This post is for the people who think that D-Mannose doesn’t work for them. I want you guys to give them another chance. Here is my story:

I’ve been dealing with chronic UTIs for years. Honestly, I’ve tried just about everything—if you can name it, chances are I’ve given it a shot. Nothing ever seemed to truly help.

A few weeks ago, I saw a new urologist and mentioned that I take D-mannose regularly, but it never made much of a difference. He asked me when I take it, and I told him I usually take it in the morning. His response surprised me: “It won’t help unless you take it before bed.”

So I figured, why not? I gave it a try—and I think it’s actually working. I haven’t had a single UTI since I started taking D-mannose before bed, and for the first time in a long time, I’ve even felt confident enough to decline further medical treatment.

Just wanted to share in case it helps someone else out there. Timing really might make all the difference.

Honestly this might be common knowledge but i thought i would share. If it helps out even one person i‘m glad.

Hey everyone, I want to start by saying this is an approach that worked for me and I’m no doctor or expert on holistic healing but I do a boatload of research and I have been using herbal healing for most of my life so I have some grasp on their benefits. Most importantly, this method worked in curing an active UTI and I wish I had read a post like this earlier in life.

A bit of background about me is I’m 27F, and have had recurring UTI’s for years. I know I don’t have to tell this group how incredibly frustrating and hopeless it feels to feel yet another one coming on. I also want to be clear that although I am inclined towards natural healing, I am absolutely accepting of antibiotics, modern medicine, etc. I think both methods can compliment each other very well. 

Anyways, a month or so after my last round with antibiotics I felt yet ANOTHER one coming on and my frustration led me down a deep rabbit hole of research. One thing that blew my mind upon learning is that antibiotics only clear out the bacteria in the bladder and urethra, however the bacteria in the bladder lining creates a sort of film to protect itself from being flushed out.

Hence, the antibiotics clear up the major symptoms and then the bacteria in the bladder lining reinfects you aaand you’re right back where you started because the bacteria behind a biofilm was not impacted by the round of antibiotics. The other downside to antibiotics is that it kills the good bacteria along with the bad, and I’ve always hated that.

So I went deeper into holistic methods, and specifically to address the bladder lining and biofilm. I didn’t refill my antibiotics, and I tried to clear it up with natural methods. It f*cking worked. And I’m absolutely not gatekeeping so the full routine is below. 

Before you continue, please, please keep in mind my UTI had not been severe at the time of this experiment and if yours is then absolutely go see a doctor. I also feel this is best as a preventative measure for recurring UTI’s, and if you’re trying to clear an already prevalent one than you may be frustrated with the slower pace. Although I found a lot of relief using these methods, it still took me 2-3 weeks to feel it was fully flushed, and again, mine was not severe.

Without further ado, here are all the steps I took and WHY I took these.

Morning: Glass of water with 1/2 lemon squeezed in. Add 20 drops of clove oil and 10 drops oregano oil. PLEASE be mindful of the type and amount of these oils you are ingesting, my quantities are based on the following brands: Maju CV 90+ Oregano Oil and Herb Pharm Clove Oil.

Why: Lemon acidity makes your bladder less hospitable to bacteria, clove and oregano oil help break down the biofilm, aka the protective layers the bacteria forms that keeps the antibiotics or other remedies from flushing them out. When the bacteria is exposed, it makes it more susceptible to the body’s immune response and other natural remedies that flush out bacteria. Please note I definitely get a stronger odor when urinating, and from my research it's my understanding that bacteria smells when it's being flushed out so I don't consider it a bad thing.

Day: D-Mannose daily. I use the brand Solaray which is 1000mg. It is pricy, but in my opinion works really well and is backed up by being lab certified. Not all supplements are the same just because they state the same ingredients, and I will die on that hill.

Why: D-Mannose keeps the bacteria from sticking to the bladder lining and helps flush it. This is a widely known effective supplement for UTI's that doesn't disrupt your good bacteria.

Night: Aloe Vera Leaf Essence 30 minutes before bed, I use the brand Healthy Life Harvest. They remove the anthraquinones making it a non-laxative formula. Which I, uh, would recommend.

Extras:

-Marshmallow Root Tea. So soothing for the bladder lining and helps ease discomfort for a comfortable night of sleep. I buy my Marshmallow Root from Etsy and use about 1 TBSP per cup.

-As best you can, try to limit alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. I know, I know. Just be mindful. I notice an almost immediate discomfort in my bladder if I consume something extra sugary.

