Fucking CYSTITIS! :(

[BertieBotts]

Hate it hate it hate it. I used to get it loads, and then I started being really careful to drink enough water etc and it stopped happening, the last time was around new year. Have got it again now (probably slipped on the water consumption to be fair), using the little sachet things and drinking lots of water, but it's just horrible. Anybody have any tips beyond the usual to keep it away? Also is there anything else you can take other than the horrible powdery things? Going to send DP to Asda later for cranberry juice as it's supposed to be good (and it disguises the taste better!) - why don't they make them in capsules or something?

I'd not take cranberry while you have an infection- it is acidic, makes you r wee acidy and it will sting like hell.

it's best taken- as tablets - all the time but not when you have an infection.

You can drink 1/2 teaspoon bicarb of soda in glass of water which has the same effect as those sachets- but not if you have hgh blood pressure as it's salty. some people find mixing it with lemon barley water helps.

Hope you feel better soon.

Ah okay. I usually drink cranberry during cystitis and don't find it makes my wee that acidic, though I drink lots of water with it as well.

Might try the bicarb - I have low blood pressure most of the time so salt not an issue. Thanks :)

I have phoned out of hours before on a saturday to get antibiotics for cystitis, dont suffer and waste money on the drinks!

Long term i take cranberry capsules every day, and i have only had one bout in 2 years

I've only taken antibiotics for it once (when pregnant) and ended up with Thrush! So I think I'll stick with the drinks :) I will definitely try cranberry capsules though in the future.

Sit in I think you could put a bit of bicarb in the water as well. I had it the other week and had to take my DS swimming which I was dreading. The pool was one of those salt water pools instead of chlorine and by the time I got out I was feeling better!!!

Take cranberry capsules daily to ward off future infections - they wont cure cystitis but will prevent it. I used to get it quite regularly (about every 3 or 4 months) but havent had it once (touch wood) since I started taking cranberry three years ago. I also try to avoid putting off going to the loo when I`m out - having an over-full bladder can trigger an infection if you have a sensitive upper urinary tract.

I used to get cystitis loads.... Tried all the usual things and then I came across a great book which gave really useful tips. At first it sounded a real faff but it really helped when I got attacks. If you want I will jot some things down or you can pm me. I think I may have given the book away otherwise I would send it to you

I have it too and it's utterly miserable. Last bout has lasted 2 weeks and I'm so sick of it all.
I take cranberry tablets, drink lemon barley water, have cut out fruit juice and bottle wash. That is after sex or after going to the loo I wash my vulva with water and non-perfumed soap, because cystitis is caused by e-coli found in faeces.
The above did keep it away for ages for me and then I stopped doing it all and it came back.
Anyway, you have my sympathies, because it is so painful. I'm booked in for a scan soon and there are surgical thingies they can do to improve things.

Thanls janx - yes please :) Do you know the name of the book?

I will try the salt bath thing today I think.

Apart from all the above mentioned, I always wash now before sex, not just after...and soda bic in a bath on a regular basis (even everyday). If you have showers not baths, then just sit in a couple of inches of water when you can be bothered. .

In the end the only thing that did it when ti was as it's worst was two lots of antibiotics back to back, both strong, both covering different/overlapping spectrums of bugs. This was inadvertent. i was on one, and then in A&E when it didn't work (peeing blood, lovely).. so was told to start the others .. I swear it was having them both together.

good luck, it's a bastard.

PS Errata slip - I always wash now with soda bic water- as opposed to with soap - before sex.

See I'm a bit nervous about all this advice about washing before/after sex/using the toilet etc because I always thought it was really bad to wash down there (aside from obviously sitting in a bath/quick wipe in the shower etc).

How much bicarb do you need to put in your bath?

Yeah, i understand your concern, that's why I don't use soap, it always gives me thrush. I use non-soap wash, but only once a day, any other time I just use the soda bic. it neutralises the ph I think, and makes it difficult for the bugs to grow (I'm scowling trying to remember the science behind it!)...

If I had a 6 inch deep bath I'd probably put in a handful. Two or three isn't going to hurt, and that's what I'd be doing if I actually had cystitis.

Get the really cheap own brand stuff in a big box, I keep one under the sink, one in the bathroom (and one in the back of the fridge open to absorb smells )

I'd also go and get the wee checked at the doctors because it might be that you really do have a proliferation of something that would go with the right medicine, and you can easily deal with any thrush after, but it might just get you cleared up and then you can start being good again iyswim.

hth - certainly taking my mind off my ills [smiles], hope that's OK....

I use waterfall-d-mannose. I used to suffer terribly with cystitis and that's the only thing that's kept it away.

Just googled that AKINAC - very interesting. Thanks for posting about it.

I wash with dove and never any thing else like soap. Also never have sex without peeing and washing before and after! Drink loads of water every day. Avoid tea coffee alcohol and fruit juice if you have an attack. Take a really long course of abx is what put me on the road to recovery.

Angela Kilmartin - that is the name of the woman....she wrote a very comprehensive book about cystitis years ago - think she has website now