Hi everyone,

I am brand new to this forum but am at my wits end and am looking for help and support through this tough time.

I started dating my boyfriend in September 2014 and have been having recurrent UTI's ever since. I have had them in the past very rarely (one, maybe two a year) but am now having minimum one per month, if not more.

I went to one urologist who basically told me it was normal and to keep taking antibiotics in the hope it will eventually pass. I couldn't accept that answer and went to get a second opinion from another urologist yesterday.

He is performing a cystoscopy next Thursday to check for anything wrong internally with my urethra or bladder (very nervous for this, anyone have advice or know what its like?).

He also told me he has had cases where with one partner women have no UTI's and then they end up switching to someone else and they get them all the time. So I asked the obvious question, will this always happen to me with my current boyfriend? I got the dreadful answer, yes.

I burst into tears the whole way home and wondered how I was meant to tell my boyfriend. I don't know how I feel about this always happening with him, nor do I think it is fair for him to have sex with me knowing I will most likely get another infection and be in pain.

He took it pretty well and said he would stay by my side no matter what, but has this happened to anyone else?

I was prescribed a low dose antibiotic to take after sex to help prevent a UTI and I have been on and off Macrobid for months now.

Has anyone else had this before? How did you cope with it? What helped/didn't help?

I am so depressed over this and don't even know what to do with myself anymore.

Anything helps..

Welcome Cassamatazz.

Sorry for your pain....many many moons ago...I had recurring UTIS; what worked for me was...warm sit down baths ...azo uti once I had (please make sure you read ALL ingredients and that you are not allergic to any of them), cranberry pills/juic and going to bed w/o underwear....cotton during the day....
It's the outer bacteria that could be effecting you...hope this helps...

Hi Cassamatazz and welcome to NeuroTalk

The Urologists answer really annoys me.

Some women have more UTIs than other women. We tend to be more prone to them than men.

Some basic urinary tract maintenance:

- Be sure you are drinking plenty of fluids. You should drink sodas sparingly.

- Urinate before intimacy.

- Urinate after intimacy.

- Ask your boyfriend/husband to wash his hands before being intimate. After all he will be touching you very intimately and germs from his hand can transfer to you. When asking him to wash his hands explain to him why so maybe in the future this will be automatic for him. (my husband always washes his hands before )

- Try to get out of the habit of "holding it" as many of us women tend to do at times.

Make sure you wipe front to back.

Take care

Hi,
I have had UTI's for decades...., even had operation to widen my urethra( didn't work).

What has worked are these few things...

1. Stay away from sugar and simple carbs. When I stay on only veggie and lean fish, poultry diet, and drink only water or herbal teas...no more UTI's....sugar makes bacteria grow so need to stay away from it. if you drink cranberry juice for UTI, it must be sugar free. Try to abstain from from wine/alcohol and see if that helps.

2. Take the supplement D-Mannose...I only discovered it a couple yrs ago and it has worked very well.
You can get it at any health food store or order online at Vitacost or Iherb.com, etc.

http://products.mercola.com/d-mannose/

3. Don't drink any carbonated or sparkling beverages, they irritate the bladder.

4. Drink TONS of water....I drink 8-10 large glasses per day.

Did the doc discuss treating your boyfriend with antibiotics? Also, he has to have good hygiene, especially if he is not circumcised. He may be carrying the bacteria that caused your infection, which is often e.coli, but can be a number of things, and passing it right back to you.

Best of luck, I know it is SO uncomfortable and you don't want to end up living on antibiotics.
Diandra

Are your UTIs laboratory confirmed?

I'm only asking because I didn't see UA or culture results mentioned.

Interstitial cystitis is a common cause of bladder infection symptoms. Allergies and autoimmune disorders are sometimes implicated. It is worthwhile to look up.

I had similar symptoms chronic UTI and interstitial cystitis symptoms a few years back.

It ended up being endometriosis on my bladder but the symptoms of chronic UTI and/or interstitial cystitis where there.

Something worth trying even though it sounds odd and I cannot even remember the link where I read it (but it actually helped reduce my bladder spasms) is to:

When urinating, mindfully increase the stream. Bear down. GO. I've actually felt a bit of a urethral sting when trying to increase the force behind it. Something about the tenseness? of the muscles during the act of urinating seems to decrease the spasms that follow the emptying/relaxation of the bladder?

My hysterectomy may have fixed my endometriosis but it has left me with vaginal dryness that also can share symptoms of bladder infections. I'm wondering if it is never-ending!

Thank you so much for all of your replies!

I did an ultrasound, I have done several urine tests/analysis as well as cultures. It has all come back with E-coli (unless my doctor forgot to mention anything else).

One of my coworkers studied nursing and said it could be that he has the bacteria and we are passing it back and forward with each other without knowing, which I will try to remember to bring up at my cystoscopy appointment next week.

My boyfriend is coming with me to my cystoscopy appointment so hopefully him being with me will help him and he can hear everything the doctor tells me as well and have the opportunity to ask any questions.

The problem that is the most confusing to me is that I never had them this often until him and I started dating which makes me want to blame it on him but it is really hard to prove and is not fair to him that I just use him as an excuse.

I guess the only thing I can do is wait to see what he finds during the cystoscopy. I am just wondering what other questions I could ask him to get more info?

I have lots of experience with this. I would have said everything Diandra above has said.

D-Mannose really seems to be very helpful!!! Go to your local health food store and get a well known brand and follow the instructions. I think it is probably best to take daily. The D Mannose has helped many many people (although most doctors don't wish to check into it)

Apologies if a little gross and personal, but if possible, use a wippee, like Wet Ones after a bowl movement. Use paper tissue first and then the wippee afterward. Keep them in your purse, etc.

Drink lots of water and eat well. Eliminate sugar as much as possible. Take a multi vitamin daily. And use other vitamins as you chose. Do not drink sodas.

BTW, since doing these things, I haven't had one infection and it's been at least a year (knock on wood).

If you have sincerely tried all of these things, including the daily D Mannose, then I would consider the use of Macrobid when having relations.

This thread takes me back to my "active" days....they are no more .. I didn't have many UTI's but I know a woman needs to urinate and clean out after sex, this is important. I have used many white vinegar douches in my days way back. Making sure every last drop of urine leaves the urinary tract is important too.

Lots of good info above and I don't recall if probiotics were mentioned...these are important. Condoms could help You...

On the wippee's, I use them daily now after every toilet visit. Don't throw down toilet...

Echineaca is a good alternative abx...I don't think it's good to load the body with abx continually. Hope things will be better.

Oh, back in the "old days" docs prescribed sulfa drugs for UTI's...I never took many abx drugs in my lifetime.