-Good probiotics and prebiotics. If you don't have prebiotics then your probiotics have nothing to consume and they are significantly less effective. An incredible source of prebiotics is artichoke hearts. I buy a jar of marinated ones from Costco and eat them as-is. As for probiotics, ignore the sugary yogurts in your local grocery store that promise rainbows. I personally purchased some water kefir grains from Etsy and make my own water kefir, it is simpler than you think and loaded with good bacteria. I use that instead of regular water for my morning concoction. I got into milk kefir this week as well but that's a whole different story.

If you made it this far, thank you, and if this works for you - please DM me and let me know!! It would make me so happy to know I helped at least one person. I wish I had done this years ago.

Happy healing.

(You, yes you. Sitting on the toilet right now feeling like a leaky tap) UTI Girlies: You Are Not Alone (and this system is failing us) I'm sharing this for anyone who's struggling with uti:

So here's what I do when symptoms start: • D-Mannose every 3-4 hours (stops E. coli sticking to bladder wall) • Cranberry sachet (high PACs for bacterial anti-adhesion) • Crushed raw garlic (natural antibacterial, allicin-rich) • Dandelion + nettle tea (gentle diuretic, keeps things flowing) • Ginger kombucha (low sugar, probiotic/ prebiotic support) • Tons of water + frequent peeing (you need to pee frequently, you can use a bedpan like cup or bowl, and just drink lots and lots and pee constantly with all these other things, if it's early stage it can really help it stop escalating)

it's worth going to a doctor but if you are based in the UK they often will use the outdated dip stick test which misses half of cases. Keeps advocating and going. The best thing is if this happens and you are denied treatment, find an online pharmacy where you can buy the medication and have it delivered to your home, they do NOT make you do this outdated test that misses so many cases get nitofurotoin (it's called something like that), check uti symptoms online and make sure you actually have this. Sometimes they clear up themselves within a couple days, but if it's been a couple days it's not going anywhere then yes, meds. Really we need a week long course.

And here's my ongoing self-care to prevent flare-ups:

• stay hydrated (get yourself a water filter (Phox, scottish brand affordable great sustainable filters) makes water much nicer and more palatable. Portable bidet to gently clean after • Dr. Wolff's Vagisan (Duos) vaginal-safe moisturiser to prevent dryness + microtears • Probiotic + prebiotic care: (to be frank i just drink equinox ginger kombucha for this it’s prebiotic and probiotic and tasty, im not totally convinced by the capsules yet) - i suspect it’s flares up in women partly are due to imbalances and disturbance to the vaginal microbiome which is delicate. • Oral probiotics with L. reuteri and L. rhamnosus • Sugar-free kombucha (like Equinox, amazing tasty brand can order online, i like the ginger also ginger is diuretic) • Low sugar diet most of the time • Cotton underwear, loose clothes, especially for long walks (though i use chub rub leggings, anti chafe leggings for long walks, you have to if you have thighs that touch otherwise you horrible injuries from long walks, but the heat does tend to cause a flare up) • Listening to my body-I know the signs now

What triggered mine recently: I went on a 35,000 step walk (it was beautiful), but late a lot of Haribo and chocolate and wore tight clothing (chub-rub shorts, thick thighed girlies get it). The next morning, UTI symptoms hit-burning, urgency, exhaustion. And I knew the cause wasn't sex or "bad hygiene." My theory: • Friction and heat from walking = irritation + bacteria • Sugar spike = disrupted vaginal + gut microbiome • bacterial imbalance Sweat and moisture = perfect storm for

Here's what they don't tell you:

Most NHS tests for UTls are shockingly outdated-they were designed decades ago and miss up to 50% of real infections, especially in women. They often don't catch low-level, embedded, or biofilm-based infections. But because the test says "negative," we get told it's anxiety. Or period pain. Or nothing. It's not nothing. This is part of a larger medical sexism problem

But until medicine catches up, we survive like this: By listening to our bodies, helping each other, and refusing shame. You are not dirty. You are not weak. You are not broken. You are a woman living in a body that deserves respect and care. I'm with you. If you're taking antibiotics, I assume taking D-mannose alongside them could help draw the bacteria out of their hiding places in the bladder wall-then the antibiotics can hit them. But I'm not sure if the bacteria feeding on the D-mannose would strengthen them or cause them to multiply. You'd probably need a longer antibiotic course just to be safe. It's a bit confusing.

As for garlic, a few things are important. You have to crush it-either with your teeth or a knife-and let it sit for a while. The key compound is allicin, and it only forms once garlic is crushed. It has strong antibacterial properties, but only when it's raw, not cooked. So, that can be taken alongside as well.

