Urinary Tract Infection Thread

Hi,

 

I recently went through a cycle of dealing with recurring and ultimately resistant urinary tract infections (UTI).  Needless to say they were very  painful and frustrating.

 

I wanted to start this thread to hopefully spare anyone else out there the pain and agony I went through.  Unfortunately the doctors I went to and the ER attendants were very blase about this topic and very painful condition because it is so common.  But it doesn't have to be.

 

What I have learned so far...although I am finding there is a lot of general misinformation and old wives tales out there.

 

Some doctors refer to it as "Honeymoon Cystitis" even though it is basically the same thing as a UTI also referred to as Cystitis.  The bottom line is that this condition is an infection in the bladder.

 

Sometimes cystitis refers to an infection in any part of the urinary tract system and can also have implications with the kidney although when the kidney is involved it is then called a kidney infection.

 

Urinary tract infections or UTIs are usually divided into two categories:

 

1. UTI where bacteria is present
2. UTI where bacteria is not present.

 

Urine is usually sterile, but this is not the case when a bacterial UTI is present.  Doctors test for UTI by testing the urine.

 

UTIs where bacteria are present are primarily caused by the invasion of bacteria, which is usually transferred from one part of the body.  A primary transfer point if from the colon.  E Coli is one of the most common bacteria that can cause a full blown case of UTI. 

 

Bacteria can be transferred in a number of ways to the bladder or surrounding areas, most commonly through sexual activity, or improper restroom habits such as wiping from back to front (from the anus towards the vagina).

 

Women are more prone to UTIs than men, because they have a much shorter urethra, so it is easier for bacteria to migrate into the bladder or even the kidneys, and attachr to the organ lining and grow..

 

Symptoms Of Bladder Infection (UTI)
-Pain or 'burning' sensation while urinating

- Urgency to urinate although urinating produces almost no urine AND can be very painful.  

-Bladder spasms which can accompany the urgency

-A heavy feeling in the stomach or surrounding areas
-Cloudy or bloody urine; foul-smelling urine
- Fever
-General feeling of uncomfortableness, irritation and feeling under the weather.

Symptoms of kidney infection

With a kidney infection, or upper UTI, the following symptoms may be present in addition to the UTI symptoms listed above. 

-High fever
-Chills and shivering
-Nausea and/or vomiting
-Lower back pain

It is very important to note that if for any reason you suspect you have a kidney infection, or your bladder infection may have travelled to your kidneys, seek immediate medical attentoin. Kidney infections are serious!

 

Diagnosis & Treament

One of the doc-in-the-box locations can easily diagnose a UTI or kidney infection and it will say you time and money from hanging out in an ER somewhere.  Many of the Doc-In-The-Boxes have call ahead arrangements so you can put your name on the waiting list without actually being there.  All take insurance.  They have been a godsend for me.

Any doctor can diagnose a UTI by using the dipstick test. This tests the levels of various things in your urine (specifically, high levels of nitrites and the presence of white blood cells) and the results can clearly indicate bacterial presence.

 

If bacterial presence is indicated, you will probably be prescribed a short course of a standard antibiotic.

 

If you have demonstrated resistant infections in the past, tell your doctor this so a second line therapy can be prescribed. A urine sample should be sent off to grow a bacterial culture, to check the antibiotic is correctly targeted. You may need to change antibiotics if the culture turns up something unexpected. Also, if you suffer from repeat UTIs, you might want to suggest a longer course or a higher dosage.

While you have the UTI, avoid all alcohol and caffeine. Avoid sexual intercourse. Drink lots of water.  If the burning sensation is particularly bad, take potassium citrate. It will reduce the acidity of your urine and make peeing easier. When you are suffering with one, you want your urine to be alkaline.

 

To prevent a UTI, you want your urine to be acidic. Potassium citrate is very cheap to buy, and you can get it in liquid form. You mix it with water and take a glass with food several times a day.

