T O P I C R E V I E W
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 07:33 PM
For the past 4 years I get a UTI after I have sex. I went to my doctor the first few times, then he sent me to a specialist, who gave me an ultrasound to make sure my organs were ok. I also talked about it with my gyno. They told me nothing is wrong with me, that this is common in women, and prescribed me an antibiotic to take after every time I have sex. This works mostly, except if I have sex a lot in a week I get a yeast infection. I try to eat lots of yogurt and take probiotics the day after the antibiotics to counteract it. It just seems that longterm use of antibiotics CAN'T be good.... my mother also thinks it's very weird that I have to do that, and keeps wanting me to go to different doctors, despite that I have been to 3 who all say the same thing. I've tried all the other ideas, ie 100% cranberry juice, cranberry supplements, lots of water, I even tried something my aunt said worked for her: pure unfiltered vinegar. (Gross.) I still take cranberry supplements and drink a lot of cranberry juice in addition to the antibiotics. I also have always drank a LOT of water, way more than anyone I know. I keep a 20oz bottle with me and drink about 8 a day. Me and my partner are obsessed about cleanliness because of this, so we always wash hands, penis and toys with anti-bacterial soap and even use condoms on toys and hands. We tried condoms on his penis too, but it didn't help, and we don't like it as much and we are monogamous and long-term and I'm on BC so if it didn't stop the UTI there was really no point. When I do get a UTI now, while it's rarer, it tends to be resistant to the antibiotic I take normally and I have to go into the doctor and get a strong one. It sucks, I have no insurance and every time I go to the doctor it's like $100. Have you ever heard of this? Is it really ok to take antibiotics for the rest of my life?? Is there anything else I can do? The other thing is, I've never had this problem with partners before my current one. Could it have something to do with him? Is there anything he can do that might help?
Heather
Member # 3
posted 11-11-2010 07:37 PM
Just to check in first: have your doctors absolutely ruled out IC? Have your doctors also made sure you're a good fit for the cranberry WITH the antibiotic? Has your partner also been checked for any infections and/or bacterial issues?
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 07:42 PM
I have no idea what IC is so I don't know if they ruled it out. The specialist gave me an ultra sound and sent me to the hospital for some other expensive test that I had to bring back and show her. My gyno who I am not getting the antibiotics from (originally prescribed by the specialist) was the one who told me to take the cranberry supplement. My partner has not been checked for anything. None of my doctors even suggested it might be him.
Heather
Member # 3
posted 11-11-2010 07:46 PM
Sorry! Interstitial cystitis. You might want to take a look at a good page about it to see if even just to you, any of what it is strikes a chord: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/interstitial-cystitis/DS00497 Okay, so I'd say having your partner get looked at is one next step, for sure. He should make sure he tells whoever his healthcare provider is that you're having chronic UTI issues. Also, have you kept this within the sphere of western medicine? If so, is your profile location accurate: still in the Seattle area?
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 07:46 PM
I just looked up IC and it says "Some of the symptoms of IC/PBS resemble those of bacterial infection, but medical tests reveal no organisms in the urine of people with IC/PBS." So I definitely don't have that- when I go to the doctor they give me a culture test and tell me it IS a bacterial infection, usually e-coli. They have told me this usually comes from the gut/anus, but I am EXTRA careful not to get anything from my butt to my vagina, I wipe from front to back, etc.
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 08:01 PM
My boyfriend hasn't been to the doctor in years. What exactly should he have looked at? We don't have insurance or very much money. I have a hard time convincing him to go to the doctor. Could it be something on him? Why wouldn't he have any symptoms? If I convince him my UTI could be caused by him I think he would go to the doctor. But what kind of doctor, should he get an STI checkup? Yes, I have only been to medical doctors... The only thing non-standard I tried was the vinegar. Yes, I am in Seattle area. I work in Seattle and live outside of Redmond.
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 08:04 PM
I also pee after sex (the first thing my doctor recommended) Oh and I'm not drinking cranberry juice, only taking the supplements my doc recommended. I very rarely get UTIs because of the low-dose antibiotics, I just wish I didn't have to take them for the rest of my life...
Heather
Member # 3
posted 11-11-2010 08:05 PM
Okay. Do you know about Bastyr clinic in Fremont? If that's not too huge a trek for you, I can personally attest to excellent naturopathic care there. Bonus: those of us without insurance get a 50% discount. I'm pretty low-income, and even when I had to go once a week for something for months, it was still a bill I could always pay. That'd be my next suggestion: to have this evaluated and potentially treated by a different system of medicine. Now, if you're okay with using the antibiotic, I don't see a big reason for concern. Usually prophylaxis use like that is a very low dose, and also not one of the -cillins. But if that still doesn't seem to be helping a lot, and you keep getting yeast infections, or if you just don't want to take that medication, I'd check in with Bastyr or another avenue of seeing someone who does chinese medicine or general naturpathy.
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 11-11-2010 08:18 PM
Yeah, it's not a -cillin. My mom just got me worried that taking it all the time wasn't good for me. The probiotics help with the yeast infection, I haven't gotten one in a couple years. I work near Fremont, so that is easy to get to. The only downside is to try something new I have to not take the antibiotic to see if it works, and then if it doesn't, I end up with a painful infection! A couple weeks ago I forgot an antibiotic and had an infection, so it'll be a little bit before I get brave enough to try something else again. I just looked on Bastyr's website and they have a section on UTIs but it just talks about the benefits of cranberry.
Heather
Member # 3
posted 11-11-2010 08:25 PM
I totally understand (been there, done that, have the t-shirt). But I'd just even look into a consultation first. The website info on illnesses on their website is so basic: the intake they do is intensely comprehensive. And if you prefer to try anything new only when still using the antibiotic, I strongly suspect they'll be supportive of that, and it may make no diff (for instance, with acupuncture treatments, you don't need to change any meds).