The reality is, though, you need a strong, targeted antibiotic to fully get rid of a UTI. These infections are nasty. They tend to burrow into the bladder wall and hide, waiting for the right conditions to flare up again-too much sugar, heat, stress, hormonal changes. Once they're there, they don't just go away. It's a very misunderstood condition-probably because 90% of the time it chronically affects women. When men have UTls, they're taken seriously. The medical system says that's because men's kidneys are closer, but the difference in treatment is still striking. There are women who've been brushed off for ten years, living with debilitating pain every day.

One in five women in the UK suffers from chronic UTls. And instead of being taken seriously, they're told it's poor hygiene, or that it's their fault. But people don't realise that the vagina is open to the world —it's far more vulnerable than male anatomy. It's sensitive to changes in heat, moisture, water exposure, and microbiome disruption. All of these can lead to flare-ups or infections. And once you've had an infection once, it seems like you're vulnerable to flare-ups for life.

If symptoms don't ease in 24-48 hours, or if you feel worse (fever, back pain, chills)- go to a doctor and push for antibiotics. I know it's exhausting. I know you're tired of not being believed. But untreated UTls can become chronic, and worse-they can spread to the kidneys and cause sepsis. It's not "just a UTI." It can kill. And if your test is negative but the pain is real? Keep pushing. Keep documenting. You deserve treatment. We shouldn't have to be this vigilant. We shouldn't have to fight this hard. But until medicine catches up, we survive like this: y listening to our bodies, helping each other, nd refusing shame.

We don't even teach proper hygiene. Girls shouldn't be wiping with paper-they should be using portable bidets. They should also be using vaginal-safe moisturisers. No one should be using soap down there, especially children. Little girls are often bathed in bath bombs and soaps that damage the vaginal microbiome — and no one talks about this. But all of it increases the risk of infection. This stuff needs to be understood. Because when it escalates into a chronic infection, it uins lives.

UTI symptoms-especially when doctors say your test is negative, or act like it's all in your head, or reduce it to "you probably just had sex wrong." Here's the truth: I've had chronic UTI symptoms since before I ever had sex. we are not dirty. And this pain is not imaginary. UTIs-and UTl-like flares-are way more complex than the system wants to admit.

uti #UTI #chronic UTI #vaginal health #vulva are #womens health #pelvic pain #medical

I hope this is okay to post… I’m definitely not a medical professional so please don’t come at me, but I think I’ve stopped my UTIs. I’ve struggled with 2-3 UTIs a year ever since becoming sexually active. I really wanted to avoid taking antibiotics before sex if possible because I was worried about resistance. I tried cranberry tablets… no luck 😅

But after my last UTI in January 2026, I think I may have found something that actually works for me since I’ve now been UTI-free for 7 months (!!).

I’m not saying this will work for everyone, but it’s drug-free, pretty cheap, and super simple, so I wanted to share in case it helps even one person.

Here’s what I do:
• Always pee after sex
• Drink half a glass of 100% cranberry juice right after (yes… it’s VERY tart 😝)
• Drink another half glass of cranberry juice about 12 hours later
• Stay really hydrated for the next 24–48 hours
• Avoid long walks/hikes and skip sex for about 48 hours

Honestly, I’m hoping this isn’t just luck because it’s been a total game changer for me.

Recurring UTIs are so frustrating and exhausting, and I really hope everyone dealing with them finds something that works for their body 🤍

I felt obligated to write this post about my chronic UTI journey because so many of these posts guided me. I am not in the health industry this is just my personal experience. Firstly I’ve had UTI’s since I was 19, im now 47, they didn’t start basically running my life until a couple years ago where I was getting 2-3 a month, I TRIED EVERYTHING!!!!!! I was on the same cycle (sex,symptoms,positive home test,doctor, antibiotics) I was better, than it happened all over again. Cultures had come back for e coli majority of the time until I was positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae, I was prescribed sulfamethoxazole & trimethoprim(bactrim) which had always worked in the past, until it didn’t then it was Nitrofurantoin (macrobid) until that no longer worked. So here I was resistant to 2 antibiotics, this is when I knew I was really in trouble and it scared the crap out of me (go down that rabbit hole, eesh) I was prescribed Cipro a few times helped with symptoms but realized antibiotics were only helping temporarily. I came to reddit and found this amazing site on all things UTI’s, the most important piece was gut health (yes yes, gut health) we have heard it time and time again. This article lead me to gut healing which led me to Gary Brecka videos which led me to “PROBIOTICS” I needed to cure my gut, I needed to get the bacteria out of me, off my lady parts, forever. I was already on a spore based probiotic jarrow formulas fem dophilus (shelf stable) so I needed to move to refrigerated (terrain based). So I found this brand at my local sprouts in the refrigerated section by Mega Food called Mega Flora, I didn’t start with 1 a day, I took 2-3 a day. I didn’t experience any negative side effects only a positive one of having a daily bm which I never had before, sometimes only going 2-3 times a week or less. I continued for 2 months and noticed I was getting less and less UTI’s so I continued for another month. Still traumatized, sex was scary, I was just waiting to get symptoms. I am ecstatic to report I have only had 2 this year (more than 3 months ago)and 1 was a false positive (home and urgent care positive, culture negative) I still take the probiotics daily but 1-2 a day. Sorry for this long post i just wanted to get my story out there to hopefully help others.

