Cystitis - recurring bloody cystitis!

[dementedma]

Fed up. Two courses of antibiotics for urine infection and still doubled up on the loo! Take Cranberry tablets, drink lots of water and have been on HRT for a week so far for horrendous hot flushes. Also take Citalopram. Am 51 and cannot have permanent cystitis!

Sounds like this one is a determined fecker. It can seem to be cured after treatment but if it's a strong infection...

Here are my tips posted previously:

2 heaped tsps of D-Mannose straight away (tabs or powder - I prefer the powder - all available in health food shops or internet) - get your supplies in for next time

Triple strength cranberry tablet DAILY even when you don't have anything wrong (not cranberry juice - forget the juice...too late!)

Horsetail tablet (3 per day)

If possible, keep some Trimepothan (sp) or whichever antibiotic you have had before when suffering the same thing as you may be immune to whichever

Ibuprofen or whatever to stave off niggly discomfort

Lots and lots of water - down 2 pints if you can straight away. NO caffeine obvs.

Folks say bicarb in water but I don't bother or those sachets.

Daily probiotic

Wash with hot water just over your urethra after unexpected splatty poos. An oval cotton pad doused in HOT but not hot water which is uncomfortably hot. This has a good chance of killing any germs before they get in but no guarantees

Dab a tiny bit of oregano oil over your urethra - just over but not in! It'll sting for 10 seconds and you'll wish you hadn't done it but it is very effective and it is a totally natural and safe anti-biotic

Medical clause: of course see the doctors

I keep all my supplies in the cupboard just in case. There's nothing more miserable than cystitis.

Is there a definite cause? Double void when going to the loo. Salt water or tea tree oil in bath. Drink plenty of water. I keep the antibiotics which begin with trim on standby. Got from super drug on line. It's horrid hope you are feeling better

Thanks very much. Tried the bicarb in water thing yesterday and it seemed to help. Will google d-mannose

THis may well be related to your hormone levels. Dry urethra etc can make infections get a hold more easily. On the other hand there may not actually be an infection- if your urethra is sore ( loss of oestrogen) it can feel like an infection when it's not.

The HRT will take up to 3 months to help but 1:4 women also need vaginal HRT- oestrogen cream or oestrogen pessaries. This by itself without systemic HRT is shown to help all bladder problems so you ought to see your GP and ask for it. The prescribed amount is daily for 2 weeks then twice a week forever. It may take a few weeks to help but the sooner you start the better.

Feel for you OP I get cystitis a lot and it is hell. Not much to add as captaintripp has covered it all but just to add I ordered antibiotics from an online pharmacy and they arrive next working day. I use pharmacy2u.co.uk
Hope you feel better soon

I wondered that pinkfrocks which is the main reason I started taking the HRT. Everything is feeling a bit "dry" and uncomfortable. Will look into this.
Thanks Ellis I didn't actually know you could order antibiotics online.

Have a look at Menopause Matters website and there is a lot there on vaginal atrophy- which includes bladders.

Have you had an infection proved through a lab? Sometimes they don't show up anyway, so not always accurate.

But in any case, dryness allows bugs to travel upwards and dryness can make it harder to feel 'normal' again.

Quite a number of women use both- me included! In fact I started on local oestrogen before systemic. Takes anything from 2 weeks to 6 months to get the full benefits.

I agree totally about the infection thing. It could be menopause related. Some women are lucky and don't suffer. Oh and it is quite usual to get more than one's fair share of it if one has diabetes along with thrush and other not so nice stuff related to down yonder. My poor friend suffers in this way. Something to do with a weaker system. Not saying you have diabetes!

Forgot to say - wee in the bath. Or under running shower water.

Avoid anything citrusy.

And also meant to explain about the horsetail. It makes you want to go more often between peeing. Sounds like the last thing you want, doesn't it? But the idea is to swish the e coli out along with your larger quantity of wee (if it is indeed infection related) all out asap rather than a painful dribble here and a painful dribble there. 3 tablets a day.

www.dmannose.co.uk/

See right side for bladder products. D Mannose is pricey but so worth it. Lasts ages too as you wouldn't use a whole tub per incidence of cystitis.

Thanks all. Have ordered some d-mannose.

