UTI Hell- help please!

[Martyitsyourkids]

Hi,
Currently sat in a shallow bath with terrible pain with UTI. DH has gone to the pharmacy to pick up my anti-b's. Whopper of one, only really passing blood.

Reoccurring, though after long term cefalexin and camera up, no follow up with hospital due to covid.

Can anyone help with pain relief tips please? Or just tell me something, anything to distract me from the pain 🥴

Handhold OP, it’s awful I know, do you suffer from repeated UTI’s? Are they caused by e-coli? I used to have constant UTI’s my nurse recommended taking d-mannose, it’s a supplement that’s basically a fruit sugar, it can be taken in powder or tablet form, the d-mannose attracts the e-coli and flushes it away as you wee, been a total game changer for me. Good luck I hope you feel better soon

Thanks so much rose. Yeah repeated, I'm not too sure really, the camera showed inflammation so they gave me the long term anti b's, and then no follow up. I'll certainly be calling gp to cause up tomorrow.

Have tried d mannose, didn't work for me, but thanks so much xx

Are you on the pill? A friend was, she had terrible UTIs. Went to A&E one day and the doctor she saw was amazed that no one had told her it was possible when taking the pill. Stopped the pill and no more UTIs

No, not on the pill. That's awful though, your poor friend 😢

I get these often, I find hot water bottle between the legs, paracetamol or cocodomal depending on the pain.

I find baths actually cause them for me so avoid, if you are having lots of baths steer clear of any bubble bath or shower gel etc as this can make it worse

I've had them all my life and have many triggers.
Sorry if I'm listing stuff you already know but hopefully some of it is helpful! I haven't had one in about a year now so it seems to be working.

• washing powder, I have to wash my underwear, PJs etc at 60 with fairy non bio sensitive only.
• no coffee or alcohol, or fizzy drinks, go easy on the sugar.
• get yourself a massive water bottle and make sure you're drink 2.5+ litres of water a day.
• wee after sex, before bed and as soon as you get up

Also if you start to get pain in your lower back or a high temperature please get some medical attention as it could have become a kidney infection and they often need iv anti-biotics.

Hope you are feeling better very soon

Sorry you are in pain. I had the same Tuesday night, sat in bath just like you. Amazingly mine went away (touch wood) after a lot of water and camomile tea (and paracetamol and ibroprofen), I also have chronic UTIs and usually it takes a course of antibiotics. I tried DMannose and it didn’t stop me getting a UTI so I stopped.
I have had the six month antibiotics and I didn’t get a UTI during the course or for about 5 months after but then they came back. I have been to the urologist twice (no cameras though) and had two ultra sounds. The last time I saw the urologist he told me to drink cranberry juice, which is ridiculous, and eat probiotic yoghurt, which I haven’t tried yet so who knows, and tried to convince me it was a side effect of the menopause, when I have had UTIs for the last five years (and still have periods). He also, slightly more helpfully, said next time I need anti bs I should have a longer course, and that I could have some preventative anti bs at home to take after sex, as sex can be a cause for me.
I’m sure you know all the pain relief things. I dose up on ibruprofen and paracetamol, drink loads of water and camomile tea, stick a hot water bottle right up between my legs, have a hot bath. I also usually sleep on the sofa as I find having the TV on distracts me enough that I might get some sleep and also being a bit raised up seems to help.

I had this when younger, I was told to always go for a wee straight after sex.

Old family remedy is barley infusion. Third to half fill a mug with Pearl barley then add boiling water to the top. Leave it for a few minutes then pass through a tea strainer/sieve/muslin cloth. Retain the liquid not the solid! It tastes pretty rank but is somewhat soothing.

Bicarbonate of soda in a tumbler of water helps calm it down. Use about 1/4 teaspoon per glass.

Also, you need to consider painful bladder syndrome (formerly know as IC) if your wee doesn't show any bacteria or respond to anti Bs.

There is a lot online about this, and it's often triggered by diet (acidic food and drinks, coffee, tea, alcohol.) Changing what you eat and drink can help a lot and there are drug treatments to help calm the bladder down.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for the tips everyone (sorry I don't know how to tag)

I'm def. Going to look at how diet affects my bladder. Certainly know I can start but cutting down on my coffee intake! X

And yes, it is so frustrating how easily this condition can be fobbed without a thorough investigation.
I have an IBD and was being told that's the cause, however much I explained that there is no correlation between utis and flare ups 😫

Do you wash your anus after every poo? Really important especially if you're sexually active. Also to the poster upthread - you can be peri menopausal and have repeated UTIs when still having periods. Your GP could well be right and sounds well-informed.

Hello everyone, just had a nasty UTI that sadly developed into a Kidney Infection. This has caused my IC to flair up with a vengeance.

My main symptoms are:

• Severe pain in the urethra – feels like an open wound/ inflamed/ throbbing/ intense pressure/ sudden jolts (like an electric shock) like my urethra is suddenly being pulled out of my body. Like a knitting needle is inside my urethra, constantly pricking.
• Bladder feels very heavy/ pressure/ constant feeling like I need to urinate. Bladder spasms.
• Sharp stabbing pain in left ovary.
• Toothache pain across lower abdomen.
• Extreme muscle pain and soreness
• Unable to sleep due to pain.

Anyone got any strategies/ tips on how to soothe the urethra, as this is driving me insane and to the limits of what I can cope with. Thanks

I found D Mannose helpful and then was on the daily AB.
It was going onto HRT that really helped though. No more UTIs since then.

Repeated UTIs here from the first sexual encounter in my 20s. never had one before that and then had them almost every other month.

It only stopped during the pregnancy of my first child.
No idea why...
Never came back.