What is alternative treatment for UTI vs antibiotic?

Hi @achinmayo1955 Welcome to Mayo Connect. On Connect we’re not medical professionals but we can rely on our personal experiences to help other members.

When did your urinary tract infection symptoms begin? Has this been going on a long time?

I see you’re being treated for an abscess in your gums. I’m not clear if you feel the antibiotics you were on for the abscess should have treated your urinary tract infection as well. Were these things happening concurrently or did the UTI develop recently?

Having been in the dental profession for over 35 years, I’m familiar with abscess situations.
Tell me about your abscess. Was it a dentist or a family physician which prescribed the antibiotics for the abscess?
You mentioned that this is around the gum line. Has it been suggested that you have a thorough tooth scaling in that area called a Root Planing for periodontal disease? Has the dentist irrigated that pocket with peroxide?

Generally if there’s an abscess around the tooth it’s caused by a buildup of calculus which eventually causes the bone to resorb. There can be a pocket around the tooth which then collects food and bacteria causing an infection. If the pocket isn’t corrected this infection will persist. Occasionally there is surgery required on the gum tissue to remove this pocket of tissue. Are your teeth in this area loose?

Back to the UTI... They’re annoying for sure and painful. Do you see any blood in your urine? Do you have that frequent urgency to go to the bathroom? It really is best to have a urine sample taken to find out what bacteria is causing the infection. They can developed easily into an nastier condition if not treated properly. There is an over the counter product to help with symptoms of pain with urination called AZO. But it is NOT a fix for the situation so please seek medical attention Tuesday. And definitely keep up the liquid intake...and outflow!

I can understand your theory if you’re thinking this should not be happening because you were on antibiotics previously. They may not be the correct meds for your bacterial infection for the mouth or your UTI.
Also, for your abscessed gums, unless the situation is taken care of physically by a professional cleaning or surgically that infection may not go away by itself. An untreated abscess could run the risk of going systemic. Are you running a fever?

@achinmayo1955, I agree with Lori. Antibiotics usually are the first line treatment for urinary tract infections. Which drugs are prescribed and for how long depend on your health condition and the type of bacteria found in your urine. This means that the antibiotics that you've been taking to treat your dental issues may not help the urinary tract infection. It may also not be advised to take a different antibiotic at this time. Only a medical professional, who knows all the details of your condition can answer these questions. Please consult with your doctor as soon as possible. If symptoms and pain persist or worsen, please go to ER.

Has anyone used 50 mg macrobid as a prophylactic on a long term basis for urinary tract infections? Have you had any side effects?

Fotula, has Macrobid been suggested as a long-term preventative medicine for you? I see that it is sometimes prescribed as a prophylaxis for cystitis.

Yes, it was prescribed at 50 mg 1 X daily for 6 months or longer. But, I see that Macrobid can cause scarring of the lungs or other issues. I suppose that this could be a problem if you already have pre-existing lung conditions but I am not sure. Do you know anything else about this drug and it's safety?

Fotula, pharmacists are a great resources when you have questions about drug safety. I would certainly bring your concerns to your prescribing doctor about possible long-term side effects and lung scarring and also talk to you local pharmacist.

One of my close friends is a doctor of pharmacy, and she and i discus a lot any possible side effects of certain medications I take. Pharmacists are the absolutely experts in their field. Many doctors do not know much more about side effects than informed by the drug company, or can be found in the Merk register.
I know this from my field of medicine, I know a lot about my specialty, but not much outside of it. We don't learn much of pharmacology in med school.

Should cranberry juice and other cranberry sources be stopped while talking D'mannose supplements? How much is too much cranberry when dealing with recurring UTIs?

There was a study done on 200 nursing home clients (women) regading UTI and canberry juice. Unfortunately it did not reduce the number of UTIs. I believe it was a year long study. In my own experience, it makes you feel better for a little bit, but I ended up at the Dr. office getting the pills.

I was able to catch a UTI at the beginning end, and could stop it with tons of cranberry juice, but I am really not sure if it was he juice, or if my immune system did the job.