UTIs and FRUSTRATED

[Pinoikoi]

I have chronic Uti's.. when I am pregnant they can be a problem (like starting contractions when they shouldn't).. My last successful pregnancy my OB put me on antibiotics for the whole pregnancy to keep the infections at bay. It worked. I didn't LIKE the idea of taking them every day (because I think people can build a tolerance to them), but they worked.

My midwife thinks that my "flora" can be fixed.. that the antibiotics have set them all askew.. the antibiotics probably DID set them all askew, but I am not sure they can be fixed.. or perhaps I am more of the opinion (and leaning that way more each day) that if they can be fixed, trying to do it while pregnant may not be the best time. I don't know, I am no expert on these things.

I am on nettle infusion, a gallon of water a day, cranberry tablets, and a probiotic.. she wanted to see if that would make a difference.. it did. It got worse.. now there is blood in my urine on top of the stuff that was evident last week.

I am really unhappy with my body, but I honestly don't know what else can be done. She recommended I see a nurse practitioner tomorrow.. What else can be tried that hasn't? I am getting concerned about my baby; I don't think this infection is good for him/her.

[SeattleRain]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

I have chronic Uti's.. when I am pregnant they can be a problem (like starting contractions when they shouldn't).. My last successful pregnancy my OB put me on antibiotics for the whole pregnancy to keep the infections at bay. It worked. I didn't LIKE the idea of taking them every day (because I think people can build a tolerance to them), but they worked.

My midwife thinks that my "flora" can be fixed.. that the antibiotics have set them all askew.. the antibiotics probably DID set them all askew, but I am not sure they can be fixed.. or perhaps I am more of the opinion (and leaning that way more each day) that if they can be fixed, trying to do it while pregnant may not be the best time. I don't know, I am no expert on these things.

I am on nettle infusion, a gallon of water a day, and a probiotic.. she wanted to see if that would make a difference.. it did. It got worse.. now there is blood in my urine on top of the stuff that was evident last week.

I am really unhappy with my body, but I honestly don't know what else can be done. She recommended I see a nurse practitioner tomorrow.. What else can be tried that hasn't? I am getting concerned about my baby; I don't think this infection is good for him/her.

It's odd to me that your midwife put you on a probiotic since that's the course that's usually followed for yeast infections. The whole flora thing is also a yeast infection thing. Persistant antibiotic use CAN cause yeast infections due to a flora imbalance, but I've never heard that you can get UTI's from an imbalance, other than the fact that a UTI is caused by an "imbalance" of sorts since the bacteria that causes UTI is bacteria that shouldn't be there in the first place.

Has your midwife sent your urine off to be cultured? Is she just dipping them? You need to find out exactly what bacteria is causing this problem and treat it effectively? How long was your last antibiotic treatment? Sometimes if you take the 3 day course, it can leave some infection behind. You might need a longer course, or you might be a person who just needs persistant antibiotics. It's good that you're seeing a nurse practitioner since it sounds like this is progressing to a dangerous point.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by SeattleRain

It's odd to me that your midwife put you on a probiotic since that's the course that's usually followed for yeast infections. The whole flora thing is also a yeast infection thing. Persistant antibiotic use CAN cause yeast infections due to a flora imbalance, but I've never heard that you can get UTI's from an imbalance, other than the fact that a UTI is caused by an "imbalance" of sorts since the bacteria that causes UTI is bacteria that shouldn't be there in the first place.

Has your midwife sent your urine off to be cultured? Is she just dipping them? You need to find out exactly what bacteria is causing this problem and treat it effectively? How long was your last antibiotic treatment? Sometimes if you take the 3 day course, it can leave some infection behind. You might need a longer course, or you might be a person who just needs persistant antibiotics. It's good that you're seeing a nurse practitioner since it sounds like this is progressing to a dangerous point.

I thought the probiotic was odd, too. She is dipping, but nothing sent off for culture. Last antibiotic treatment was 5 days x3

I have an appt with the nurse practitioner for tomorrow afternoon.

[freistms]

I'm dealing with recurrent UTIs this pregnancy, too. I've never experienced it before, so I was at a loss. My midwife had me see my family practice doc, who prescribed an antibiotic for the first one, but I haven't taken another antibiotic since then. I have had at least two recurrences in the past ten weeks. Here's what I've read.

First of all, the number one cause of recurrent bladder infections is antibiotic treatment of the first one. A lot of good that does you, though, when you are trying to figure out how to get rid of them once you have them. ETA: The reason probiotics are recommended is that bladder infections are almost always caused by migration from the bowel. When you take an antibiotic, you inadvertently upset the normal flora of the gut. Of course, you kill the good and the bad bugs in your gut, so it leaves you even more susceptible to bladder infections caused by the bad ones, which are generally hardier and more persistent than the good ones.

