Urinary Infections

Very basic but is she using proper hygeine- always wiping front to back, drinking lots and lots of water, avoiding tight pants and irritating soaps? Is she sexually active? What cranberry juice is she drinking- many of the ones in stores are not 100% juice and have lots of sugar, the cranberry supplements can be more effective.

When I was younger, I had a few uti right in a row. My doctor immediately did a test and found that part of my kidney was not working correctly. I could grow out of it, but until then they put me on daily medication. By the time I was 9 I had outgrown the problem. Your friend might want to ask the pediatrician if there could be a problem with the reflux between kidney and bladder. I wish her well.

Hello! I'm sorry to hear about your friend's daughter! It must be terrible to have to live with that type of infection for so long, not to mention live with the scoliosis. Anyway, something that should help with the urinary infections is a good pro-biotic. Basically what happens when taking an antibiotic is it kills all the bacteria...bad AND good. We need the good bacteria in our bodies to help fight the bad or it ends up a never-ending cycle. I worked for a natural doctor (who is now nationally known and has celebrity clients and clients from all over the world) and he helped me more than imaginable with my own health issue.

She should look for Lactobacillus or acidophilus (I am unsure if these are spelled correctly). The best type to get are "live" culture bacteria which need to be refrigerated. This is the same type that is in yogurt and in brands like Activa which add much more live bacteria. She would need to make sure she takes it either an hour before or an hour after taking the antibiotic (or follow the directions on the container). They are in capsule form so they are easy to take. You can find the capsules with live bacteria in a health food store, and second best is the ones on the shelf which most drugstores carry. Good luck!

I only suffered them when I was sexually active. I had many UTIs and was hospitalized for a kidney infection- because I was tired of the meds and thought I could do without taking another antibiotic. I had a slight curvature in the spine but nothing to worry about. As a nurse in a peds office I dont see any connection with UTI with scoliosis but I will ask the dr. Has she seen a urologist??? Also- is she wiping front to back???? Also- cranberry juice and yogurt work great but they also have cranberry pills for those who do not like the tast of cranberry juice. some people like it mixed with 7-up

My experience has been a modified diet which has helped considerably... lower all sugars including juices and simple carbohydrates. eat more green and orange vegetables and adding healthy fighting bacteria through yogurt or probiotics were useful for me. I had many in my 20's and found that these changes made a world of difference for me.

I don't know about scoliosis, but I had them as a child and still get them. As a child it was from the bath and bath soap. Also, holding in urine, sex, caffeine are also common triggers. When I feel one coming, I take AZO, an over the counter pain reliever (you can get it most places Walgreens, Walmart for sure), to help with the pain. Makes your urine bright orange and causes the urine to stain, and you must drink a lot of liquid, but it elliminates the pain.

Hi P.,
I work with a wellness company that has a product called 'Cranbarrier'. This is an all natural product that has had amazing results in preventing UTI's.
Please contact me for more info.
Good Luck!
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FYI, drinking or taking cranberry juice or pill doesn't work once you get the infection, only helps to prevent them. I had UTI's a lot when I was younger, once for six months. I also switched all my laundry dets. to Free of dyes and junk and stopped using fabric softener. Turns out I was allergic to Downy which I had always used. I also switched to Ivory soap for body washing, since it is Free of dyes and junk to.

Good luck.

K.

Dear P.,
I'm so sorry this girl has had so many problems. Young people have enough on their plate without medical issues that can't be resolved. I'd like to suggest that she try supplements that I have used for almost 4 years. It comes through a company called Reliv International. Their web site is
reliv.com
I am a distributor, no longer sell but use the products for my own wellness every day. The premise of these products is that balancing out the body can resolve a lot of medical issues. It is not a cure and I don't know how it all works, but it seems to help for many things. If you would like to talk with someone about this, I can put you in contact. The drawback is that this is a multi level marketing company. I found that if you can get past the hipe,the products are excellent. Please let me know if I may help further, and good luck to her + thanks to youfor asking.
S.

You have received some great info. I'm just getting over a little one now, I caught it before it got bad. I start my day with 1/4 tsp of baking soda in 8oz of water to neutralize the acid in the urine, and drink 100% not from concentrate cranberry juice (You can dilute it, 8oz of juice and 8oz of water), that is the key, sugar, coffee/caffiene, artificial sweeteners are all bladder irritants and can make the condition worse, so she should stay clear of those items. Second, a good probiotic in a pill form, most online sources will tell you that antibiotics typically do not help the UTI. Florajen 3 from Whole Foods is an excellent brand to get, PB8 online at www.vitacost.com is good too. Make sure she is wiping front to back to avoid bacteria getting back up and she has to go when she feels the urge, she cannot hold it, that is the worst thing she can do. Not sure if I repeated myself, but good luck to your friend.

J.

