TTC & Cystitis

[lychee3]

Hi all

Any advice would be so appreciated.

I am really prone to cystitis after sex and its been a huge problem for me for years. I find it is necessary for me to have sex after a shower and also rinse off after. I also go toilet immediately before and immediately after. This usually does the trick. When I get it,no home remedies work unfortunately , always antibiotics, which I have at home from GP to start when it comes on.

Now, we have just started TTC so after advice from my Gp I didn't go to the loo straight away but waited maybe 5 mins (I thought I'd start off a short time to see how it went ). Lo and behold 24 hours later and Ive got horrible bout of cystitis.

So my 2 questions :

1. would these 5 mins before going to the loo really have caused this ? Or is this just an unfortunate coincidence?

2. if it has caused it, does going to the loo straight after sex make it harder to conceive if the sperm etc is mostly coming out when I go?

Thank you so much!

Hi lychee!

I read your message with a wry grin as I have had the same problem since I was 17 (about the time I started to have sex regularly, funnily enough). Two cystoscopies later, they still can't find anything physically wrong with me and although I was diagnosed with IC at one point I think like you I am just prone to these infections like some people are prone to sore throats etc.

I don't think waiting 5 minutes would have "caused" the infection...it's likely that you would have got it anyway. Given that you are TTC, I guess you don't want to be taking a low dose of antibiotic every time you have sex (which is the only thing which 100% prevents it for me), so the only advice I have from personal experience is (i) use lube!!! (ii) drink water like crazy before and after to make sure you're flushing everything out and (iii) consider taking this stuff: www.waterfall-d-mannose.com/ it's a simple sugar which has the ability to attach to bacteria and prevent the bacteria from attaching to your bladder wall. I have even managed to cure infections with this bad boy. They recommend a teaspoonful an hour before sex, and immediately afterwards (without urinating until afterwards) as a way of preventing sex-related cystitis episodes.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for that.

I have looked up th waterfall d manoose - do the pots of it last long as its very expensive - or is it just to use before and after sex ? The site suggested before bed every night!

I do go to the loo usually immediately after sex however I'm worried this will make it harder to conceive as would this mean all the sperm come out when I go?

I use it in tablet form (they are flat packets so easily delivered) and take one after every time I have sex and that seems to work for me. It is quite expensive but I think it is worth it!

I'm not an expert by any means but I really don't think going to the loo after will make it harder - apparently there are roughly 250 million sperm in just one teaspoon, and it only takes one!!