UTI/Yeast Infection prevention

[armata.livejournal.com]

Hi VP, I come with a question for you all.

Ever since becoming pregnant, I have had constant UTIs. I'm not too concerned about it because my googlefu and my dr both say that it's normal for pregnant women to get UTIs. The problem I have is that I literally have been on 4 different medications for UTIs! Every month that I see my dr, I leave with a prescription for antibiotics for a UTI/Bladder infection and its starting to get on my nerves. Especially because I'm having yeast infection after yeast infection either during or after my course of antibiotics. After the first two times, I really started drinking more water, cranberry juice, limited my intake of tea/sodas, and even started using wet wipes after using the restroom. I thought it would make everything better, but without fail, I still would leave the dr office with a prescription! I'm becoming exhausted with having to take antibiotics for UTIs and having to slather vaginal cream on my vagina for my yeasties.

What else can I do? I'm at my wits end and figured you amazing superstars would have some advice for me. Thank you tons in advance!

Comments

[maideleh.livejournal.com]

Is it the same antibiotic every time? Do you go for a follow up test to check that the infection is gone after completing the antibiotics? Are they doing a general urinalysis or checking for specific bacteria and tailoring your antibiotic to the specific bacteria?

It sounds like you might just have one persistent UTI and the antibiotic is never actually knocking it out fully. Ask them to culture for the specific bacteria and give you the meds to kill that particular one, then go back for a follow-up to be sure it's all gone.

[armata.livejournal.com]

I took the same antibiotic twice, the third time he changed it to a different one, and this last time he also changed it to a different one. No, I usually just take my course and then they do another test when I see him next :( They pretty much just take a general urinalysis and then give me antibiotics when they see that I have a UTI. This past time, the woman said when she put the strip in my sample and the strip didn't hesitate turning pink.

This last time though, they did give me more of the antibiotics with instructions to take it 4 times a day for a week. From the feel of it, it feels like its working. Only because I have been itching like mad on my vulva from a yeast infection. Which, thankfully, the dr also gave me a prescription for a cream to help combat that. But I guess I won't really know if this medicine finally knocked it out until next Friday. :(

Think there is anything I can do to help the medicine in making sure that its gone?

[princessselene.livejournal.com]

eating yogurt should help. Without fail, when I've taken antibiotics, I'll eat yogurt to help replenish good bacteria so that the bad bacteria doesn't get a foothold there again, since the antibiotics literally kill ALL bacteria. Besides, yogurt has a ton of calcium we need while pregnant!

How far are you? I'm 10 weeks today.

[armata.livejournal.com]

If that will help, I'll certainly do it. I don't really care for yogurt but I'll choke it down if I must.

I am 26 weeks, give or take a day or two :) Congratulations! Is this your first pregnancy?

[madraykin.livejournal.com]

I would try not wearing underwear for a while and see if that helps.

[armata.livejournal.com]

You know, I didn't even think about that. I thought because I was wearing cotton panties and loose pants, I was fine. But I will definitely try that and see if it helps :)

[la-mia-cara.livejournal.com]

If you get another UTI, you could try taking capsules of uva ursi (or tea, if they don't have capsules in your country). It's a natural remedy which should not make you more susceptible to YI.
However, it is not as strong as "normal" antibiotics, so if your symptoms don't go away, you still need to go see a doctor!

[armata.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'll take a look and see if I can find that.

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

What kind of cranberry juice are you taking? If it's Ocean Spray or any of that "cranberry cocktail" stuff, don't bother. It doesn't have enough cranberry in it to be worthwhile. You want unsweetened, straight, 100% cranberry juice. Cranberry (or mannose-d) supplements are more palatable, and actually more potent.

Do your research (and ask your doc) before trying uva ursi. I found this article from a peer-reviewed science journal (http://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=9180256256782401516&hl=en&as_sdt=0,38) that agreed that uva ursi is highly effective. However, they go on to explain that it's a mild carcinogen, which is why it's usually used as treatment rather than prevention. That alone sounds like it's worth a discussion with your doc.

[armata.livejournal.com]

It's lightly sweetened with Splenda, but its definitely not a cranberry cocktail. My boyfriend looked up on the net for the right kind of cranberry juice before buying it for me. It's some tart stuff that I almost cannot stand to drink. BUT I will definitely look into getting cranberry supplements to see if those will help me.

Gotcha. I will definitely talk to my doctor then at my next appointment to see what he says. Thank you tons for the advice :)

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

Haha, if it's too tart to drink, it's probably over 50% cranberry juice! Blueberries also have the same compound that prevents bacterial adhesion to the urethral wall, so that's a tastier option than cranberry.

The cranberry tablets or capsules pack more punch for the volume. I find the softgels made by Schiff (http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-6116-schiff-cranberry-extract-extra-strength-500-mg-90-softgels) to be the easiest to swallow, but don't know if they're the most potent. Argh, why aren't vitamins and supplements regulated by the FDA? The array of options is confusing.

Good luck! I hope your UTIs cease soon.

[armata.livejournal.com]

Oh really? Thank god haha. I can handle blueberries, but sweet jesus alive ... Cranberries are just too tart for me! I'll definitely check into getting some 100% blueberry juice or find some good blueberries to munch on.

Ugh, I know! It would make things so much easier if they were. If my dr says I still have a UTI when I see him again, I will definitely kick it up a notch with the juice + the capsules. See if that will help, which I hope it does.

Thank you! I appreciate the advice :)

[vvm30.livejournal.com]

Take probiotic during & after antibiotics & you will never get thrush. Get them from the pharmacy, no need for a script.

To help with the uti, take ural every morning or when you feel one coming on, can also be purchased at the pharmacy.