Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Urinary Tract Infections


EmilyLMT

Recommended Posts

EmilyLMT Rookie

Anyone get reoccuring urinary tract infections maybe as a link to gluten or other food allergy? :unsure: I used to get them frequently, about once a month, but then I've been clear for about a year, now I've had 3 again in the past 5 months. I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issues?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

Emily


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



trents Grand Master
Anyone get reoccuring urinary tract infections maybe as a link to gluten or other food allergy? :unsure: I used to get them frequently, about once a month, but then I've been clear for about a year, now I've had 3 again in the past 5 months. I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issues?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

Emily

Haven't heard of their being a connection between urinary tract infections and gluten sensitivity/Celiac disease. Of course, Celiac disease isn't considered an allergy but rather an auto immune condition. I think there is a tendency in human nature, once we discover we have a certain medical condition, to start blaming everything that is wrong with us on that.

EmilyLMT Rookie
Haven't heard of their being a connection between urinary tract infections and gluten sensitivity/Celiac disease. Of course, Celiac disease isn't considered an allergy but rather an auto immune condition. I think there is a tendency in human nature, once we discover we have a certain medical condition, to start blaming everything that is wrong with us on that.

Yes true. It's so easy to blame everything on gluten..haha. I'm so frustrated and just trying to find an answer. thanks for your input.

Emily

Guest stef 4 dogs
Yes true. It's so easy to blame everything on gluten..haha. I'm so frustrated and just trying to find an answer. thanks for your input.

Emily

Emily, maybe the recurrence is not exactly the disease but rather your body purging. I have heard once you go gluten free, your body will purge all radicals built up and created from this disease. Possibly your going through the fire to get to the other side! I feel like I'v had one infection after another migrating to different parts of my body. I believe my body is going through transition. It might be good to run that past your doc! Good Luck!

Stef 4 dogs

danikali Enthusiast

Well I wouldn't completely throw gluten out the window because there are a lot of people on this site, including me, who have had SEVERAL bladder, kidney, UTI's while we were at our worst before knowing about Celiac disease. So, I would like to believe that it DOES have something to do with gluten because now that I am gluten free, my bladder and infections in that area have improved 99%, I don't say 100% because there are very miniscule things that I deal with, but not as often, or as bad, and I'm still only about 3 months into the diet. That's just my opinion though. Sorry to hear you're having 'womanly issues.' I know that it's verrrry annoying and painful.

Becky6 Enthusiast

Don't know if they are related but I used to get them 1-2 times a month and was on a daily antibiotic to keep them away. I ahve been clear for years now.

Susan123 Rookie

Reoccuring UTIs can indicate a more serious problem like strictures and inflammation in the urethra of females. I am going through this right now. I went to see a urologist who has me on medication now. One advice he gave me (some of it obvious) to prevent UTIs - drink plenty of water, eat blueberries, yogurt. If you are not prone to kidney stones drink cranberry juice- not cocktail because it is more sugar than cranberries. The 100% is the best but taste the worst. Trust me it is better to get it checked out than to wait till damage occurs. The reasoning behind the inflammation and the strictures is that both build up and close the opening making it hard for urine to be emptied fully hence causing bacteria to build up from old urine. Do you go a lot or feel like you don't empty your bladder?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



mookie03 Contributor

i'm with dani on this one-- i had every type of procedure done during my childhood to figure out what caused them and they never could tell, but i always had one...it never went away...until i went gluten-free last june- havent had one since. Coincidence? Maybe, probably, likely....but i seriously hope its related to the celiac b/c i dont want them back!!!

Guest cassidy

I used to get them all the time. I haven't had one at all since going gluten-free. I also used to have to pee all the time (even when I didn't have an infection) and I have certainly noticed I'm peeing less often. I know there have been threads on here about that.

Guest Viola

Bladder infections could be genetic as mine are, we were born with shorter uretha. I take extra vitamin C everyday, stay out of swimming pools, shower instead of bath, and hot tubs are also a culprit. Water forces bacteria into the uretha, and because some of us have short ones it goes further and causes infection.

That's what I was told, and by following the above instructions I got from my doctor I have only had one infection in the last three or four years :D I used to have them constantly.

tiredofdoctors Enthusiast

I'm with susan123 on this one. Frequent UTI's can often be a symptom of a more serious problem. Often, it is also onf of the first presenting symptoms of MS -- another autoimmune disease. Not wanting to scare you, but it is definitely something to get checked out.

nettiebeads Apprentice

Loved your siggy!!! I have problems with mild UTIs whenever I eat too much sugar and stuff that's bad anyhow. Just my body telling me to be good, I guess. What the other ladies have posted here I've tried in the past and it works. Hope you're better soon!

Annette

Modism Newbie

This is the advice I have.

Get yourself to a chiropracter. Within 2 weeks you'll never have another UTI again. (this is what he told me)

Yoga also helps, because it helps strengthen the back muscles.

This is obviously after you've had your bladder checked out and nothing else serious is there. (cysts, cancer, etc)

Trust me. I had around 2 UTI's a MONTH. Within a week and a half of doing chiro I've never got another UTI and it's been over 2 years.

It works.

Kristen2Denise Apprentice

I recommend cranberry tablets - its much easier to take than drinking cranberry juice and it's helped me. I used to get them all the time, but since going gluten free I've only had one.

Felidae Enthusiast

I used to get them at least twice a year, but then I started taking a daily cranberry supplement. I haven't had one since I started taking those. I think it's been about five years.

  • 4 weeks later...
kquigs76 Newbie

I have been constantly plagued with UTI's and kidney infections recently and have been gluten-free for a year and a half. Does anyone know the correlation between UTI's and celiac?

