Recurrent UTI - nearing the end of my tether...

[TheFlyingOnion]

I've been single for about 3 years, but before that was with my ex almost 4 years. During the time we were together I had a uti every 2 or 3 months. In the end I was passing blood, missing a lot of time off work, had three holidays ruined.... it was really horrible.

I went to the GP repeatedly about it and got referred to a specialist in two different countries (we moved around a lot) but no-one seemed to have any clue what was causing it (well apart from sex, and I wasn't about to give that up).

Anyway 3 years single and not one infection.

I've been with my new DP for 3 weeks and I've had two uti's already.Its driving me completely nuts. Apart from the fact that its painful and I have to take time off work, they also send me into a panic at the thought that it will always be like this - I'm desperate to get this sorted and be able to have sex without worring about whether I am going to be ill afterwards.

I now take cranberry suppplements morning and evening, which don't seem to make any difference, and my friend has suggested acupuncture, which I haven't tried yet. My old doctor told me to always shower and go to the loo straight after sex but to be honest this is a pain and also not very romantic!!

Does anyone have any experience of this and can you suggest what i can do to try to stop these infections constantly recurring please?

Thank you

It might be that you are very prone to this type of infection and frequent use of a/bs doesn't help as a/bs generally weaken immune system so it goes on in circles.
Zinc deficiency is linked to poor immunity and susceptibility to infections, I would start taking Zn supplement plus vit B and make sure you eat super-healthily and cut down on sugar.

thanks nightcat, just got back from the doctor and he seemed to think that its simple physiology and there's not much I can do.

He suggested having sex doggy style

well I think you should make the effort to wee after sex

the act of weeing will help to flush your urethra of bacteria and prevent infection

worth the hassle imo

will definitely get back to weeing after sex. I do shower sometimes too, but you just miss out on all that post sex nice stuff if you're stuck in the bathroom, scrubbing!!

Will try ibuprofen. I might ask for a longer course of a/bs next time too.

The doctor seemed to think that the bacteria would settle down after I've been with DP a while (new relationship), but I was with ExP for 3.5 years and it never got any better....

How about doggy style, does it help??? My friend has suggested smearing Quark on your bits!! I don't think DP is quite ready to see that yet

thanks all

doggy style may help as urethra not exposed to him
anatomically from top to bottom it's urethra, vagina, bumhole incase you didn't already know that

hehe doggy style definetly helps with UTIs and its fun ... win win :D

my docs advise was pee before and after sex ... it helps a little and use ph balamnce soaps and cream (aqueous cream) it helps a little

also if you use condoms these can cause UTI's as the uretha is sometimes sensitive to the rubber or the spermacides used :(

Have HIM take a shower first.

I have had similar problems and second the seeing post-sex. I would always drink a large glass of water afterwards to encourage a big wee a bit later too as I found dehydration could make things much worse.

My doctor prescribed antibiotics that I could take at the first signs of infection - this usually meant that I could stop the infection from spreading to my kidneys.

Definately wee after sex, I had constant utis until i started to do this and now havent had one for years.