Is it possible to get recurring UTI's from bacterial contaminated personal lubricant?

How long after exposure to an expired
lubricant could you see symptoms of a UTI? Could it take 3 days?

Hi, Anon, and thank you for your question.

I would tell you to pitch that lubricant into the round file immediately. Yes, it absolutely could be the cause of a bacterial infection if it is that old.

Many products that are meant to be used on or inside our bodies have "expiration" dates that should be honored (even though we hate to throw out unused portions. Mascara, for instance, can carry bacteria and should be thrown out every three months, they say. Foundation has more longevity -- six months to a year.

When I searched for possible expiration guidelines on personal lubricant, what I found was that if you keep it in a cool, dry place, you can use it up to a year without problems. (If it is unopened, it would last much longer; the year guideline is after opening). Or, if anything about the color, texture or consistency of the lubricant has changed, you should get rid of it.

I found two lubricants (KY and Astroglide) online that state they have expiration dates either on the bottle or on the bottom of the package. So it's definitely something that needs to be replaced.

Good job on the detective work, btw! Figuring out that this is what might be causing your UTIs was good thinking. I hope that by replacing your personal lubricant, you also get rid of the recent tendency toward UTIs. We have enough challenges in life without them!