UTI Prophylactic Measures

[securespark]

As some may remember, I have recurring UTIs.

I have been to the GP and hospital several times for general blood tests, PSA tests, digital exam, cystoscopy and CT scans.

I have had a letter from my Urology consultant stating that all is well with my urinary tract. But he cannot explain why I keep getting these infections.

So I am trying to find something I can take to ward them off.

Cranberry is good. But apparently it is not good if you are asthmatic (I am slightly) or diabetic (I am not, but I am pre-diabetic).

I used to drink the juice, but don't like the artificially sweetened stuff and want to stay away from sugary drinks to lower my HbA1c.

So I'm looking at cranberry tablets. Does anybody else have these?

 

[festive]

As some may remember, I have recurring UTIs.

I have been to the GP and hospital several times for general blood tests, PSA tests, digital exam, cystoscopy and CT scans.

I have had a letter from my Urology consultant stating that all is well with my urinary tract. But he cannot explain why I keep getting these infections.

So I am trying to find something I can take to ward them off.

Cranberry is good. But apparently it is not good if you are asthmatic (I am slightly) or diabetic (I am not, but I am pre-diabetic).

I used to drink the juice, but don't like the artificially sweetened stuff and want to stay away from sugary drinks to lower my HbA1c.

So I'm looking at cranberry tablets. Does anybody else have these?

I can explain it and im not a doctor, he or she shouldn't be a doctor they're clearly not fit for purpose.
I really hope they don't keep throwing antibiotics at you, they are great for short term relief of inflammation but really bad long term.


OK maybe something we can discuss offline or i can offer you some info. I saw my father go through similar issues and i was dismayed to see how many doctors and specliasts scratched their head when it comes to men and UTIs. It seems more familiar for women to have these and treat women easier. I really feel for you seeing the hell my father went through.

I am also extremely frustrated with the lack of acountability with the NHS they are beyond fcking crap. I am a researcher none specific to Medical Health and can run rings round alot of so called doctors. We are actually paying for this service.

That aside have you had a Pelvic floor examination? Have they taken a semen culture? Nothing if anything shows up from urine samples.
Have they mentioned Prostatitus and CPPS?

First of all go here and start running through the QnA's i bet you will find something to help you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Prostatitis/comments/y7pjsz/new_start_here_prostatitis_101checklist_sub_rules

The Cranberry wont help, you're better off with Quercetin but please read below first, i am not a medical proffessional so my advice is purely that only, but i helped fix my dad way better than the docs and Urology managed.

Drink lots of DECAFF Green tea, avoid Coffee/Spices etc.

Let me know how you get on. I will be amazed if you come back and tell me i haven't helped you resolve this unlike your doctor.

 

[Notch7]

So I am trying to find something I can take to ward them off

D-mannose, a sugar that comes from birch

In simple terms the bacteria in the bladder are attracted to the molecules in this sugar and they get flushed out.

My wife is prone to cystitis and she takes it sometimes ( if a cystitis attack is happening it won’t knock it out, she has to use antibiopics.

Waterfall D-Mannose Tablets 1000mg

Waterfall D-Mannose Tablets 1000mg use D-Mannose sourced from Birch and contain no bulking agents or fillers. Suitable for Vegan, Vegetarians and Coeliacs. SC Nutra (Formerly Sweet Cures) has over 20 years expertise in bladder health and was one of the first companies to sell D-Mannose Tablets...

www.sweetcures.co.uk

 

[motorbiking]

Not wanting to make an acquisition, but I recall you saying you are a big chap. Have you considered washing down below every time you toilet? Could be things getting stuck in fissures and cracks.

 

[securespark]

Sorry everybody, I have been waylaid by more urinary tract shenanigans and I also got an infection in one of the incisions in my broken ankle surgery.
I have just finished yet another course of Nitrofurantoin which seemed to help immensely. But a day later, things were twice as bad. The same day, I was forced to go to hospital for some Physio,which was really tricky as, when I needed to go, I was literally dribbling instead of being able to hold on. So I stuffed my kecks with loads of hospital issue hand wipes. I was worried about a small amount of weeping from one incision in my ankle, so showed it to the Physio, who showed it to a senior nurse. I was sent to the fracture clinic and seen by one of the surgeons on my team.

He said it was infected and put me on a 7 day course of Flucloxacillin, 4g per day.

Flucloxacillin also treats UTIs. And within a few tabs, my urinary symptoms started improving markedly.

