Advice for Preventing a bladder infection / UTI?

Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
Does anyone have any advice on PREVENTING a bladder infection or UTI? Seems like I might be prone to them. Besides going to the bathroom before and after sex, Cranberry supplements and cranberry juice, is there anything else I can do to help prevent them?
03/16/2013
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Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
All I've got is very basic advice, but if it helps it helps.

Always wear clean underwear, obviously, and not wearing underwear to bed's also good practice. Going commando, even if it's just to sleep, can also reduce your risk of yeast infections.

It's also not a good idea to "hold it in" if there's a bathroom available. I know some people who don't use public restrooms ever, even if they're in extreme pain from holding it. I don't get that.
03/16/2013
Contributor: KinkyKatieJames KinkyKatieJames
Avoid silky underwear as much as possible. Cotton "breathes" better.
03/16/2013
Contributor: PropertyOfPotter PropertyOfPotter
Drink lots of water and pee often. The more you hold your pee in, the more likely you are to get one.
03/16/2013
Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
Quote:
Originally posted by Rin (aka Nire)
All I've got is very basic advice, but if it helps it helps.

Always wear clean underwear, obviously, and not wearing underwear to bed's also good practice. Going commando, even if it's just to sleep, can also reduce your risk of ... more
Really? No underwear? That's a new one to me.

I don't get the holding it in either. Now I did when I was in high school. The restrooms were so filthy I gagged if I walked by and the door was open.
03/17/2013
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
Really? No underwear? That's a new one to me.

I don't get the holding it in either. Now I did when I was in high school. The restrooms were so filthy I gagged if I walked by and the door was open.
The more air that can get to your nethers, the less chance of an infection (bacteria thrive in environments where there's less air). Wearing it all the time isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just not the best. I wear panties when I go out, but around the house I'm almost always commando.
03/17/2013
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
Really? No underwear? That's a new one to me.

I don't get the holding it in either. Now I did when I was in high school. The restrooms were so filthy I gagged if I walked by and the door was open.
Actually, the no undies idea is not that uncommon. I was told to do that when I was preggers with my second child. If I remember correctly, it had to do with Dr. Bradley (of the Bradley method of childbirth) that suggest it because he noticed a rise in UTIs in his patients when women started wearing thongs, pants, and other tight-to-the-crotch clothing.
03/17/2013
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Drink more water than soda/coffee/etc - the pH levels in the bladder getting out of whack is a major cause of it in my family (I've experienced it ONCE after drinking nothing but soda for three days straight - that was enough for me).
03/17/2013
Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
Quote:
Originally posted by Chilipepper
Drink more water than soda/coffee/etc - the pH levels in the bladder getting out of whack is a major cause of it in my family (I've experienced it ONCE after drinking nothing but soda for three days straight - that was enough for me).
That's also a new one to me. I knew it's better to drink water, but didn't realize too much soda, coffee, etc. could cause it.
03/18/2013
Contributor: bog bog
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
Does anyone have any advice on PREVENTING a bladder infection or UTI? Seems like I might be prone to them. Besides going to the bathroom before and after sex, Cranberry supplements and cranberry juice, is there anything else I can do to help ... more
Always pee immediately after sex and drink a good amount of water! Also, shower somewhat regularly or clean up after sex!
03/18/2013
Contributor: bayosgirl bayosgirl
What others said....make sure your panties have a cotton liner or wear no panties at all; don't sleep in your panties; drink a lot of water; always pee after sex and I might add, drink a glass of water and take a capsule of standardized Cranberry Extract after sex as well. The water and cranberry extract will help flush any remaining bacteria out of your urinary tract. AVOID the juice; it's full of sugar and does not have enough active cranberry to prevent infections.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
That's also a new one to me. I knew it's better to drink water, but didn't realize too much soda, coffee, etc. could cause it.
It does in my family, but it probably isn't as such for others. I guess it also depends on genetics for susceptibility as well.
03/18/2013
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
Really? No underwear? That's a new one to me.

I don't get the holding it in either. Now I did when I was in high school. The restrooms were so filthy I gagged if I walked by and the door was open.
Holding urine not only strains the bladder, but it can promote the growth of bacteria. Urinating clears the bladder of not only urine, but often of any bacteria in the urethra or bladder itself.

DO NOT hold your urine if you get UTIs (I get a lot of them and I'm a nurse, and it's one of the things we always tell patients) along with wearing cotton underwear ONLY (not just a cotton crotch the entire thing should be cotton) and to urinate immediately after sex. Always wipe front to back (to avoid bringing bacteria from the anus to the urethra) and never have PIV after anal sex, without thorough washing first. Or use a new condom for PIV, if you have it after anal sex, or just end with the anal.

I've never found cranberry to be all that helpful, but it can't hurt. I also use a Probiotic supplement, and that seems to help.
03/18/2013
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by jennifur77
That's also a new one to me. I knew it's better to drink water, but didn't realize too much soda, coffee, etc. could cause it.
Yep. Caffeine can irritate the lining of the bladder, leading to more irritation and a place for bacteria to start growing.
03/18/2013
Contributor: TheirPet TheirPet
Changing underwear regularly, not wearing constricting clothes or underwear often, peeing after sex.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Miss Morphine Miss Morphine
I take a cranberry supplement or drink 100% cranberry juice (not the cocktail) every day. It's super bitter, but I've avoided uti's since I started this about 2 years ago.
03/18/2013
Contributor: LavenderSkies LavenderSkies
Urinating after sex, and drinking lots of water!
03/26/2013