recurring uti

I'm a 24 year old, relatively healthy female. Since I was 15, I've gotten urinary tract infections often. More often as time goes on. Normally its about once every other month, sometimes more frequent. I've been told.more than 3.a year is considered frequent. I easily double that.

Up until this year I've just been trying to.deal with it. I feel them coming.and.catch them early, so they never spread to my kidneys. I try to drink water alot, even though I still don't drink enough. I always make sure myself and my partner are clean before sex, usually after sex I also wash up again. I try to always pee after sex, which supposedly flushes out any bacteria introduced from sex.

My uti's are almost always from sex. Like 98% of the time.

Recently, I started doing research on structural defects of the urinary tract as possible causes. I had a referral to a urologist, who preformed kidney/bladder ultrasounds and well as a cystoscopy. Nothing wrong whatsoever.

I'm so fed up with this shit! The drs just shrug their shoulders like "well, some women just get them". BUT WHY?! If there's nothing physically wrong with me I don't understand what is different about me vs millions of other woman who have plenty of sex with no infection.

I'm currently on antibiotic therapy. It keeps symptoms at bay, for the most part. But I always feel like I'm straddling the line of full blown infection.

Just wondering.is there any women here with the same.issue? Have you done anything, learned anything, figured out any tricks??

They come from bacterial in your urethra. Make sure your peeing before and after sex. If your having sex on a full blater than the bacteria from your urine can be pushed into your urinarial tract and enter the urethra. Also make sure your whipping 'front to back'. It could also be your soap, so make sure your rinsing all of your soap out. Are you drinking plenty of water while on your antibiotics? Are you taking ALL your pills? If you don't take all your pills some bacteria could lay doormat and begin to reproduce later. The bacteria will become use to the antibiotics and will not die, forcing you to have to take a higher dose...

Good luck 🙂

Perhaps your diet? Add lots of cranberry juice and water...

Posted by Cmccask1
They come from bacterial in your urethra. Make sure your peeing before and after sex. If your having sex on a full blater than the bacteria from your urine can be pushed into your urinarial tract and enter the urethra. Also make sure your whipping 'front to back'. It could also be your soap, so make sure your rinsing all of your soap out. Are you drinking plenty of water while on your antibiotics? Are you taking ALL your pills? If you don't take all your pills some bacteria could lay doormat and begin to reproduce later. The bacteria will become use to the antibiotics and will not die, forcing you to have to take a higher dose...

Good luck 🙂

Yes, this is all basic stuff I've been trying and still getting them. Do you know, when I got referred to this urologist, he told me most of those things won't actually prevent one. Wiping front to back, peeing before or after sex, wearing tight clothes... he said it wasn't very accurate. I guess that's just one opinion becuz I've noticed peeing after sex does help. Not peeing and just going straight to sleep is almost a guaranteed uti.

But I have switched soaps, I used unscented sensitive skin kind.

I do always finish medication. I'm already resistant to 2 maybe 3 types that are commonly prescribed.

Almost 10 years with no answer :/ there's gotta be a reason

Posted by Ssasy
Perhaps your diet? Add lots of cranberry juice and water...

That dr also said cranberry doesn't really help. He said, and again idk if it's just his opinion, but acidic foods irrate more actually. Thats complete opposite of what I ever thought. I read or was told that raising the acid level of urine makes it harder for bacteria to grow. He's telling me something different.

Definitely water though. I love caffeine, that's probably part of it.

What's a life without coffee or sex though 😢

Posted by xy
Be careful not to rely too much on antibiotics.

Shower before having sex and after sex, your partner should do the same. Make sure to clear bladder.

When you have UTI, try natural remedies.

Coconut water (in can) is pretty cheap and it works better than cranberry juice.

Boil some corn with the corn husks. Boil it until you see the water a bit yellow. Let it cool. Drink it. It might taste weird but it works.

Drink a lot of water and avoid sweets.

Try drinking coconut water or the corn flavored water once a day.

I never heard of coconut water before. I can try that. Ew to corn water though haha

And I don't want to rely on the antibiotics!! That's why I went though the tests to see if it's structural so it can be fixed but that's not the problem. I was so disappointed cuz now I'm back to just idk.

Posted by Impulsv
D mannose at first sign

Haven't heard of this either. I will try it thanks 🙂 this sounds like something to take everyday like cranberry pills

Always pee after sex. Flush out the bacteria that gets pushed up in the urethra.
Drink lots of water to keep the urinary tract flushed out.
Drink cranberry juice - old wives tale.
Don't wear thongs! The string on thongs rubs against the anus and can spread bacteria to your uretha.
Use fragrance free soap.
Don't hold your pee, go when the urge strikes.

