Reoccurring UTI's

[HeartStrings]

I'm sick and tired now!! Anyone on here suffer from reoccurring UTI's?
I've had blood tests, scans etc and no reason why!
It's doing my head in now! I'm a mother of three and I'm in so much pain and keep needing the toilet but there's nothing there to come out?

Any advice on how to stop them from coming again?

D-mannose is amazing stuff, have you tried the powder? It has really helped me.

I also have this. I have had one scan, got another booked for next week. I saw a urologist and she has sent a letter to my GP asking that next time I get one I am put on antibiotics for 6 months - my feeling is a weeks worth doesn’t completely get rid of it. Do antibiotics help for you?

Have googled the D-mannose and will try and get hold of some. Thank you.

@ImportantWater I've been put on a three day course. Last time was end of May and it didn't work so I had to get put on a longer course. I do find that sometimes one lot of antibiotics doesn't clear it up so a different antibiotic is given and works. They just come back though, I get them quite regularly lately and it seems to be the older I get the more frequently the come (I'm only 28 though).

The doctors today were full so they rang me instead so they haven't been able to dip test my urine. I'm going back on Monday though to speak about what to do long term because at the moment I'm just getting treated when the infection flares up badly and the symptoms appear. They're not fun 😥

Have you read this article? I found it interesting about long term antibiotics www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/20/in-pain-all-the-time-will-there-ever-be-relief-for-women-with-chronic-life-changing-utis

I had them for many years, ended up in hospital with kidney involvement on two occasions . For the last two years I've taken a cranberry capsule each day and I haven't had even one UTI. The cranberry stops bacteria from sticking to the wall of your bladder so you don't get the infection.

I have had this since I was 15 I'm now 33. It's draining. I have also had all the tests with nothing showing up. Don't have much advice but have found my people

I have this too and it is honestly so horrible. I tried the cranberry tablets but found them a bit costly when I was a student and haven't gone back since, perhaps I should take another look!

Horrible thing to suffer with. I'm having to mentally prepare myself before I go to the toilet every bloody 10 minutes. I feel like I've taken for granted all the times I could pee pain free.
I'll defo be looking into these tablets, anything to prevent this from coming back again and again I'll give a try 😫

I have had recurring UTIs since I was 14, I’m 38 now. Had tons of tests and they can’t find any cures. I seem to just have a low immune system - I have Addison’s disease and asthma as well. I have taken daily cefalexin since I was 14, with a few gaps here and there where they’ve swapped it to something else but I always go back to cefalexin because it seems to work well. I take 500mg at night and if I feel an infection coming on I up it to 3 times a day, usually a day at a higher dose zaps it and I drop back to once a day. I have tons and tons of cefalexin - they give me lots on prescription so I always have enough to updose if necessary. I wish I didn’t have to take it but it’s been life changing for me.

I said cures when I meant reasons!

I'm a patient of Prof Malone Lee mentioned in the article. Or I was, he's gone private only and handed his nhs case load over. Google LUTS clinic, Whittington hospital. That's where the treatment is.

Prof says it's not recurrent UTIs, it's one chronic one which hasn't been sorted but the symptoms ease up and then flare up.

Ive been on antibiotics daily for five years now. But symptom free and gradually reducing medication.

Like the pp I also have a dodgy immune system ( Addisons , asthma , hypothyroid and so on ) and I get regular UTIs related to having intercourse , using tampons ( was worse with a mooncup) and even if I’m constipated ( which I often am) . I now have a supply of Macrobid ( nitrofurantoin) from the GP and I take one after sex and at any other time that I feel a UTI coming on and it has reduced the amount of full blown UTIs that I’ve had in the last few months .

I have had this too and the one thing that works for me other than being on constant antibiotics is Uqora! Seriously has changed my life as I the antibiotics were draining me and the pain was just awful when they happened. I’ve only had one since taking it for the last year (down from about every six weeks and maybe six monthly when on antibiotics)

Like pp mine is related to bad immune system - in my case got so much worse since developing Type 1 diabetes

Wow, I wasn't aware that so many other people suffer from it. I'm not alone. How wonderful that you've found what helps prevent it for you. I'll be heading to my GP first thing on Monday and explain all of this (might even show the thread)
Thank you so much for the advice, looks like there's a little light appearing at the end of this tunnel

Your local urologist is likely to be shit. Ask your GP for a referral to the LUTS clinic. I travel hundreds of miles to go and it's so worth it. They will do a lot of phone appts to save you travelling.

Op I get cystitis all the time but for me it's sex related ( the whole emptying your bladder immediately afterwards etc makes no difference to me st all )
I use D Mannose a lot and it really helps

I got nowhere with my GP - Uqora I order from the states although I think they now have stock in the UK. It was developed by a woman who suffered from constant UTIs herself and needed a better solution.

Another patient of Prof Malone-Lee. First saw him 10 months ago and with treatment the nightmare of my entire life being taken over with the constant need to wee, the pain, the lack of sleep etc, I’m starting to get better. I was so depressed and exhausted and every flipping lab culture came back negative. If I went on antibiotics the symptoms would improve only to be back to square one 2 or 3 weeks later. I had 6 years of this plus every scan going, cystoscopy, bladder installations, 12 months of one antibiotic tablet daily and nothing ever improved the situation. Professor Malone-Lee is appalled by how let down women are with tests and treatment not fit for purpose. I’ve had to go without holidays and treats to afford to see him but it’s worth every penny to be getting my life back. I can’t recommend him enough if you feel you’re getting nowhere.

I had them for years recurring - nightmare! Appreciate your reason might not be so simple, but mine were resolved by ensuring I drink enough water, I also drink a glass of cranberry juice every day and sporadically add a rehydration sachet to my water (once or twice a week or so). Hope you get it sorted, I can sympathise.