# Ladies only- UTI- TMI alert



## pyramidsong (Apr 17, 2005)

So, I have been diagnosed with a UTI. Freaking awesome. I don't really need any advice, just venting, as I'm a bit scared (I don't like contemplating the vulnerability of the human body) and I feel gross and am just waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. (Cephalexin 500mg)

Anyone been there? Ugh. I feel like I have a cold, which may be part of the infection or just a lucky coincidence. :mum


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## Syrena (Aug 6, 2009)

I've had one, they are pretty common, for females.

I think mine was pretty bad, I mean, I was peeing blood, felt like razor blades.


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## strawberryjulius (Jun 28, 2009)

i haven't had one, but my sister has. she said it was the worst pain she's ever felt.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm not a lady (in case you hadn't noticed) but I've had a few UTIs - they're no fun at all, especially when you daren't go to the doctor because of SA. :roll They do say that Cranberry juice can help to protect you against them but my own theory is that orange juice (in a carton, "from concentrate") is just as good. I normally drink OJ every day but I stopped for a few weeks and in that time I developed the first infection that I'd had in 3 or 4 years - maybe a coincidence but I'm not going to risk it again. 

Oh, and a word of warning for the guys... if you get a urinary tract infection it can quickly develop into Orchitis and leave you infertile.


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## pyramidsong (Apr 17, 2005)

Thanks, guys. Ugh, it's just so nasty. Mark, I totally get the "SA making seeing doctors difficult" thing. I had been putting off seeing a doctor for weeks, as a result I ended up sitting in the ER for five hours on Wednesday night after peeing blood and feeling like I was going to pass out. Good times. Thankfully, the doctor said she didn't think it had gone to my kidneys.

Not to be naysayer if the OJ worked for you, but you're actually supposed to avoid acidic foods with a UTI. Still, we're all different. I will be stocking up on cranberry, though.


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

I've had one. It hurt ridiculously alot.

Go to the doctor when you get them though, seriously, SA be damned. Those antiboitics work in like 3 hours. They are magical.


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## pariahgirl (Mar 26, 2008)

not sure if this applies to you but you might want to try to uh urinate after intercourse since bacteria can be introduced that way and it sort of "flushes it out" so it doesn't travel further down your urethra. TMI i know but believe me. all the cranberry juice in the world will not save you.


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## miminka (May 10, 2009)

Syrena said:


> ...felt like razor blades.


God, I know. I had one two years ago. Worst pain I've ever felt. It was horrible, horrible, horrible. Unfortunately I waited nearly a week to get it checked out because I thought it was just a passing thing. By the time I went to the doctors' I could barely stand the pain was so intense.

It didn't help that I had to wait in the waiting room for nearly three hours. My mother takes cranberry capsules, I think Jameson makes them. I don't take them but I keep myself as clean as possible and I haven't had one since.

I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. And I am dead serious when I say that!


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

wow never knew UTIs were painful.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Syrena said:


> I've had one, they are pretty common, for females.
> 
> I think mine was pretty bad, I mean, I was peeing blood, felt like razor blades.


Yep, I had my first (and hopefully last) one a couple of months ago, and the same happened to me. It was awful!!!!!


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## pyramidsong (Apr 17, 2005)

Guess I got lucky- it hasn't really been painful, more sort of urgency/frequency, y'know? And the blood, of course. Boy, did that freak me out!


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## Iced Soul (Jan 28, 2009)

Wow, sorry to hear you're going through that. Has to feel really awful. 

I had one when I was really young, but I've kept from having them, thankfully, and I don't want one. I attribute this to drinking a glass of cranberry juice (my grammy told me about this and I've kept with it ever since I was around 11) every day, keeping myself obsessively clean (not to the point where it's a problem, but enough to keep myself really clean), and not being sexually active. Not sure if that last one really has anything to do with it, but who knows.


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## Meli24R (Dec 9, 2008)

I've never had one, but I hear they're pretty painful. My grandmother used to have them all the time. She also had a lot of problems with her kidneys..kidney stones and at one point she had cancer in one of her kidneys. About 8 years ago, she started drinking cranberry juice everyday and hasn't had any problems since.


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

nubly said:


> wow never knew UTIs were painful.


Neither did I. Until I started peeing razor blades. Then I figured it out pretty quick.