Posted by Lust
Pee after sex does help a lot to prevent UTI. Be careful with soap, it doesn't help if it is not throughly rinse.
Count how many glasses of water do you drink per day to stay on track.
I take cranberry pill that mix with vit C daily & this helps too. I don't like juice.
Few women in this world are unfortunate. They have to deal with UTI year after year. Antibiotic is not working for them any more after a while so they adjust their life style and seems to help a bit. The irritating part when having UTI, i can't have sex. Once, I was almost cured from UTI & my boyfriend and I started to have sex again. After 2 weeks without sex, we couldn't hold it much longer. Then after that, for next few days, it was soo painful for me every time I pee. Would never do that again. My bf at that time was very involve with my UTI prevention strategies. He was there to remain me all the time. Like After sex when I got lazy & just wanna cuddle, he was like "babe, common go pee first,"
Anyway hope you feel better. I feel u.

How often and how long have you been getting them?

See, mine are way more frequent. It's not normal. I'm really interested in the answer. The root cause, the source of the problem. I don't want to just manage it forever if it could just be fixed. Doctors just don't know the answer.

The Cleveland clinic has a type of specialist that's gyno-urology. I think that's gonna be my next step.

Idk how common this is really. When I Google it, lots of stuff pops up. I don't know anyone irl that gets them like me. When I got my ultrasound though the one tech was telling me she has the same problem and was on antibiotic therapy too. But she kinda stopped looking for the answer I think. Idk.

I need dr house :/

Posted by MayDay31

Posted by Cmccask1
They come from bacterial in your urethra. Make sure your peeing before and after sex. If your having sex on a full blater than the bacteria from your urine can be pushed into your urinarial tract and enter the urethra. Also make sure your whipping 'front to back'. It could also be your soap, so make sure your rinsing all of your soap out. Are you drinking plenty of water while on your antibiotics? Are you taking ALL your pills? If you don't take all your pills some bacteria could lay doormat and begin to reproduce later. The bacteria will become use to the antibiotics and will not die, forcing you to have to take a higher dose...

Good luck 🙂

Yes, this is all basic stuff I've been trying and still getting them. Do you know, when I got referred to this urologist, he told me most of those things won't actually prevent one. Wiping front to back, peeing before or after sex, wearing tight clothes... he said it wasn't very accurate. I guess that's just one opinion becuz I've noticed peeing after sex does help. Not peeing and just going straight to sleep is almost a guaranteed uti.

But I have switched soaps, I used unscented sensitive skin kind.

I do always finish medication. I'm already resistant to 2 maybe 3 types that are commonly prescribed.

Almost 10 years with no answer :/ there's gotta be a reason

click to expand

Here's another one- DON'T use soap down there. Your lady bits only need to be cleaned with water.

Have you considered going to a teaching hospital? You know, one where they're training docs (ex: ______ university medical center)? There's so many specialists/constant research being done that they have an edge a good part of the time.

Also, not sure if this would prove any help-

http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0915/p638.html

Thanks for that rocky. That article confirmed what the urologist told me about clothing, wiping front to back etc. Even though it does seem like common sense to not drag stuff up from ass to vagina. But it's not those things that cause it. Its definitely sex, I just can't figure out why. My cultures are almost always e-coli, like the article said also.

Kind of depressing though. It also basically confirmed what my dr already said; if nothing I'd wrong physically, there's not much left to do except manage. Taking antibiotics could have long term, unforeseen side effects. It's just a band aid.

My regular dr office is a teaching hospital. They just don't specialize. The new resident drs are the ones that started me on the antibiotic therapy, them old school mid wives don't do that shit.

Do you have any personal experience? Or know someone who does?

Oh and about the no soap thing... you know I've read that before. "The vagina is a self cleaning oven" lol but idk.. I like to be clean ya know. The unscented soap helps. Maybe I'll use less.

For now, the antibiotics taken at night help. The dr said take them at night, since it's macrobid and is just for the bladder, so it concentrates there while you're sleeping. Not peeing it all out I guess. I just don't know how long till I'm immune. Already, macrobid would never get rid of a full blown infection. It's just preventive.

I guess I could just not have sex for the rest of my life -_-

Posted by MayDay31


Oh and about the no soap thing... you know I've read that before. "The vagina is a self cleaning oven" lol but idk.. I like to be clean ya know. The unscented soap helps. Maybe I'll use less.

*facepalm* You're just being dumb now. You do realize that the whole "unclean" bullshit is something perpetuated by the companies selling products that target these so called "issues." Medical professionals will tell you differently. Do you wear panty liners daily too??

http://drbenkim.com/dont-use-soap-private-parts.htm

Also, you may want to read the comments at the bottom of the article. They touch on UTIs and their experiences as well.

Posted by MayDay31
I'm a 24 year old, relatively healthy female. Since I was 15, I've gotten urinary tract infections often. More often as time goes on. Normally its about once every other month, sometimes more frequent. I've been told.more than 3.a year is considered frequent. I easily double that.

Up until this year I've just been trying to.deal with it. I feel them coming.and.catch them early, so they never spread to my kidneys. I try to drink water alot, even though I still don't drink enough. I always make sure myself and my partner are clean before sex, usually after sex I also wash up again. I try to always pee after sex, which supposedly flushes out any bacteria introduced from sex.

