaginal atrophy. What you are experiencing is a urinary tract infection which is caused by having sex. You need to go to your GP and ask them to prescribe standby antibiotics and take one antibiotic immediately after having sex (just the one not the whole course) this works for me and stops me getting post coital urinary tract infections, good luck with sorting this out, I really feel for you xx

She says no sex for 3 years so that’s not the issue? Does vaginal atrophy have other causes or triggers?

@TheCatterall Vaginal atrophy is caused by a drop of estrogen during menopause. HRT cream used in the area replaces the estrogen.

Sounds unlikely. I don’t know why you need to drink bottled water in Europe though? I’ve never done that; and travelled loads.

Are you drinking fizzy bottled water or flat?

I'd think it was unlikely, but maybe take some of those sodium citrate sachets and have one or two a day while you're there.
PP likely correct about the vaginal atrophy, so probably using the gel you've got will have helped anyway, but doesn't explain it only happening on holiday.
Friend gets them on holidays but admits it's the booze, sun, sand and a sex that does it!

You have my sympathy. UTIs are horrid and even worse when you are not in your own home. Precautionary antibiotics with you and letter from GP to say why. I came to the conclusion it is exposure to different bugs when you travel ( towels,seawater, toilets etc.) . Gave up travelling.

Do you only ever get UTI's on holiday?

Why not try drinking tap water next time and seeing what difference it makes?

Could it be the chlorine in the water if you’re in the pool that’s irritating things? I sometimes find if I’m away and in the pool on and off the first pee when I get back to the room can hurt a bit? I suffered from UTIs so when I go away I always take D-Mannose tablets for peace of mind.

Could be the chlorine, yes. If you have untreated atrophy you can’t use any soap or scented products because the burning and constant need to wee feels like a UTI

I always get them on holiday and I'm not near menopause yet (I hope). Pharmacist said it's so common for women on holiday and it's the swimming pool and then sitting around in wet bikini bottoms. Now if practical after I get out of the pool I put dry bikini bottoms on and leave the wet ones to dry so I can swap back when I next get in the pool. Yes it's a pain and not always possible but it definitely made a huge difference for me!!I started doing same for dd who is only 6 and also prone to uti and thrush.

Because in 1989, Louise the Thomson rep on the coach from the airport to the hotel in Fuengirola said not to drink the water due to "its high mineral content"

Whatever that means.

She also said it was one hundred and eleventy degrees the previous week but I think she was making it up.

Very unlikely to be the bottled water.

Do you swim in rivers or the sea when on holiday? Pools in the complex could also be a potential cause.

My mum gets a utility every time she goes away. Personally I think it's stress related but it's hellish for her.

No need to drink bottled water in Italy their tap water is lovely. Happy memories of guzzling water straight from the water fountains liberally sprinkled around Rome.

Have you tried D Mannose supplements? Not for everyone but for some they’re a godsend in preventing UTIs. Worth spending £20 in Boots to find out.

I only drink sparkling water and therefore buy bottles on holiday. I never had any issues and I am over 50 now.

Do you always go swimming on holiday? I wonder if chlorine or lake/sea water are irritating you if you are generally sensitive to this.

Do you use their towels/soap. I found a couple that immediately flare up a UTI for me so as soon as they do it goes on the banned list and is passed on to someone who can use it.

Lots to think about here - thank you!

I didn't think it was to do with swimming pools, wet swimwear etc but thinking about it the last holiday did have a spa and swimming pool even though I only used these once. This could definitely be contributing

I know the bottled water idea sounds daft, mainly habit I guess as when I was younger had long breaks in places like India, South America etc. But yes, I get that water doesn't cause UTIs - it just seemed to be the only common thread with my history of holidays. Looking forward to drinking the tap water now though!

I'll investigate d-mannose, thank you! My menopause symptoms have really ramped up in the last year and I think the GP was right about that aspect of it - I didn't even know cystitis was more common at this time and didn't know about vaginal atrophy, he didn't actually mention that, just that I would be more likely to get it.

Might take my own towel, too. Let's see if I can get through this without another attack. Thanks for all the comments, really useful.

Could it be because water is bottles your are drinking less of it because of having to carry so much back? Therfore getting dehydrated. If you're drinking similar quantitative I'd similar drinks just different sources water that's not the cause.
NICE recommends all perimenopausal women are given local oestrogen as the liklihood of utis rapidly increase with atrophy in the menopause. Was the first thing urologist gave me. Different soaps in hotels etc and pool water can definitely be a cause and I've found pool water and sea water can be triggers if you don't pee straight after going in there.

I have a minor bladder prolapse and i really need to take a lot of time to wee: do a little “dance” to let it all out. But on busy holidays and other stressfull moments in my life i forget and i do not take the time and then urine stays behind and i get a uti.
Could that be a part of your problem too?

So sorry missed the bit about no sex. In the circumstances I think the issue could be stress related. I get similar issues when I am really stressed or having to spend time with people I find triggering it is a recognised issue. In the circumstances the only thing to be done is try and minimise the things you know cause you stress, which I know is easier said than done.