[fyrebloom]

So I'm 15 weeks almost and this is my third UTI! I know sometimes you can get chronic UTIs during pregnancy but i'm SO done with having them! The burning is terrible. Anyone got any ideas of how to keep this from happening again? I was thinking of cranberry pills, since I'm so sick of cranberry juice it's not even funny.

 

[Hesperia]

There was a recent post here about many things to try...
Buy some cranberry pills, they taste like nothing.

I'll see if I can go find you the link.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1062581&highlight=uti

I see that you've replied on it though, but hopefully you'll find something to help....uti's are the pits.
Hope you feel better soon!

 

[abc123xyz]

I know that in my last pregnancy I had a couple UTIs and I was drinking cranberry juice like crazy and my midwife pointed out to me that cranberry juice at the store like ocean spray or whatever commercial brand has added sugar and stuff that irritates and feeds the UTI......so, I just thought maybe you might be doing the same thing I was?! If so, she told me to goto a natural food store, which I do anyway, (or our target has it too) and get the glass bottle of all natural cranberry juice. It's nasty and sour...mix it with water and ice and drink it from a straw but my UTI went away within 24 hours of drinking the whole bottle and never returned!!!! I haven't had to deal with it this time around and I am hoping I don't have to but I do know what works now...for me anyway but I have told a few friends about it and it worked for them too!!! Worth a try I figure! Thought that might help!!!

PS- The cranberry pills could work too....you just have to watch sugar intake because it can really feed the UTI "growth" or reaccurance! Also, I would stay clear of citrus because I know I get UTIs real bad outside of being pregnant if I have more than one glass of orange juice or more than 1 piece of citrus fruit in a day! I have since I was a little girl though! Food for thought! Hope it clears up soon and stay away!!!

 

[gossamerwindweb]

I am having this issue. I am on my 4th antibiotic in a month. As soon as I finish one, 3 days later I am burning again.

Apparently this issue has more to do with the fact that I have Multiple Sclerosis (which can give you urinary dysfunction) than pregnancy specifically. The baby being on my bladder doesn't HELP though. At this point I am ready to do whatever my doctor says.... she will probably want me to take one antibiotic a day through the rest of my pregnancy. I will just be prepared ahead of time in case we get thrush and cross my fingers.

The burning is SO not worth it. Good luck

 

[MsBlack]

I second taking cranberry extract pills. Also, if you can, eat berries--blueberries, raspberries especially, as they also have the same compound as cranberry (which makes it much harder for germs to adhere to the urinary tract--so they flush out instead).

But repetitive UTIs to me is a sign of a chronic systemic imbalance--if you are to get real relief from UTIs, you need to correct your pH as your U-tract (and possibly vagina and possibly your whole system) is too basic, needs to be more acidic.

I would take a high quality probiotic, for one. Also, the cran extract pills for at least a full month if not longer (it's advised against taking them perpetually, however, as it can lead to kidney stones). Drink, drink drink plenty of water--but no need to overdo it either. Yes, avoid sugars and caffiene if you aren't already doing so. Get vinegar into your diet--whether as salad dressing or as 'medicine' (by eating 1-2 tablesp, 1-3 times a day).

DO NOT 'hold your pee til later'--take potty breaks often to keep your system flushing well. Try to pee, and maybe rinse yourself off as well, after sex (semen is very basic).

To help kill off pathogens living in your UTract, a good idea while you're trying to change your pH, consider upping your Vit C to at least 2-3000 mgs a day, and also taking echinacea tincture for a month or so. This will boost your immune system.

Taking antibiotics, especially with any frequency at all, clearly does NOT do a dang thing to 'cure' or 'prevent' UTIs (or frequent ear infections or anything!) and only helps to keep your pH out of whack (which is why ppl get thrush/yeast, which loves basic conditions). Regular/frequent antibiotic use is also very likely to produce antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in your system and your environment that can be highly damaging and even deadly ("superbugs"). It also suppresses immune system functioning, another very bad idea and one guaranteed to make you dependent upon antibiotics. (I will add that where MS is concerned, I'm not well-versed--I'm speaking here of 'general population'). Antibiotics do certainly have a place in the 'medicine cabinet'--a VERY small place, one FAR smaller than what most docs and consumers give them.

Their are a host of natural UTI remedies, not all mentioned here. My main point is that repetitive UTIs, while they do occur for some women, are NOT 'normal' in pregnancy or otherwise. It is a sign at least of depressed/suppressed immune system, and also of pH imbalance that only 'feeds' the pathogens while keeping out the beneficial bacteria that we need for health ('acidophilus' family, what is found in yogurt, probiotics). If you can correct your pH, and re-institute colonies of beneficials in your system, you will have far less trouble with UTI or any illness.