My uti's are almost always from sex. Like 98% of the time.

Recently, I started doing research on structural defects of the urinary tract as possible causes. I had a referral to a urologist, who preformed kidney/bladder ultrasounds and well as a cystoscopy. Nothing wrong whatsoever.

I'm so fed up with this shit! The drs just shrug their shoulders like "well, some women just get them". BUT WHY?! If there's nothing physically wrong with me I don't understand what is different about me vs millions of other woman who have plenty of sex with no infection.

I'm currently on antibiotic therapy. It keeps symptoms at bay, for the most part. But I always feel like I'm straddling the line of full blown infection.

Just wondering.is there any women here with the same.issue? Have you done anything, learned anything, figured out any tricks??

You have a "terrotorial conflict" with someone, appellant. Check out what it is and be cured.

Rocky... why do I have to be dumb for wanting to be clean? So every woman that washes her vagina with soap is dumbass? I'm assuming you don't then. How's that work out? Still fresh as a daisy? And no I don't use liners daily. When need be, like period time, yea. But I like to let the kitty breathe.

I appreciate your help, but that's the second time you've called me stupid. That's not appreciated. You can take that shit elsewhere. Kthnxbye

Teamint... could you explain? There's no such thing on Google. Maybe provide a link, if you can

I don't know English websites, just google "territorial conflict cystitis" or by "New German Medicine".

Disease is often an emotional conflict (lack of "love") isn't resolved for you. If you feel someone is invading your territory, is imposed on you, remove your site, etc ... that can happen.

The way to remove it's to know what it is, take it out, accept, give you a solution, you have to find the source of this to bring it to the conscious and overcome it.

Um...

I don't think this type of thing is psychological. But thanks anyway..

Is it possible for you to contract a urinary tract infection from your boyfriend/partner. I know it can happen with a yeast infection.

No, not on the sense that he had one and then it spreads to you. It's not an sti. Yeast infections can be transferred. I've never known a guy to get one though. Heard about it.

Utis are caused by bacteria making it's way into the urinary tract. Where the bacteria comes from exactly...Idk. could already be present in the vagina, it could be on him. Maybe his hands, Idk. But during sex, with all the movement and such, it just gets pushed in there I guess.

I always take a shower before sex, and him as well. I even make him wash his hands. It still doesn't prevent them. It makes me think it's more likely bacteria that's already present, but isn't doing any harm until it finds it's way to the urethra.

My only other suggestion is using antibacterial soap.

Posted by MayDay31
Um...

I don't think this type of thing is psychological. But thanks anyway..

Don't believe our emotions influence our health? Do you think your body works by pieces like the engine of a car? Oh, la la.

You do not believe that our emotions influence our health? You think your body works by pieces like the engine of a car?

Watch a joke:

A man goes to the doctor and he tells him: you have a terminal Cancer, you have two to three months.

After six months the man returns to the doctor and he says surprised: you here, didn't expect to see, are you okay?
Clear doctor, you told me my cancer was "terminal".


Disease is more than 70% emotion, every disease responds in the background to a absence of love. You will not believe but true.

Posted by Kjk62
After you finish your antibiotics just repkace them with a strong probiotic complex. You can find them in your local health store. Im no doctor or medical professional but from my past experiences/knowledge the probiotics will really strengthen your immune system without the harmful side effects of antibiotics, which usually leave you more susceptible afterwards.

Thanks for the advice. Probiotics would probably be helpful. I think the counteract the yeast infection tendency antibiotics cause. I should try it.

Fortunately since i started the antibiotic therapy i haven't been getting utis. I've only had one in maybe the past 6+ months. And that was when i was late on getting a refill and didn't have any to take.

It's working so far at least. We will see

I used to get them all the f-ing time. It was terrible. 😢

My doctor said I probably just wasn't drinking enough water...but I have a hard time believing that's all it takes.

Like you said, I know tons of girls who don't drink enough water and have literally never had a UTI.

I realized I got them 99% of the time from sex too - and narrowed it down to a specific position.

Peeing after helped and I started taking a cranberry supplement daily...as well as avoiding that particular position... and I went from getting one almost once a month to once a year or less.

I know a girl who swears by acidophilus probiotic.

Glad that the antibiotics are working for you - just wanted you to know you're not the only one who has gone through this.

Was the position girl-on-top? Cuz I've kinda noticed that. It's the friction i guess. Even missionary if he's right on me instead of up straight.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 I'm gonna try this probiotic stuff. Maybe one day i can get off antibiotics. They just seem to work so well. ..but i know it probably won't be good in the long run.

Posted by MayDay31
Was the position girl-on-top? Cuz I've kinda noticed that. It's the friction i guess. Even missionary if he's right on me instead of up straight.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 I'm gonna try this probiotic stuff. Maybe one day i can get off antibiotics. They just seem to work so well. ..but i know it probably won't be good in the long run.

No actually, I'd give up sex if that were the case...lol.

It was him on top at a specific angle.