Treating Urinary Tract Infections

If you enjoy ALL catheters, as I certainly DO: rectal, colon, nasal, stomach, and URINARY, there is a real chance of getting an E. coli urinary tract infection, despite your best efforts at keeping things sterile.

Suzanne Somers in her book "BREAKTHOUGH" [Crown Publishers / Random House, 2008] describes a natural treatment for bladder infections told to her by Dr. Joanathan Wright, MD. (pages 27-2😎. The everyday form of E. coli, which should reside in the colon and should not take up residency in the urinary tract / bladder can easily travel the short distance in women and with a bit more effort in men - especially those using urinary catheters, whether for medical necessity or for delightful internal prostate stimulating pleasures.

[Guys, if you haven't tried this, you're really missing something. It is especially pleasing to have your playmate do it to you! A good place to get silicone urinary catheters - much better than latex - over the internet is Allegro Medical.]

The customary treatment is an antibiotic, but there is a "much healthier" treatment that Dr. Wright reports working 90% of the time using a natural substance D-mannaose, a form of sugar, that is normally in the bladder in small quantities. E. coli feasts on D-mannose and reproduces wildly, leading to the original bladder infection. However, if one takes D-mannose (available is most health food stores), it goes quickly to the bladder where the E. coli jumps off the walls of the bladder and onto the free floating D-mannose, which is then eliminated on the next urination. Dr. Wright recommends 3 to 5 grams every three hours until the symptions are gone, or if not gone or improved in 24 hours, it's time to use an antibiotic.

I have personally tried D-mannose with complete success. It avoids unnecessary use of antibiotics, and for us males, having to explain to a prescribing doctor how we might have contracted this typically female problem !

You really can't rely on Suzanne Somers for medical information.

Bacteria no more jump off the bladder walls into D-mannose into the urine than sucking a lollipop causes bacteria in the mouth to jump off the teeth into the saliva. Some people will say anything for publicity.

The treatment for a UTI is antibiotics.

This is not Somers giving the advise, it is Dr. Wright, a respeced MD in Renton, Washington, near where I live.

OK, you may not like the informality of the term "jumping off". The E. coli binds to the D-mannose which is naturally on the walls of the bladder. When presented with larger quantities of D-mannose floating in the bladder, it binds to them instead, and then is eliminated from the bladder. I happen to KNOW from personal experience that it works.

You can be dogmatic, or since you are usually a very well informed and articulate person, check it out.

"Antibiotics," as the term is often used - implying penicillin, streptomycin, or the like - has had little effect on my urinary tract infections. Alternatively, the effect of sulfa drugs (such as Septra DS) has been very prompt, effective, and lasting.

This is a suggestion that is cheap enough and might help. In the past I have used cranberry juice for restoring the ph of urine to battle infection.

Two points. Antibiotics work by several different mechanism, and have different binding to serum proteins and different abilities to cross various barriers. So for example an antibiotic that is going to be effective in treating a brain infection has to be able to cross the blood brain barrier to be effective.

An antibiotic with a long serum half life will have trouble being filtered by the Kidneys, and as a result will have trouble reaching effective concentrations in the urinary tract. So the choice of antibiotics for UTI's is often sulfa drugs because they are passed out through the kidneys rapidly, and rapidly achieve effective concentrations in the urinary tract.

As far as catheters are concerned, for men, they need to be careful. UTI's in men ARE a big deal. Absent a good reason (and how many are prepared to admit to their physician that they are engaged in catheter play), a male UTI will be subject to intensive investigation. The length and path of the male urinary tract makes such infections unusual. If you get one, the assumption is there is something going on, such as a tumor, or congenital defect.

From personal experience, I can tell you that the testing that follows (and my experience is total unrelated to 'other activities')is both unpleasant and time consuming. Unlike femal UTI's, a male UTI will almost always result in a fairly extensive diagnostic work up.