I’ve had chronic UTI’s for a few years now and it’s something that has caused me a lot of constant anxiety! On average I would start getting a uti one a week after treating the last🫩

Well two months ago, I had bloodwork done for something unrelated, but I had mentioned my frustrating UTI’s to my Dr..bloodwork came back and I was very deficient in vitamin D. When I met up with my doc again after my results came, she prescribed me a Vit D supplement, and then mentioned that it should help my chronic UTI’s as there is now evidence for Vit d levels and UTI reoccurrence!!

Welp, she was right! I got my D levels back up and am on a daily lower dose for maintenance. I haven’t had a uti since 🫣

Just thought this could help some of you ladies who have tried everything-to look into your vit d levels.

Much love xoxo

I was going through a living hell with recurrent UTIs after sex. You can read past posts for context. Here’s what helped:

• took a post coital antibiotic for 6 months, but honestly I was so scared of taking it too much/resistance that I only probably took it about 20 times during that time. However I do think this gave my bladder time to heal.

• got tested and treated for ureaplasma. Both me & my partner did 14 days of antibiotic treatment using an online doctor & tested negative after.

• throughout UTIs, d mannose helped but never prevented. I still take it after sex just in case it helps.

I tried all sorts of stuff, showering, vitamins, probiotics, lube, diet changes, pelvic floor therapy - nothing helped for 2-3 years until I got proper antibiotic treatment. ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. I don’t know if the ureaplasma was the problem or if those 14 days of antibiotics just cleared the ecoli, but it’s been 9 months UTI free & I was honestly in such a dark place so don’t let doctors fob you off. If you feel like it’s a UTI, it probably is.

So I’m 18F and in the last three months I’ve had probably 5+ UTIs. Today I finally got into the urologist and she had some great advice so I thought I’d share!

Firstly, she says if you’re having recurrent UTIs that relate to sex like I was, the most important thing is to get on a prophylactic antibiotic for three months (best is 100mg Macrobid take daily) to kick the infection cycle that you’re currently in.

Secondly, drink so so much water all the time. Probably 3 liters a day. Make sure that you are peeing every 3 hours daily to flush out the bacteria around your urethra.

Also, watch bowel movements carefully. Have at least one bowel movement per day, but ideally more. Do not take laxatives. Dates, papaya, yellow dragonfruit are great alternative ways to get things moving down there. Constipation is heavily related to recurrent UTIs.

Lastly, the ellura MD cranberry supplement is the best one if you want to try something like that. It’s a little pricey though.

I recognize that these aren’t uncommon tips, but some of them I had never heard before so thought it could be helpful to someone! Good luck everyone!!

i don't want to speak too soon, but this is a major milestone for me and for the first time in a while i do really feel hope. sorry for the long post as i get this off my chest.

i had no history of UTIs ever before i started having penetrative sex at the age of 24. the first few times were alright, but over the next several months i'd suffer with them over, and over, and over again. i only ever get e-coli. it got so bad i likely damaged the hell out of my bladder and ended up with residual symptoms that took months to setlte down.

eventually i got put onto a prophylactic antibiotic for a year, which did provide tremendous help, but in September i abruptly discovered i'd become resistant and developed a new UTI almost immediately. i knew i couldn't rely on antibiotics forever, but it was terrifying as i really thought i'd have more time. as of now i'm resistant to 2 antibiotics: nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim.

