I have a UTI! Part 2

[HEATHER28]

Hi Guys

Had to start a new thread the other one was locked. Just wanted to give a update. I finished the antibiotic on Friday and things seem to be ok so far. I have been drinking lots and lots of water and taking my cranberry pills. I am going to have my fingers crossed for the next 3months in hopes that Cdiff does not rear it's ugly head..lol!

I am still trying to figure out why in the world all of a sudden I have started to get UTI's?? Ever since I turned 30 I feel like I have started to fall apart..lol! Oh well life goes on, I am just going to have to deal with it one day at a time.

Hope everyone is doing well! Thanks so much for all of your support ;o)

[abby]

I really think we get UTIs because of having had c diff.

I am 65 and had not had a UTI in my life until after c diff. Since then I've had three. I also had had only three colds in fourteen years and since c diff I catch colds. I really feel that it affects the immune system and for the first time in years, I feel vulnerable.

I can only hope that as time passes, the effect on the immune system lessens!

abby

[klt03301]

Hi Heather,

I'm glad to hear things are going well!

Wishing you the best...Karen

[LindaSp]

Karen,
Thank you for your response to my daughter's continued issues.

wishing you all a good day!
Linda

[Bobbie]

I seldom got UTI's until after I had C. diff. Some docs. think C. diff. affects your immune system. Same with resp. infections altho. I have always had allergies & then developed sinus problems in my late 40s before C. diff. (Had 3 sinus surgeries - helped a lot). Since C. diff., I've developed many other health problems. A correlations? Who knows?

[whitepine]

I just got over mine..and I never took antibiotics for it. I got a Rx for Cipro..had it in my hand..and never took it. I decided to be defiant...and listen to my instincts! So I drank so much water! I kept drinking and for 24 hours straight. I drank until the burning stopped...then slept. Woke up and did it again! I found if i slept the burning would come back in the morning so i stayed up all night and flushed it out. I know you can drink too much water and die. So i regulated it to a quart per hour then 1/2 quart. I also got cranberry capsules and took 3 per day. Just drink and drink...the infection cant take it!!

[anlockwood]

I don't struggle with UTIs and pray to God I never do but have an idea of what might cause some of them. This one comes from watching Oprah of all things... lol. They said many times if you are also experiencing dryness in the area that it could be because of low estrogen levels. Estrogen keeps everything mosturized and when you don't have enough it allows the area to dry out and subsuquently crack allowing bacteria to enter. If this is a case there is a topical estrogen that can be applied that very little of it is absorbed into the body. Just an idea.
Amanda

[Bobbie]

Amanda,
Am on estrogen cream, too. It, alone, didn't work so am now on Macrobid (50 mg. daily) as a preventative. So far, so good.

Cranberry juice is good at preventing UTI's but I can't take it because I also have IC. (Why not?) Some people try a natural remedy called D. Mannose. (See FAQ-UTI's. ) It, too, didn't appear to work for me.

Whitepine is correct. Some infections can be "washed away" with enough liquid, but don't overdo. (Good for you for listening to "you," Whitepine.)

I had two UTI's in my life before I had C. diff. at the age of 52. Had a slight case of pneumonia once before & then again with I had C. diff. the first time. I've had it 3 more times since C. diff. (Had the pneumovax shot.) (I did have C. diff. for a long time however - 4 yrs. -- extenuating circumstances & then again 2 yrs. later.) Know C. diff. isn't responsible for all my health issues, but it sure as h .... didn't help! As soon as I "wrap my head" around one problem, I develop another. Also, genetics & (gasp) aging could be involved.

The best remedy is to "keep going" & live as normal a life as possible. I'm back in Jazzecise (& keeping up) after fracturing a vertebra this fall. (Osteoporosis for 15 yrs. - probably caused by genetics, physical makeup, malabsorption during C. diff., & steroids for asthma.) Am on a new medicine (Forteo). Very expensisve; have to give myself a shot in the stomach every night. Not that bad -- have done worse.

Nuts to all health issues. Deal with them & then try to ignore them as much as possible.

