Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)

Hi @marigrace89 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice that I moved your question to this existing discussion about recurring urinary tract infections in the Kidney & Bladder group. I did this so you can read posts other members have written on the topic and to connect you with members like @nene22 @contentandwell @jakedduck1 @retiredteacher @baxtersmom

You might also be interested in this discussion with an informative post by @dawn_giacabazi
- female frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs) https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/female-frequent-urinary-tract-infections-utis/

And this discussion about cellulitis
- Cellulitis and Sepsis just released from the hospital https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cellulitis-and-sepsis-just-released-from-the-hospital-1/

Marigrace, have the doctors indicated any reason for the recurring UTIs? Do you know what caused the cellulitis?

@marigrace89
Good morning,
I personally am not familiar with the UTI problem. I don't remember ever having one myself. Although my memory is nothing to write home about.
My only experience with UTIs that I remember are my mom had a couple and my dad had many, he was a quadriplegic and they prone to them and had sepsis many times because of them.
He was on IV antibiotics which between the medication and all the water they forced down him they went away.
Drinking water is very essential in UTI’s and there prevention. When you can’t drink anymore drink it anyway. I try to drink 4 L of fluid a day, mostly water, which is slightly more than 1 gallon. They help to prevent kidney stones too which is my problem.
Although there is no medical proof that cranberry actually prevents or cures kidney stones there is a substance in cranberry juice that helps bacteria to not stick to the bladder wall. But if I understand it correctly it takes a great deal of the juice to accomplish this feat. Also keeping your urine acidic helps too, Citrus is the gold standard for kidney stones and putting lemon in your water will probably help. If you choose to drink cranberry juice get the unsweetened or maybe take the cranberry capsules be sure you’re getting enough vitamin C. Also you should stop any caffeine and alcohol. These are hard on the bladder under the best of circumstances.
Drink drink drink drink and then drink some more
Good luck,
Jake

Margigrace,
While once I thought that UTI's were a female preserve, I have found out differently.
My thought is that you might investigate your immune system status. It is entirely within reason that this reoccurrence is due to a weak response.
Learning the cause of this may be the start of a better life.

Oh absolutely not! I was never a fan of baths to begin with. I think my last one was eight or nine years ago.

I have been going thru the UTI battle since post menopause. I have symptoms, the whole 9 yards and culture is completely negative. My doctor is saying that because I don't use estrogen (topical) that the urethra is inflamed and that is what is causing the symptoms. You can also have colonization (apparently) but no infection????? In any case, it is painful and frustrating.

Drinking pure cranberry juice, helps prevent Uti's

@marigrace89
Good evening from California,
First of all I’m not saying that I’m going to tell you it will necessarily work for you especially since you have another problem.
50% of UTI’s can be cured with drinking an excess amount of fluids. I have witnessed the success of doing so numerous times.
Water is the best. I saw someone else mentioned cranberry juice which obviously can’t hurt and will at least give you a change from water all the time. Cranberry juice has a chemical in it which prevents bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall although it still has not been confirmed that cranberry juice itself does in fact prevent UTIs although plenty of women swear by it so who knows.
it’s good that they’ve done cultures depending on your symptoms they may have done urine and blood cultures and if the urine cultures grew out a particular bacteria when they would test which antibiotics will kill it and so at that point they should’ve called you in a prescription. If you weren’t notified I would assume you may have another issue going on other than a UTI. If they did blood cultures they were most likely checking for septicemia to see if your infection went to your bloodstream. Several other medical conditions can mimic a UTI, one being a fungal infection. I’m not sure but I didn’t think a regular urine culture could detect fungus, maybe someone else knows. Quite a few nurses on here who might know.
DRINK UNTIL YOUR URINE IS EXTREMELY PALE OR EVEN BETTER NEARLY CLEAR!!
I assume your cellulitis is being aggressively treated?
How is it doing?
Hope your well soon,
Jake

@jakedduck1 - You hit the nail on the head! Flush the infection away! Lots of water. Always told my daughters to do so. If there is pain or burning at the urethral opening, it helps with a warm sitzbath.

@colleenyoung @marigrace89 I had been involved in this discussion in a minor way but the number of UTIs I have had you could quite literally count on the fingers of one hand. I had one of unknown origin, a couple of suspected ones that turned out to not be UTIs, and two from botox injections for incontinence.
I wish I could help but this is not an area in which I am very knowledgeable.
JK

A female, middle age, family member has had recurrent UTI's with severe pain on the right flank. She has always been a swimmer and swim instructor. Her doctors are telling her she can never swim in the ocean, never swim in a pool or never take a bath again. She lives in the Cayman Islands. For someone that has been a life long swimmer, living in the Cayman Islands, this news is devastating for her. Interested on any feed back from others that may have had similar issues. I should add that she does have celiac disease which is controlled with diet.