If the UTI is not bacterial, you should be fine to self-treat with potassium, fluids and avoiding sex till the attack passes. However, if the symptoms worsen or do not get better within 3 or 5 days, please seek medical advice, as bacteria can travel, and kidney infections can be very serioud.

 

Complications & Continous UTIs

If you are diabetic, or pregnant, and you suspect you have a UTI, seek immediate medical help. Women who are prone to UTIs and become pregnant can ask for a preventative course of antibiotics. UTIs in pregnancy are very dangerous and may cause premature labour. Don’t take chances if you have one and are pregnant.

Repeat UTIs may indicate the existence of diabetes, especially with elevated levels of sugar in the urine. Ask for a blood sugar test to put your mind at ease.

Repeat UTIs can also indicate an obstruction in the urinary tract, or a deformity of the urinary tract. If you suspect this to be the case, you should be referred to a specialist, who can perform an ultrasound scan or a cystoscopy (this involves a small camera inserted into the bladder) to check for these complications.

 

Prevention

The following measures may be helpful in preventing UTIs:

-Drinks lots of water and avoid sugary drinks.  Dehydration makes a UTI more likely.

-Don’t ever resist the urge to urinate. Go as frequently as you need to. Holding urine in can make the bladder more open to developing infection. 

-Take 1000 mg per day vitamin C supplement every day. This makes the bladder environment acidic, and therefore hostile to bacteria growth.

-Take cranberry supplements found at health food stores.

 

Contrary to popular opinion - drinking cranberry juice may make things worse because many juices have sugar.  Sugar can aggravate UTI symptoms. Cranberry supplements are more concentrated.

-Perform good hygiene. Always wipe from front to back, never in reverse.

When UTIs are related to sexual intercourse:

- Make sure you always urinate within 15 minutes of having sex - both before and after. This will flush out any bacteria that may have begun to colonise the urethra.

-Use a lubricant. Even if you do not think you need one. Additional lubrication reduces trauma to the urethra and may reduce instances of UTIs. Study this option carefully. Spermicidal lubricants are generally bad for UTI sufferers.

-Avoid "rear entry" positions. The best sexual position for avoiding UTIs is with the woman on top; it reduces the stress on the bladder and urethra.

-Make sure your partner washes their hands and brushes their teeth before performing oral sex. E Coli live in the mouth and under the fingernails.

I hope this helps. Please add anything I might have missed out that can help others avoid these problems.

 

These unexpected causes include:

1.  Eating a diet high in chicken, turkey & pork.  Accoring to WW's poultry and pork have a high incidence of E.Coli which is the bacteria most often found as a cause of UTI.  This makes sense since another cause is improper wiping after defecating which may have the presence of E.Coli as well.  Studies have shown women who eat less poultry and pork react much better to antibiotics for UTIs than those that eat a lot of the pork and poultry.
2.  Pet owners have a higher risk.  Same reason.  If the litter box of a cat and dog's poop may contain E.Coli that can be transported to the human body causing the UTIs.  This can also happen from just petting your animal.  It is suggested that when cleaning up cat, dog or pet poop...wear plastic gloves and wash hands completely after playing with a pet or even petting them.
3.  Diaphrams and other forms of birth control may irritate the urethra and thus cause a UTI.  Although diaphrams are a common cause, spermicide products may also cause irritation and thus a resulting UTI.
4.  Some prescription drugs may kill the "good" bacteria in the urethra and thus cause the potential for UTIs.
5.  Tight jeans and thongs which block proper air flow are also indicated.

6.  Hot baths, spas and whirlpools may also cause bacteria to back up into the urethra and cause problems leading to UTI.

7.  Diets heavy in sugar and carbs as well as chocolate (caffeine).
8.  Wearing pantyhose without cotton panty covering.  Cotton panties are the best for helping to prevent UTIs.

You can actually do a home diagnosis of your symptoms to determine if you have a UTI with testing strips available at many pharmacies.

 

Hope that helps by adding more info to the UTI puzzle.