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Original poster

Oooft. Cystitis

51 replies

CarmonEileen · 21/03/2014 19:01

Oh heck, I've never had this before. What a horrible feeling. Seen Doctor, given anti biotics, sent sample off as she said there was blood present.
Got cranberry juice and tablets, is there anything else to know?

OP posts:

ToAvoidConversation · 23/03/2014 23:05

You'll probably be fine now you have antibiotics, you'll feel rotten for a few days but the relief comes fast for me!

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 05:11

I've seen every hour during the night, I feel like crap.
I would have thought that the anti biotics would be working now but not so sure.

OP posts:

MichonnesSamuraiSword · 24/03/2014 08:40

Oh Carmon I'm sorry you're still feeling crap. How many day's anti-bs have you had? Are you near the end of the course?

If so, I would get back on to the Drs.

And keep up the Ibuprofen and Paracetamol, and lots of water

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 09:27

Michonnes I've had 7 out of 14. Am really hoping that I start to feel the benefit from them today if not I will make an appointment for tomorrow. Thank you for being so lovely.

OP posts:

Illumanting · 24/03/2014 09:33

Having been prone since I was 8 years old I have a 'whole way of life' approach to this. Wash and wee before and after sex (and tend to avoid more than 2 days in a row of PIV if possible). One glass of cranberry each day. Pints and pints of water each day. Only cotton knickers every day. No baths, only showers. Hope you feel better soon.

CalamityKate · 24/03/2014 09:39

IME if the antib's are the right ones they kick in very quickly. The only time they didn't it turned out they were the wrong ones. Go back to the GP.

fieldfare · 24/03/2014 09:40

Have you tried Cyclamen (sp) sachets?
They contain bicarb and some other fabulous stuff that neutralises the acid in your wee, work really fast and really help.

TheCrackFox · 24/03/2014 09:43

I'm prone too and it really is crap.

I have a whole way of life approach too.
I drink lots of water
Can't have baths
Only use unscented soap products
Gave up tea (weirdly coffee is fine)
Cotton underwear

I did use the Lloyds pharmacy thing when I had an attack on a weekend break in London. Can't rate it highly enough best £20 I have ever spent.

Toospotty · 24/03/2014 09:49

Don't drink the cranberry! It's for drinking when you don't have cystitis to prevent it. Drinking it now will be making your wee more acidic. The sachets have potassium citrate, which someone mentions above, and are far better, although I found them a bit hard to stomach too.

I had repeated cystitis for about two years and it's dreadful. It can move to your kidneys easily so anyone with backache definitely needs to be on antibiotics. Whatever I had became immune to trimethoprim so that's why doctors quiz you. I found lying in the bath drinking pints and pints of water (would take two two litres bottles in with me) was the most bearable option as weeing hurt less and I could settle down with a book and not be constantly up and down to the loo.

Long term I used a brilliant book called Coping with Cystitis by Angela Kilmartin, which has a bottle washing regime that finally knocked it on the head that time. As with many women's health issues, GPs can be a bit dismissive, so keep pestering them. The (lovely) family planning doctor was appalled to find that my GP had left me on useless antibiotics for a fortnight.

MichonnesSamuraiSword · 24/03/2014 09:51

You're welcome Carmon

I was given just a 3 day course of anti-bs (so 6 tablets) and am feeling better now - day 3.

I would go back to GP - or maybe call them to save a wasted journey, as they may just tell you to finish the course before trying anything else. But it doesn't seem right that you're feeling worse after several days on anti-bs.

I feel sorry for those of you who have this regularly, it's truly horrible.

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 24/03/2014 09:54

I started getting cystitis when the menopause kicked in - apparently one menopausal result is that 'the tissues become thinner and more fragile' (as my gynae put it) plus some women find themselves drier. HRT patches fixed that PDQ.

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 11:11

Wow, lots of different things to try. I am dosed up on paracetamol and no pain at the moment. I can't take ibuprofen which is really annoying as it would probably help but I can't bear the lumpy bumpy head that comes from nsaid.
We don't have a shower only a bath so no choice but baths. I use Sanex kids which I thought was pretty good but am prepared to be told different.
Michonnes that's not a lot of anti biotics, glad you are feeling better though.

