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Hi,
as I mentioned few days before, I´m going to become a new patient of Dr. Brizman. And I wonder how to handle accute bladder and kidneys infections during the treatment. They occur sometimes in me (for example after sex or in case of temporarily worse hygienic coniditions). I am not talking about the worsening of the chronic symptoms now, but about the sudden and heavy infection which can affect and damage not only bladder, but kidneys too.
I experienced these UTI´s for three times in my life, last was 2 weeks ago. Two of them started after sex. The development of the UTI is very sudden in my case and develops very quickly. It starts with slight discomfort in my bladder, seems like the simple worsening of my long-lasting symptoms, but it qucikly (within 2- 3 hours) develops to a heavy symptoms with terrible, dreadful pain especially while urinating, frequency every 15 minutes, blood and leucocytosis in my urine and high fever. Then it quickly affects my kidneys (pyelonephritis). I am not able to balance it without antibiotics. After the last attack my urologist told me that I was really close to heavy kidney infection and it was not possible to solve it without using antibitocs. The antibiotics relieved this uncontrollable pain quickly and it was a big rescue for me.
Now I´m going to start the treatment with Dr. Brizman and I´m looking forward to the process, although I know it is not easy. But I´m afraid a lot of these UTI´s and other conditions, which I am still not able to handle without using ABX (I also suffer for bacetrial vaginitis very often). Using ABX goes against the treatment of Dr. Brizman. How to handle it? For example in my bacterial vaginitis (which starts typically after my period) I have tried a wide scale of natural remedies repeatedly (tea tree oil, plain yoghurt, calendula oil, some herbal flushes etc., but no success and the only helpful remedy was finally nitrofurantoin. But I don´t want to take ABX anymore - I know that their help is just provisonal with bad side effects which damage my health. But I am not able to cut the chain and I am afraid how to solve it during the treatment before my body will become more balanced. Are there any herbs or supplements which have the similar like ABX and are usable in these cases?
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Michaela, Fortunately I
Hi Michaela,
Fortunately I haven't yet had a bacterial UTI since having IC although my IC was triggered by a UTI! However I've read of a few supplements that are natural and might help if your bladder is at a stage where it can handle them. Grapefruitseed Extract Pills are natural and are very potent for killing bacteria and act like a natural antibiotic. They're also good for fending off candida I think.
Also if your bladder can handle it, natural cranberry supplements (NOT cranberry juice!) taken regularly can both prevent a UTI or help get rid of it as the cranberry stops the bacteria from being able to cling on to the lining of your bladder.
Most importantly LOTS of water to flush out the bacteria!
I would ask Dr B though as I'm sure she'll have answers for this.
Cranberries etc.
Dear MissCC,
many thanks for your response. I hope Dr. Brizman has some herbs to manage this conditions. I know grapefuit seeds and cranberries very well - cranberries is the most common natural remedy which has been recommended for acute UTIs. But unfortunately it was applicable for me before my IC developed, not now. Now both supplements cause the terrible irritation to me :-(.
If you would be so kind and ask Dr. B about it, I will be very grateful.
I will discuss it with Dr. Brizman too and post it here for any of the patients who are interested in, but three weeks still remain to my journey to L.A. ...
Thank you
Hi- real quick- definitely NO
Hi- real quick- definitely NO cranberry! Dr B will definitely have herbs to manage acute infections. You will be in good hands!
Hi Michaela, You might find
Hi Michaela,
You might find it helpful to read back through Matia's old blog posts, I think there was one called "Sex, IC and UTI's" that might shed some light on what's going on for you. There is another post from her about herbs to have in your "medicine cabinet" to use in various combinations to combat all kinds of acute issues. Matia will be able to help you with all of this, it'll just take a little time and effort. As someone once said to me, our bodies WANT to be balanced and are always striving to maintain that.
I second Deir- cranberry may be helpful if you don't have IC, but it'll only make your symptoms worse right now.
cranberry
is the DEVIL. I used to take it before I realized I had IC.
Sexual life
Thanks to all of you for your tips and support.
That old posts of Dr. Brizman related to sexual life made me sooo sad. I don´t have normal sex for 6 years, I refused to have relationships because of IC. Now I met very supportive man and I tried to fight it and was hoping, that at least oral sex with him is possible. But the last flare of UTI came just after this activity :-(. I didn´t suppose the complications caused by that :-(. So many rules for me and also for him and I worry about him. Hard to say if he is able to tolerate it in the long term... Hope everything will get better during the tretament.
Thanks a lot.