. . . . As far as catheters are concerned, for men, they need to be careful. UTI's in men ARE a big deal. Absent a good reason (and how many are prepared to admit to their physician that they are engaged in catheter play), a male UTI will be subject to intensive investigation. The length and path of the male urinary tract makes such infections unusual. If you get one, the assumption is there is something going on, such as a tumor, or congenital defect. . . . .

. . . OR ANAL SEX

Mattheww50, you made a great post!

D-mannos truly works for many UTI infections, male or female.

In addition to stopping E coli Urinary Tract Infections, it avoids the negative effects of antibiotics which kill good as well as bad microflora and frequently result in yeast infections in women.

Here is a link to a very informative article by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright MD:

http://www.tahoma-clinic.com/mannose.shtml

Dr. Wright is a widely respected MD and Naturopathic Doctor, a graduate of Harvard and MD from Michigan, with his own page on Amazon.com, which currently lists 8 books.

Enozkk, the reason cranberry juice and pineapple juice are somewhat effective "folk treatments" for UTIs is that they naturally contain modest amounts of D-mannose sugar.

I didn't want to start a new thread on "Frequently Recurring UTI's"....but my wife gets 4-5 UTI's a year. Usually clears up quickly with Cipro or another antibiotic. She had one 4 weeks ago - and is now complaining about another one. Will call the doc tomorrow. Worried she is building up a resistance to the antibiotics. Any ideas? What should I ask/recommend to the doc?? Usually we call it in, they order a uringe test and then prescribe something.

I am curious as to whether being diabetic is a factor.

I am curious as to whether being diabetic is a factor.

Thanks for your input - but no she isn’t diabetic. She has ms and is paralyzed on the left side. MS has attacked her from T8-T12. She’s bladder incontinent at night - or too lazy to get me up and get her to the John! Try to get her to drink more water and shower every other day.

Obviously I am not a doctor, but my basic understanding of MS is that it is an autoimmune disease. If she is on medications that stop her immune system from working as well as it can (to treat the MS), those could be making it easier for her to get infections. That is what has happened to me a lot.

I would bring it up with her doctor. Tell him/her about the frequency and your concerns about it. Ask if they have any ideas or if it is something to worry about. It definitely can't hurt and they should be able to help you out a lot more.

I certainly hope they can get her sorted out, both for the current infection and in working to decrease their overall frequency.

Cranberry juice is an old wives tale. Take antibiotics for a UTI please.

Mashie

Cranberry juice is an old wives tale. Take antibiotics for a UTI please.

Mashie

Agree. Cranberry juice and AZO help relieve/suppress the symptoms- but don't treat the problem (infection).

If she is on medications that stop her immune system from working as well as it can (to treat the MS), those could be making it easier for her to get infections.

Good point - but other than the UTI's she is very healthy. The frequency of the UTI's increased over the last three years -about the time the MS kicked in.

Please note that D-mannos only works on UTI's caused by E-coli infections , if you developed an UTI from other bugs like pseudomonas . D-mannos will be ineffective. Green tea has been shown to have some benefits in helping to treat pseudomonas infections .

For most people treatment with antibiotics is the only method to effectively treat an UTI. As with all antibiotic therapy please ensure that you finish the entire course even if your symptoms have disappeared and drink between 2-3 litres a day to help flush you kidneys.

Really the best advice is to try a prevent recurrent UTI's as these lead to scaring of your kidneys and will affect you renal function . Prompt treatment with effective antibiotics is the only feasible method to prevent renal sepsis, something which can lead to renal failure ( kidney failure), something you never want to happen .

RN

I agree, you need antibiotics to treat a UTI. However, cranberry juice can help prevent them. I don't get them when drinking it daily, it's when I stop that I get them.

Don't mess with UTI's. Untreated they can lead to sepsis.

However, cranberry juice can help prevent them. I don't get them when drinking it daily, it's when I stop that I get them.