I also seem to have protein in my urine that my doctors can't figure out. Could it be that my diet is more focused on protein now that I am gluten free and the excess protein is causing the infections?

I am sooo frustrated!

Cin Rookie

I have had UTI's since I was a small child. They were never able to find out why. I am newly diagnosed with celiacs disease. My daughter also has had several UTI's and is 9. My children are being tested for celiacs in a couple of weeks but out of all of them, she is the one I suspect the most....only time will tell.

Kristen2Denise Apprentice

I have had several UTI's and yeast infections and now my new doctor who is trained in both Western and Eastern medicine is suggesting its "candidas" possibly systemic. I've been reading about it a lot and that would make sense - does anyone else know much about this?

  • 11 years later...
dana9175 Newbie

Has anyone figured out their cause of constant urinary tract infections? I've had all testing done and all normal. I've been gluten free for 3 months now so we'll see if that will stop it from happening. I was tested and Im gluten intolerant not celiacs. 

janpell Apprentice

Me too. I have been off gluten for six years now and before that I had chronic UTI's. I only took antibiotics when I had the chills and fever and it was too painful to function (prob 4 x's/year). Otherwise I spent most of my time on the uncomfortable side. This started in my early 20s and went on until I was 40. So glad that is over. I had one infection in the past six years:). The years I had them I did everything possible to prevent them. Now I just live normally and all is fine - as in no obsessive avoidance of scented soaps, wet bathing suits, showering after BM, etc. BTW, I am not a diagnosed Celiac - I did elimination diet for my psoriasis and arthritis - the end of UTI's was just an added perk of the many. 

plumbago Experienced

There are factors that can cause and predispose one to UTIs: frequent catheterization, some exams, sex. Factors that can predispose one to having UTIs:  urinary stasis: renal impairment; problems with the bladder; stones, tumors; obesity; aging; HIV; pregnancy; poor personal hygiene; holding it; spermicides; and diabetes.

My standard response would be to check your blood glucose. How's that?

 

On 2/13/2006 at 10:18 AM, Guest stef 4 dogs said:

mily, maybe the recurrence is not exactly the disease but rather your body purging. I have heard once you go gluten free, your body will purge all radicals

Only if she's not replacing one gluten processed carb with a non-gluten processed carb!

I too would love to hear the pathophysiology of UTIs and untreated celiac.

Posterboy Mentor
On 2/13/2006 at 7:05 AM, EmilyLMT said:

Anyone get reoccuring urinary tract infections maybe as a link to gluten or other food allergy? :unsure: I used to get them frequently, about once a month, but then I've been clear for about a year, now I've had 3 again in the past 5 months. I was wondering if anyone else has had the same issues?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Emily

EmilyLMT,

I do a lot of nutrition research and the key is finding something that works for someone else . . then it usually works for others too!

I had a friend who used to have the same problems you mentioned.

Antibiotics typically is the knee jerk response.

But look up D-Mannose.

It is a simple sugar.

It is the active ingredient in the popular cystex line of health products for UTI's.

https://www.cystex.com/about-cystex/cystex-urinary-health-maintenance/

It can be found at Walgreens and most other pharmacy's and can be taken when your UTI flares up or taken prophalytically (maintenance dose) to keep UTI's at bay.

It works' on this principal.  Because bacteria likes the simplest sugars best.

They jump/release from the bladder/urethra wall to go to eat the D-Mannose and are  flushed out by your urine in the process.

She used to have fever's from her outbreaks and would get better in a few days even without antibiotics.

It sounds too good to be true but it works like a charm.

See their reviews on the product page out of 35 reviews 28 reviews are ***** Five Stars.

You can buy it other places and in different products.

But you need to find one with D-Mannose in it.

Some diabetic products have Mannitol in them because it increases blood sugar less than sucrose but Mannitol in higher doses can have a laxative effect and why they say don't over do it.  But you usually have to take in large doses to be a problem.

Mannitol is popularly used in diabetic friendly gums as an alternative sweetener for this reason.

Here it the webmd information page about D-Mannose.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1114-D-MANNOSE.aspx?activeIngredientId=1114&activeIngredientName=D-MANNOSE

*** this in not medical advice but it helped my friend with the same problems.

I hope this is helpful.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

posterboy by the grace of God,

 

 

 

dana9175 Newbie

.

dana9175 Newbie

I started out in December 2015 having UTIs caused from E coli. I started taking dmannose immediately and then June of 2016 the UTIs stopped from E coli but returned in October of 2016 caused from klebsiella pneumoniae and entercoccus species. I had uti's every month from October 2016 to May 2017. I was diagnosed with non celiac gluten sensitivity in March 2017 and haven't had any gluten since. I haven't had a uti since May so we'll see if it returns. I hope not because they are horrificly painful. Im 41 years old have a 3 year old and a 13 year old with a full time job as well. My husband helps any way he can thankfully. I've had every test done you name it and ALL have been normal! I pray this is the end of my pain but even when I don't have a uti I feel the symptoms of one almost on a daily basis. Burning that is there whether I'm urinating or not plus urgency and frequency. I'm so frustrated :(

Victoria1234 Experienced

I used to have them very frequently. My on put me on an prophylactic disease of macrobid years ago which knocked them down. But you know what? I stopped taking the med and after I went gluten-free, I haven't had even one! So not sure if it's related or if drinking more water and urinating more frequently helped. ..... but it's so much nicer than it was 10 years ago!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    2. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    3. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    4. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,870
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    KABoston
    Newest Member
    KABoston
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.