14 weeks and a UTI, I need HELP!

[Cersha]

I just got back from my midwife's (or apparently medwife's) office. I was having frequent urination (way more than normal) and I was barely getting anything out each time. I thought this could be something more than just a preggo sys. She suggested that I come in for a "clean catch". When I did the catch, my urine was VERY cloudy...and I knew that was BAD. While I wasn't having any pain, I knew that cloudy urine and the urge to urinate with little success were sys of UTI (but, I've never had one). She decided that I needed to go on antibiotics, and send the catch to the lab. She said that I had an "off" pH, and there was blood in my urine (not visible, could tell from the dipstick) and some other ickies I suppose that she didn't mention. She is fairly certain that it is a UTI, but is sending it to the lab to find out what kind (I didn't realize there were "kinds" of UTI...but I digress) Anyway, she said she wanted to put me on a broad-spectrum antibiotic until the lab came back, and then she might switch me to one more effective (whatever THAT means) Anyway, she offered to put me on a natural remedy until the lab came back, and then I would need to go on the antibiotics.

This really rubbed me the wrong way, as I have managed to say away from antibiotics since I was like 9. I stopped at my fav health food store and she like begged me not to go on antibiotics...but to take some probitiocs and some cranberry extract pills. Is this okay?? Can I just skip the antibiotics all together?? How will I know when I am better?? Am I making the right choice for the baby?? If I wasn't pregnant, I wouldn't even DREAM of taking the antibiotics, but the midwife told me that I should be concerned about issues like kidney infection and preterm labor (AGGH!!) I just want to be sure I am making the right decision!!

HELP! Is this the right course for me, and how will I know when I am better??

[InstinctiveMama]

I had been spilling nitrites since November (meaning I had a UTI, bladder infection or kidney infection). I had two UTIs with my first pregnancy so that seemed a likely culprit. My midwife had me drink an awful tasting, but effective tea for two days. When I finished the tea, I went back to her office, peed on a stick and guess what - no more nitrites!

The awful tasting tea is uva ursi. You will have more luck finding it at a natural food store. I bought it in the bulk tea department. It's cheap too. The amount I needed cost $1.76. Anyway, get enough bulk uva ursi for two handfuls. For two days brew the tea in the morning. Fill a soup pot most of the way. Dump in one handful of the uva ursi and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. My midwife said to put it in the fridge to cool but I thought it tasted better warm. You can cool it down or drink it warm. Both days drink three 8 oz cups of the tea. Follow up with a decent size cup of water.

Also, Cran-Aid tea by Traditional Medicinals is good. I am now drinking it regularly since my history shows a sensitivity to UTIs. The cran-aid tea obviously has cranberry which is good for the urinary tract but it also has 100 mg (?) of the uva ursi tea.

Anyway, that's what I did. I have to say I prefer drinking tea for two days to get rid of an infection than taking the antibiotics I was prescribed with my first pregnancy. Good luck!

[Cersha]

Is it okay to take the probiotics, the CranActin (Solaray Brand) and the herbal tea together?? Can I do TOO much??

So it's cool to just do another dip test, and then if it comes back clean, I can just assume that the UTI is gone?

[Cersha]

Oh, yeah, and this....(from the ENC of Alternative Medicine)

"Uva ursi is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may restrict blood supply to the fetus, due to its astringent properties."

Does not sound cool to me!! AGGH!

[InstinctiveMama]

I don't think you can do too much, maybe just keep the process as simple as you need it.

As for a second dip test, that's all I did. This all happened just this week. On Tuesday, I peed on a stick and was spilling nitrites again. Wednesday and Thursday I did the uva ursi tea. Saturday morning I peed on a stick again and no nitrites. I believe the tea did the job since that's the only thing I did. I bought the cran-aid tea just in the past couple of days. I am drinking that twice a day to try to avoid another UTI.

I do not know much about probiotics. I thought they were mostly for your gut bacteria. My midwife did not suggest probiotics to take along with the uva ursi tea. Maybe someone else out there knows if probiotics can help a UTI?

[mommykangaroo]

hi cersha! i had to reply to this thread- i know how nerve wracking this issue can be. please be watchful of your pbody and very mindful of your symptoms as you try natural remedies. i hve always been the sme way about antibiotics and during my first pregnancy i attempted to self treat a uti (which i do often when not pregnant) and i ended up hosptalized and on iv antibiotics... most terrible experience of my life. i developed a very rapid kidney infection and almost ended up septic. a uti caN progress quite rapidly when pregnant so whatever path your choose- call your midwife immediately if you hve flank pain, or a high fever as those are signs of kidney infection. oh! and i hve read that uva ursi is not recommended druning pregnancy. i really hope that helps- i wish you the best. oh, and please forgive al the spelling errors... my 4 year ofld (who i wa pregnanct with during this time! and who is prefect!) spilled hot chocolate and i now have a very sticky dkeyboard!! :)

[Cersha]

The chick at the store said it would help, but mostly, I bought them in case I HAVE to go on the antibiotics, so I can heal myself...but I'd much rather avoid them altogether.

[Cersha]

the antibiotics, I mean.

[Cersha]

any more thoughts? I'm freaking out here. I did 5 8oz servings of unsweetened 100% cranberry juice today. One at the top of every hour with 16-24 ounces of water in between. That stuff is NASTY. I really hope it works. =(

I talked to my midwife and she said that if the culture comes back as EBS or E.Coli I pretty much HAVE to take the antibiotics. She said that the cranberry won't do ANYTHING against them. Poo. I'm just afraid of a kidney infection if I don't take the antibiotics...but I REALLY don't want to take them.

Am I doomed?

[shellbell]

Blueberries help urinary tract help maybe you could get some frozen ones and put them in a yogurt smoothie)... and there ARE differing views on the cranberry juice helping uti's. My midwife told me to drink it... and lots of water when I had one during a pregnancy. Also I buy cranberry pills for my daughter who has frequent uti's and she responds better to those (and water) than anitbiotics.

I'll look it up to see if the probiotics help the urinary tract or not. But, yes they do most of their work in the gut

[shellbell]

Here... use this link. It contains information on what specific probiotics to use for uti's.


http://www.natren.com/pages/urinarytract.html

[mamaverdi]

Cystitis would be an infection that goes up into the bladder. UTI would include the entire urinary tract urethra, bladder, kidneys, and ureters.

Most alternative health care providers and books have the following warning: "Left untreated, a bladder infection can easily become a kidney infection. Kidney infections need to be treated immediately."

There are different homoepathic remedies that can help. Cantharis. Merc v. check out this website: www.abchomeopathy.com Or the book Homeopathic Medicines at Home.

Aviva Jill Romm's book The Natural Pregnancy Book recommends the following:

*dramatically reduce sugar intake as sugar breeds bacteria
*go as soon as you have to go and empty your bladder completely
*echinacea (I like Super Echinacea by Herb Pharm NAYY which comes in a tablet) tincture 1 drop per every 2 pounds of body weight every four hours, then 20 drops 3 times a day for a few more days.
*cranberry juice: eight oz every four hours, along with four 8 oz glasses of water each day
*500 mg of vit c each day for 3 to 5 days (sodium ascorbate works best)...and I actually think you can take more than this as the kidneys filter it out and excess will be washed out.

She says uva ursi should only be taken with the direction of a very specialized care provider while pregnant. I know other books recommend against in pregnancy