So dispirited. Three courses of antibiotics and uti again.

I have had the same problem. My doctor has prescribed vaginal HRT pessaries as the problem was thought to be lack of oestrogen. You use them every night for about 3 weeks and then twice a week from thereon in. The HRT is localised and does not go round the body. So far so good.

Lovetopaint037

Thank you all. So much useful information. Wondering if Estriol is safe at my old age.im going to look for Blissel and see what that says. I have d-mannose capsules -3 a day with unsweetened cranberry. Trimethoprim sounds as if there are risks especially as I take bp tablets. Also have a very large hiatus hernia for which I am on lifetime Omerpratzole and Famotidine Also just seen Just seen Yes Vaginal moisturiser. I will have to talk to my doctor again.

Do not use the ones with cranberry, cranberry is a bladder irritant.
Buy the pure D Mannose.

BlueBelle

I m not going to be much help here because it was in my younger days and I ve no way of giving you a name but when I was young and had constant UTI s I was put on a daily tablet which the doctor described as similar to a disinfectant destroying germs before they took hold It work and while I was on they tablets I didn’t have any UTI s at all
It was I suppose like a maintenance dose of something
I wonder if something like that is still an option

I'm in daily hiprex....its an antiseptic, as opposed to an antibiotic...maybe this was what you were on?

I paid privately for a course of the UTI vaccine, Uromune. It's a pain to take, every day for three months under the tongue, and you can't eat or drink anything for a few hours before or after. I set an alarm at three in the morning and kept the vaccine in a cool pack by my bedside. It cost, in 2024, about £500.

However, after all that, it does seem to have worked. Haven't had a UTI since, and used to get them every couple of months or so.

Worth asing your GP about Vagirux , it is a low dose of vaginal HRT - a small tablet inserted by using an applicator- simple ! I have been using these for a number of years. No more constant trips to the loo in the middle of the night. I do need the loo during the night but only once or twice rather than 3 ,4 or 5 nightly visits to the loo. I am also much better during the day. Before Vagirux I was always needing the toilet, even walking felt like something bouncing on my bladder ! It has made huge difference to my life! UTIs spoil the quality of life.
Don't feel you have to put up with this because you are 84! Speak to your GP and ask about vaginal HRT. Good luck .

Just seen your post Gran22, glad they work fot you too !

Lovetopaint037

Thank you all. So much useful information. Wondering if Estriol is safe at my old age.im going to look for Blissel and see what that says. I have d-mannose capsules -3 a day with unsweetened cranberry. Trimethoprim sounds as if there are risks especially as I take bp tablets. Also have a very large hiatus hernia for which I am on lifetime Omerpratzole and Famotidine Also just seen Just seen Yes Vaginal moisturiser. I will have to talk to my doctor again.

Yes, pester the doctor, and dont give up now x

it's becoming obvious you need a more complex response than the anti'b's so far. Or a stronger one like the one HVDY mentioned.

and take heart from the solutions also that have helped others.

(I was also given Estriol after just after one episode on the second go - stronger anti b, and Estriol.

I looked up the NHS Estriol entry and it is safe for "elderly".

About 12 years ago I had a few bouts of cystitis. My GP gave me 3 days of antibiotics. It didn’t really touch the sides. I went back to him because 12 years ago it was easier to get an appointment. He recommended D-mannose and I bought it from Amazon as it isn’t available on the NHS. I chose Waterfall. I have never had a UTI since. I always have it in the medicine drawer and throw it when out of date. A bit expensive but worth every penny to me. I take it on holiday just in case but the one dose all those years ago was great.

I suffered from a series of UTIs a few years ago - very miserable time. Lots of antibiotics which had their own problems. Then prescribed Vagirux oestrogen pessaries. That seems to have sorted the problem.

Lots of lemon juice in water the minute you sense one coming on works for me. Others swear by cranberry juice. Worth a try. Proper lemon squeezed from the fruit, not lemon cordial or squash.

I have always read to avoid citric fruits nanna8. I will be interested to read what others say.

Is your partner infecting you?

*Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are generally best avoided or limited when you have an active UTI because their high acidity can irritate the bladder and make symptoms worse. However, once an infection has cleared, the vitamin C and antioxidants in these fruits can help prevent future infections.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid During an Active UTI
During a UTI, it's recommended to avoid foods and drinks that can irritate your bladder and worsen symptoms like pain, urgency, and frequency.
Citrus fruits: As noted above, the high citric acid content can irritate the bladder lining.
Fruit juices: Many commercial fruit juices contain added sugars and lack fiber, which can encourage bacterial growth.
Caffeine: Found in coffee, tea, and some sodas, caffeine is a diuretic and a known bladder irritant that can increase the urge to urinate.
Alcohol: Alcohol dehydrates you and can make urine more acidic, worsening pain and irritating the bladder.
Spicy foods: The capsaicin in spicy foods can irritate the bladder lining, increasing discomfort.
Sugary foods and drinks: Refined sugars feed bacteria and can hinder your immune response, potentially prolonging the infection.
Carbonated beverages: The bubbles in fizzy drinks can aggravate the bladder lining*

From googling.