Hi, P.. Does this girl drink cranberry juice regularly even when she doesn't have a UTI? If not, I would suggest that. She also needs to drink about 64 oz of water a day when she doesn't have an infection. When she has one, she should up that amount. She needs to use the bathroom regularly. I get UTIs if I don't go to the bathroom as needed. Since I can't afford medical care at this point, I drink a ton of cranberry juice (more than I normally do without an infection) and more water. I rarely get UTIs, though.

Taking a lot of antibiotics does not help. Your body (and the infections) eventually get used to the medicine and mutate into another strain that is more resistant to the medicine (that's one way we ended up with MRSA). However, when she's prescribed antibiotics, is she taking the entire bottle of medication as prescribed? Most people are told they must take the entire bottle even if they start feeling better after a few days, they nod in agreement, and then stop taking the antibiotic when they feel better in a few days. This was the other way we got MRSA. When one doesn't take the entire bottle as prescribed, then you're more likely to get that infection again, but the bacteria will have mutated and will need a stronger antibiotic to get rid of it. Eventually, there's not going to be a strong enough antibiotic.

You mentioned this has been ongoing for the past year and a half. When was she diagnosed with scoliosis? I'm not suggesting a connection between the two, but if there was the UTIs would have been ongoing since the onset of the scoliosis (or around the time of the onset). It would take a doctor or nurse to answer that specifically.

At 17, with regular UTIs, I would draw the conclusion she's sexually active and not taking necessary precautions during or after sex. My sister gets UTIs constantly because she doesn't use the restroom immediately after her and her husband have sex. Urination is important afterward because it flushes bacteria out of the urethra that was pushed up there during sexual activity. Also, if one's sexual partner has a UTI and a condom isn't used, it's possible to catch a UTI from having sex. It's a bacterial infection that can be transmitted from one person to another during sex. If she is having sex, I hope your friend can take the time to sit down and explain the importance of using condoms and then urinating after (and even before) sex, even if it's not the response she's hoping for from her daughter.

Hope it helps!
M.
www.spiceglamup.com

There can be a musculoskeletal connection with the scoliosis. I recommend she see Dr. Roberts in Oak Lawn, IL and also the physical therapist that was mentioned in an earlier response. No cranberry juice. You're getting too much info from people who don't know the medical research.

I think you should get a second opinion. Is your doctor an ob/gyn. Ask your doctor.

My girls are 17 & 20 but we have not had this issue.

I don't know if there is a connection. But when I was younger, I would get 2-3 a year. One thing that helps with the burning and discomfort is Uristat (I think that's the spelling). But be warned, it will discolor your urine and can discolor your panties (even if you wipe well). The Uristat is sold over-the-counter. Also, ask the Pharmacist about anything that would help with the pain. There might be other over-the-counter meds out there.

I really feel her pain. I have battled UTI's since I went thru puberty. This is the regiment I have gotten into for myself. I drink cranberry juice regularly, but not exclusively. I drink lots and lots of water. Wear cotton underwear ( It helps against additional irratation). Take acidophilus everyday, 3x's a day! (a probiotic you can get in the vitamin section of any grocery store). Try to stay off the antibiotics as much as possible. Also, urinating before and after any sort of sexual intercourse. I've heard of a lot of people just say sex, but that is not the only time dirt can get into the urethra. Her mother or someeone needs to tell her that before and after any 'fooling around' she needs to pee, even if it's just a little. And I hate to get specific, but she should also be told that she should use lubrication. any dryness down there can make it much harder for bacteria to get out. She is a young women and has to know how to take care of her body.
Also, are the doctor's she's seeing gynocologist's. Has she had a pap smear or tests of any kind other then peeing in a cup? There are some vaginal infections that feel like UTI's but aren't. Maybe finding one good doctor would stop all the precriptions of antibiotics and find the cause of her pain. Hope this helps!

I have scoliosis on the top and bottom of my spine, so I have a double curve. I have never had a UTI. I'm 41.

My neighbor has UTI's real bad and she even urinates blood. She has to do antibiotics for it because cranberry doesn't work for her.

Now has she been checked for a bladder condition called Interstitial Cystitis. It is very common among women. It causes pain and burning when you urinate. It is aggravated by not drinking enough water and eating foods that have high acid content, lots of spices , alcohol and so forth. It might not be UTI's at all.

I have always heard yogurt helps with bladder infections maybe eating yogurt could help. Good luck

My daughter has a condition that causes urinary track infections. She started with reflux in her kidney's/bladder and then later learned her 1 kidney really wasn't working at all. I'd see a urologist about it and I'm sure they'll have the necessary tests done. My daughter has had the VCUG and Renal ultrasounds to find the problems. Good luck!!

I do not know anything about scoliosis, however I used to suffer for multiple uninary tract infections and I was told that dryer sheets can cause an infection. Since I stopped using these I have not had another one. I am not sure this will help, but it is a possiblity. I do still use them on my blankets, but never towels or undergarments. Good Luck!