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## liarsclub (Aug 23, 2008)

always startling to pee blood. First time that happened to me I was like..."this can't be good". I had no insurance at that time in my life and had to cure it with antibiotics purchased from a pet store. True story. 10 dollars will get you exactly what they prescribe to you in person.


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## pyramidsong (Apr 17, 2005)

^Oh my gosh! 

You poor thing, the whole insurance thing must be frustrating, I forget that you guys in the US have to deal with that. Thankfully all we have to do here is walk in to the ER. And wait...and waaaiiiiitttttt...... Still, I was glad I was kept waiting in a way, I guess if you're rushed through straight away it means you're really ill and the doctors are worried.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

My theory about orange juice seems to be correct - I missed my daily OJ for about a month and guess what - my first UTI in several years. This is the worst one I've had and it's gone from zero to "aggghhhhhh!!" in the space of one day. Of course it's a holiday so the doctor's office is closed and because of the weekend it would take at least 4 or 5 days to get some antibiotics from online. It looks like I'll have to find an out-of-hours doctor. Happy New Year. :roll

Edit, an hour later: Phew - a call to the surgery emergency number, a returned call from the doctor and a quick trip out to the pharmacy before it closed at midday and I have my antibiotics. It's surprising how a night of pain can make me act like a normal person...


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

^sorry to hear that, but at least you've got what you need!

I had a bladder infection once, it was so strange. I developed a fever and shook uncontrollably. I guess anything to do with the UTI like that is nothing to mess around with.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes, thank God and Fleming for antibiotics!

I had the high fever and violent shakes last night - wow, what a New Years Eve _that_ turned out to be. :afr


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## cakesniffer (Nov 11, 2003)

I've had a few UTIs in the past, but the only symptom I ever had was a sort of sharp pain in my lower abdomen. When I first got one, I had no idea what it could be. It didn't burn when I peed, and there was no blood in it.

FYI: For those of you without insurance, you can go to your local Planned Parenthood to be treated. You usually can pay on a sliding scale, and if you make below a certain income, you can be treated for free. Don't ever let a UTI go untreated.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

^ wow, I didn't know that. good info.


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## Sunshine009 (Sep 21, 2008)

I took Hylands Vaginitis homeopathic pills from the health store a few times and they worked each time within a couple of hours (but I still took it several times over a day or two to make sure it wouldn't come back) so the bottle I got lasted through several infections over a period of a year or so. I was surprised because I don't have a great opinion of homeopathic stuff in general but this always worked. I kept thinking it wouldn't work the next time, but it always did for me. To me, this and UTIs is the same thing, burning inflammation feeling. 

Refined sugar and fried foods have caused that in me, I try to avoid both.


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## jas498 (Feb 22, 2008)

Ugh, I hate UTIs. Worst pain ever. It goes away quickly once you get some antibiotics... if you feel one coming, pick up some cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail), which will help until you can see the doctor. The natural, 100% organic cranberry juice REALLY helps too (but it costs $9/small bottle). Don't wait around... they only get worse, much more painful, and a kidney infection really sucks. Planned Parenthood is a good place to go, or many cities have clinics that will see you with no appointment. Peeing after sex is smart to do, like someone else said.


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## sublimit (Aug 16, 2009)

At one point, when I was 19, I would get a UTI every month (followed by a yeast infection because the antibiotics knocked out the good bacteria as well). It was hell. I don't really know why I was prone to them and what made them stop, but I'm guessing it was my diet; I cut out refined sugars and starches and I was good! I still feel UTI's creeping up on me sometimes, but I treat them before they start. I take these healthy urinary tract supplements and it seems to make them go away before I get a full-blown infection.


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## markx (Dec 22, 2007)

Oh ****, here we go again. :um A week after my last infection cleared up and it's started all over again. I haven't managed to find an overseas pharmacy online that I trust to take my money _and _send some antibiotics, the legitimate UK online doctor service that I used before will take at least a couple of days to process a new registration and by that time I'll be begging for mercy. What a year _this_ is turning out to be. :roll

Edit: Well it turned out to be some kind of an infection, but possibly not a UTI. I signed up with the online doctor (e-med) and I now have a _repeat_ prescription for antibiotics.


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## strawberryjulius (Jun 28, 2009)

I actually thought I had UTI the other night, I didn't, I'm just a hypochondriac. :b


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## kethexx (Mar 15, 2012)

*Prevention of UTIs*



strawberryjulius said:


> i haven't had one, but my sister has. she said it was the worst pain she's ever felt.