90% of bladder infections are caused by e coli. There is a naturally occurring sugar that is supposed to be able to eliminate e coli from the bladder. It's called D-Mannose. It's related to mannitol. It occurs naturally in a lot of different fruits that we eat. The commercially available kind is derived from trees. The FDA advises against pregnant women using it because it hasn't been tested. BUT, it's a naturally occurring sugar that your body is only able to process marginally, it arrives in the bladder almost completely unchanged, and these types of supplements are rarely if ever tested anyway. The companies that produce it claim that it is safe and effective for pregnant women (which is quite a liability risk on their part if they are wrong - for what that's worth), and from what I've read, I can't really understand why it wouldn't be. I've been taking it for several weeks and it seems to be helping considerably. That said, you have to take it every couple of hours (your body clears it very quickly). For me, if I let up for even a day or two, symptoms reappear with a vengeance.

High doses of vitamin C help to acidify the bladder and boost your immune system. I'm taking a LOT of vitamin C. For the same reason, I'm also taking a Calcium Citrate supplement.

I think the effect of cranberry is duplicative of some of the other treatments, but the studies indicate it definitely does help at least *prevent* infections, so I'm taking a cranberry supplement, as well.

I don't know much about the quality of probiotics, but recently I realized that I ought to be taking one that is at least enteric coated.

Some other things I've read about to consider:

Echinacea (without goldenseal), 2 weeks on/2 weeks off
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Magnesium Citrate
Uva Ursi

I've found it very difficult to decide what to do because so much of the naturopathy seems to be based on taking chemicals that haven't really been studied in pregnancy, so part of me wonders if it wouldn't be safer to just take the antibiotic, which have at least been studied for safety? I don't know.

I have an appointment with my midwife tomorrow. Because my due date is quickly approaching, if I have leukocytes in my urine, then I'll be heading back to the doc to request a culture and sensitivity for an antibiotic, most likely for the duration of my pregnancy (I'm due in three weeks). I have my fingers crossed for clean pee.

Good luck. I hope you are able to figure out something.

[SeattleRain]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

I thought the probiotic was odd, too. She is dipping, but nothing sent off for culture. Last antibiotic treatment was 5 days x3

I have an appt with the nurse practitioner for tomorrow afternoon.

I forgot to mention that I also had chronic UTI's also, so I totally have been where you are and I know how rough that can be. If I was you, I would really push them to send your urine off for a culture.

I'm actually quite surprised she let it get this bad, UTI's can be very bad. The general wisdom is that if there's no infection present, use homeopathy to PREVENT a future infection (cranberry, etc.) but once there is an infection, you have to go straight to antibiotics. Maybe your midwife knows something I don't know, but I'd be concerned.

In response to your antibiotic treatment, I wonder if it wasn't effective because it wasn't the right antibiotic for the bacteria which can happen. That's why its essential to culture.

[mrsgrasty]

i have struggled with uti's too, not normally, just during pregnancy. my ob explained that there are two different bacteria that can cause uti, and depending which one it is (i believe they are staph and ecoli), determines whether it can be treated without antibiotic. ecoli (i'm pretty sure) is the one that can be treated with water, cranberry, etc. so getting the culture is pretty important to know if it will even work to self-treat.

i go back and forth with them, but what works for me is this. drink a lot of water, but add lemon. the lemon is very effective. cut out sugar from your diet; it promotes the spread of the infection. and take cranberry extract. i took 4 pills a day, i'm not sure the dosage. this has been effective for me as long as i'm consistent with it.

i'm thankful b/c the doc was going to put me on a antibiotic, and then do the daily med (probably the one you were talking about). but i was determined to try to self-treat with the help of my midwife. (the dr. is just a backup for the midwife and homebirth).

anyway, i don't know if that is helpful for you at all. you probably know all this already. but if you haven't tried the lemon water and/or cranberry extract, i would really give that a shot. i've seen it work for me literally overnight.

[mrsgrasty]

oh, and also, d-mannose is something you can try. i'm not sure exactly what it is, but i've heard that it works wonders. you can get it at the health food store. it's expensive, like $30+ a bottle, but it's supposed to be the go-to thing when nothing else works, before you go to anti-biotics. it would be worth a shot.

[chai]

Originally Posted by mrsgrasty

oh, and also, d-mannose is something you can try. i'm not sure exactly what it is, but i've heard that it works wonders. you can get it at the health food store. it's expensive, like $30+ a bottle, but it's supposed to be the go-to thing when nothing else works, before you go to anti-biotics. it would be worth a shot.

