ask: Nearly constant urinary tract infections?
I suffer from a nearly constant UTI (Urinary tract infection). My doctor has told me that it is probably because I have a lot of sex (with one partner) and sex changes the pH of the vagina. She gave me a bunch of things do that would hopefully stop the UTI from coming back, such as urinating right after sex and making sure everything is well lubricated. I've also taken medications, but it only seems to solve the problem for a few days.
However, IT DOES NOT GO AWAY.
Does this happen to anybody else? And if it has, how did you get rid of it? Or am I doomed to have to urinate ever five seconds for the rest of my life?
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Try probiotics. I had the same issue. Also, D-Mannose is supposed to help if you feel one coming on.
January 30, 2009 - 1:11pmThis Comment
Hi Anon
You are a woman after my own heart! I suffer from this too and never did until about two years ago, after the birth of my third and final child.
I talked to my OB/GYN about it and she told me it is not uncommon.
Like you - sex is the issue. Lucky us, I suppose!
I do everything that you do, and in addition I have to take a medication called nitrofurantn mono (Macrobid) every single time I have sex, or I can be almost assured that I will get a UTI. And they can be quite painful.
Why does this happen? There is no real known reason but our body chemistry changes with time, and with maternity.
When did this start with you? Can you tell me what the name of the medication you are taking? I understand where you are coming from. If I went on vacation, for example, and forgot my prescription, I would not have sex. It wouldn't be worth it to me. And this all started in my mid-30s.
Please give us a bit more information - and trust that you are not suffering alone - this was miserable for me for a while. A friend told me it's almost like I'm allergic to sex and sometimes it feels like that.
January 30, 2009 - 1:52pmI am also suffering from the same exact thing that all of you are going through. I am at the point where I would rather not live then to live like this. It has made me so depressed because nothing any of my doctors have done has fixed the over all issue that I have a constant UTI.
February 11, 2011 - 6:21pmDoctors have told me to wipe from front to back; I have always done that. Pee after sex; check. Wash yourself after sex, wear cotton underwear etc... I have tried everything and nothing works. I went and saw a specialist (Urologist) and they put me on an anti biotic for 30 days and still doesn't work. I am going to a different Urologist on monday so they can check inside of my bladder.
This girl from my work had this issue to and when she went to a Urologist it was because she had a birth defect and it didnt start effecting her until she was older. If you have not gone and seen a Urologist you need to make an appointment. I know how it is and it is miserable living like this.
I also will get a UTI from having sex and my doctor suggesting for me to take an anti biotic right afterwards. Another thing that works extremely good is Acidophilus in the drinking form. Just 1 teaspoon has millions of live cultures and its a probiotic. Very cheap and very tasty you can find it at any natural food store. I hope that helps for you as it has for me.
Hi Anon
Thanks so much for your post. Please keep us updated as to what happens on your next visit.
I also recommend to other to ask for the one-time anti-biotic after sex, it stops the UTI from even starting and works very well.
I hope we get a positive update from you!
~Susan
February 14, 2011 - 12:26pmI am 21 years old and I constantly am having urinary tract infections, they almost always occur right after having sex!! I have been on Macrobid countless amounts of times and still I am in constant pain, just completely uncomfortable! I drink loads and loads of water to the point where I am nearly sick and even still that sometimes may not help! It really takes a toll on you! You never want to have sex, because in the end it is never worth it! :( Nice to know Im not the only one !
April 5, 2011 - 12:29pmHi Anon,
January 31, 2009 - 9:52pmI have to say, what you're experiencing is something I've been through myself. It seemed with me that when I went through that period of time with recurring UTIs, I had sex quite a bit (with one partner). I kept going to the doctor with "Honeymoon Cystitis"...sounds lovely, huh?
With me, I got one UTI after another and finally I guess I had one that I didn't even realize I had because it wasn't too long from feeling slight discomfort again, that I developed a kidney infection. All of this happened with me, right after I started having sex regularly, but I have come to realize that it can pretty much happen whenever. My mom who is in her late 50s has frequent UTIs probably from the same thing. When she starts feeling like she's getting one, or her urine smells differently than usual, she calls the doctor and goes in to have a urinalysis so that she can catch it early. She starts taking antibiotics (typically Macrobid) as soon as she receives positive results for a UTI. I think that helps her avoid a lot of discomfort. I would also recommend probiotics to see if that could help with prevention. I wish you the best of luck in dealing with these UTIs and hopefully the problem will go away soon!
Hi, I'm Genya and I'm 26 years old. UTI's have nothing to do with lots of sex. When I had sex three times day wih my ex-boyfriend earlier, I never knew about existnce of UTI's. However, later, when I was abstaining from sex for months, I developed my first UTI. Now, I barely if ever have sex, mostly due to persoal abstinence choice. In the last three years, I had sex only three times, and my UTI's became constant phenomena - it's almost as if they are due to lack of sex.....I beleive that UTI's develop due to some internal imbalance of organisms in our bodies,like acne in some people. My be it's some form of diet that kills the right microbes, or may be some form of life habit that affects our bodies. I just don't beleive that a UTI is caused by sex or lack of cranberry. It must be caused by some imbalance within our bodies....may be it has to do with PH acidity of our blood, may be with certain vitamins, or probiotics, or immune system....there must be something flawed with the internal organ's system in the "microscopic" realm that causes chronic UTI'.
September 27, 2010 - 1:41amHi Genya,
September 27, 2010 - 1:15pmYou definitely are on to something thinking it is about immunity and bacterial (organism) balance. Probiotics either ingested by mouth in pill form or via yogurt, etc. or taken in suppository form (used vaginally), have been said to help fight frequent infection, because they help promote good bacteria growth "down there". It's important to have balance of those organisms, and not just in your gut.
Thought this article posted last year may interest you regarding recurrent UTI:
http://www.empowher.com/urinary-tract-infection/content/recurrent-urinar...
Here's one about the cranberries:
http://www.empowher.com/urinary-tract-infection/content/cranberry-juice-...
Thank you for your comment.
-Christine
It has nothing to do with having sex. I have not had any for over 4 years. I too am tired of never getting over urinary tract infections. I have been to specialists and they have me take the Microbid once a day. Then they put me on an antibiotic and then good for a week or so and then back it comes. I am at the end of my rope. I even have an e string inserted for replacing moisture since I have been through my changes for almost 9 years. The Dr. said that would help. it doesn't!
Frustrated
April 13, 2011 - 5:49amI have also read that at the menopausal age the drying and thinning of the vagina can also lead to frequent UTI's. I either plan on getting a scrip for Estrace or the E string. Any comments?
April 13, 2011 - 7:05am