Every antibiotic has a side effect. I'd like to share a little bit.
*Prevention of UTIs* 
The best way to treat UTIs in the elderly, or anyone for that matter, is to try to prevent their occurrence. UTIs can be prevented or their recurrence minimized by:


Not using douches or other feminine hygiene products
Not drinking fluids that tend to irritate the bladder, such as alcohol and caffeine
Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplement tablets, but only if you or your family does not have a history of kidney stones
Drinking lots of water
Keeping the genital area clean. If wearing adult diapers see that they are changed regularly. Wear cloth undergarments
Always wiping from front to back (for women)
 Thanks:boogie


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

kethexx said:


> Every antibiotic has a side effect. I'd like to share a little bit.
> *Prevention of UTIs*
> The best way to treat UTIs in the elderly, or anyone for that matter, is to try to prevent their occurrence. UTIs can be prevented or their recurrence minimized by:
> 
> ...


Great post! I was going to post something in that vein, but not nearly as much great advice.

To go further into the keeping the genital area clean, really make sure to clean before sex, and if your partner gets anywhere near your butt (like if they slip out), make sure they change condoms or clean themselves if they aren't using one. I realize it may be emberassing to ask this, but think about all the pain you'll be avoiding and that you'll avoid taking antibiotics which can, as others have already said, cause their own set of problems. Also, if you are taking antibiotics, *TAKE THE WHOLE AMOUNT!* If you don't not only can it come back with a vengeance, but it can become more resistant to the antibiotics.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

strawberryjulius said:


> I actually thought I had UTI the other night, I didn't, I'm just a hypochondriac. :b


Hehe, if you get one, I imagine you won't have to "think" you have it lol. You'll know very well that you have it, and be reminded when you have extremely painful pee that you can't hold in.


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## Double Indemnity (Aug 15, 2011)

Not getting UTIs is one benefit of not being sexually active.

[Debbie Downer post]


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## senrab (Apr 23, 2006)

Double Indemnity said:


> Not getting UTIs is one benefit of not being sexually active.
> 
> [Debbie Downer post]


this made me laugh......thank you. I'm not active either and have never had a UTI, but I had two yeast infections a little over a year ago. Horrid


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## Shoelaces (Dec 30, 2011)

I had one for a long time because it was close to asymptomatic. At any case - definitely finish your course of antibiotics to kill off all the bacteria and drink plenty of fluids. Why cranberry juice, and other acidic juices are recommended is because the vitamin C they contain actually makes the beverage acidic - naturally, since vitamin C is an acid (vitamin C = L-ascorbic acid). When you drink the acidic beverage, the lower pH urine, that is, acidic urine, makes it more difficult for the bacteria to thrive in the urethra, and also urinating a lot flushes the bacteria out. Cranberry juice is a better preventive measure than treatment after infection, though.

If left untreated, the infection can reach the kidneys and cause irreparable kidney damage. After you've finished your course of antibiotics, you should go for a check up, even if you have no more symptoms.

-Edit- Pee after sex. Just a heads up to all you lovely ladies.


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## dragongirl (Apr 6, 2011)

pyramidsong said:


> So, I have been diagnosed with a UTI. Freaking awesome. I don't really need any advice, just venting, as I'm a bit scared (I don't like contemplating the vulnerability of the human body) and I feel gross and am just waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. (Cephalexin 500mg)
> 
> Anyone been there? Ugh. I feel like I have a cold, which may be part of the infection or just a lucky coincidence. :mum


yeah i get minor UTIs once in a while due 2 my hormonal imbalance it's annoying :?


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

OMG!
I have had to wee like ten times today. Caffeine for the LOSS! I cannot imagine having a UTI with this!!! I'm a walking diuretic. :no

rehydrate me -> :rain......thanks :lol


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## tbyrfan (Feb 24, 2011)

I had one once. I took a baking soda bath and drank lots of cranberry juice, which surprisingly helped a lot. My doctor then put me on a week's worth of cefixime, which gave me digestive issues...:bah


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## CourtneyB (Jul 31, 2010)

Double Indemnity said:


> Not getting UTIs is one benefit of not being sexually active.
> 
> [Debbie Downer post]


I'm not sexually active and I have had at least two.


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