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[Meeka]

Hi everyone ,
I haven’t posted for a while but I have found the shared knowledge on this forum to be invaluable in the past .   I am 58 and have been using oestrogel / utrogestan since I was around 50 .  I use 4 pumps of oestrogel and use utrogestan 100 mg vaginally for 7 days which produces a good bleed.   If I take it orally I sometimes don’t get a bleed or bleed is minimal which concerned me . As I’ve got older my blood oestradiol level has dropped to around 135 but in 2015 it was only 144 so this is not a recent thing .  I have felt ok overall with this level and stuck with the oestrogel combo and a recent uterine scan revealed all was ok .
I am now developing regular urinary tract infections .
The last two seem to have developed after my withdrawal bleed . I only use pads which I change regularly but I’m wondering if using oestrogel vaginally may be affecting the flora of my vagina or maybe the antibiotics used to treat the UTI  . 
I have not suffered from any UTI s in my earlier life but started to have them more after age of 55 and now they are regular.  I am also using Ovestin , only recently , which I’m hoping helps in the long run .
Any shared knowledge would be greatly appreciated .
Thank you

[CLKD]

Morning.  Has a fresh urine sample been sent to a Lab. to make sure it's an infection rather than vaginal atrophy?

'vagifem' or  'ovestin' are the usual products prescribed.  If symptoms continue to niggle use 'ovestin' nightly for as long as required, sometimes I need a dose mid-day.  I also swallow 'nurofen' 2 capsules 3 times a day for 2/3 days - it eases the need to pee sensations.

[Meeka]

Morning.  Has a fresh urine sample been sent to a Lab. to make sure it's an infection rather than vaginal atrophy?

'vagifem' or  'ovestin' are the usual products prescribed.  If symptoms continue to niggle use 'ovestin' nightly for as long as required, sometimes I need a dose mid-day.  I also swallow 'nurofen' 2 capsules 3 times a day for 2/3 days - it eases the need to pee sensations.

Hi. 
Thank you for your reply and advice about ovestin . I have been using paracetamol to manage symptoms as I have had gastritis so have to be careful with ibuprofen .  I always take a sample to GP and they send to the lab .  This time I got nitrofurantion for   3 days but not sure it has done the trick so far . Last time they changed script to amoxicillin as they said lab test revealed the bacteria would respond better to this and it did . 
I take every precaution with bowel movements as I’m aware E. coli is main bacteria .

[CLKD]

Do read the 'bladder issues' thread.  Sometimes infections may become embedded 4 which is a different form of treatment is required.  Does paracetamol help?  I don't get any relief with that.  MayB ask a pharmacist for advice if you think something else is required. 

[Meeka]

Thanks CLKD I’ll read the thread . Yes paracetamol numbs the feeling in my bladder and I don’t need the loo as much .  Ibruprofen and aspirin cause my gastritis to flare .

[CLKD]

Those are tablets to keep away from then!! 

Let me know how you get on.

[Meeka]

I recently found a link to this specialist who has interesting information regarding recurrent UTI ‘s and the treatment required to prevent the problem becoming chronic .

https://www.chronicutiinfo.com/treatment/conventional-medicine/uk-treatment/prof-malone-lee/

[Meeka]

This is an explanation of how a urinary tract infection can become chronic but give a negative result for infection in the urine

https://www.chronicutiinfo.com/chronic-uti-facts/chronic-uti-explained/

[CLKD]

Certainly infections can become embedded. 

How R U?

[Meeka]

I’m ok so far after nitrofurantoin but still occasional bladder tenderness . I have noticed that if I become cold , walking or standing outside , then this can cause a flare up .   If I keep having issues I may consult with a specialist as I don’t want to keep having short doses of antibiotics that don’t give long term relief .

[Meeka]

Hope your ok too CLKD  as I read your a sufferer too .

[CLKD]

Oh I don't suffer as long as I keep the VA under control.

It began 4 me with intermittent urine infection type symptoms: wasn't comfy unless sitting on the loo with a cuppa in 1 hand and barley water in the other  waiting for ABs to work.  Eventually my GP got quite annoyed with the Staff who weren't sending my sample to a Lab. - no sign of infection on any occasion which was 3/4 over 2 years.  Dip stick test isn't good enough!

So he rang me to explain what treatment I required    .  'ovestin' suits me for the time being.  Used regularly to keep symptoms under control.

[Meeka]

Great that you got it under control  the ovestin works for you . I’m hoping ovestin works well for me and I am free from infection . It makes sense to me that prof malone lee states that the bacteria can invade  the lining of the bladder and irritate the bladder /cause inflammation and cell changes but no bacteria are present in the urine upon testing . They then re colonise the urine when conditions are right .   

[CLKD]

I take 'nurofen' if my bladder niggles, I may have said B4 

[Katejo]

I’m ok so far after nitrofurantoin but still occasional bladder tenderness . I have noticed that if I become cold , walking or standing outside , then this can cause a flare up .   If I keep having issues I may consult with a specialist as I don’t want to keep having short doses of antibiotics that don’t give long term relief .

A urogynaecologist ,who works with Malone, told me that 3 day courses of AB's should never be prescribed.  They don't complete the job and contribute to embedded infections.  The minimum should be 7 days.