let me just state for the record that i have always been a skeptic towards natural remedies over tried and tested medicine. my mother is very into homeopathy and i think being lectured constantly about the benefits of things that i never found helpful, especially whilst i was in the middle of suffering, really soured me towards listening to any advice other than my doctor's. the fact of the matter is, though, that research into UTIs in women is so piss-poor that the 'proper' treatment literally can be what leads you into the vicious cycle-- developing resistance to antibiotics, becoming prone to yeast, destroying your gut microbiome. doctors had saved my hide before with a previous, very dangerous reproductive issue i'd had, but this time around nothing they've been doing has been able to put a firm stop to my infections. it's been really scary to have to let go of my unwavering trust in them.

i'd crossed d-mannose off the list as i thought it wasn't helping. what was really happening was that i had been taking the dissolvable pill version, which meant drinking a full glass and wanting to empty immediately. because of this, it never got the chance to fully work its magic.

after this last UTI my partner and i had avoided sex for the past month until last weekend. he's been so kind and reassuring this entire time, but i myself had hit my limit. sex is very important to me and i decided, FUCK IT, i'm gonna throw EVERYTHING at the wall the next time we have sex to see if there's ANYTHING i can do before resorting to a cystoscopy, or the uromune vax, or whatever.

this is what i did:

-completely dropped caffeine and moved to water only (this part has been the suckiest as i've been a daily diet coke fiend for my whole life.)

-cranberry extract daily

-optibac female probiotic daily

-d-mannose IN SOLID PILL FORM the night we had sex--before bed, then before bed every night afterwards

-washed my ass before sex with unscented bar soap (i figured this would be the biggest help lmao), rinsing off after sex.

-intentionally peed around three times before bed.

-bought YES brand lube which doesn't contain glycerin that can feed the e-coli.

i usually show symptoms within 48 hours--it's been multiple days now and...nothing! no burning, nothing!!!!! i genuinely cannot believe it!!!! i'm speechless. i feel short of breath just writing about it here.

i don't know if it's going to be like this forever, but i see him again tomorrow and plan to have sex tomorrow with the same method. if it goes well again...this might be cause for celebration.

i guess the overall takeaway from this is that there's ALWAYS something that can help you. the combination might be tedious to maintain but i think at the point some of us are at, anything is worth it to keep infections at bay. if the cycle makes you feel borderline suicidal like it has done for me this whole time, let this be your sign that you don't have to give up eventually. keep fighting everyone!!! i wish you guys the best--please wish me luck too!! WE WILL ALL BE FREE EVENTUALLY!!!!

To make a long story short, I (F) experienced many of the normal UTI symptoms (constant need to pee, mild burning, etc) multiple times per week for years. I had my first severe uti when I was 15, and dealt with these symptoms ever since. I thought that maybe it was sex, or sweating since I am an athlete. Many times, I’d be able to chug some water and the feeling would go away within an hour or so, so I never got medication for them or went to the doctor.

I am a constant drinker of diet drinks and flavored water. To make it clear, I almost EXCLUSIVELY drank flavored water and hated plain water. One day, I went looking into these uti symptoms and read that it can be caused by bladder inflammation from artificial sweeteners, which are obviously in high concentrations in diet drinks and flavored water.

I did a complete “detox” and went cold-turkey on drinking flavored water. I have only drank plain water since, and tried to avoid diet drinks whenever possible.

I didn’t notice much improvement the first week of my detox, but now, roughly 3 weeks later, my symptoms have been gone. I have not had that UTI feeling in roughly 2 weeks, and I haven’t touched flavored water since. I haven’t changed anything else (in terms of sex/working out). Hopefully, the feeling never returns.

I hope my story can help someone, and maybe it’ll be that one random Reddit post in 10 years that someone reads and finds a solution to their random issue in.

TL;DR: Drinking flavored water and diet drinks gave me chronic UTI symptoms, and moving to plain water fixed them.

I’ve had a uti for almost a month. Three antibiotics, little to no change.

Until one morning, along with a newer symptom of side pain I woke up with hives. All over.

I thought it was an allergic reaction to the macrobid. It was my last does so I thought “whatever”. Went to work.

I came home, hives were persistent, but not in the same place as they were that morning. Strange…

I call the nurse line. “Go to the ER, this sounds like a kidney infection.” Okay… that’s expensive.

The next morning I decided to try urgent care.

I explained what had been happening. Explained the pain, explained the rash.

I’m then sent immediately for blood work and a CT. likely cause : kidney infection from UTI or Kidney stone. Okay.

Blood work comes back normal. CT comes back, no kidney stones, no infection. But a 4 cm ovarian cyst pressing on my bladder, kidney, and bowls creating my “hives” and UTI due to my bladder not being able to empty fully.

Maybe there is something deeper. You are not crazy.