I used to get a lot of urinary tract infections as a child. I still am susceptible to them as an adult. The infections comes from bacteria. Have your friend change her diaper often and wipe carefully in that area. I agrree with everyone elses response regarding probotics. If she has a high level of bacteria that could keep causing them. The probiotics are easy to find now, all the yogurt companies are putting it in their products and cheese too. I really liked the Dannon ones in the little bottle. They taste really good. You don't want the infection to go to the kidney.

Hi P.,

My neighbor's litle girl also suffered with Urinary tract infections and came to find out that they led to a repeated kidney infections. Her daughter was diagnosed with reflux which caused her urine to back up and be held for a very long time which caused her to have repeated urinary tract infections that led to kidney infections. Without this problem being surgecially corrected her little girl would have had a non functioning kideny from the damage. My neighbor said that reflux can be hereditary and her mother also had it. I don't know if there is a connection between scoliosis and urinary tract infections. I do know that my neighbors daughter went through about a hear or so of orinary behavior, discomfort and fevers before the doctor finally figured out what was going on.

Tell you friend good luck.

Question - When she drink cranberry juice, is it 100% cranberry juice (not from concentrate) or is it just 100% juice with other juices like apple juice mixed in?

It needs to be 100% NOT FROM CONCENTRATE cranberry juice. You want the not from concentrate because you are getting straight berry juice on reconstituted juice powder. It is hard to find but Trader Joe's has it. It is strong tasting juice but it works. It cost a little over $5.00 a jar. I actually mix it with 100% grape juice NOT FROM CONCENTRATE to cut the tangy taste of the cranberry juice.
She should actually drink the juice even when she does not have the problem. It works for me.

S.

I don't know about the scoliosis question. But if this is helpful - I used to have repeated UTIs due to a short urethra. I still have them too often - every couple of years - but in my 20s it was really bad. I saw a urologist for some tests to determine what the problem was, and then they put me on a low dose of antibiotics that I took every day for a while. I'm not sure if that would still be recommended (it was 15 years ago) but it gave me some relief. After about a year I stopped taking the antibiotics and the problem was never as bad after that.

If the daughter is sexually active, the doctor should talk to her about being careful not to introduce bacteria during sex (or masturbation). Everything else, I'm sure she's heard from her doctors - white cotton underwear, no scented detergents or dryer sheets, make sure to drink lots of water and empty bladder completely (lean forward while urinating.) Eating a lot of sugar helps with the growth of bacteria (so drink sugar-free cranberry juice; although I don't think any human can drink as much cranberry juice as you're supposed to - it's just not that tasty!)

Just a couple of ideas... I used to get really bad bladder infections until a few years ago I discovered a daily multivitamin at Walmart called Onesource for Women. They have cranberry right in them. I had to take a daily vitamin anyway and they completely got rid of my bladder infections. Told my MIL and she started to take them and got rid of her constant bladder infections as well. She still takes them and has been bladder infection free. I don't take them right now because I am on prenatal vitamins. I've been on prenatal vitamins for a couple of years now and no bladder infections, but I think that is because I drink mostly water and a lot of it! Hope this helps. I feel for her.

Nutraceutical Science Institute sells D-Mannose w/Cranforte http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-D-Mannose-with-CranForte-60-V... which is an all natural capsule that she can try. regular cranberry juice such as ocean spray has a lot of sugar in it, so hopefully they are getting the 100% cranberry juice w/no added sugars. She should restrict diet while having a flare up as the bacteria that causes the infection feeds like crazy on the sugar in the system and it throws things all out of whack. My mother in law suffers frm a urinary infection about every other month and won't listen to us, but I have a friend prone to them who staves them off by taking cranberry capsules as a preventative even while not having an infection. She gets less of them. I hope this helps

I'd recommend an appointment with a Urinary Gynecologist (Dr. Roger Goldberg in Evanston is AWESOME - so kind and understanding). Or an appointment with a Physical Therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor. Kamin Physical Therapy in Park Ridge rocks!

"She'll outgrow it" is a ridiculous response and she should check other doctors and not stop until she finds one who takes the case seriously.

I am an herbalist and I can sugest a herbal program with supplements I offer on my website that will clear a urinary tract infection and Probiotic 11 to re-establish good bacteria to help prevent it from reoccurring.
You can contact me for the details at:
____@____.com, ###-###-####.

I don't know about the scoliosis connection, but I would highly recommend a pro-biotic to her. My daughter is on an anti-biotic right now for Strep throat and I have pushed her pro-biotics. They replace the "good" bacteria that anti-biotics strip away. They can be bought in pill form and are also in things like Activa yogurt. : )

There may be something in alternative medicine that could help. Often western medicine is not able to do more than soothe or treat an infection - and it cannot get at the cause. Acupuncture and herbal therapy often can. If you are interested, I know a very good acupuncturist whose specialty is treating women and girls - she is wonderful.