Because of various health conditions my DH is permanently on antibiotics for UTIs , at the moment he is on Cefalexin, which seems to work reasonably well.

Another vote for vaginal gel, Blissell in my case. It works so well for me and my repeated ITIs are a thing of the past. I was put on low dose antibiotics but they became ineffective. Thank goodness for a GP who understood the misery of UTIs. I hope you get some relief very soon.

HelterSkelter1

I have always read to avoid citric fruits nanna8. I will be interested to read what others say.

Absolutely!
Caffeine, alcohol, citrus,strawberries, raw tomatoes and cranberry in any form.

Tgats dreadful! Has your GP not suggested Ovestin or Estradiol pessaries? This local application of hormone replacement is safe and very successful in warding off the bugs that migrate to the dry vagina we suffer from in older age.

PinkCosmos

I don't know whether this is useful , but vaginal dryness can contribute to uti's.

I don't use Estriol (the oestrogen cream) which is supposed to be one fo the best options. I do use Yes Vaginal Moisturiser- other brands are available.

I do think it helps ward off uti's.

I use Yes as well. I don't use Vagifem as it says it may cause memory problems.....

I’m afraid l’m in the same boat as you.
I have had to cancel spinal injections next week as l am on my 2nd lot of antibiotics and the wretched thing won’t go. They won’t give me steroid injections whilst l have an active infection.
I have waited over a year for the injections so feeling pretty miserable. I really do sympathise as it makes you feel pretty rotten and the antibiotics really drag you down. I do hope we both feel better soon!💐

I too have had a history of UTIs and almost constant antibiotic prescriptions which work for a week and then back comes the problem.Amazingly, I have now been without a UTI for almost three years which is because I take two D-Mannose capsules daily along with one Optibac for women.I have to be strict about taking them every morning otherwise I can get a faint signal that I am going into UTI mode.I use D-Mannose Complex high strength capsules which also have in them Cranberry extract and Vitamin C available from Amazon.The product is is made by Inspriko and is vegan.Hope this helps.

I know that when suffering from an UTI, people can become quite desperate on trying to find easy over the counter cures. As I understand it, all research has shown that drinking cranberry juice has no effect than drinking any other juices, or even plain water.
Each UTI does need a sample sent to a lap to see exactly what bug is causing it, in order to prescribe the correct anti-biotic. No one of these is a cure-all.
A preventative can be found with using per=ssaries such as Vagirux. But if one occurs it is important for the proper ab to prescribed
Sounds like the OP understand the need to keep very well dehydrated, but the idea of 'flushing it through' does not work very often with sufferers.
Six years ago I was getting really bad UTI's constantly, as one cleared up the next one started. After nearly six weeks and five different ab's. one night in hospital and a further late night trip to a Doctor i insisted my GP referred me on to local hospital urology department.
Best thing I did, a check there with a special small camera in my bladder revealed a growth. Three weeks later this was removed, stayed on low dose ab daily for a further three months, and have been totally UTI free since then/

Estriol every time 🤩

If you are going to take a urine sample in to be tested then DO NOT drink too much water. You are diluting any bacteria and the person/machines don't actually see the full extent of the infection
Secondly am I correct in thinking you've had a weeks worth of antibiotics . If your health person will agree ask for a 3 day high intensity course of antibiotics. That was the only thing that worked for me - . Weak antibiotics will not touch any infection and you will need to have at least 3 courses . In my opinion ( please feel free to disagree) the continuous prescription of antibiotics is the reason as to why infections are getting resistant. Hit them fast and strong is my motto!#

Thirdly - as somebody has already suggested, you may have vaginal atrophy (VA) and not an infection. My VA was diagnosed when I had a UTI. Since medication I don't get UTIs ( I hope I'm not tempting fate)

finally - forgive me if this is not appropriate - but if you are still sexually active then make sure you clean any sex toys

Hi, I had UTIs monthly until my Dr reviewed my medication, I had been given canaglifloxin which is known to cause UTI’s, if you’re not on this medication check if anything other medication you’re taking can be causing the problem. Haven’t had a UTI since I stopped taking them in November!