Now, I'm not 100% convinced at the moment that I have recurring UTIs. But there is is something that responds to the antibiotics to improve things greatly. And in the past, I have gone many months without needing any treatment.

But lately, the "attacks" seem to be getting closer together.

I have had many urine tests over the years, and nearly all show infection or the presence of blood.

Apparently, the latest did not seem to, but I have to confirm that. It just says "Satisfactory", which is a daft word to use. I am going to have a telephone consultation tomorrow with a Doc so will find out.

MB. Yes, I am a "larger" size, although shrinking!

I went into hospital on the 23rd November weighing 165kg. I now weigh 151.5kg, a drop of 13.5kg, or nearly 2 stone 2 pounds.

I have also just had my full blood count results, and my HbA1c (long term blood sugar reading) has dropped from 41 to 40. Not massive, but it's taken me a step away from the pre diabetic danger zone.

 

[opps]

I went into hospital on the 23rd November weighing 165kg. I now weigh 151.5kg, a drop of 13.5kg, or nearly 2 stone 2 pounds.

Best of luck mate.

I am 5"11.5', I weigh 65kg. But I am a skinny git (albeit, one with a slight beer belly).

 

[MNW67]

From what I remember from a relative, the problem with long term prophylactic antibiotics for UTIs is resistance. If it has to be done, they tend to rotate them every few months. Also, one of the common antibiotics used for UTIs can have the side effect of hallucinations, which makes it difficult to distinguish from the hallucinations which can be a symptom of the UTI itself.

 

[securespark]

Hmmm.

Had my phone call with the Doc this morning.

Before the call, I logged onto my NHS account and looked at my blood test results.

Testosterone: in normal range, which is bizarre, because I have a malfunctioning pituitary gland and hypogonadism and ED, so struggle to understand how testosterone is being produced!

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is low, which means my Thyroxine meds are too high, so they will drop from 200 mcg to 150mcg.


But the unexpected one was low haemoglobin and haematocrit.
The first was 127 where the minimum should be 130.

The second was 0.38 where the minimum should be 0.40.

This means I am anaemic. I said to the Doc, just a case of boosting my diet, then?

No, he said, it looks like you're losing blood somewhere and we need to eliminate where from. Been advised to collect and return a pee pot and a FIT kit and return 2 samples to check for blood.

I have recently done 2 FIT tests, and they were clear, but happy to do another. I know there is traces of blood in my pee as I've just had one done for my UTI and the Doc said it had traces of blood not visible to the eye.

So I'm not sure where this will go next...

 

[securespark]

Thanks everyone.

I am still waiting for the appointment to talk with the doc about the potential blood loss and FIT tests.

But since 1 Feb, I have had 2 more UTIs. I'm currently a few days into the antibiotics for the second UTI. Our GP surgery have a ridiculous system where (even though I have been having these UTIs for years now), I always have to take a sample in, which they send off to the local hospital. If it is positive, I get treated accordingly.
So bearing in mind I had an ankle incision that opened up and started weeping because of a UTI, I was worried it might happen again, so sent the latest sample in and explained the situation patiently. This was Wednesday morning. Friday morning I ring the GP surgery who twice claim to have not had the results back. When I insist they must have, she checked again and lo and behold, she has got the results after all. Apparently, there were no abnormalities. I told the receptionist that if that were the case that I would take myself off immediately to A and E as there was something wrong with my urinary tract and she offered me an appointment with a nurse practitioner at lunchtime the same day.

I went down to talk to her about things and told her this had been going on years, but she didn't seem keen on giving me antibiotics. Then Mrs S, who had come for moral support told her that we were worried about opening the ankle incision again, so she arranged another script of Nitrofurantoin.

Then she apologised profusely and asked if I had had sex with anyone other than Mrs S.
I haven't, and we have been together since 1997. But she will present my pee sample for Chlamydia testing as she says it can lie dormant for a very long time.

She asked if I had heard of D- Mannose, Notch, except she called it D Manrose which made me think of the fans!

I said I had but wanted to be sure it did not have an adverse effect on the liver. She gave me carte blanche to use it, but will arrange a blood test for hepatic function soon to make sure it is not damaging anything.

So, I am now on another course of Nitrofurantoin, am taking D Mannose and she also talked about me going on prophylactic antibiotics. A low daily dose for a year, then come off and see what happens.

Things may be looking up.

Edited for clarity.