Urinary Tract Infection

[livingwith]

I have had recurring UTIs for the last 6 years, particularly as of late. It seems as though every week I am fighting another off. I try to avoid taking antibiotics and “curing” it myself as I know antibiotics can make the problem worse over time and kill the good bacteria needed to sustain a healthy immune system and kill bad bacteria.
I drink plenty of water every day, drink pure undiluted and unsweetened cranberry juice, take herbal supplements incl. uva ursi, a UTI proprietary ble...Read the full article

[Monique]

Hi Kathy,I share your problem and would like to know the outcome of your visit to the Urologist. I also prefer natural remedies as I am very sensitive to any kind of Antibiotics. I get UTI-attacks about every 6 mnths. I am 63,married, live very healthy and as naturel as is possible - so I hate to take any form of antibiotics as it upsets my whole system.Just had UTI a week ago (hematuria).I immediately drank 2 glasses of water and there after 1 glass every hour. Two Reneel(Homeopathic)and 2 Cranberry tablets as well. The blood washed out within two hours and I at least had a steady flow of urine for 12 hours - couldn't go anywhere but that was fine - it is now 48 hours later and I feel fine. I take 2 cranberry tabl. everyday.

[cshinn]

Hello Kathy,
I have a very similar story to your's. How did the appointment with the urologist go?
If you have time, below is my story, also describing what an urologist told me.
Take care,
Candida

I am 25 years old and have had recurrent UTI's for 6 years. This year the infecting bacteria (E. coli) was resistant to the antibiotic for the first time. I felt the difference when my right kidney started to throb but recovered after adequate antibiotic treatment. A couple of weeks later I was on a conference in Poland and had an attack of spasms in my left kidney, accompanied by vomiting and possibly fever. The cause: possibly lack of sleep and too much pepper in the conference lunches. I was looked at by an urologist who confirmed the infection in my left kidney and prescribed the same antibiotic that I had taken before. Strangely, the urine analysis didn't reveal any significant bacterial growth... Since that episode I frequently have strong spasms or pain in the lower back.

In my case - and like so many women - the infections are directly linked to sexual intercourse (except since the bacteria revealed resistant). I follow all hygiene and health recommendations religiously but they still return.

When I returned home from the conference I visited an urologist with the ecographies, x-rays and blood analysis I have done recently (that my general doctor told me to do given my problem). Nothing shows any abnormality and after the end of each antibiotic treatment for an UTI there are no traces of the infection. The urologist then explained to me that women most frequently have UTIs between the beginning of sexual activity as an adolescent and giving birth, and after menopause (the latter case due to hormone alterations) - nothing new to me. He then continued to explain WHY young women are prone to UTIs at each sexual intercourse. There seem to be small fissures between the vagina and the urethra that are caused by initial tearing of the hymen, and penetration, inadequate lubrification, etc, upon later intercourse. The fissures are therefore an easy way for bacteria to enter the urethra.

There are, according to the urologist I visited, 3 possible solutions for my situation:
1) a continuous treatment of Vit.C in the morning, cranberry extract in the evening, and a Nitrofurantoin capsule at each sexual intercourse;
2) giving birth to cut the connecting fissures;
3) surgery to "artificially" cut the fissures.

Does this "fissure" theory make sense? I haven't come across any information on the internet. As I am not planing on having a child so soon and want to avoid any kind of surgery, I'm on treatment number 1 for now. I still get powerful renal spasms from time to time (seemingly related to being tired, anxious or stressed) but I am waiting for the next time I meet with my boyfriend to find out if the treatment is working. My boyfriend lives in Germany so I guess another factor in this story is a bit of emotional imbalance from being in a long-distance relationship and also being far from my family that lives in Portugal. I drink water all throughout the day and am quite active, cycling around 11 km per day.

I hope I have managed to keep you attention this far and am looking forward to your opinion.