Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: margaret on May 01, 2016, 01:10:53 PM
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HELP!! I've had 3 bouts of cystitis in 2 months, what's happening to me, can't understand where they keep coming from, feel so down in the dumps :(
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Are you post menopause? My Mum has suffered terribly with cystitis and UTI's for years and the Dr said it's all related to post menopause.
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Get yourself some Vagifem or Ovestin1mg from the GP. Cystitis symptoms can be caused by drying of the skin down there which mimics repeated 'infections'. In the meantime take Nurofen or Paracetamol to ease symptoms, drink plenty - some ladies find cranberry useful as it supposedly clings to the bladder wall, dragging any 'bugs' with it as passed as urine.
I find that 2 Nurofen and 90 mins. later another tablet works.
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Thank you, I'm going to the docs on Tuesday x
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Hi Halfpint, yes I'm post menopause, I used to be so fit and healthy, I never ailed a thing now I catch everything going, I've just got no get and go anymore x
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Have you not been on any HRT?
If not, I would ask to try Ovestin or Vagifem.
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Yes I was on HRT for 2 years, from the age of 52 to 54 but my blood pressure went up so they took me off it, I have ended up on medication
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is your blood pressure controlled on medication?
If it is, you can use transdermal HRT, and certainly Vagifem or Ovestin.
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HELP!! I've had 3 bouts of cystitis in 2 months, what's happening to me, can't understand where they keep coming from, feel so down in the dumps :(
Clkd is right xxxxx😊
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:thankyou: Suzi Q
Margaret - did you see your GP today?
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Hi CLKD, I have been put on a 10 day course of Nitrofurantoin 50mg, the doctor said initially the 3 day course was no good, then I was put on a different one which wasn't for my particular infection, just been fighting with the infection for 9 weeks, he said if this doesn't work they're sending me to the hospital ::)
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I had repeated bouts of thrush and cystitis all the time until I started using Vagifem 6 years ago. I haven't had one single episode since.
Good luck with your treatment.
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Oh dear >sigh<. Did the GP send a urine sample away to a Lab. to be tested? That is the ONLY way that a bug can be found …… so many GPs don't think of menopause when a lady presents with repeated 'infections' :-\ …..
Usually 3 days of that particular drug is enough to kill any bugs. Why is he waiting :-\
Ring and ask for vaginal atrophy treatment, it won't do any harm and may be what you require in order to stop those awful 'infection' symptoms.
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Hi CLKD, they have tested my urine sample each time as I am also passing blood, I have an E-coli infection. :(
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Ah - I missed that bit, sorry :-\. Where did you pick that up from?
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Hi CLKD, the doc said it is one of the most common infections of a UTI and is found in the bowel and digestive tract, in the menopause the mucus that protects any germs entering the bladder is less and makes it easier to become infected.
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It can also be picked up from restaurants, badly hygiened public loos etc., bad kitchen hygiene ……..
How R U today?
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Google Waterfall D-mannose (I can't post the link as the site sells the stuff) - it really does work, especially for e-coli infections. It's not cheap, but for me it's been worth every penny - I used to suffer frequently with cystitis (quite badly too - passing blood and little clots, pain severe enough to make me cry, having to go to the loo every 10 minutes, nausea, sweats - the works! And this was way before any hint of peri-menopause, so definitely not VA) but haven't had a bout since I got my D-mannose. I take a loading dose (4 teaspoons) if I feel that tell-tale tingle .... and that's it - gone!!
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:thankyou: Scampi. Is it something you need to drink every day?
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HI CLKD - no, it's a powder (I think you can get it in capsule form too, but I prefer the powder - dosage is more flexible). I carry it with me all the time 'just in case' - like I said, if I feel a suspicious 'tingle', I take a loading dose of 4 teaspoons (just eat it - it's a slightly strange sweet taste - not something I'd eat for fun, but not horrible!). It passes easily into the blood (doesn't affect glucose or insulin levels) then straight through the kidneys so it's in your bladder very quickly - within an hour, all is back to normal. Even when I first discovered the stuff and was in the middle of a bad bout of cystitis, D-mannose gave me noticeable relief within an hour. I carried on taking a lower dose for a week that time, just to be sure. And if you have a sensitive bladder (sensitive to inflammation that is, not the euphemistic 'sensitive bladder' that Always use on it's stress incontinence pad adverts!), you can take one teaspoon a day as a maintenance dose.
The website has loads of information, and the owner of the company is really helpful (I e-mailed a question the first time I took it, and he rang me to discuss it properly with me - now that is service!). And in case you're suspicious, I don't work for them - I just think the stuff is amazing and every woman should know about it.
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Hi Margaret, I'm Another who has been tortured by the dreaded cystitis and occasional UTI, in fact , it was when I went to my GP last week, basically at my wits end, that she mentioned it might all be coming from VA ! I had a urine dip stick test which was clear so thankfully no need for antibiotics. I'm so relieved to have found this site, wish I had known about it years ago. I'm 63 and over most of the dreaded hot flushes aching limbs etc, but I can relate very well to other " joys" such as anxiety teeth sensitivity and the urinary problems.
My GP is excellent, though it's sometimes slightly awkward as I know her from our children attending same activities when they were younger, however she's extremely professional and we managed to have the sexual intercourse conversation without too much embarrassment. She prescribed Sylk lubricant and I've also asked for Oestrogen pessaries. She had mentioned them, but I wanted a wee think first! After reading the posts on the forum, I immediately put in a prescription request.
I would strongly endorse the DWaterfall Manoose as mentioned by Scampi. It seems to work best for ecoli infections . It attaches itself to the bladder wall and the bacteria stick to this rather than your bladder, and then it gets flushed out naturally when you pee. I take a maintenance dose every so often , and during an infection I take the maximum recommended. It's been a God send, together with some ibroprofen alternating with Paracetamol ,( no more than the recommended dose).
In your case, it seems a definite UTI so hopefully once the antibiotics finish, you could try the Dmanoose. I would also recommend a good probiotic to take with the DM, to help restore your natural flora. I hope you soon start to feel better. I have endured the cystitis symptoms so long I forget what normal feels like, and I admit to feeling envious of friends who seem to have it together whilst I feel I'm falling apart!
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:welcomemm: Evelyn :thankyou:
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Thank you Evelyn, I will try the D-Mannose, thankfully the cystitis has gone after a 10 day course of antibiotics, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, my doctor gave me sylk and I can also recommend Replens which you can put inside every 3 days it's just water based but is very good.
:)
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They won't replace the oestrogen that causes the dryness though - as oestrogen levels drop off everything dries :sigh: apparently: = the need for some ladies to use regular oestrogen replacement. It works and does ease symptoms ;)
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I totally agree about the d mannose.. Never tried the powder, I get the tablets but might try the powder.the only slight inconvenience for me is it does upset my stomach a bit and makes me feel slightly nauseous but then I have IBS and am sensitive to sugars.however. its a small price to pay :)
Me too Teresa, I have IBS but sometimes needs must, and a touch of the runs is preferable to the razor blades shooting up from cystitis.