If you don't have an infection then things like cranberry could make it all worse, as it's acidic and very 'ouch' factor for an already sore inflamed bladder and urethra. The research on cranberry says it's ok for prevention but not necessarily to be used during an attack.

You don't want to dose yourself up with antit Bs if you don't have a proven infection - if it's 'just' urogenital atrophy and you keep taking ABs then you won't be doing yourself any good.

Has doctor taken a sample or is she taking guesses as to best antibiotic? If not you need to give them a sample so they can get you on an antibiotic that will kill the meddlesome bug. If you have given them a sample then they need to be chasing the results for you so you can get started on the right antibiotic.

Cranberry juice works as preventative not cure, drinking loads of water as CaptainTripps said is best thing just now, dilute and flush the pesky bug out of you.

The first sample was rank, even I could see that so they gave me one lot of anti Bs. The second one was "slightly positive" so they gave me a longer course. I have had loads of water today and no caffeine and am hoping the D- mannose stuff arrives tomorrow. Painkillers are keeping the edge off

I'm under one of the country's top urology professors and he says do not take cranberry juice or tablets when you have an infection. Not sure what his ideas on it as a prevention is. Sadly ive never needed to ask him about preventing infections because ive had one permanently for five years.

My other helpful tips, warm bath with soda Bic in it - not hours, but comforting and reduces irritation. Keep up the nurofen if you're ok to take it, or panadol for a couple of days as the pain can be exhausting too, makes you feel more on top of things.

Don't know why this feels more personal, but if you have a decent size tummy, pull it up to make sure you go completely (iI think this goes with waiting a minute and wee ing again to check you've finished properly), if you have no spare tyre ignore this. I was told this after having a baby, that your organs and fat can squish your bladder, it really helped when I had a raging uti and it still makes a difference what with still looking pregnant 5 years later

I also fine the sachets of powders really helpful if you dissolve in a pint of water and just drink it as one of your many glasses. . Oh and cystemme, many of the others do nothing for me.

Good luck with getting it under control.

D-mannose seems to be really helping. Great til. Thanks all

Hurrah for the 'D'!

Another tip: First thing in the morning, drink a cup of lukewarm water with a squeeze of organic apple cider vinegar.
It will kick start your digestive system, help control hunger and cravings, prevent bladder stones and urinary tract infections by eliminating excess acidity.

I think the Trim anti-b referred to above is Trimethoprim.

After a particularly nasty bout a few years ago I switched to wiping front to back, post going to the loo, and haven't had an attack since - doubtless that contributed. I also ALWAYS go for a wee after sex.

I agree with the pp who said Cranberry can act as an irritant when you already have an infection. You need to stick to drinking plenty of water, bland food and get plenty of rest until you feel better.

I've found avoiding all fruit juice, fizzy drinks, coffee, spicy food and alcohol has helped prevent further attacks. HRT cream applied locally helps if your attacks are menopause related but it would take several weeks to start working. It's definitely worth asking your GP to examine you as I suffered for several months before I got help for my repeated UTIs.

Hope you feel better soon, OP

Depressingly enough I found giving up chocolate stopped my never ending bouts of cystitis. Also gave up tea (bizarrely enough coffee has no effect), tomatoes, spicy food, baths and any coloured shower gels.

Boring but bloody works. Might be worth googling what foods can trigger cystitis.

Sounds silly, but switch to cloth sanitary protection. There are loads of chemicals and plastic in regular disposable San pro which creates a terrible environment for bacteria to breed. Using cloth has really helped me- I haven't had cystitis since using cloth. And they are much more comfortable!! I use cheeky mamas but there are loads out there. Honestly, it's worth a shot.

On the topic of wiping bums, moist toilet tissue is worth using. You think your bum is clean until you wipe it with moist tissue and see what was left! You can get small packets for when out and about.
But if the root cause is falling hormones this needs to be treated otherwise you are more vulnerable to bacteria.

Thank you all. This has been so helpful

Brilliant thread. I suffered terribly with cystitis pre children but I'm bookingmarking this thread in case it ever comes back to haunt me!

Bumping this. DD gets terrible bladder pain. Urologists cant find anything wrong with her. Which is the best D mannose powder to get and from where? TIA