D-mannose is a sugar that you can't metabolize (much). It goes directly into your bladder where the live bacteria prefer it to your urinary tract/bladder walls. So they let go of your body and grab onto the D-mannose. Then you pee them out. D-mannose works BETTER than antibiotics because even the antibiotic-resistant bacteria get peed out of your system, so they can't re-infect you.

I've cured my own UTIs with D-mannose, and also if I get a *hint* of a UTI starting I take a dose preventatively. I pretty much don't bother with anything else.

One thing to know, however, is that D-mannose only works for e.coli. E.coli is by far the most common cause of UTIs, but in rare cases they can be caused by something else, in which case D-mannose will have no effect.

I would definitely get some D-mannose in the case of chronic/repeated UTIs, and take it regularly as a preventative.

(I'm not a doctor, just a passionate UTI hater!)

[chai]

Originally Posted by freistms

90% of bladder infections are caused by e coli. There is a naturally occurring sugar that is supposed to be able to eliminate e coli from the bladder. It's called D-Mannose. It's related to mannitol. It occurs naturally in a lot of different fruits that we eat. The commercially available kind is derived from trees. The FDA advises against pregnant women using it because it hasn't been tested. BUT, it's a naturally occurring sugar that your body is only able to process marginally, it arrives in the bladder almost completely unchanged, and these types of supplements are rarely if ever tested anyway. The companies that produce it claim that it is safe and effective for pregnant women (which is quite a liability risk on their part if they are wrong - for what that's worth), and from what I've read, I can't really understand why it wouldn't be. I've been taking it for several weeks and it seems to be helping considerably. That said, you have to take it every couple of hours (your body clears it very quickly). For me, if I let up for even a day or two, symptoms reappear with a vengeance.

When I've cured UTIs with D-mannose, I took a dose (about a teaspoon) every hour for two days, then decreased frequency by a couple of hours every day or two for the next week or two. Once the infection is totally cleared up I'm able to just take one dose per day to prevent reinfection.

Oh, also, I should mention that I figured out my UTIs were being caused by sex lube (like KY). It seems my urethra was very sensitive to it. I noticed a pattern that every time I used it, I got a UTI. Now that I don't use it anymore, I don't get UTIs anymore (so don't need the D-mannose anymore, generally). Just thought I'd mention that because there *can* be an external source of irritation that is causing reinfection. I've heard of women who had to stop using detergent to wash their underwear.

[RedOakMomma]

I was plagued with UTIs in my first pregnancy. I took a long course of antibiotics (longer than a week, but can't remember now), then went on the no sugar/lots of pure cranberry juice/lots of cranberry extract diet. Oh, and I was always VERY careful to wipe carefully and to pee after intercourse.

For me at least, that did the trick. In my second pregnancy, starting on cranberry extract caplets (taken daily) starting right away seemed to be enough--no UTIs.

[is it puppies?]

I use D Mannose and Vit C (and I take lots of Vit D already). I have gotten rid of UTIs a couple of times just by cutting out sugar and taking LOTS of vit C (maybe 10 000+ for a couple days) and avoiding sugar when D Mannose or cranberry supplements were not available (while traveling). I have not mega-dosed on C during pregnancy though and stick to the D-Mannose (every few hours for a day, then gradually taper off) and about 4000 C and 2000 Bioflavinoids. Lots and LOTS of water and healing teas such as Tulsi and real Green. I also start my routine of D Mannose and Vit C(not mega dose though) whenever I start to feel a bit of something coming on down there... and I haven't had a full blown UTI since I discovered D Mannose.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma

In my second pregnancy, starting on cranberry extract caplets (taken daily) starting right away seemed to be enough--no UTIs.

I already take cranberry tablets..

[Carlyle]

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma

no sugar/lots of pure cranberry juice/lots of cranberry extract diet. Oh, and I was always VERY careful to wipe carefully and to pee after intercourse.

This was key for me during my pregnancy with dd. NO sugar. And I mean none. I became an obsessive label reader. No high fructose corn syrup, no corn syrup, no sugar, no "dehydrated cane juice," nothing. I allowed myself occasional honey/maple syrup. This cut out all of the obvious sugary things (desserts, cookies, ice cream), but you would not BELIEVE the things that "they" sneak sugar into--peanut butter (!), jams (holy cow the sugar), yogurt (TONS there), bread, ketsup, everything. So I changed my buying habits, didn't eat anything with sugar in it, made sure to drink tons (including pure cranberry juice--not sweetened with anything, even other fruit juices). Stopped the UTI's cold. Good luck, I hope you're better soon, UTI's are no fun even when you're not pregnant.

