To ask for your cystitis remedies

[Charlie97]

It's been years since I had a flare up! Is it still cranberry juice, lots of water and are those over the counter remedies a help?

So uncomfortable 😣

You have my sympathy OP! I have a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a glass of water - it’s absolutely vile but apparently supposed to rebalance the ph or something? I find it helps but may well be a placebo.

Also use a clean flannel dipped in warm water to wipe after weeing (sorry tmi )

I used to get v v v bad cystitis. I bought a self help book by Angela Kilmartin. Basically I’d put a spoon of Bicarbonate of soda in some water and knock that back. Then drink a load of water. But. Don’t drink too much - I used to drink litres and litres which can be very dangerous. Cranberry juice Id never use as a cure- poss a preventative, but too acid to help the pain.

@MindatWork I totally get the flannel thing.....I imagine it would offer some sort of soothing

Sorry mind - didn’t see your post before mine. Yes, bicarbonate is alkaline, so neutralises the acid of the urine - it’s that that makes it painful. The over the counter stuff is basically an alkaline solution with a painkiller.

@nellieellie , thank you!

I used to get this really bad but not had it for years! Not sure what's caused the flare up.

Take some ibuprofen I read somewhere urine infections can be caused by inflammation of the bladder and a NSAID would help with this.

Plenty of water to drink, hot water bottle and pouring water on yourself when you wee help too

Hope you feel better soon

These are all fine for short term to mask the symptoms but I’d also be inclined to get some antibiotics to clear it up, as you run the risk of it turning to a kidney infection if left untreated

Cranberry juice is pointless once you have cystitis as it'll just make your urine more acidic and painful. It's meant to be used as a preventive.

@DaisyChain22 bloody typically I'm away at the moment, not back until Wednesday 😔

Yes agree re antibiotics. Cystitis is usually caused by too much E. coli bacteria. I hate antibiotics, but cystitis is the one thing I will take them for. Bicarbonate and water for symptoms. Antibiotics to knock it on the head. With me, the cause was usually sex. The only way to prevent it, was to pee and then wash after sex (yeah, great....) - and to pee beforehand too. That stopped the E. coli ending up in the wrong place.

OTC sodium or potassium citrate can help, but if I was you I'd book a GP appointment for when you get back, you can always cancel it if you do manage to sort it out yourself.

Avoiding calcium may help too (obv. not all the time, just when you get a bout).

Paracetamol and a hot water bottle for the ache. Didn't think of it for years, focused on trying deal with the bladder, but having to deal with just one pain makes it so much easier. Lots of whatever you can drink lots of to keep the urine dilute. And a fairly heavy duty pad so that once you've managed to drag yourself away from the loo, you're not quite so panicky about getting back there again.

If you're post-menopausal, consider the possibility that it's merely inflammation of dried out bladder lining, which produces the same symptoms (urgency, pain on urination, blood, lower abdominal ache) but won't produce a positive test for infection. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, chocolate can work wonders (whether you still feel life is worth living is another matter).

Poor you.

I have a low-dose antibiotic every time I have sex, never go on top (sorry TMI) and always pee before and after sex. If it's been particularly vigourous (sorry TMI) I always have a bottle of Biona (or similar) 100% cranberry juice on hand to drink and make sure I pee again about 90 min later, using an alarm if neccessary. I take it all very seriously!

The masking agents work very well to keep you at bay until you can get to a doctor.

I also get a bit irritated when people ask if you can possibly avoid an antibiotic. I refuse to take them for any other reason (fortunately, I'm in good health) because I absolutely need them for UTIs.

Oh I'm so sorry I had this 2 week's ago and cried!! Ive had them on and off for years and now take a one a day antibiotic. Here are my top tips:I think those sachet things from the chemist are half decent so maybe get some of those. Alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen. Hot water bottle between your legs. Always always always wipe front to back. Always pee before and after sex and rinsing with water is good too. Good luck and if it doesn't ease please go to the doctor for antibiotics!

Thanks all, about the sex........ yes we are currently away! It certainly hasn't helped!

DH has gone out and got bicarbonate etc, I'll book doctors appointment ASAP

Interpotato my urologist recently told me that just taking an antibiotic after sex won't work and could leave some bacteria in the bladder which can become resistant to antibiotics. I thought I was doing the right thing by not taking one every day but obviously not!

If your in the Uk go to any walk in centre / urgent care they will assess you (ie you pee in a bottle )and give you a script for antibiotics i suffer and get it maybe twice a year so I ordered the antibiotics on line via health express and I always keep some in my handbag so I can act straight away if I get an attack

Oh Charlie I'm so sorry, I suffer too and wouldn't wish it on anyone. From someone who had it solidly for nine months once and have random bouts every few weeks... I found cranberry juice does nothing and the antibiotic nitrofurantoin doesn't touch the sides If you can get to your GP, I thought Trimethoprim to be the most effective antibiotic for me, along with paracetamol and ibuprofen alternated every two hours. What I also found helped was Tabasco on toast (stay with me here) as the heat made me want to drink more water when really it was the last thing I wanted to do. Apparently there's something about the alkaline in Tabasco which might help too but don't quote me on that! Sit on a warm towel, find a rubbish game to play on your phone or a good book to take your mind off the frustration and discomfort, and I really really hope you're feeling better soon.

@irunlikeahipoo you can order online? Could I ask the website?

I could go to local doctors, but I feel a bit like it's not that urgent? Perhaps I will see how tomorrow goes? Although at 10pm tonight I may regret that decision!

I used to get UTIs regularly and they make my skin crawl. I used Waterfall-D-Mannose which have a bit of a chalky texture (alkaline) and you have to take about 18 large tablets a day when having a flare up and then take a low maintenance dose more regularly. I can't rate these things highly enough and I hardly ever get cystitis any more (and my maintenance dose is virtually non-existent). I loathe antibiotics and don't trust them at all for regular cystitis sufferers.

@frecklefox that's the anti b I used to be prescribed when I suffered lots!

Drink plenty of water and consult a homeopath. Homeopathic remedies always worked for me when I used to get cystitis but over-the-counter hom. remedies didn't do it for me--the prescription has to be individualised. You can find a homeopath on the Society of Homeopaths website.

I used to get cystitis once a week, it would kick in about 3am and I'd spend the night on the loo in pain. Over the counter remedies or bicarb in water do help but I found prevention was better. I avoid acidic drinks like fruit juice, pee regularly so the bladder is flushing out, pee before and after sex, wash after sex and take an anti-biotic (became resistant to Trimethoprim so took Cefalexin). But the big one for me was avoiding oral sex - mouths are full of bacteria! Not had a UTI for years now. Get better soon!

I have it as well today. Can’t even blame sex! Have been taking D Manoose and it’s helping. But I hadn’t realised you could get antibiotics on line! Brilliant. Have just ordered. I get UTIs fairly regularly. Thanks for the Health Express mention irunlikeahippo.