Lol, I was typing my uti question while you posted yours! Mine's in getting pregnant forum

i had my uti's under control by taking a septra (antibiotic) after intercourse...But now that i'm trying to get pregnant I can't take septra anymore and in 2 months i'm now on my 3rd uti..I took 2 course of antibiotics to clear up the first two and i'm going back to my doctor this thursday for this third one.

I'm also trying cranberry capsules, i've read that cranberry can actually prevent uti's, something in cranberry coats the bladder & urethra so the bacteria can't hang on.

I've struggled with uti's for several years (i'm 41). E-coli the culprit. Changed to md that was very frank with questions regarding activities b/t hubby and me. At md's advice, we have become very careful during certain positions of intercourse - in particular, "doggie", hubby's favorite. He used to love to tease me around the #2 opening prior to vaginal entry. Since he stopped that foolishness, my infections have decreased drastically! Md explained that if you plan to fool around with #2, use a condom and remove prior to vaginal play. At least this helped me...

Also just "discovered" with my dr that thong underwear can be a major culprit, so i'm back to bikini and low rise women's boxers.

That is something we have not thought about! That's about all I wear anymore! It will be hard to go back to the briefs!

I hadn't thought about it either, and all I was wearing anymore were thong, so I know what you mean, it's hard to switch back, but i'm willing to do anything to get rid of these constant uti's (my husband has nicknamed them c.U.T.I.'s, pronounced cooties )

I am just getting over my third uti this year, so I hear you! Here are some tips.

Watch caffeine and especially sugar. They will kill you.

Avoid thongs (you know this one). Try to stick with non-slippery material.

Wipe front to back, or better yet, dab front to back.

Pee after sex. And as the other lady mentioned, watch the activity between the front and back doors like a hawk!!

Find cranberry juice without any sugar in it. It will taste horrible, but it will help. Try just cranberry from r.W. Knudson. A little bit every week or so will even do good.

Avoid spermicides. I'm not sure how bad they are, but i've heard they can be irritating. I'll post a question for you.

Avoid deodorized tampons. They can cause irritation.

Do not douche.

And keep drinking that water!

Hope this helps!

Hey I know this post is a little old but I wanted to add another reason why you might be having reoccuring uti's. Not only does caffeine and sex cause uti's, but taking baths is a big culprit! Especially nice soapy baths. Not good for the urinary tract! Hope this advice may help :)

Oh and I don't think that douching and deodorized tampons really have much effect on a uti considering that the urinary tract and the vagina are two totally different holes.

When my first child was born I had a history of one to three UTIs a year. After I had an IUD (mirena) inserted, I had three UTIs in six weeks using three different medications to clear up the issue. A female doctor suggested that my husband and I try taking an antibiotic after we have sex because I always seemed to get them either around my menstrual cycle or after an exotic sexual experience.

I don't wear thongs and I no longer use tampons since my son was born. These, for me, began causing yeast infections! UGH! Now, my doctor said that my IUD should have nothing to do with my UTIs since the vagina is separate from the urethra, but I have never had an issue with simply sex alone causing so many issues! And I have always been very experimental and exotic with sex. I feel that changes in the vagina affect the entire female system.

Also, I know it is hard to abstain from sexual activities once the pain/ irritation has subsided, but if you take 10-14 days off after completing the medication it can really help! Also, if you have only one partner, it can help if they are treated for the condition because it's very likely they are giving the infection right back to you! It just may take a few days to a week to manifest back into a problem. Or it might rear it's nasty head while your hormones are changing due to menstruation. I hope this is helpful to you and other readers. I have had a lot of experience with UTIs, unfortunately.

Also, drink water, lightly sweetened green tea and unsweetened cranberry juice daily! I swear it helps with prevention! You can even get cranberry pomegranate green tea if plain green tea is just not palatable. I know it can be a bitter, earthy experience for some who are unaccustomed to the flavor.

I get Bladder infections 3 times a month, dont have insurance so haven't been able to get them checked out or find out why. I am clean. I go to the Health Food Store and get Apple Cider Vinegar pills and they actually get rid of the infection, personally I like this better then antibiotics because I know they are natural.

I have unfortunatly suffered UTIs for the last 2 years, they come along once every few months and are really very painful. They always seem to occur about 48 hours after intercourse. I've had my bladder checked with ultrasound and with a camera and there are no problems. I've had a zillion different antibiotics and yet, nothing seems to work. Its getting worse and worse and it seems every time I get an infection I'm also getting symptons of thrush that wake me up in the night and make me feel lousy. I feel like something is really wrong and no-one will take me serously. I'm sick of doctors asking if I wash every day and change my underwear and even had one consultant who told me to stop having sex. I've been with my partner for 3 years now and he's really patient, but this is making me not want to make love.
Anyone else been here??

Hi

I would continue to look for another doctor, I know how frustrating this is. You need to find out what is causing the re occurring UTI's.

Keep posting and I'll look online to see if I find anything for you.

Hang in there..

I've been getting UTIs every month for the past few months. I've had several different antibiotics, and they seem to make it go away but a week or two later it's back again.I usually wake up to the pain in the morning,after having had sex the day before, so I'm sure that is the reason. I drink lots of water and my boyfriend and I are careful to be clean and gentle, but the UTIs keep returning. I go to the doctor at the first signs and they give me another antibiotic, but it always comes back. Is there an underlying problem that makes me super susceptible to the infections? I'm only 18 years old! I also have rheumatiod arthritis and raynauds syndrome and to daily struggle with all three of these issues is ruining my life.

Hi,
I know exactly how you feel.
In the past year I had a few UTIs and each time it was worse. Last night it was the second time when I had to rush to an emergency hospital and literally I considered wetting myself in a cab! I got there and I was crying while waiting at the reception.
The doctor gave me a painkiller (this time I didn't even care about what I got) and of course the antibiotics. Today I went to my GP to ask for a reference to a urologist and a scan and the only reply he had for me was 'that some women simply have this problem'. Once more time I had to go though the pain and the humuliation of answering the questions like 'do you wipe front to back', 'do you wash everyday' etc. just to be sent off with the message that I should simply accept the fact...Why the doctors are so reluctant to look for causes of the UTIs that are ruining our lives???

I guess All my symptoms started last year, I was diagnosed with a massive UTI, that was caused by e-coli, and I was hospitialized for four days, plus I had to go in everyday for 10 days to receive IV antibiotics. It seems now that I get UTI's almost every month and if I don't I get them twice a month. Right now I have an excrusiating one going on right now that the anti-biotics are just not working at all. However my doctor did prescribe me a pill, it is called pyridium which lessens the symptoms, and takes away the burning, urgency to go in me. Everytime I call into the doctor, she prescibes me Cipro, which I think my body is getting immune to it because it doesn't seem to be working.
One antibiotic I found to be helpful is Bactrium DS, and it is fairly cheap-the last I paid for that was under $20 at walgreens and it worked like a charm. If you don't have the money to go to the doctor you can go to walmart or another place to get some AZO-which lessens the symptoms, but doesn't take away the infection. Or you can go to a health food store (Whole foods) and get apple cider vinegar pills- they don't taste the greatest but you gotta do what you have to do.
My husband and I are very clean people, and I always do everything they say to do, but since I am, handicapped I can only take baths and I did not know that baths could cause UTI's.
I hope this helped, and I know what your going through, but one thing is for sure...The husband is not going to like not having sex for 2 weeks...I'll be ok, I need a break anyway.