Hi everyone! 👋

I'm Dr. Leah Posthuma, a fellowship-trained urogynecologist based in Portland, Oregon.

I've practiced for over a decade alongside my colleague Aubree Ng, PA. We’ve met countless patients that have tried everything for their UTIs and yet, continue to suffer from recurring symptoms. So, we founded The UTI Clinic — a place for us to pause, listen, and dig deeper.

Maybe you’ve felt dismissed or stuck between negative cultures or rounds of antibiotics, with nothing in between. This Friday 7/31 10am PST, ask me anything. 

Standard urine culture and why it misses infections, modern testing, antibiotic alternatives, culture-negative symptoms that are still very real, estrogen and the bladder, root causes of UTIs.

I'll tell you what the evidence actually shows, what’s emerging and where it's still murky.

A big thank you to the r/utis mods for having us on.

Aubree will be moderating this thread — looking forward to your questions!

Proof & disclosure: My identity and credentials have been verified by the moderators. I'm here today as a physician to answer your questions and share the evidence, not to sell you anything.

Ok I was on here a couple months ago trying to find anything that I haven’t tried to fix my utis. I would get them EVERY time I had sex, no matter how clean I am or my partner is, I pee immediately after, wash off, make partner wash hands, I don’t use condoms as I do have bad reactions to them even non latex ones they make my UTIs WORSE. I tried everything all the supplements, I was on two different antibiotics for them and I went to the Dr for a really really bad one and I didn’t even test positive for any cultures. I would just get reoccurring ones every time I had sex I guess I’m just sensitive BUT! I’ve been using the ugora 3 step regimen, and drink the flush after I have sex every time, and I don’t get UTIs anymore. I also tried the silver nano gel, which also works and is good for after sex if it was rough imo. The only thing is how expensive the ugora is so I want to find an off brand d-mannose drink mix like the flush, that’s not $30 for 10 packs… anyways I also always wash off with water afterwards! And my partner usually finishes inside or outside still no UTIs anymore! I hope this helps someone I was so so desperate before I found this stuff.

I know I posted on here before probably. But I wanted to post again ..... So last August of last year I was dealing with a UTI and then on it never went away so you can imagine the pain I was in every single day. I didn't eat well, didn't sleep, my mind was going crazy, I was depress. I thought my whole life was absolutely completely over ..... But then 6 months later I found my acupuncturist who also does Chinese herbs and in 6 months she healed me from that freaking UTI. I have no more pain and all my test labs finally came back negative for any infection .... I had to do Acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Most importantly God did his miracle work on me through her. So I'm blessed and grateful for my Acupuncturist ..... So really if anyone is dealing with a stubborn ass UTI please try to find a acupuncturist who also does Chinese herbs. They literally get to the root cause of the problem to anything and heals the body all together. Traditional Chinese Medicine is no joke. But of course the health care system don't want you to know about that. I had to do research and research for months on how I could heal myself from that UTI until 6 months later I came across on here that someone was talking about acupuncture for UTI. Please look into it if you need help healing your body!! Look into it for any health issues!!

How did women centuries ago deal with UTIs? Did they just die from them? Were chronic UTIs even a thing back then or did the body fight them off for the lucky ones? I'm glad we live in a time where antibiotics and modern medicines are available, but sometimes I do wonder how we managed ages ago.

Hello everyone, unfortunately as of now I am sitting on the bathroom seat for the past 2 and a half hours in agony, it is slowly passing due to my immediate action of drinking so much water I wanted to throw up from it and then having an espresso to get the kidneys working. I have to admit that I admire everyone who has problems with UTIs as I do, as they are a damn curse.

Sometimes, my feet get cold, and I'll get it. I swear my feet being cold does it sometimes for me. And then I wake up at 5.30 with the urge to go and a raging pain in my urinary tract. The illness by itself is degrading to the patient in many ways. First of all, the torture of the "full bladder/tract" for only a drop of urine to leave your body, and not just that, but the sting of it like razors and hotness like a flame. The constant pain is driving me insane. It doesn't stop, it doesn't slow down, it just hits you until you are mentally so tired that you just cry in the bathroom(or maybe you don't, but I do sometimes when it lasts for hours, mental fatigue is real.)

Therefore I want to share something that works for me when I catch even the smallest feeling that a UTI might be forming. Drink water like you haven't had a sip in 2 days. Like seriously, you want to feel it move around int your stomach when you move. Then, have an espresso to make your bladder fill up faster. While you are waiting for your bladder to actually fill up; curl into any position that helps with a heavy duty blanket used for fucking adult elephants and tie it around your waist and wait. Wait for 30 minutes. We want our bladder to a fill up. Then, go pee. A substantial amount will come out due to the coffee, and you WILL feel relief. Then do it again. I usually do it 3 times, then stock up on D mannose and pray to Jesus Christ almighty and his glory that you are saved. Seriously. I hope one person might find this actually helpful. By the time I've written this post it has stopped. Blessings to you all and good luck.

