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General health

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Original poster

Cystitis - Antibiotics or try to treat it naturally?

17 replies

RamblingRosa · 12/04/2011 10:02

I've got cystitis - it's come on very quickly this morning. I haven't had it for years (since pregnancy) but I remember having bouts pre pregnancy that went from no symptoms to full on blood in the wee and excruciating pain in a matter of minutes.

So I've got a doctors appointment this morning and I'm tempted to just take the antibiotics.

But, I've read that taking antibiotics for cystitis can make it worse in the long run/make you more prone to it etc.

So, take the ABs or try to flush it out with lots of water/bicarb of soda etc and just spend the day near the toilet :(

OP posts:

noddyholder · 12/04/2011 10:04

It depends if it is bacterial or if it is just bladder irritation which will flush out. Pain and a temp usually needs antibiotics (for me anyway) if it is just urgency to go and stinging then sometimes cymalon or lemon barley in large quantities with paracetamol does the trick

Original poster

RamblingRosa · 12/04/2011 10:06

Thanks noddy. It is painful. Not the excruciating pain accompanied by blood but I'm worried that's the way it's heading. I've been drinking loads of water. Can the GP tell just with one of those dipstick tests if it's bacterial?

OP posts:

SXMummy · 12/04/2011 10:16

Cranberry juice helps alot. Personally if it's a one off clear it up proper with powder drink (thought u could just get that in boots rather than visit docs?) good luck!

SXMummy · 12/04/2011 10:16

Drink it - sorry realised I didn't specify!

pissedrightoff · 12/04/2011 10:17

I swear by lemon barley water, lots and lots of it. hope you feel better soon.

noddyholder · 12/04/2011 10:32

Don't take cranberry unless as a preventative. All cranberry does is make the lining of the bladder such that the bacteria can't attach. If you already have bacteria it can make things worse. Doctors at my renal unit are very strong on this. Once you have cystitis go to teh gp or water/lemon barley.

Nickoka · 12/04/2011 11:49

Do you know about the best way to help avoid cystitus? Always have a wee after sex. It doesn't matter if it is just a few drops. That's enough. Changed my life hugely when I was told this!

Pass it on...

LunaticFringe · 12/04/2011 11:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cabbageroses · 12/04/2011 21:09

Taking Abs won't make you more prone to it- you would possibly become resistant to that AB and need a differnt sort. if it's a real infection you might need AB to stop it reaching your kidneys.

MirandaGoshawk · 12/04/2011 21:11

DD told me that her friend took cranberry tablets (from Boots) and they cleared up her cystitis without her having to go to the doctor.

li33i · 12/04/2011 22:29

Hi ;-) I highly recommend D-Mannose Waterfall powder.Its 100% natural plant extract and you just mix 1 teaspoon with bit of water and drink every hour or two until symptoms clear. You can take 1 teaspoon a day as a preventative too. Found it very effective xx

li33i · 12/04/2011 22:30

Ps and agree with noddyholder, lots of lemon barley to drink too xx

BelleDameSansMerci · 12/04/2011 22:33

Antibiotics - every time IMO.

Original poster

RamblingRosa · 13/04/2011 08:48

Thanks everyone. Within an hour of posting on here I was in loads of pain and weeing lots of blood so got an emergency GP appointment and started the ABs straight away.

Every time I've had cystitis it's been like that. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm peeing blood and screaming in pain.

I can't imagine having the kind of cystitis that you can sort out with cranberry juice and lots of water.

I'm drinking gallons of water as well BTW.

Anyway, thanks for advice.

OP posts:

LolitaLempiicka · 14/04/2011 14:46

I have been suffering on and off from cystitis for a couple of years now.. I never understood what the trigger was exactly. The usual stuff to prevent it just became part of my daily routine but that just didn't seem to work. Having the cystitis bouts every couple of months just got unbearable and I heard from a friend about cranberry supplements which seem to work more on a prevention basis. I heard about the dmannose but when comparing with others I found them too expensive. I am now taking hI Cran which is around £12 and it?s a month supply, I have been taking them for 3 months now and haven?t got a bout since! Would highly recommend.

Original poster

RamblingRosa · 14/04/2011 14:49

Thanks for that. I'll check it out. Have you thought of getting a referral to a urologist? I was wondering about that as I've had quite a few nasty bouts and even when I don't have cystitis I need to wee all the time.

OP posts:

Original poster

RamblingRosa · 14/04/2011 14:51

I also am firmly of the belief that g-strings are bad if you're prone to cystitis. I've got a friend who used to get it all the time and she belived this too.

Oh, and she had a weird thing where she was getting it all the time, sex seemed to be a trigger, and then she split up with her boyfriend, started seeing someone else and she never had it again .

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