Urinary Tract Infections

[EmilyLMT]

Anyone get reoccuring urinary tract infections maybe as a link to gluten or other food allergy? 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

[trents]

Anyone get reoccuring urinary tract infections maybe as a link to gluten or other food allergy? 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]

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]

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]

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]

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?

[mookie03]

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 I used to have them constantly.

[tiredofdoctors]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[kquigs76]

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]

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]

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?

[dana9175]

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]

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]

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]

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? 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]

.

[dana9175]

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]

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!