Recipes for avoiding UTI's

[chick]

Hi Seenkid. I didn't realize you were injured only 9 mo. What you've done these past 9 months is obviously something new and different for your body, and you're body may still be adjusting.

What I was meaning by 'changing routine', is regarding your cathing methods, time you cath (schedule, if you have any), freq of caths, etc. Has there been any changes in your regular daily routine (work, school, social activities, etc.) Also, are you drinking more, or less?

From what you've described, it sounds like you're utilizing a pretty clean technique. I'm assuming you do intermittent cath, using a straight cath. What type of catheter and do you use lube? Maybe use gloves, if able?

When you say you have a uti, were you tested each time to show positive uti? Sometimes, you can be colonized with bacteria, but it not be an infection. Were you symptomatic every time, and are you constantly having symptoms for you to be taking a routine antibiotic? Like nurse KLD stated above, regular and frequent use of antibiotic, esp. if non-symptomatic, can result in developing a bad resistant strain of bacteria. If you post the specific antibiotic you are taking, sci nurses may have more feedback and advise regarding that particular med and its effects.

[betheny]

You may find that passing that kidney stone helps a lot, in decreasing number of uti's. You may also find, if your uro explores, that you have more in there. They harbor bacteria. We build them as our bones de-mineralize, which sucks to think about but is a fact of life.

If you have one stone, your likelihood of more goes way up. More info:

http://www.rogerbaxter.com/KidneySto...yStone_4.shtml

I'd ask my uro to look for any more stones, and or ways to prevent developing them.

I haven't had a uti since I passed my first stone, they were every 3 months like clockwork before.

[SCI-Nurse]

Have you tried getting a new catheter for each cath? Medicare covers this now. If not, then the recommended method for cleaning catheters is not boiling.
1. Wash with warm soapy water, rinse well with tap water, shake dry.
2. Lay on a clean dry bath towel and fold over. Continue with catheters and folding in the same towel throughout the day.
3. At the end of the day, set this set of catheters aside and allow to continue to dry another 24 hours.
4. Once completely dry, place in clean dry paper lunch bag until you need to reuse.
5. Never soak in disinfectant or store in an air-tight container.

When you say you have had 15 UTIs, do you mean 15 infections (fevers, chills, flank pain, AD, severe malaise, etc.) or 15 positive cultures? The latter, without symptoms, are not UTIs in people with SCI. Only the former should be considered a UTI and treated.

Print this out and share and discuss it with your urologist:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv...1.chapter.8279

Having a stone will cause you to be constantly colonized and increase your risks for true UTIs. The stone needs to be removed ASAP.

Catheterization technique is rarely the culprit in repeated UTIs in SCI. Much more common are the following problems that increase your risks for UTIs:

• Cathing too infrequently (less often than every 4-6 hours)
• Allowing too much urine in your bladder at any one time (over 450 cc.)
• Stones
• Chronic prostate infection (males)
• Having a high pressure bladder (when did you last have urodynamic studies?? What was your maximum detrusor pressure??)

(KLD)

[Seenkid101]

Thanks a lot chick and betheny!! i am taking macrodantin 50MG's. And i do intermittent cath at 5 am, 10am, 2pm and 8pm. And all of my volumes are no more that 500 CC's. I drink a pretty regular amount of water thats all i drink with the exception of one cup of coffee in the morning. The only catheders that i can afford or rather get through my medicaid is Red Robins. i do not have any insurance anymore and they gave me 300 red robins before my home health got cut. my routine is simple. I don't really do much besides the regular stuff.

I also have an ultrasound in a about a week so i will get checked then. I just feel like i don't ever have any help. I really need a urologist that does specialize it UTI's.

[Seenkid101]

Have you tried getting a new catheter for each cath? Medicare covers this now. If not, then the recommended method for cleaning catheters is not boiling.
1. Wash with warm soapy water, rinse well with tap water, shake dry.
2. Lay on a clean dry bath towel and fold over. Continue with catheters and folding in the same towel throughout the day.
3. At the end of the day, set this set of catheters aside and allow to continue to dry another 24 hours.
4. Once completely dry, place in clean dry paper lunch bag until you need to reuse.
5. Never soak in disinfectant or store in an air-tight container.

When you say you have had 15 UTIs, do you mean 15 infections (fevers, chills, flank pain, AD, severe malaise, etc.) or 15 positive cultures? The latter, without symptoms, are not UTIs in people with SCI. Only the former should be considered a UTI and treated.

Print this out and share and discuss it with your urologist:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv...1.chapter.8279

Having a stone will cause you to be constantly colonized and increase your risks for true UTIs. The stone needs to be removed ASAP.

Catheterization technique is rarely the culprit in repeated UTIs in SCI. Much more common are the following problems that increase your risks for UTIs:

• Cathing too infrequently (less often than every 4-6 hours)
• Allowing too much urine in your bladder at any one time (over 450 cc.)
• Stones
• Chronic prostate infection (males)
• Having a high pressure bladder (when did you last have urodynamic studies?? What was your maximum detrusor pressure??)

(KLD)

i can't afford a new cath everytime. I do not have medicare yet. i have had the chills, severe fever, vomiting, sweating, and spasms and i always go to the emergency room for this and they give me an IV of antibiotic. which is usually Cipro. I think the problem is, is that it just never went away and i have checked about 15 times and each time i always have one.

Having a high pressure bladder (when did you last have urodynamic studies?? What was your maximum detrusor pressure??)

No i have not had this done. I am going to contact an expert urologist in charlotte. who typically does this?? My urologist??

[Mona~on~wheels]

So you get sick, go to er, get antibiotic iv.
Do they culture a urine sample & prescribe a specific antibiotic for that infection for a minimum of 14 days?
If not, then you're not getting rid of it.
You're just treating the same one long enough to feel better,
and the infection is getting stronger & stronger.
Do they retest you after taking the specific antibiotic for 14 days,
to make sure you're healed?

