Coping With Urinary Tract Infection

Hi all. I have had recurring UTI’s for years. In the last year, I was having a somewhat major one every 2 months, and irritation nearly every day in between. Drinking tons of water did not solve the problem by itself. I have tried tons of home remedies and RX. The RX will work temporarily, but do not help with prevention. Taking too many RX can cause bacteria to become less likely to be killed over time. My symptoms would always show their face in the morning, especially if my husband and I had sex the day before.

I went to the doctor yet again and had them do another culture of my urine and figure out what type of bacteria were present. Apparently for me, I had unusual bacterial growth around the lips of the vagina even though I was having good hygiene and wiping front to back. With this information and a general knowledge of most all remedies, here is what has worked for me! I am now symptom/UTI free.

Summer’s Eve Feminine Cleansing Cloths. Use this instead of or after toilet paper at least twice a day. Don’t just wipe where urine might be, but very thoroughly around the lips of the vagina. In addition to taking frequent showers and using soap and water, using this product helps prevent bacteria buildup.

Drinking water, limiting caffeine. I switched from Dr. Pepper to Sprite (no caffeine) and never have more than 1 per day. I do not drink coffee so that is not an issue. In the morning no matter what, I drink 1 large glass of filtered water, and 1 large glass before bed with more water in between. This helps you stay hydrated and lets you empty your bladder frequently. Remember, sugar, caffeine and alcohol feed harmful bacteria so it is wise to limit your intake of these and other triggers.

Daily supplements of 1000mg Vitamin C in AM, probiotic Kyo-Dophilus Acidophilus 1.5 billion live bacteria 1 in morning 1 at night, 1000mg powdered cranberry in the PM after dinner. After playing with different supplements, and pure cranberry juice only making me sicker sometimes (due to high acidity), I have found taking these supplements everyday not only helps prevent my symptoms, but the Kyo-Dophilus Acidophilus really helps my digestion and I no longer have stomach problems or diarrhea. They are basically good live bacterias like those found in live yogurt and are said to help prevent infection among other benefits. I can’t stomach yogurt so I take these pills. They can be found in a health food store like Whole Foods. Take all of these with pills with a meal.

After sex: Step in the shower if you can and use soap and water to cleanse the outer areas of the vagina and anus. Urinate immediately after sex. If you don’t need to yet, drink 1-2 glasses of water so you will need to soon. It is essential to flush out any bacteria that may have been introduced during sex. Avoid sex if you already have symptoms.

If I forget to do any of this and feel that I might have symptoms coming on, I take 1-2 50mg pills of antibiotic pills and make sure a large flare up is not possible.

This is a long list of prevention techniques, but taking these steps has prevented my UTI’s and I can now have a worry-free sex life and pain-free day. Everyone reacts to medicine and supplements differently, so what works wonders for me may not benefit you as much. My suggestion is to try several different techniques until you find ones that work for you. I am not a doctor so consult a doctor before adding supplements. Good luck!