 

[gossamerwindweb]

MsBlack said: (I will add that where MS is concerned, I'm not well-versed--I'm speaking here of 'general population')

I say: thank you for adding that! LOL! I NEVER take antibiotics. I hate them, and don't go to the doctor unless something is WAY out of control and I can't fix it naturally for some reason.

My immune system is generally TOO good. Most people with MS have very strong immune systems (unless they take all the medications, steroids, etc... which I won't do and is ANOTHER subject entirely) Which is why it attacks my own nervous system... I guess it is bored

LOL!

Anyhow, I have researched everything and done pretty much everything else you said on here already. I ALSO shaved all my hair in case something was hiding in there, am very cautious about keeping clean but not with harsh soaps, etc. It is driving me batty. I did vitamin C 500 mg every hour for a day and a half as read in Susun Weed's book to acidify my urine... which did nothing. Well, that isn't true. My urine started giving my labia acid burns. LOL!

I do know MS often causes urinary retention in general (therefore allowing bacteria to breed because you aren't emptying your bladder every time), which is an issue I have had for years... BUT... I haven't been getting infections becuase my immune system is so strong. At this point I do think the prophylactic antibiotics and just being prepared to deal with thrush is my best option. It irritates me, but it is just one more thing about this pregnancy that I don't seem to have control over and I have to just trust that my decision will be the right one, you know?

 

[fyrebloom]

I had chronic UTIs as a child and they've gotten worse this past year. I had at least 4 or 5 UTIs before getting pregnant and now 3 more since getting pregnant.

I think the sugar is a very good point and it might be my prob. I tend toward GD and I'm insulin resistant, and this week I have been VERY sick. My blood sugar has as a result been high and perhaps that is why i'm having trouble again this week.

I got some 100% cranberry juice (just cranberry, no sugar added that stuff BURNS going down!) and choked down a cup of that, plus I took some cranberry pills. I hope all that knocks it out! I will try some probiotics as well.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Talula Fairie]

I found mixing my 100% cranberry juice with another juice, like blueberry or grape (as long as it is 100% juice and no sugar or HFCS) helped it go down easier. Sometimes I watered it down on top of that too and just drank glass after glass.

 

[Serenyd]

I take the cranberry capsules. Also boiled cranberries smashed and then a BIG glass of water. Tastes awful but it works I think b/c it is the real thing and hasn't been processed.

 

[mwherbs]

Ms Black wrote up a decent list of things-- here are a few things I would add-
what I recommend to clients and it works actually better than cranberry juice is blueberry juice- the reason it works better is because moms will drink the blueberries in large amounts but few will follow through with cranberry completely- so a 20 oz bag of blueberries a day- divided up into 4 servings you could do more but atleast that-- same with cranberry- moms usually put them in a blender frozen with a bit of water some make a smoothie with unsweetened yogurt- don't add other high sugar juices- just plain is best!!
also drink a gallon of water a day- with frequent bladder emptying- do this even if you use antibiotics- diluting the critters and dumping them to reduce populations can really help, the other thing is with the hormones softening everything there is a greater possibility that urine will retro flow back up the urerters so frequent emptying can help prevent this
as for clothing- no thong underwear- going without underwear is better than a thong- and if you wear underwear cotton outside and in not just cotton lined
consider wearing a panty liners that have probiotics sprinkled on them or apply live culture yogurt vaginally
now here are the other things like anal sex has been the most common shared factor among the women I know who have frequent, resistent UTIs so not only is it a stand alone event or something that occurs after vaginal sex - I would also say whole area washing of both partners should probably occur before another round of sex-- also pay attention to position - what you do not want to do is move critters from your anus forward to your vagina and urethra
wash your toys- with hibiclens

if you are having alot of sexual stimulation but no orgasm- go for the orgasm because it changes/resolves tissue congestion, if not then apply a cool clean cloth to bring down the congestion resulting from stimulation

corn silk tea and or mallow can help with the pain and be soothing as well as reduce inflammation
eat live culture foods-
no sodas- sugar free or not you have one system of elimination taxed already - the carbonation if absorbed out gases via your lungs also no coffee, chocolate or cola as all are suspect in being a bladder irritant
complex carbs only but mainly eat a diet of veggies and some protein

if the UTIs persist consider a food sensitivity or allergies, also do a intersitial cystitus diet and you would also stop taking any blueberry our cranberry treatments along with no vitamin C either these things and other things with strong flavors - lots of water and the soothing herbs are useful as well as some abx herbs that would work for yeast as well as bacteria- but this is a more complex treatment and should be considered only after you are sure the simple one isn't going to work--

 

[MsBlack]

Thanks for adding your comments, Mwherbs

I had totally forgotten the notes on anal sex and so forth--also, I did not know before, what you wrote about sexual arousal/congestion, etc. Another good thing to put on the list!

