UTI linked with other illness ?

Having a history of frequent UTI's, especially, starting at younger age, is a risk factor for having new attacks more frequently later in life.
Women with diabetes and other conditions that cause low immune functions, are having reoccurring UTI's.
Using diaphragm, spermicides, being obese, having some urinary tract abnormalities or obstructions, lead to experiencing frequent UTI's.
UTI's usually become more frequent complaint in perimenopausal and menopausal women, due to hormone imbalance or lower estrogen concentrations.
Sometimes, a woman with frequent UTI's need to be examined for another condition known as a interstitial cystitis.

Best wishes!
Marija

Thank you, Marija! I really appreciate your reply! It's nice to have some opinions and whatnot.

It is definately a frustrating thing, because I try to prevent it as I mentioned above and they just keep coming. I'm not sure if it's something I am doing? I am a healthy weight and active as well. I am really looking fwd to resolving this. I saw in your reply to someone else, to watch the blood sugar....could eating too much sugar cause these? I do love sugar, but I don't think I eat really an irregular amount. Well, if I find the outcome or something that helps and whatnot, I'll definately post it for others with the same issue to see!

Thanks again!

And I'm only 23..

Hi, I suffer with recurrent cystitis like you do and have done for the past ten years, since I was 17. I don't think I changed the way I lived but anyway, the cystitis kept recurring. I saw specialists but to no avail, anyway last year I went to a doctor who is also a homeopath. He put me on a program to kill candida where i cleansed my bowels through with medicine, supported my liver, killed the candida and took probiotics to build up the good bacteria in my body. I also discovered that I was intolerant to sugar - which plays the biggest part in me getting cystitis. I avoid sugar - it sounds drastic, but to me I cannot cope with getting anymore cystitis, I was/am desperate to not get it anymore. I would recommend you see a doctor who has also trained as a homepath then you know you're getting the best of both worlds. If you need a sugar hit then xylitol is safe to eat. I also have an underactive thyroid but started getting cystitis before this became noticeable. A good test for me was the antibodies peroxidaise. If you have any level of TSH in your system then it shows things aren't working right - just something to look out for.
Also, i came off the pill - progesterone - found in all contraceptive pills will feed the bad bacteria (the candida). Candida will suppress the immune system and make it struggle.

Best wishes
xxx

ps; there is no evidence but it is thought that antibiotics, whilst being an amazing wonder drug, are also responsible for some of the damage to our immune system because they kill everything. If you ever have antibiotics again, make sure you take probiotics during and afterwards for 2/3 weeks. If you're going to kill all bad and good bacteria in your body by taking antibiotics, then you need to make sure you replenish the good by taking probiotics - or the bad bacteria (candida) will just grow again. I hope I make sense. This is not new science - go and visit your local health store - they will know all about this.