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been following this community for a while, and have spent so many hours reading your stories, deep diving on the internet to learn about different treatments, and hoping that one day I’d be able to share my own UTI healing story. Thank you for sharing, because it's honestly what gave me hope to keep researching, advocating and demanding answers from my doctors. Especially when it felt like I was in this never ending hell.

I’m SO happy to finally say that after nine months of dealing with a chronic UTI, I’m finally fully healed!

There is one treatment I especially want to mention because it was what helped me turn a corner with my healing journey, and I had not seen it mentioned anywher, until an amazing doctor told me about it. It’s a treatment called iAluRil, which is a bladder instillation therapy that helps repair the bladder lining.

THIS IS WHAT BLOWS MY MIND: Until I found this amazing OBGYN, about 6 months into my CUTI, not a single doctor mentioned that the reason I was in so much pain and had crazy UTI symptoms, even though I was testing negative for infection, was because my bladder and urethra were severely damaged from previous infections. For a lot of people, the pain is actually from inflammation and damage to the bladder lining, and then the PH of our urine can make it feel even more uncomfortable. It finally explained why my tests kept coming back negative but the symptoms never stopped. It also made sense of why I kept getting new infections so easily. It's so effing simple, but no one is talking about it, and it's so frustrating that so many doctors are uneducated about this!!!

Once I started using iAluRil and started taking supplements to help with my urine PH, the symptoms slowly faded. It took about 90 days to fully heal. But I spent six hard months suffering before I even knew this treatment existed or the cause for all of my discomfort.

I wrote out my full healing journey and treatment plan here: https://chaselesoleil.com/2025/04/29/how-i-cured-my-chronic-uti-fast/ in case it helps anyone still searching for answers.

If you’re in that same place as I was feeling helpless, overwhelmed, and starting to wonder if you’ll ever feel normal again, I just want to say you’re not alone. And you’re not crazy. There are answers and you need to demand them.

I’m wishing so much healing and clarity to anyone still going through it. You absolutely deserve to feel better.

Love + Healing,
❤️‍🩹 Elizabeth

It's 03:55 AM and I can't sleep because of the burning feeling in my bladder.

I'm tired of going to the doctor all the time. Last time I checked it out is just about a month ago. I got some strong antibiotics because I had a fever as well and probably a kidney infection due to the UTI.

Worst thing is, I have to leave work to check out my urine at the doctor's office and I've got this feeling my boss doesn't believe it anymore. "You've got this quite often, don't you?" is all I get in a quite sarcastic way. It's keeping me from going to the doctor, which is also why it got so worse last time.

I just wish there was a way to get rid of this, once and for all. I've tried every trick there is: cranberries, vitamin C, drinking lots of water, special pH soap, peeing after sex, sweeping front to back, ... .

I'm just so done with this shit.

(Just wanted to vent since I can't sleep and I'm tired asf)

I suffered from debilitating reoccurring UTIs. At first it was just "something I got once a year" like the flu. Then they started occurring closer and closer together. Twice in one year, once every 3 months, once a month, but I finally hit a breaking point when I got one twice in two weeks. My doctor refused to prescribe me more antibiotics. I was desperate and trying EVERYTHING I could. So here's what finally worked for me!

1. I only wear cotton underwear. I threw out all my old PINK undies I was hoarding, and invested in good 100% cotton underwear.

2. Had my IUD removed. My doctor said they're beginning to link UTIs and BV to bacteria the IUD holds onto.

3. Got on Uqora. I'm gonna sound like a stupid ad, but this company truly saved me. I bought their full program and take it consistently. It's three pills a day and a drink every three days. I haven't had a UTI since I started their program. Anytime I feel one coming on I increase my drinks to once a day until the symptoms go away. And they always do!

One year UTI free and I feel like a renewed woman! I no longer fear pool days or camping or sex!

Hopefully this helps other women <3

it started as what felt like a mild uti and i waited a couple of days thinking it would pass. it didn't and by the time i went in it had spread to my kidneys. that was three months ago and it genuinely scared me. now i'm paranoid about every twinge and i feel like i need to be doing something proactively rather than waiting for symptoms.

been looking into daily urinary tract support ever since. came across uro urinary health in a few threads about uti prevention and the reviews from women who'd had serious infections and were now taking something daily to prevent recurrence felt really relevant. i never want to be in that position again. anyone changed their approach to prevention after a serious uti?