 

[gossamerwindweb]

We have never had anal sex of any form. The only thing on this new list that I don't do is clean my toys with hibiclens. I use an antibacterial wash specifically for sex toys. I wonder if hibiclens will hurt them. I used to sell them and am quite versed on different aspects... and a lot of cleansers will wash off their protective coating and then make them more likely to hold bacteria and have other issues. I should look into that. I have been thinking of using a new condom on my toy every time I use it, just for extra protection. I wonder if that would work.

 

[rhiandmoi]

Do you just take a course of antibiotics or do you a confirmation at the end? If you are not peeing in a cup at the end of the 4 day course of antibiotics you should be. I would also insist on getting culture specific antibiotics.

 

[gossamerwindweb]

I, personally, have been on 3 courses of culture specific antibiotics... (one time they called after the culture came in and changed me to a different one because I was on an ineffective one) for 7-10 days each... which is why it is obvious this is a chronic issue for me... probably related to my MS. HOWEVER they have not made me pee in a cup right after I finish... but in only about 2 days after finishing I have gone back to them because my bladder is burning again. When I finish this course I think I will insist they check for bacteria.

 

[rhiandmoi]

OMG, once you are in the "recurrent" UTI category you have to do a confirmation. 1 or 2 days without antibiotics and those suckers just surge on back, and probably get more and more resistant to antibiotics. Sometimes just one or two more days on antibiotics is enough to wipe those suckers out.

 

[mwherbs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gossamerwindweb I, personally, have been on 3 courses of culture specific antibiotics... (one time they called after the culture came in and changed me to a different one because I was on an ineffective one) for 7-10 days each... which is why it is obvious this is a chronic issue for me... probably related to my MS. HOWEVER they have not made me pee in a cup right after I finish... but in only about 2 days after finishing I have gone back to them because my bladder is burning again. When I finish this course I think I will insist they check for bacteria.

now see this is where I would probably do an alternate protocol- follow some sort of Interstitial Cystitis diet-- here is one- I looked it over first time I have seen it tiered out into 3 sections- usually what I have seen is just 2 foods allowed and foods that could cause problems- the basic idea is to just rid your diet of most irritants-- you probably don't have IC but having a long standing UTI with treatment after treatment is irritant alone think about having your mouth sore for weeks and weeks/or months- that is what the inside of a bladder will be like after several bouts of infection- so first we need to just get to a place of calming the raw surfaces- so there won't be as much tissue for the bacteria to make inroads-- KWIM- in any case I have had this approach work first for a family member and then for a few people I have taken care of--

http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/diet.html

herbally what I have done is use Usnea, and a local anti-fungal herb chilopsis linearis and saint johnswort- up north I would use epilobium and usnea with some saint john;swort --- what you can draw up in a dropper x2- 4 times a day the last dose being at night just before bed- and of course corn silk tea, mallow decoction(or eat ocra- has similar qualities).along with that gallon of water a day--

 

[gossamerwindweb]

That is a very interesting site... thanks for the ideas!

 

[ShwarmaQueen]

If it happens when you're not prego also, it might be something you want to have checked out by a urologist. I just wanted to share that my sis gets frequent UTIs and had a dye-contrast u/s done which showed she had a malformation in the shape/position of a valve from her kidney-bladder (if I remember correctly). Basically, bacteria can move up instead of down. Her DD was also diagnosed with the same malformation when she had a UTI at 2 mo. She has to be extremely careful about staying hydrated due to being prone to them.

 

[gossamerwindweb]

Yeah... I don't get UTI when I'm not pregnant... they are saying that because I have MS AND am pregnant that is why they are recurring. Normally I have a great bladder. LOL!

 

[mwherbs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen If it happens when you're not prego also, it might be something you want to have checked out by a urologist. I just wanted to share that my sis gets frequent UTIs and had a dye-contrast u/s done which showed she had a malformation in the shape/position of a valve from her kidney-bladder (if I remember correctly). Basically, bacteria can move up instead of down. Her DD was also diagnosed with the same malformation when she had a UTI at 2 mo. She has to be extremely careful about staying hydrated due to being prone to them.

so there is the genetic type of malformation but there is some info that children in general have the propensity something like 70% of kids will have urinary reflux- so not simple to accurately dx in kids unless like your sis was dx with a recognizable malformation, then she knew to look for it in her child-- and for some people repeated infections can dammage the closing valve and that will create reflux-- I believe that urinary reflux does happen more often in pregnancy because the tissue tone and shape are changed from hormones and the uterine changes---so like our bodies tell us to do go to the bathroom more often and not allowing the bladder to become very stretched and distended may help prevent some of the reflux if it isn't from a pre-existing malformation