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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that drinking water never cures damn UTIs

40 replies

chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:24

I don't know how many times I have been told this when I have had a urinary tract infection - just drink lots of water and cranberry juice and it will go away. Well in my experience it doesn't go away! Grrrrrrr

After three days of pissing glass I finally convinced the doctor to give me antibiotics today. Kept getting told that the infection was mild and just to drink lots of water. Woke up this morning with extreme back pain, fever, and nausea. I can't help but think if they'd just given me antibiotics earlier it wouldn't have got so bad.

And this has happened before. About ten years ago I got sick over the weekend so called the doctor (different one this time) and they just said to drink lots of water. I ended up in hospital.

Has anyone actually cured their UTI by drinking lots of water? Please give me faith in this medical advice.

OP posts:
charliesmommy · 06/01/2011 21:28

Yes, mild infections are helped by lots of fluids.. its never good to take anti-biotics too often, and better to avoid them at all if possible.

Anti-b's can also cause thrush too in a lot of people, which really wouldnt help in a UTI.. so the doctor was probably right to hang on a bit longer in case it did get better without stronger medication.

AuntiePickleBottom · 06/01/2011 21:28

it never worked for me, the only thing that has ever worked is antibotics

Ivette · 06/01/2011 21:30

only urosept or urinal work on me Im afraid ;)

SoMuchToBits · 06/01/2011 21:30

I think drinking lots of water can help if it is in the very early stages, but otherwise you will probably need antibiotics.

However, drinking lots of water on a regular basis can help to prevent UTIs in the first place.

Articulate · 06/01/2011 21:32

Not in my experience..only anti-B's work. If you drink plenty of fluids and take cranberry generally I think it helps perevent you getting them, but I'm doubtful it gets rid of them.

Articulate · 06/01/2011 21:33
  • prevent
charliesmommy · 06/01/2011 21:35

I am a nightmare for not drinking enough fluids.. I just never get thirsty so it doesnt occur to me.

When I worked in the office, there was always tea on the go, or water.. but now I work freelance I have to remind myself to drink water or some sort of liquid throughout the day or I am prone to dry skin, and bladder infections..

BuzzLightBeer · 06/01/2011 21:35

water isn't meant to make it go away, its meant to make it easier to pee and so on. How could drinking water cure an infection? Confused

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:36

Thanks everyone

I agree that drinking lots of water helps and I know all the stuff about thrush, how bad antibiotics can be for you etc etc but it seems to me that urinary tract infections move very fast and leaving them for a day or two can be very serious. I ended up in hospital after leaving one for the weekend. I have tried so often to just drink lots and lots of water and it has never ever worked. I would love to hear from someone who actually cured one that way because at the moment I feel like the advice is bollocks.

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 06/01/2011 21:37

They say unless it is an old wives tale that too much sex causes water infections down there! So lay off the sex a bit! :o)

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:37

buzzlightbeer (love the name, btw) - water supposedly cures the infection because it flushes out the bacteria and your body fights the bacteria naturally.

OP posts:
Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:39

Heh heh, fabbychic, apparently it is caused by sex but my doctor told me it can be caused by no enough sex because your body doesn't build up an immunity/get used to certain types of bacteria down there. We hadn't had sex in 3 weeks then had sex and next day I am sick. Am livid!

OP posts:
Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:40

oops, I meant not enough sex (not no enough). Duh

OP posts:
charliesmommy · 06/01/2011 21:41

I have already said.. lol.. I have cured mine by drinking lots of water, usually with cranberry juice in it.

this link is useful

safe link

Sidge · 06/01/2011 21:41

Cranberry juice isn't proven to cure UTIs but some women do find it helpful.

Water won't cure a bacterial infection, but if the urine sample shows no sign of bacterial infection on dipstick then antibiotics aren't usually indicated. Drinking lots of water can reduce irritation within the bladder and so ease symptoms.

SoMuchToBits · 06/01/2011 21:43

Lol about the sex, as my 90 year old Mum keeps getting UTIs and she is definitely not seeing any action!

But on the other hand she doesn't drink enough fluids on a regular basis, so this is the real reason.

Chaya, how much would you normally drink in a day (if you didn't already have an infection?)

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:44

Thanks again everyone.

Sidge, the nurse dipped the stick and said it was "inconclusive" so just to drink lots of water. I was in agony. Went back the next day in even more pain and they said because they dipped the previous day then they weren't going to do it again Hmm and just to keep drinking water. Like I am some crazy woman who hangs around doctor's surgeries wanting them to test my urine for fun...

OP posts:
Sidge · 06/01/2011 21:44

Just read your recent posts - I think your doctor is talking crap! Urine isn't supposed to have bacteria in it, so you can't 'get used' to certain types of bacteria down there.

Sex can certainly cause cystitis as it can push bacteria from the vagina/perineum into the urethra.

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:46

I drink a lot of water a day. I am just recovering from the flu so have been drinking loads. I carrying a water bottle around with me at all time.

It may be the flu that made me so vunerable to the infection now that I think about it...My body found just enough energy to have a lazy shag but not enough to fight the infection that arose from it.

OP posts:
SoMuchToBits · 06/01/2011 21:49

It depends on what you call a lot though. E.g. My MIL thinks she drinks a lot (not alcohol lol!) but if that was me I would be dehydrated. It's all relative. I can see that sex could make things worse though.

Sidge · 06/01/2011 21:52

They should have redipped your urine the second day you went.

I wouldn't have given you antibiotics with an inconclusive dip, but would have retested your wee when you came back with worsening symptoms!

Hope you feel better soon Smile

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:53

Well I probably have at least a glass of water when I wake up, another just before I go out the door, about a litre during the day (my water bottle is 500ml and I refil it), then probably a glass of water from the tap when I get home, glass of water with dinner, then a bit of water after I brush my teeth. And then I take a glass of water to bed and sip it while I read and then in the night if I am thirsty...

Is that enough?

OP posts:
dockate · 06/01/2011 21:57

Your own body kills off the UTI pretty well in many cases; drinking water 'flushes' bacteria out of the bladder, reducing the bacterial load your own immune system has to cope with. So drinking water for a UTI is a very good First Aid step before automatically getting abx (after all that's how women managed before there were abx, and relatively few became seriously ill).

Of course abx are very useful, especially when the urine dip test shows evidence of infection (leucocytes ('pus cells'), nitrite, etc). When the dip test shows no objective sign of infection, then drinking loads is preferable.

Lots of women find that sex triggers UTI; best preventer is to pee before and after sex.

Original poster
chaya5738 · 06/01/2011 21:57

Thanks Sidge :) I hope I feel better soon too. They refused to re-test as they said they had sent the results off to the lab. But who knows when they would be back. Definitely not til the next day. So the nurse said I had to make an appointment to see the doctor if I insisted on being retested but the only available time was 7pm (when my DD need to have dinner and be in bed - the husband who caused this mess is now away)

OP posts:
SoMuchToBits · 06/01/2011 21:58

That doesn't sound too bad Chaya - do you drink any other drinks as well?

I drink loads in the morning (like at least 2 mugs of tea and a glass of juice before even leaving the house in the morning, then a cuppa mid-morning, 2 cup/glasses at lunchtime, a mid-afternoon drink, ana evening meal drink, and probably several others during afternoon evening).

Not all water (although some of it is) but it keeps me going!