[carrie]

I've heard blueberries can help to. I eat 1/3 cup of blueberries in my smoothie every morning(and drink lots of water all day long) and hopefully I'll never have to deal with a UTI as i'm allergic to macrobid and pennicillin.

[Bobbie]

Thx., Amanda. Copied info. on UTI's in FAQ.

[sks001]

Abby:

I'm the same as you. Never had a UTI my entire life until two months after C-Diff. Called dr's office, nurse would only give him a message (couldn't talk to him) and another nuse called me back & said had phoned in lowest 3 day RX for Bactrim - that it was safe for C-Diff. Found out Bactrim is a sulfa drug and I'm allergic to sulfa. Got terribly sick after first pill and called his office. Nasty nurse dismissed me saying that you have to take it with food (which I had, but only a little) and hung up on me. So I took the next dose with a little more food and got even sicker. Called dr's office again and got same dismissive attitude. Ended up calling EMS and ER was no better - tried to tell their normal answer to everything, that I had stomach flu, that it couldn't be the Bactrim/sulfa, and gave me a Zofran for nausea.

Got dressed & got out of there quick. Called a cab & had driver stop & go in store & get me some cranberry juice (didn't know they had cranberry pills), and drank that and plenty of water for next few days and it got a bit better each day and finally went away.

Later found out on this site that doc should have taken a culture first. Knock on wood, I haven't had another one. Bought some D-Mannose that I found out about on internet to have on hand just in case. Now that I know about cranberry pills, will get some of them to have on hand too, as don't like taste of the juice.

[sks001]

Bobbie -

Forgive me if I sound dumb, but I've seen you say that you have "IC" on many posts - what is IC ??? Curiosity finally got the best of me - lol.

[Bobbie]

Sandy,
IC stands forinterstitial cystitis - yet another exciting disease I've accumulated since C. diff. Of course, it too has many "no nos" -- acidic food, coffee, etc. I was diaagnosed (painfully) about 2 yrs. ago & put on an estrogen cream & a low dose of Macrobid -- neither of which I am thrilled about.

Never could understand how people could allow themselves to be on so many meds. Now, I know how. Just started new treatment for osteoporosis -- a shot I give myself every day. It was issued with a "black box." Can only take it for 2 yrs. because it caused bone cancer in rats (thank God I am not a rat) during tests. If it doesn't kill me, it will cure me -- maybe. I'm back in Jazzercise; must have to modify.

My grandmother used to say she wondered if you put all the meds. in a test tube if they would make the tube explode. Probably would.

With every new diagnosis, I am depressed & then "wrap my head" around it & go on. I keep as busy as possible & am back in Jazzercise. I handle most of my problems by ignoring them whenever possible -- perhaps not smart but only way I can cope.

I am sick of sickness! It's boring, repetitive, irritating, and d . . . inconvenient. Know you feel the same way. I don't know why I continue to work on a site consumed with illness when I am tired of my own & my mother's (& other family members) problems let alone those of strangers. I suppose it's because I've known about C .diff. since l979 & feel it has ruled (but not ruined) my life (& those of others) in many ways. Unfortunately, it's still not high on the priority list iof the medical field although at last more people know about it.

[HEATHER28]

Hi Guys!

Just got back from the Dr's office. Wasn't feeling right this morning so wanted to get it checked out I had a feeling I knew what was going on and guess what...I have another dang UTI!!!

I am sooo mad and frustrated! I was doing great and now all of a sudden here we go again. I don't know what I am doing wrong? The nurse in my Dr's office tried to make me feel better and told me that I am probably doing nothing wrong that once you get a UTI that unfortunately it is common to keep having them.

I just don't know if I can keep going through this!! Trying to stay positive, what else can I do.

Thanks for letting me vent..lol! I needed it :O)

[Nancy1]

Heather, I am so sorry to hear that you have another UTI. Ugh. No fun. Well, you beat it before, you can beat it again. Good luck.

When I first got married, I had UTIs all the time, was in the ER all the time, took lots of antibiotics. After years of this, someone finally told me that if you go to the bathroom right after having sex, that could keep UTIs away. I did that, and voila! No more UTIs! I haven't had one in years. Later I discovered that just about everyone but me knew about this, but I figure I should post it here, just in case someone out there hasn't heard.