to ask if you have some secret weapon against cystitis after sex?

[stingyburnyfuck]

i mean this nicely but please please don’t come here just to tell me to wee after sex or drink cranberry juice. We are way past that.

I am absolutely desperate. Feel like I’ve tried EVERYTHING. I’ve posted in the past under another name I think and received some good advice but I’m back again. Is there ANYTHING you do to fight cystitis that I haven’t tried?? Anything? Please!

I have suffered my entire adult life, 25 years since I started having sex, with recurrent cystitis after sex. It starts 3-5 days after the sex and nothing gets rid of it until I take a full course of antibiotics.

I’ve seen specialists and am currently under the care of the private Malone-Lee urology clinic in London. Their treatment is long term antibiotics. I’ve been under them three years and spent an absolute fortune that I cannot sustain. It was life changing to be able to have a normal sex life with DH without being in agony days later. But they recently took me off the ABs to see how it goes - we’ve had sex twice - both times I have got cystitis and ended up on a course of ABs anyway. So I just don’t think it’s the long term solution and I can’t stay on ABs forever, can I?!

I’ve tried:
*Thrush and BV treatment
*One antibiotic every time I have sex (worked 90% of the time but again is that a long term solution?)
*D-mannose and cranberry - do nothing
*Urethral stretch and had camera up there
*Always wash and wee directly before and after sex
*No perfumed products or soap near vulva
*Drink shit load of water daily and limited caffeine
*Probiotics

Dipstick and lab tests nearly always clear (I know theory of these being unreliable) and I’ve had every swab imaginable and they’re always clear too so I don’t think it’s thrush or an infection.

the only thing I haven’t really done is change my diet because it’s only ever sex that triggers it - if I go months without sex I don’t have a twinge, no matter what I eat/drink.

feel fucking miserable and like I either give up sex or suffer forever.

Another long term sufferer here - you have my fullest of sympathies.
I'd reiterate to clean your bum scrupulously before sex (keep wipes by loo)
Have a wee straight away after sex
And thirdly - this is my go to favourite weapon, tea tree cream - it's soothing, calming, cooling and anti bacterial. Put it on after you've done your post coital wee and then go back for the pillow talk/spooning. You could put it on before sex too, but that's a personal preference as the smell isn't for everyone, nice menthol effect though. I would buy mine in bulk. It's also good for when you get an attack because it soothes straight away, apply, drink tonnes of water and wait for it to flush through. God it's awful though, I'm single at the moment and this is such a reminder. It felt so unfair that something so natural would cause such constant pain. A male doctor once told me 'women were built with a design fault' 😳

Ibuprofen taken either before or after sex- sex can cause the bladder to become irritated and inflamed (especially if it’s vigorous) and as a result the bladder doesn’t employ properly and bam cystitis!

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this. This was me 15 years ago. Tried everything. Just kept getting them. On constant antibiotics. Mum of partner at time suggested cysticlean and my god to my amazement this actually worked. It’s not cheap at about £30 a box but I was desperate. From memory it does something which stops the bacteria sticking to the wall of your urethra and thus they can’t multiply causing bacterial infection (UTI). Like you I had hospital appointments, tried d-manose which did nothing. My elderly mother also went through period of time and Cysticlean worked for her too. I bought mine from Victoria Health who were cheapest back then but may not be now. Anyway apologies if you have already tried them but all I can say is after 3 years of constant UTI’s and endless cycles of antibiotics this stopped me getting them. Let us know how you get on.

Last time Dd was bad, she filled form in on 111 online. A go called her back and we were able to Collect a prescription that night from the chemist.

I don't know if this is an old wives tale or just a coincidence but I used to get cystitis (a couple of times 'turning into' a kidney infection) when I was told to go to the toilet straight after sex - and I have never got it again?

Same for me. D-mannose was a life changer. Also actually measuring how much water I drank, I felt like I'd had a few glasses but actually I drink way more measuring it out and getting it down. 2-4 litres. Way more than a couple of glasses here and there which is probably less than 1litre in total. Also less coffee, which is sad. Doesn't make a difference when your not having sex but if you're slightly irritated by the coffee then the irritation of the sex doubles down and gives you cystitis. This was my experience and I'm glad to have resolved it.

