Help I'm in UTI misery

[utihelp]

Sorry for posting on AIBU, I'm desperately looking for tips to help with a UTI. I am in so much pain 😩 trying to avoid antibiotics unless I absolutely can't shift this any other way. I've sent DP out for cranberry sachets from the supermarket. What else can I do?

Honestly OP, take the antibiotics. The longer you leave it the harder it will be to clear up.

Antibiotics, no question.
Get onto your GP first thing.
Honestly OP, I was prone to them before HRT and NOTHING else worked.
All a waste of time and money.

You will need antibiotics. There is no medical evidence backing cranberry juice unfortunately.
If you are of peri / menopausal age also consider topical oestrogen (oestradiol cream) +- HRT. RecurrentUTI is a common symptom of declining oestrogen levels. Hope you feel better very soon soon

You are foolish to not take antibiotics if you need them. Please do get the proper treatment, as others have said if you end up with a kidney infection, it will be much worse.

Antibiotics OP. Please do.

My poor gran died last year with sepsis brought on by a UTI. Ok, she was elderly with other health problems but this is what tipped her over the edge in the end, but after seeing her like that, I will never not take infections seriously. Just take them, it's not nice but they work and that is what they are there for. Please don't mess with your health. Water and cranberry juice won't cure it and you can get so ill.

I did this a few years ago OP. Was 'too busy' to be unwell.

Ended up with sepsis, twice. Would not recommend.

If it hurts to pee, get a bottle and hold it against you so no pee goes on your skin. I thought I had a UTI once, nurse at walk in couldn't find anything in sample, gave antibiotics to use in a few days if it got worse. My bits started swelling so I took them but turns out it was actually thrush.

Oh no really ☹️
I'm 39 if that's relevant, wouldn't have expected to be at that age just yet. Hopefully not as I haven't ruled out another baby yet!

So sorry OP - fellow recurrent UTI sufferer here! UTIs are so awful - the most awful uncomfortable pain that is so hard to describe.

Firstly, please take the antibiotics if the infection has taken hold. Forget the cranberry sachets - they do nothing. However, I would strongly recommend D-Mannose powder (not the tablets the actual powder). A few scoops of powder in a pint of water (loads of it well mixed in - you can’t overdose). It’s a type of sugar that bonds with the bacteria and helps to flush it out - it really helped me in the past (at first sign of infection - down it). I have avoided antibiotics on many occasions using this.

Antibiotics in the morning and take probiotics to help counter the tummy upset. Is it all antibiotics that cause you bad symptoms? There’s usually a few options of ones that clear up UTIs so worth asking for an alternative if they offer one you know you’ve reacted to before.

Pain relief wise: AZO sachets from Amazon: it’s an analgesic, makes your pee bright orange so watch for staining your toilet- flush straight away and put bleach down! It’s an amazing product though, will get you through the next day whilst you wait for the antibiotics to work.
Hot bath with Epsom salts if up in the night and can’t settle due to discomfort.

If you can’t already tell, this isn’t my first rodeo, i actually had chronic UTIs for a few years. Absolute hell!

Nitrofurantoin are usually given for utis. They aren’t antibiotics. They essentially react with your urine to make it like an antiseptic liquid, they don’t usually affect the gut at all, and certainly nothing like antibiotics do.

Nitrofurantoin are usually given for utis. They aren’t antibiotics. They essentially react with your urine to make it like an antiseptic liquid, they don’t usually affect the gut at all, and certainly nothing like antibiotics do.

That was me on Sunday. I ordered anti biotics online and picked them up from boots.

Was gone by Monday night.

It's unbearable. Cranberry and the sachets do nothing for me.

I have one now. Spent the weekend rubbing huge amounts of coconut oil on my bits. Stopped it stinging so much. I don't know how if helped but it got me through.

I used copious amounts. Have gone through a jar.
Have got AB's now.

Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic

Gastro symptoms or a kidney infection possibly turning to Sepsis and the need for multiple courses of antibiotics and potentially a in hospital stay

That is completely wrong. It is an antibiotic and it does cause horrid side effects (I suffer whenever I take it when I have to for UTI’s)

OP, it's not just kidney infections you're at risk of. Don't try to fight it without. I ended up with bladder scarring and three years of constant symptoms despite the infection being long gone. I ruined a lot of my twenties. Just take the antibiotics with probiotics and avoid all sugar.

Ps. I've just had one for the first time in a year (now in forties) and it's taken two courses of antibiotics to feel better

I recently had a copper coil removed, could this be the cause? A friend mentioned it and it made me think whether it's triggered some sort of infection as I haven't had a UTI in years.

UTI veteran here. Cranberry does little to nothing, and those sachets can aggravate a UTI.

Antibiotics with omeprazole and/or famotidine to mitigate gastrointestinal side-effects.

Hiprex, but buy size 000 empty gelatin capsules and pop your tablet in there to reduce impact on the stomach.

Topical oestrogen.

If possible, get your urine tested with a proper urology lab via a urologist.

Quite possible.

D-mannose is brilliant. I take it the minute I feel that niggle. Order some from Amazon as PP said and get well soon.