@bbw4doc I picked up the antibiotic a couple days ago and asked the pharmacist if cranberry juice would help prevent them. He said there are no studies to support a benefit from cranberry juice - but if by drinking cranberry juice you're increasing your liquid intake it could help flush out the system. We see her doc on the 18th.

I recently had my first UTI, and it wasn't fun. My Dr. educated me on a lot of things, now that I have a neo-vagina. I call it "welcome to woman hood"

I was on antibacterial pills and I had pain relieve pills that also makes you urine change in color.

I did the cranberry drink next to drinking tons of water.

I think my interest, nah, addiction, to anal stretching play has something to do with it. Didn't tell her that. She was asking a few questions about my sexual moments, but I have no partners yet, since being post-op. Masturbating only I told her.

Just diagnosed with a UTI. The doctor said the only way to treat it is with antibiotics. Also need to drink lots of liquids to flush it out and eat yogurt.

Just because no studies have been done doesn't mean it doesn't work. Your pharmacist is in the business of selling you prescription medication, not cranberry juice.

Https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/cranberries-for-uti-protection

From the Article: "The research on this isn’t totally clear. Some studies have found that drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry pills can prevent UTIs, especially in women who are at risk for these infections. But others haven’t come to that conclusion."

I will be a hit out on the Pharmacist! 😉

@bbw4doc is right. We need more doctors specializing in patient care than writing a scrip which is what medical schools have partnered up often with pharmaceutical companies. Doctor appointments shouldn't only be 15 minutes right?

First of all not all doctors do the 15 minute thing. Some only schedule for five. My doctor here schedules 3 patients every 15 minutes. Doc on the other hand schedules for 15 minutes to an hour depending on what you are there for.

Secondly, please don't site anything from WebMD. A lot of the information on there is a crock of shit, this article being one of them. Just sayin.

Mashie

First of all pharmacists are professionals. They will provide good advice. The chain pharmacies have turned many pharmacists into "pill counters". The medical profession today is controlled by insurance companies here in the US. Good doctors sacrifice income to spend time with patients. And when a good doctor tells you that a uti requires antibiotics, believe it, or risk the consequences,

I do believe I said that you need antibiotics to treat a UTI. I'm referring to prevention.

Mashie, the world needs more docs like your Doc.

@Mashie Thanks for the info on WebMD - i did notice they didn't reference a specific study - but I took the bait anyway!

My doc spends about a half hour with either myself or my wife. Her neurologist spends closer to an hour. We live in a small town (150,000). Even back in Dallas and Denver - I never felt slighted time wise when visiting the Doctor.

As far as cranberry juice - if it works for BBW - then keep using it!! In fact - I just bought some for my wife for after she's done with the antibiotic.

@Mashie I don't doubt that Mashie. Your doc is good and many are including mine. We do need more docs like @docinny45

@srg_rik I totally agree.

Megan

I am going to weigh in here first by saying that due to an extremely narrow urethra I have always been prone to UTI’s add that to becoming diabetic in my young adult life and I have had more than my share of them.

ONE of the best preventive measures is to drink, drink and drink.

Cranberry juice along with other high acidic fruit juices, like grapefruit can help in destroying some bacteria but I think the fact that they are also a natural diuretic is what offers the most benefit. Keeping your system hydrated, thus flushing the kidneys I am sure is a good thing.

I have never had a pharmacist try to influence me towards prescription or non prescription meds. I have been lucky that they have caught a few possible drug interactions and made me aware of signs to look for or offered to ask my dr for an alternative.

I just started seeing a new pcp (mine moved away) and because I had several issues she wanted to address she changed my scheduled appt to an extended visit. I was not even aware of what that meant until I received a notification explaining.

Like many things in life there is not a one size fits all so I suggest finding someone you are comfortable with and trust. Be prepared for your visit and don’t take up unnecessary time. Its a two way street.

ONE of the best preventive measures is to drink, drink and drink.

Bravo - martinis and bourbon!!!!!!