[Seenkid101]

So you get sick, go to er, get antibiotic iv.
Do they culture a urine sample & prescribe a specific antibiotic for that infection for a minimum of 14 days?
If not, then you're not getting rid of it.
You're just treating the same one long enough to feel better,
and the infection is getting stronger & stronger.
Do they retest you after taking the specific antibiotic for 14 days,
to make sure you're healed?

i also take antibiotics for 14 days after i leave the hospital. But i don't beleive that i have followed up after. i am telling you i have got to get rid of my urologist. he is just not working for me.

[Hunker]

Have you tried getting a new catheter for each cath? Medicare covers this now. If not, then the recommended method for cleaning catheters is not boiling.
1. Wash with warm soapy water, rinse well with tap water, shake dry.
2. Lay on a clean dry bath towel and fold over. Continue with catheters and folding in the same towel throughout the day.
3. At the end of the day, set this set of catheters aside and allow to continue to dry another 24 hours.
4. Once completely dry, place in clean dry paper lunch bag until you need to reuse.
5. Never soak in disinfectant or store in an air-tight container.

When you say you have had 15 UTIs, do you mean 15 infections (fevers, chills, flank pain, AD, severe malaise, etc.) or 15 positive cultures? The latter, without symptoms, are not UTIs in people with SCI. Only the former should be considered a UTI and treated.

Print this out and share and discuss it with your urologist:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv...1.chapter.8279

Having a stone will cause you to be constantly colonized and increase your risks for true UTIs. The stone needs to be removed ASAP.

Catheterization technique is rarely the culprit in repeated UTIs in SCI. Much more common are the following problems that increase your risks for UTIs:

• Cathing too infrequently (less often than every 4-6 hours)
• Allowing too much urine in your bladder at any one time (over 450 cc.)
• Stones
• Chronic prostate infection (males)
• Having a high pressure bladder (when did you last have urodynamic studies?? What was your maximum detrusor pressure??)

(KLD)

Hi KLD I am bumping this because "you" saved my life.

[NoDecafPlz]

i also take antibiotics for 14 days after i leave the hospital. But i don't beleive that i have followed up after. i am telling you i have got to get rid of my urologist. he is just not working for me.

You are setting yourself up for C Diff which is diarrhea due to all those anti-biotics stripping the friendly bacteria from your intestines.

The Uroquid/Visoquid acid needs a prescription, but even with Cranberry
and vitamin c, it might not be enough if you have another related problem.
I can't use regular catheters, I have to use a complete kit Gloves, betadine prep, napkin (Mentor 1014, Bard 4A450) which allows me to cath in a sterile manor. This by itself reduced my amount of UTI's. Where did you rehab? Do you have any follow up appointments?

[Seenkid101]

You are setting yourself up for C Diff which is diarrhea due to all those anti-biotics stripping the friendly bacteria from your intestines.

The Uroquid/Visoquid acid needs a prescription, but even with Cranberry
and vitamin c, it might not be enough if you have another related problem.
I can't use regular catheters, I have to use a complete kit Gloves, betadine prep, napkin (Mentor 1014, Bard 4A450) which allows me to cath in a sterile manor. This by itself reduced my amount of UTI's. Where did you rehab? Do you have any follow up appointments?

NoDecafPlz-

I went to rehab In charlotte. Carolinas Rehabilitation. When i got out of rehab i was living in asheville, so i don't think that i got the proper set-up i was supposed to. I had to set up everything here with doctors when i got back and no one told me what i was supposed to have done (ie. ultrasound, bladder pressure) i guess i chose the wrong urologist. This is very frustrating because no one here helps me with these things. I can't afford catheders or sterile kits for that matter. I am not having a problem with my UTI's as of right now..its been a couple months but i still need to get rid of whatever is inside me.

[peasnluv]

Even with the sterile kits in the rehab center, you had one that wouldn't go away. It's most definitely NOT the cathing technique. That is a fact. It's something else.

[NoDecafPlz]

Gotcha.

Ok, I have checked the interactions with the Visoquid acid tablets. you would want to make sure that if you are taking any kind of Prilosec, Zantac, any kind of antacid, that you don't take within two hours of the Visoquid acid tablets. There should be no other concerns, even an antibiotic.

I would strongly recommend my menu ASAP so that you are at least practicing some preventive maintenance.

Besides drinking water/cranberry juice and making sure cath area is prepped with betadine, I supplement with:

2 Visoquid Acid tablets x2 daily (morning and bedtime)
2 Green Source multivitamins x2 daily (morning and bedtime)
2 CVS Brand Max Cranberry x2 daily (morning and bedtime)
1 1000 mg time release Vitamin C (morning)

Uroquid acid can be up'd to 4x a day when people feel a uti coming on.

Thank God I have been near UTI free for two whole years.

NoDecafPlz-

I went to rehab In charlotte. Carolinas Rehabilitation. When i got out of rehab i was living in asheville, so i don't think that i got the proper set-up i was supposed to. I had to set up everything here with doctors when i got back and no one told me what i was supposed to have done (ie. ultrasound, bladder pressure) i guess i chose the wrong urologist. This is very frustrating because no one here helps me with these things. I can't afford catheders or sterile kits for that matter. I am not having a problem with my UTI's as of right now..its been a couple months but i still need to get rid of whatever is inside me.

[Seenkid101]

Thanks a lot. I will be getting on this ASAP!!!

[jayslx1]

I use rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to clean the head, and use Speedi Cath catheters. Also take 1000mg Vitamin C and a cranberry capsule and drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day. Free of infections for over a year.

[~McLovin~]

difference between an infection and uti?