OP posts:

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 11:12

FieldFare no I haven't, a friend recommend potassium citrate is that similar?

OP posts:

noddyholder · 24/03/2014 11:17

Cranberry only works as a preventative

Seeline · 24/03/2014 11:57

If the ABs really aren't working by now I would give the GP a ring to see if your sample results are back. Whilst some ABs work on all 'bugs' sometimes you can have a different sort of infection that needs a specific type of AB. I normally notice an improvement after the first couple of doses and after a couple of days barely notice a thing. I do have fairly strong ABs though as I am usually peeing blood within a couple of hours (nitrofluorantoin I think they are).

Umbongolongo · 24/03/2014 12:07

Potassium citrate is what is in the sachets you can buy in boots (cymalon or similar) they make your wee more alkali and practically stop it hurting when you pee instantly.
Go and buy some!!

Pixielady83 · 24/03/2014 12:41

Like previous posters have said, if you've had a week of ABs and still have symptoms then you really need to go back to Drs and try different ones. If you leave it too long the infection could move up to your kidneys which is agonising- I once kept treating cystitis with the potassium citrate sachets for over a week, then got a kidney infection because I was just treating symptoms and really needed ABs. The back pains and cramps were as bad as active labour and I scared a colleague by passing out in the office! Really hope you feel better soon, I was plagued by cystitis in late teens and early 20s, it is miserable. Like others I always wee after DTD and rarely get it now though. Feel better soon

Germgirl · 24/03/2014 13:00

My friend gets terrible cystitis & she says that if you take a jug of warm water with you when you go to the loo & pour it over yourself while you wee it helps a lot (over your bits, not just randomly over yourself!)
The same as weeing in the bath I suppose, but a bit easier.
Re the antibiotics, trimethoprim will sort about 95% of 'simple' UTIs, or those caused by normal E. coli. They do work quickly so if you've had no relief within 48 hours I think you should phone your GP & maybe get something else. The next thing to try will probably be Nitrofurantion or Amoxicillin, some areas still use Fosfomycin which is good because it's a one dose treatment.
Cranberry will only work as a preventative, it's too acidic to use once you've actually got cystitis. The over the counter powders are very good, I've used them several times when I've had mild cystitis & haven't needed antibiotics.
Hope you feel better very soon.

princessalbert · 24/03/2014 13:36

I would lay off the cranberry juice for now. It's good as a preventative, but too acidic for during an attack.

Just stick to water. Lots and lots of water.

I had a spell of getting cystitis loads. It was so bad. Looked like I was pissing pure blood.

The Trimethoprim will do the job. Hopefully soon it will start to ease for you.

Keep drinking!

CalamityKate · 24/03/2014 13:43

Weeing in the bath provides some relief and it's far comfier than spending hours on the loo but last time I had a uti I had to shower afterwards as the water ended up red :(

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 13:59

You really are a lovely bunch I'm so glad I started this thread.
I am really lucky that my dh works at a hospital and does a shuttle run to the main hospital on Saturdays as he took my sample up rather than wait as it would only have gone today.
I am going to ring after 2 and see if the results are back and ask to speak to the doctor if possible.

I haven't noticed blood in urine its practically clear from all the water although my sample had blood in (I couldn't see it though)

OP posts:

WillieWaggledagger · 24/03/2014 14:39

i would honestly rather have a bout of D&V than cystitis. both are grim, but cystitis really is the limit

Original poster

CarmonEileen · 24/03/2014 14:59

Certainly is Willie( )
such a horrible feeling.

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boobyooby · 28/04/2014 09:44

I've got a docs appt at 11am as have been suffering with these symptoms all weekend. Woke up at 2:30 really really needing the loo again (normally I can go all night) and just a heavy feeling down below .... when I finally dozed back off around 4:30am my body clock did a long dream involving me holding on the phone to the doctors and was still dreaming I was holding when I woke at 6:30am - really really had to try not to be grumpy getting the kids ready for school, and tried not to count the minutes til 8am when I could really start ringing for an appt.

Did find the heated seats in the car helped ... have got my baggy trousers on, havn't gone to work and am sitting in bed with the laptop and a pint of water!

Laia83 · 05/02/2019 09:41

E.coli and postcoital cystitis. Tired of antibiotics and so sick of averything. Suggestions?

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