UTIs

I didn't find them any good , I tried them for months , but threw them in the bin

I agree with aggie they were of no use to me at all. After a succession of UTI’s I persuaded my GP to give me a “just Incase” prescription of antibiotics that I have on hand ready to take. I am now taking a very low dose HRT which does help with UTI’s too.

I totally sympathise with you Glenfinnan having repeated urine infections is horrible. I almost always ended up in A&E when they got so bad it was just passing blood .

I have heard of people taking very low dose antibiotics on an almost permanent basis to keep UTI’s at bay. Maybe worth discussing with your GP. Good luck x

Doctor told my friend to drink 2 glasses of cranberry juice daily when she had recurrent UTI's.

I drank gallons of cranberry juice which didn’t help one iota. No better than just water (which incidentally does help by making you produce urine instead of those painful little dribbles).

I buy D-Mannose in powder form, 300g at a time and stir about 1g (1 scoop) into a glass of water and drink it twice a day. It costs me around £40 for enough for 150 days. I have some tablets for travelling but agree, they are very expensive.

I haven't had any problems since I've been taking D-Mannose (about 4 months now) but the UTIs came in batches before and I may just have been lucky. I was told about D-Mannose by a Urologist after a series of tests. He explained how it was thought to work and suggested I try it.

A friend who suffers with this a lot used to drink pints of cranberry juice. Didn't help much but a couple months ago she switched to Cranberry tablets and has found that the infections have stayed away. She does have AB's on standby too.
My Mil used to find Lemon Barley water helped her clear infections.

I buy D Mannose from an eBay seller. 90 tablets £9.99. www.5greens.co.uk.
After 3 years of repeated infections and more antibiotics than are healthy I have been UTI free for months?.
I use a prescription pessary twice weekly and I swear by the D Mannose.
I had a course of acupuncture that got me on the right track then once I was infection and antibiotics free I started D Mannose.
Hope this helps.

My last UTI was actually caused by an antibiotic I'd been taking for a chest infection in the mid-90's ( first and last UTI ) which meant another course of antibiotics to cure the water works. I must also add that I was treated for the latter in Oz, so a possible dehydration problem after the long-haul trip. I remember being in agony, not being able to wee and just passing blood------but within a day or two I was back to normal and have never had a problem since nor any UTI's. ( touch wood )

The UTIs could be linked to dry vagina if you're post-menopause. There are several threads about this, and how using a topical hormone replacement helps.
Ask your doctor.

I buy D mannose through Amazon
Have you tried cutting out all caffeine?

I was on long term antibiotics as a prevention for recurrent uti s for 17 years after suffering regular uti s since childhood, until my new doctor, after she had come down from the ceiling suggested Hipprex. I found it has kept me clear for over 12 months. Look it up on the internet and ask your gp about prescribing it. It needs you to take high doses of vit c so it can work in the bladder. I get the effervescent ones from A***. Much better than the Ascorbic acid the doctor prescribes along with the Hipprex.
I found d mannose prohibitively expensive to take at the necessary dose.

Many thanks to you all for comments and suggestions. I'll look at alternative sellers and also the powder option. xx

At the very first twinge - drink a pint of water, and then another one as soon as you can manage it. Keep an eye on the colour of your wee, aiming for it to always be pale lemonade colour, very dilute.

Yes have cut out caffeine drink decaffinated tea doesn't seem to help!

Went to dr with severe pain in back which I guessed was kidneys, told no infection, gave sample and a week later she rang to say it was urine infection, gave antibiotics etc, so I said do you mean it was a kidney infection and she said no as I would have back pain if it was that!
So by the time I started antibiotics I'd suffered for a week extra although water did ease but back still sore.

I suffered with a succession of UTIs a couple of years ago. I was referred for cystoscopy and all they found was age-related change. I was given a course of Vagefem pessaries and have had no infection since.

I have never suffered from UTIs and I drink zilch else but caffeine!

Sweetened cranberry juice cancels itself out because the amount of sugar in it feeds and encourages bacteria in the bladder so adding whole frozen cranberries to food works better as do cranberry tablets.

Low carb diets = less sugar in the bladder = less bacteria.

Cranberry juice has tonnes of sugar

I too have suffered endless uti's for the passed 3 years, and end up being prescribed various types of antibiotics. I have recently had another cystoscopy and ultrascan, and was told my symptoms were age related, I am now 71. I have been on vagfem for 18 months.
Nothing seems to work, so now I am waiting to see my GP to see if he will put me back on HRT, which I took until I was 60 and always felt so well, (wish I had never stopped)
I am not sure what reaction my request will have, but I am prepared to try HRT again for 4 months if he agrees, to see if the Uti's stop, and I can get a good nights sleep. It's got to be better than taking antibiotics every 8 weeks.

I had thirty plus years of urine infections and found the only help was drinking bicarbonate of soda which helped if I caught it before it took hold if not antibiotics, likewise with some cranberry fizzy tablets that I got in NZ and can’t get in this country so my daughter in law sends them if I need, however it all stopped after the menopause Finges crossed

Beware of bicarbonate of soda if you have high blood pressure. I am on a low dose of antibiotics all the time because of infections and they work a treat. I also use vagifem which was a great relief I thought it was infections causing my soreness but it was hormone related more recently .

My first ever UTI was six weeks after the birth of my first child. Christmas Day - I had no idea what it was, just kept on needing to go to the Loo and felt unwell. Hubbie had to rush me to hospital A&E. Next one was just after birth of third child, whilst still in hospital (she was premature). Very embarrassing during visiting time as I was constantly having to go past all the other beds to get to the loo. Nurse told me to drink four jugs of water, which I did, but did not help, needed AB's to clear it.
In the past, one GP actually gave me an undated prescription for AB's to use if I had an attack at the weekend. Not a good idea as there are different infections and they may need differing AB's
Had one started few years back as I was preparing to go over to visit daughter in Northern Ireland. Once there she arranged for me to have an emergency GP appointment to get AB's
I do drink loads of fluid, but now note that if I am run down in any way, I will almost definitely start one of these infections. Each time, I have to contact my GP and take in a 'sample' in order to get a prescription for AB's. Often feel so unwell.
The only time I had several years relief, was when I had suffered several attacks in a few months and a relief GP at my surgery put me on HRT pessaries. I did not believe her when she told me to do this, but they worked like a charm and kept me nearly three years infection free.
I love people who just tell us to 'drink more water', to clear this infection. It may work for those who have mild infections, but does absolutely nothing for many of us.

A daily glass or two of cranberry juice.

Well two weeks in taking D Mannose tablets and I haven’t had a UTI. As I bought 2 lots of these tablets I’ll continue and let you know how I get on. Thank you for all your support and comments.