Does anybody have any suggestions for ways to prevent recurring Urinary Tract Infections?

The simplest answer would be to preserve an environment which is not conducive to bacterial growth. By this i mean maintaining vaginal pH within normal limits and (as a form of hygiene) either shaving or waxing the pubic region. (breeding ground for bacteria due to temp. moisture and both dead skin cells and residual urine found there on occasion). Also revision of wiping technique after urinating may also help. Anti bacterial wipes might do the trick. In preserving the pH the simplest way is to maitain a balanced diet, cut down on red meats but maintain a healthy intake of animal protein and drink a minimum of 1.5 litres of water a day. (water.. not juice or soda or anything else.. that’s extra).

Sometimes eating yogurt regularly (3 to 4 times a week) helps to prevent the infections, since yogurt has natural probiotics (natural antiboitics).

I have always been very prone to UTIs. I started taking Cranberry capsules and Dandelion capsules along with Acidophilus (which you find in yogurt) capsules. I haven’t had an infection since!

I’ve read that cranberry juice is a good prophylactic against UTIs. (You drink it; you don’t insert it.)

If she wears thongs, she should stop. And cotton is the best material for underwear – helps keep moisture levels low.

Long ago I learned that you can recover from them without antibiotics. Just sit down and gulp 3 32 pop cups of water, wait till you have to really really urinate, then bear down hard to flush it all out. After just the first time there will be some relief, after the 3rd time you’re over it.

As far as preventing it….stay hydrated. Drink lots of water.

i’m not sure it matters so much what you drink, just make sure you drink way more than your normal and then drink lots of water everyday. being clean, and wiping front to back. also clean yourself up after sex.

As @janbb said, cranberry (in the form of juice or tablets) has been shown to have power to prevent UTI recurrences.

From PubMed :
“Cranberry has been effective in vitro and in vivo in animals for the prevention of UTI. Cranberry appears to work by inhibiting the adhesion of type I and P-fimbriated uropathogens (e.g. uropathogenic E. coli) to the uroepithelium, thus impairing colonization and subsequent infection.”

@faye yeah. sex forces the exterior bacteria up into the urethra. WHY don’t men have to worry about this, and all the other crap, like yeast infections??!!

Go with Cranberry juice!

Always urinate as soon as possible after any form of sexual activity.

Avoid sodas and drink 100% cranberry juice on a regular basis.

To expand on a point made by @faye and @Val123, it is beneficial to urinate after sexual activity to flush put any bacteria that may have worked up the urethra during sex.

yes to urinating as soon after intercourse as possible – also make sure your bladder is empty before intercourse. Yes to cranberry extract, although interestingly, it actually increases the potential for vaginal yeast infections.

There are rumors that circulate about using alka seltzer to treat mild UTIs, but I haven’t researched it and I’m not sure I believe it, even though I’ve had a couple patients tell me it’s worked for them. The theory is that because it’s alkaline, it deters bacteria.

I’m not aware of any research showing decreased UTI’s for women who shave/wax their genital hair or use antibacterial wipes, but I know many women who who have had contact dermatitis type vulvar irritation from those kinds of products and I don’t recommend them.

I have always wondered about shaving, and don’t know who, how to ask

Diuretics help to clense the system: dandelion tea, cranberries, goldenseal, marshamallow root increases the acidity of urine, inhibiting bacterial growth; bearbery used in small quanities acts as a mild diuretic and is effective against E Coli.
Stay away from alcohol, carbonated beverages, cafffeine, refined and processed foods.
Hot sitz baths.
Garlic
4 to 5 grams of Vitamin C with Bioflavinoids.

Just reread this thread,- Waxing??!! @Dr. C

I found that cranberry juice does the trick for me. I drink some every day. I also drink plenty of water, and I go for “old lady” cotton underwear.

I haven’t had a UTI in some years.

This will probably make you laugh but when you live in the tropics, I would really prefer to go underpantless but having grown up in the age I did, that is not an option so I wear boxer shorts!

Sometimes you can find ladies boxer shorts but usually not so I just buy boys or small mens. I can’t stand the elastic around the legs on women’s underwear, it gives me horrible itchy rashes and the tight fitting gives me yeast infections. So yep boxers are the free and easy way to go! And they come in such pretty plaids and prints! My favorites have elephants on them.

It’s a good thing I am not in here trying to hook up with someone because this is probably way tmi for that to happen, hehehehe.

Oh year I concur with the yogurt and cranberry.

-no satin underwear! as mentionned above, cotton is best.
-it has also been said that tight pants/jeans can cause UTIs and yeast infections too, so if that’s something she wears, she might want to lay off them a little while..
-sleep without underwear
-don’t wash with a scented soap down there, either use unscented soap or no soap at all(just water and a wash-cloth usually does the trick)

Eat natural yoghurt, drink cranberry juice and plenty of water every day, wear cotton underwear and avoid tight fitting clothes such as tights or leggings or even jeans on a regular basis, if it might be connected to sex then always pee before because peeing afterwards can allow bacteria to enter the urinary tract, the key is to let it all breathe down there. Citro soda comes in sachet and in jars and it takes the acid out of the pee to make it easier to pass, i swore by it when i had one as it feels like razor blades!!!

don’t mean to contradict but I’m going to. Peeing afterwards Takes Away bacteria.

@faye is correct, but peeing both before and after is helpful. Before makes sure the bladder is empty, which keeps it from getting jostled and irritated. After flushes out any bacteria that have been pushed into the lower urethra during all that pumping

sorry about that bit then but the rest is definately true, i had a uti last month and those were my instructions, just trying to be helpful.

There’s been so much activity since I asked this question! Thank you everyone for all your suggestions, great to have different angles on the problem. Everything has been passed on to the person concerned and I’m sure she will find at least one thing amongst your advice that will be useful to her. GA for everybody who has responded : )

Sorry@DR.C and @MagsRags I pretty sure the idea of waxing ‘there’ took away my brain function for a minute

@faye Oh no! Not again! What if it happens one time too often and you can’t get it back??!!

@Val123 Then she could get a job as a newscaster on Fox.

@Darwin ROFL!!!