Does anyone else get this symptom??

[ciaobellabella]

I’ve had recurrent UTIs for the past 2 years - the only thing that has helped has been taking an anti biotic a night for over a year but I think GP is keen to stop that if possible so I don’t think it’s a long term solution (unless anyone has had antibiotics long term??)

Although at the moment the antibiotics are keeping me UTI free, I occasionally get a weird thing that I can only really describe as urethral pain. It will happen after I pee - not during, the peeing isn’t sore but a couple of minutes later I get this uncomfortable sensation, a slight soreness. I try and ignore it and it always goes away completely after about 15 minutes.

Sometimes after sex as well I will feel sore, almost like a UTI for a few hours afterwards and then it goes away. This probably sounds stupid but I’ve wondered if it’s actually my vagina but the fact pee affects it makes me think it must be urethral?

It tends to be worse when I know I haven’t drank very much, I’ve drank alcohol or I haven’t been peed for a while. So that makes me think is it possible I’ve got a sort of easily irritated urethra and any time my pee is a bit strong I get this feeling? Perhaps due to the many UTIs I have had?

Does anyone else get this?

I am seeing my GP again soon, I have been referred to a Urologist for further tests (I’ve already had a clear ultrasound the other month) and I have mentioned it but he didn’t seem that concerned by it unless it ends up turning into a full blown UTI.

Akire yes spasm is the right word - particularly as mine just goes away after a few minutes like nothing ever happened! Like if you had a leg cramp!

I used to take antibiotics daily for UTIs as I have a intermittent catheter, eventually I went weekly to get instils straight into my bladder, it worked after four doses I have not used antibiotics or had and more UTIs.

A bit more context - every time I’ve had a UTI and gone to the GP there’s been an infection, I know sometimes people have UTI symptoms but it’s caused by inflammation or similar but mine has always been an actual infection

match what do you mean by instils? Like injections?

No not injections, like a backwards catheter filled with a solution (not sure what it was) emptied into your bladder you lie down and hold it in your bladder for as long as possible (around 30mins) and then pee it out, you go to the hospital each week first thing in the morning until it’s worked.

Here, I’ve found some NHS info about it, www.uhs.nhs.uk/Media/Controlleddocuments/Patientinformation/Womenshealth/Bladder-instillation-patient-information.pdf

Just a little side note ladies.
Always have a pee as soon as possible after sex. Germs enter the Urethral entrance during intercourse and an immediate pee helps flush them out and reduce the chance of UTI.I also cant express too much the need for us all to be drinking more water.
Sorry to be preachy deal with urine and UTI daily at work :/

match that’s so interesting, I’ve never even heard of that before. I wonder if that could end up being an option for me although the idea of weekly hospital visits does fill me with dread somewhat! You don’t have to say of course but I’d be interested to know what led you to have that being done?

Pinkylander I wish it was as simple as just peeing after sex! Not directed at you but I see so many people saying ‘I started peeing after sex and I’ve never had one since! ’ and I’m just like - I literally leap up the second we finish sex and go for a pee (and get out as much as possible) and thoroughly wash in the shower, every single time! Sometimes beforehand but that kills the mood a bit!

I used to get cystitis every few weeks, especially when DH and I were in the honeymoon period! I now Makesure I drink Atleast three litres of water a day to Makesure I well hydrated. I used to take trimethoprim after sex too, but now find that if I have a wee after sex, it tends to do the trick. I also only wear cotton underwear too. I've not taken the trimethoprim for a few years now and have only had 1 or 2 boughts of it over the past 2/3 years. I've always got a course of antibiotics in the house though just incase as it comes on super quick and always over a weekend or bank holiday!!

I had a third degree tear during childbirth which lead to surgeries, one of the surgeries went wrong and I have ended up having to use intermittent catheters which lead to terrible UTIs, I’m only in my 30s and wanted another baby to I couldn’t use the antibiotics anymore so the consultant suggested I try that treatment and I worked! I have had a second baby and still no problems.

@ ciaobellabella you could have Botox in your bladder to stop the ‘spasm’ too if that’s a big problem for you.

Do you have any stress incontinence? Like pee a little when you sneeze or cough?

I used to get cystitis every week and would feel so unwell with it. I had countless visits to the doctor and a referral to a urologist but nothing they suggested ever helped and I was sick of taking antibiotics constantly.
Check out D-mannose powder online. There are loads of good reviews for it with regards to cystitis. I haven’t had a single bout of it now for about 7 years after taking it for a few months

Lweji I don’t believe so - I’ve never really thought about it. I’m 30 and never had a baby FYI.

@ciaobellabella other things to considers include:

STI (sexually transmitted infections/GUM) screening doesn’t routinely include mycoplasma bacterium testing, this infection can mimic some UTI symptoms. You can return to the SH (sexual health) clinic to discuss this test with them.
www.nhs.uk/news/medical-practice/new-guidelines-issued-sti-most-people-have-never-heard/#what-is-mycoplasma-genitalium

Menopause and vaginal atrophy can also produce some symptoms similar to UTI
www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginal-dryness/
Treatment is discussed here: www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menopause/vaginal-dryness

Some urologists now recommend D-mannose for UTI prevention. See your GP to discuss this. Read up before your appointment.
kresserinstitute.com/treat-prevent-utis-without-drugs/
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/28/d-mannose-uti-prevention.aspx

Good luck

I downloaded the Mumsnet app and am posting for the first time to recommend 'd-mannose' to you. I have had mild but recurrent UTIs for years and these have kept it at bay for almost 9 months. To begin with I took 3 a day, now I only take two or three when I get either a strong wee or the aches feeling you describe after I go. Sometimes I'll take it in the morning too.

When I first tried it there was some research on YouTube, and some good articles, but it wasn't completely proven. I read amazing review after review and now I'm part of the converted as I haven't needed any antibiotics since experimenting with it. Hopefully it could help any of you that also suffer the misery and anxiety of UTIs.

I was getting UTI's every three months or so and noticed it seemed to be after sex. My GP prescribed me a low dose antibiotic (one tablet per day) for three months and not had an infection since. Getting on for a year since my last infection now. GP said some bacteria can get trapped and when you have sex it disturbs it. Fingers crossed it stays away now.

A few people have mentioned D Mannose - I have actually bought a packet of it but I didn’t really start using it properly as I was still on the anti biotics and wasn’t sure whether it’s recommended to take both at once?? Like they’d cancel out or something? I couldn’t find anything to suggest it’s ok to take D Mannose as well as prophylactic anti biotics.

Is it really worth trying then, and how much? I got some extra strength ones that say to just take one twice a day and more if you get UTI symptoms. Are there any long term side effects from taking essentially sugar every day, like weight gain or anything?

Certainly when they say I need to try without anti biotics (which I fear they will do) I will definitely get on D Mannose - is it worth mentioning to my GP as he has never said anything about it?

Dolly sadly I tried the one after sex method and after a few weeks of that I ended up getting a UTI basically the night after we had had sex (I was ok for a few times we had sex but it was literally only a few weeks) - so makes me a bit scared!

Thanks rosebud and really useful article - I am glad to see it isn’t processed the same as just taking a lot of sugar every day as I thought it could be quite unhealthy!! And all the cultures they have done have shown E Coli so I am pretty sure D Mannose could work for me. I will see what the GP/Urologist says but I think I’ll start using D Mannose and see where I get - will be interesting to see if it stops the urethral pain over and above what the anti biotics do!!