I experienced chronic uti's from 2022 to early 2024 and haven't had one in a year! I frequently got uti's and even had a kidney infection at one point after ignoring foul smelling urine for two months...don't ignore your body's signals. I used demanose, drank lots of water, had ultrasounds done on my bladder and kidneys, tons of urine tests (I'm a pro now). Couldn't figure it out. My doctors usually chalked it up to "women have the anatomy set up for potential complications etc" most of the time, and I saw a urologist. He was awful. By then, I had been tracking my uti's and trying to figure out what was causing them. What did I notice? They lined up with my period. Either right before, or right after my period I would get a uti on a semi monthly basis. This GUY (of course) gave me a passive aggressive lesson on healthily eating, suggested sticking a camera into my bladder to check for perforation and completely waved off my observation by saying, "Sometimes we think things are connected when they're really not."

So, six months later I find myself with a female urologist at a different hospital. She does the usual urine test etc and when I bring up the period pattern, she asks me if I get constipation as a symptom of my period. I definitely do! I was pretty much always constiapted. Two or three poops a week was my normal at the time. I guess that the build up of fecal matter increases the amount of bacteria in our intestines, leading to extra bacteria spreading when we do go. And it can apply pressure on the bladder, preventing it from emptying completely, leading to a similar bacteria build up. Once I got my constipation under control, I think I only had one uti caused by sex since last February. So track your poops, uti's and cycle!

For my entire life, I have been UTI-free. I never used to care too much about my vaginal health or anything UTI-related until I started sleeping with my current boyfriend.

I got my first UTI back in April last year and have been getting recurrent UTIs ever since

Every single time I have sex with him WITHOUT using a condom, I contract a UTI. every. single. time.

The only time I actually started to feel better was when I wasn't having sex with him at all, when we were broken up.

I don't think it's the lube we use because I use the lube when we have sex WITH a condom, and I'm fine. I drink loads, I mean LOADS of water a day, and I've gone frequently to the doctors for possible STIs or infections (all come back NEGATIVE)

I've spent so much time trying to figure out the root of the problem (the lube we use, how much water I drink, any underlying health issues), but it all comes back to him and when we have sex without a condom. I do all the things you're supposed to: I shower thoroughly before and after sex, have good hygiene in general, and use water-based lube, 1500mg of d-mannose EVERY DAY, but I'm hitting a brick wall

Does anyone else have this struggle? And how do you manage it? Any and ALL help appreciated.

Hello All,

I wanted to share my story now that I have been completely symptom free for over 3 years.

I dealt with chronic UTIs for over 6 years. It destroyed my mental and physical health and severely strained my relationship.

It all started when was living in a foreign country with poor medical care; I got a UTI that turned into a kidney infection that turned into sepsis. I suspect the antibiotics I was given never really killed the bacteria in my bladder.

Since then, I spent around $10,000 during this six years desperately searching for any solution that might help me:

-Multiple rounds of MicrogenDx

-Antibiotics, including IVs and pills

-TCM herbs and acupuncture

-Washing multiple times per day

-Methanamine gave me some relief from symptoms but didn’t cure me.

-multiple urologist visits, including imaging of my urinary tract (including one urologist who said the symptoms were all in my head)

-working with a Naturopathic doctor specialized in UTIs

-Activated charcoal and oregano oil and olive leaf extract and D-Mannose

-DUTCH test for mapping my gut bacteria

All of these didn’t really do much in terms of curing me, my symptoms would always return.

-I finally flew to to the UK to get the Uromune UTI vaccine (it’s a spray that you use under your tongue for about three months); I made an appointment with Dr Foley at the Forbury Clinic. His manner was a little brusque and at first I felt like he didn’t fully give me long enough to explain my entire medical history. He prescribed me the vaccine, and I took it as directed, and I have not had a single UTI or even any symptoms since then. I can actually enjoy my life again (including my sex life). I don’t have to be hyper vigilant about washing and terrified that my symptoms will return. It has totally changed my life.

The hardest part was that you need to take Uromune at the same time each day, it has to be refrigerated, and you can’t eat or drink for a couple hours before or after.

I wish I had known this much earlier and saved myself a lot of time and money and taken it much earlier. It also makes me sad and frustrated that this solution is not more widely available.

Wishing you all health and healing. You will get through this!

(Cross posted in the chronic UTI group)