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(x-post) D-mannose or Macrobid?

3K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  SumnerRain 
#1 ·
My Dr's office just called and said I have bacteria in my urine so they need to give me an Rx for Macrobid to treat for a UTI. I asked her if there was any natural treatment and she (somewhat rudely) said no. I don't have any symptoms.

I've heard good things about D-mannose. Does anyone know where I can buy it locally or if it have to be ordered online?

If you were me would you take the abx? I'm still nursing my 21 mo old and the last round of abx I took left us with nasty thrush for 9 months.

Thanks
 
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#3 ·
D-mannose is the active constituent in cranberries that helps with UTI's. It bonds to the bacteria and flushes out your tract. You can get it at any health food store. If they don't have it, you could ask them to order it, usually takes under a week, and you would save on shipping. I would definitely go the natural route, but that's just me! D-mannose in diluted pure UNSWEETENED organic cranberry juice(tart!) should help a lot. Also, drink tons of water to flush out your UT, and a bit of vitamin C would probably be helpful. Avoid sugar, eat some good plain live yogurt if you eat dairy, and if you do get symptoms, like painful urination, you could try a tea of Marshmallow root and leaf. It is a demulcent herb, meaning it makes thing "slippery" and can help ease the pain of urination, by protecting the tract. Very soothing, and by the way, I just looked up marshmallow in Herbal Remedies for Women by Amanda McQuade Crawford in the pregnancy chapter and it is safe. She says antibiotics should be a last resort.
It sounds like you could nip it in the bud, considering you have no symptoms yet.
 
#4 ·
I definitely would not take abx without any symptoms. NO way. I have had a UTI start (I knew b/c I had early symptoms) and clinched it with tons of water and cranberry juice. Of course I would use abx if I felt they were necessary, but with something as minor as you describe (I mean, NO symptoms?) no way - ESPECIALLY with a history of thrush. Yikes.
 
#5 ·
I would try the cranberry. I have taken something called Cran-Max before. It works for me if I take enough of it. Also try drinking lots of water with lemon in it. Drink over a gallon of water a day, and have them dip for bacteria next time you are in. If it isn't gone, then I'd think about abx, but not now for sure.
 
#6 ·
I had a horrible experience with Macrobid. One pill made me puke half hourly for 24 hours, I almost needed to be admitted to the hospital for rehydration. Two weeks later I still had positive urine (and still NO symptoms) and two weeks after that my urine was clean. My midwife assured me my reaction was not normal and was not convinced it was the macrobid and not the flu or something, but it's a bit too coincidental to me.

I understand them wanting to treat it, untreated UTIs can cause kidney problems and premature labor/miscarriage and 20-30% are asymptomatic, however I might be inclined to push fluids, take the herbals and then hope like crazy your next sample is negative. If it comes out positive again at your 4wk checkup, I would consider the macrobid. YMMV though, so you need to do what you feel comfortable doing and maybe leave the doctor's office in the dark about your decision if you feel it necessary.
 
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