Oh yeah, and I second the wipe carefully and pee after sex. I went as far as jumping out of bed after sex to get in the tub/shower and rinse that area. TMI, but maybe it will help you.

Also, lubes can contribute. I found these to be good ones: http://www.goldengrocer.com/SCAT/SEN...ANICS_2887.cfm But I think they used to make an "anti-uti" one and I don't see it here.

AND (sorry), just wanted to add, that if you have an infection right now, I'd go on antibiotics and then try all of the other stuff to keep it from recurring. My mw said UTI's are nothing to mess around with. She put me on antibiotics and then had me do all that other stuff, which kept them from coming back (and she also put me on probiotics to keep the antibiotics from causing a yeast infection).

[feministmom]

Another (luckily FORMER) chronic UTI sufferer and another vote for D-Mannose....I was always on the anti-biotic-for-UTI-then-diflucan-for-yeast-infection merry-go-round until I started reading up on D-Mannose. I have found that a product called UT Vibrance cures my UTIs every.single.time.

The first time I tried UT Vibrance was when I first got pregnant with DD (who is now 3) and not only did it cure my UTI, but I didn't get another one until I first got pregnant this time. UT Vibrance worked again....although I did take two courses of it just to be on the safe side. Luckily, my local Whole Foods now carries it in capsule form, cause the powder is rather gross tasting. I really could not recommend this product more highly....it changed my life!!

[Pinoikoi]

Is the UT Vibrance link a pill form? I can't tell by the pic...

[feministmom]

The pic in the link is for the powder....I couldn't find an online resource for the capsules, although I didn't look that hard, sorry. My local whole foods has the same formula in pill form. Good luck!!!

[SeattleRain]

Originally Posted by Carlyle

This was key for me during my pregnancy with dd. NO sugar. And I mean none. I became an obsessive label reader. No high fructose corn syrup, no corn syrup, no sugar, no "dehydrated cane juice," nothing. I allowed myself occasional honey/maple syrup. This cut out all of the obvious sugary things (desserts, cookies, ice cream), but you would not BELIEVE the things that "they" sneak sugar into--peanut butter (!), jams (holy cow the sugar), yogurt (TONS there), bread, ketsup, everything. So I changed my buying habits, didn't eat anything with sugar in it, made sure to drink tons (including pure cranberry juice--not sweetened with anything, even other fruit juices). Stopped the UTI's cold. Good luck, I hope you're better soon, UTI's are no fun even when you're not pregnant.

Oh yeah, and I second the wipe carefully and pee after sex. I went as far as jumping out of bed after sex to get in the tub/shower and rinse that area. TMI, but maybe it will help you.

Also, lubes can contribute. I found these to be good ones: http://www.goldengrocer.com/SCAT/SEN...ANICS_2887.cfm But I think they used to make an "anti-uti" one and I don't see it here.

AND (sorry), just wanted to add, that if you have an infection right now, I'd go on antibiotics and then try all of the other stuff to keep it from recurring. My mw said UTI's are nothing to mess around with. She put me on antibiotics and then had me do all that other stuff, which kept them from coming back (and she also put me on probiotics to keep the antibiotics from causing a yeast infection).

I agree with all of this. Get the antibiotics and wipe out the current infection. Then cut out all sugars and drink a ton to get stuff flowing through your body.

[lmk1]

The only suggestion I'd add to all the excellent ones here, is that I started getting a lot less UTIs once I stopped wearing thong underwear and started using mostly cotton underwear. Also, I've cured a few UTIs by drinking 2 bottles of cranberry juice (100% cranberry only - I've only seen it in health food stores, check the ingredients!) in 2 days. I've never taken the cranberry pills, but I would think the actual juice should be better as you're also getting more liquids. And I also agree with the peeing after sex (although I've read that it's good to do before and after, but I can't imagine how much water one must drink).

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by lmk1

Also, I've cured a few UTIs by drinking 2 bottles of cranberry juice (100% cranberry only - I've only seen it in health food stores, check the ingredients!) in 2 days. I've never taken the cranberry pills, but I would think the actual juice should be better as you're also getting more liquids.

Actually studies show that the pills are slightly more effective than the juice.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/heal...ease/a/uti.htm

[MaerynPearl]

but if you use the pills... you want to be sure to still get a LOT of liquid in your system (preferably straight water) because it cant work (by flushing out the infection) if you don't!

but yeah, my doctor had me on the pills a few times with my daughter... and as long as I kept my hydration up the infection seemed to vanish (but I still took the pills for a few days after the symptoms were gone to be sure)