Have a fake episode and keep them in the cupboard. I feel most GP's would give you a px just in case or before a holiday if you explain, yours must be difficult.

I saw a urologist with an interest in UTI a few years ago (Mr Ali but he no longer does private).
I have had the urommune vaccine. Not sure if it worked but haven’t had many uti since.
I am on Hiprex long term and have nitrofuratonin on my repeat due to a letter from him.
I’ve just started vagifem also.

i got tears in my eyes seeing the number of responses to this thread when I woke up, you’re all so kind.

@Trisolaris thank you for taking the time to send me that info.

v glad cranberry and d-mannose have worked for so many of you. It’s a minefield: my urologist does not believe cranberry helps and he also doesn’t believe in intersticial cystitis at all. I don’t know what to believe!

antibiotics do work for me but I just worry about wisdom of taking so many. But maybe my only option?

will try tea free cream thank you @ninetieseyebrows (some great names on here).

those of you who take d-mannose do you take it in huge quantities? Did your UTIs always show E. coli?

if I haven’t responded to you directly I’m just a bit overwhelmed but I am SO grateful for your time and advice

@HalfasleepChrisintheMorning was it easy to get the vaccine?

Mr Ali prescribed it. It was £300. It’s a pain to take as it’s a spray and has to be kept refrigerated and you take it daily for 3 months.

Drink water with a bit of bicarb of soda in. Just a quarter teaspoon. Changes the pH of the wee making it harder for bacteria to grow/cling on. Drink a couple of glasses in a day, don't start putting it in every time! Use it when you feel the twinge or you know youre at risk after/before sex.

I had recurrent cystitis too and the following is what got rid

1. No wearing skinny jeans/tight in crotch trousers
2. No softener on underwear, hot wash to kill bacteria, sensitive non-bio laundry powder (surcare)
3. Cut down on sugar
4. Drink more water
5. Bicarb when I felt an attack coming on
6. Partner wash before sex without any soap in nether region
7. And obviously no soap shower gel or bubble bath of any kind for me - plain water only.

Took a few years, gaps between attacks got gradually longer and had some relapses but now it only strikes if I don't drink enough AND wear tight trousers AND one other risk factor!

Bicarb sorts it when I feel it coming on

Oh and i still cant have bubble baths but thats a small price to pay!!!!!

A clean penis.

Apologies for the crudeness but that's what causes it - bacteria & filth on the penis, being put into the vaginal canal

Try improving your husband's cleanliness down there. No matter what you change, cystitis is caused by bacteria being put where it shouldn't be....

Sorry if it's been said I'm rushing this morning but had to comment to as its such a good tip to say a cup of apple cider vinegar in the ath after. Better than any medication I've ever tried with a proper soak! Good luck

@ChristmasisRuined that's what I don't get
I've had 2 UTIs in the past 2 months, and not had sex. I wash after going to the toilet and I'm so ridiculously clean I've given myself BV more than once. I am immunocompromised but still...

I am trying this and hoping it helps. Sorry if it’s already been mentioned.

Why isn't an antibiotic after sex a longterm solution?

It's the only thing that worked for us. I take cefalexin. One after sex, each time. The only thing that stopped me being in misery with near constant UTIs.

It doesn't go into the vaginal canal. UTI's are often caused by bacteria going into the urethra.

Not always though. I get them regardless of whether I use a condom, with every partner I've ever had despite thorough showers beforehand. For me it's caused by the physical trauma of sex.

I've been under his clinic for 5 years, 4 years of those on long term antibiotics and hiprex. I came off the antibiotics in December last year and have been doing well on just 1 hiprex a day.

Am I cured? No, but I'm in a MUCH better place than when I first arrived. My symptoms have improved through both the antibiotic regime and just learning what my triggers are (dehydration, tea etc) and managing it.

Its prob worth mentioning that I also had two babies during those 4 years so I prob would have come of the antibiotics sooner if my bladder hadn't been under that added pressure.

Not to sound dramatic but I was in such a bad place with chronic cystitis and Prof gave me my life back.

You say you're washing before and after sex - well apparently you are not supposed to wash inside the vagina i.e douching. Rather you're supposed to let it do its own thing.

I think the OP means bottle washing so washing the outside which is advised as well as washing after you've been to the toilet for a bowel movement

Drink LOTS of water too!!!

Sorry you already said about the water I missed that.