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D-Mannose is the best non-invasive, low impact and inexpensive product to try bar none; saddly it is contraindicated whi...
by Ron on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I truly enjoyed reading your post. As a mother of a 10 year old little boy with a T-3 spinal cord injury it's nice to re...
by Johanna on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Candace, I don't have SCI (that's my Mom's unfortunate issue) but I do know bladders. I have Interstitial Cystitis (IC...
by zuzu on Monday, January 02, 2012
I use D-Mannose. Available at health food stores. 5 years post SCI injury, complete, age 55, no UTI's. I also supplemen...
by 1heart4u on Monday, January 02, 2012
Hi. I have MS and am in a wheelchair fulltime. I self-cath and even before DX got frequent UTI's. Taking a good quali...
by Melanie on Monday, January 02, 2012
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Candace
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What's a matter my bladder?
Posted by Candace
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Comments (4)

With the close of 2011 at hand I’m hoping my bladder health improves in 2012. I have gotten more bladder infections, endearingly know as UTI (gosh its own acronym) then maybe all of my 36 years I’ve been in the “the club.” I’m feeling some shame as I admit this to the world that reads my blog. All the words that define shame, the guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, disgrace feel like they fit me to a T right now.

Why feel shame? Well cuz most gimps don’t talk about bladder infections much, we just take the meds, like they are part and parcel for this gig of disability and get on with life, so I have that “maybe it’s just me” feeling. Intellectually I know it’s not but l feel it. And I’ve got the shame blame going cuz I’m known, in my circles, as Miss Healthy Nut and I can’t ditch the witch or the itch of a bladder infection and that gets to me.

I know the moment have a UTI, seems like always this past year. I get a little flushed and no it’s not blushing, it’s more like I put way too much blush on because it sticks with me. Then there’s the cloudy pee pee. Cool thing about a catheter is I can instantly see the cloud. The smell, ugh, yuck, the pressure, boohoo. Then my back gets all busy zapp’n zingers on my left side, always on my left side. I get a little hot, a pounding headache and really tired, like sleep 12 hours and not want to get outa bed tired.  Bam, knocked out! Hello UTI.

Miss Nut that I am has tried much to douse the flames. Water puts out the fire, flushing out toxins and I’ve drunk gallons of stuf , staying home so I won’t have to flow when there’s no place to go. I’ve taken vitamin C up the ying yang and tinctures, formulas, blends, flushes, magic potions of Cranberry (I’ve taken it in every form, tea, caps, juice yada, yada) Buchu, Lemon Balm, St John’s Wort, Marshmallow, Billberry, Horsetail, Goldenseal, Parsly, Cornsilk, Echinacea, Uva Ursi, Yarrow, you name it I’ve ingested it or rubbed it on my body, just kidding about the rubbing, could happen.

These cures have worked fairly well in the past with antibiotic intervention here and there, on my merry way. Yes I do carry my emergence antibiotic when traveling. But I have to admit with some shame, that I do like caffeine, which I’ve been told irritates my bladder.  I don’t want to believe that’s true mostly because I selfishly want my fix. Oh! I read that the calicum supplements I take might help the filthy buggers stick to my walls, kinda like pasta when it's done. This year not even antibiotics are working, when my bladder goes bad it happens fast.

My doctor thinks I’m some kind of psyche or psycho when I call for drugs now. Doc tries to hold off on the drugs telling me the cloud is just bladder dandruff so I push for get the “test.” Well what do we know, E Coli, how odd, never had that one before, not! The “E” has now become a regular squatter in my bladder, this year. My question is how do those nasty’s get up there? Really I do all the right stuff, wipe front to back, clean cath, clean hands. I’m am short of dousing myself in antibacterial everything and still they thrive.
 
I have heard the consistent sitting is aiding and abetting the nastiest; well not much I can do bout that. I get checked for kidney stones and other Mac Nasty’s, nothing. I’ve even had collagen injections down there hoping to head them off at the pass. My girlfriend teases me about getting my lips plumped, a side effect. The injections help with incontinence but not keeping the buggers out.

This year I’ve been on a wide variety drugs completing each course. Then like clockwork, more like clockwork orange, a few days the yelling starts “I’m back!” Doc has suggested a daily dose of antibiotics. but I’m tired of taking drugs, no more please. It feels like it’s been all year long, just too long. I know I’ve had some reprieve but I’m being a drama queen right now.

So fed up, I recently asked a medical intuitive about my condition. She said I got me some Candida and that’s causing the UTI. That taking antibiotics frequently causes vaginal yeast overgrowth that can lead to Candida that can lead to a weakened immune system, which makes it easier for bacteria to multiply in my bladder and voila UTI.

So, here it is New Years Eve the time for resolutions and I have a one, check out the Candida cleanse and diet. Wish me luck! I’ll keep you posted with the Candida 411, if it works it could be a good thing for all of us. Happy New Year!!!

I wish blessings to all, In Joy, Candace

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Copyright 2012 Candace Cable
 
  • Visit Melanie's profile
    Melanie: Hi. I have MS and am in a wheelchair fulltime. I self-cath and even before DX got frequent UTI's. Taking a good quality probiotic is one weapon in the toolbox to help gut health and protect against especially Candida (yeast overgrowth) if you are ever on antibiotics. This is true for everyone but especially those susceptible to these nasty UTI's. That has been a well known fact in the natural health community for many years. (Dr. Crook...Yeast Connection). Fortunately now their are a proliferation of probiotics from CVS to health food stores (which I would recommend purchasing at).

    Cheers! Melanie
     
  • Visit 1heart4u's profile
    1heart4u: I use D-Mannose. Available at health food stores. 5 years post SCI injury, complete, age 55, no UTI's. I also supplement with Cranberry supplements or cranberry juice. Friend in SC, male, started using the D-Mannose, and is happy to report no UTI's past year.
    Kris
     
  • Visit zuzu's profile
    zuzu: Candace,
    I don't have SCI (that's my Mom's unfortunate issue) but I do know bladders. I have Interstitial Cystitis (IC), which is a autoimmune disorder that causes the lining of the bladder to become inflamed and leaky. There are many questions about the cause of the disease, but what is known is that people often have symptoms of UTI without culturing an infection. You sometimes have infections, but lots of times there's just the burning, urgency, lower back pain, pressure, feeling of yuckiness, aching and razor cuts, but no infection is cultured. It wouldn't impossible for you to have IC. You should see a good Urologist and talk about your symptoms and history. The natural alternatives you used may help, I've tried them all. Over the last 20 years I've lived with IC I've found a few tricks that help me when I have flares (the pain tends to wax and wane, but there's really no cure). Do drink water, but be careful to not drink so much that you cause problems with drops in sodium levels. Avoid citrus products and drinks with acids in them. Herbal teas will help, and decaffeinated are best. Twice a day drink a cup of water with one teaspoon of baking soda, or chew 2-3 Tums - the soda neutralizes the acids in your urine so it doesn't burn your raw bladder lining. Keep AZO Pyridium on hand to take when you feel the burning start, it helps lots. You should always go ahead and see the doctor for a test in case you do have an infection. If you do have IC the doctor should give you Pyridium and Urispas to help with pain. Urispas calms the bladder muscles so that those pelvic and back deep pains ease up. You should also consider talking to the doctor about using these meds on a daily basis - Atarax: an antihistamine, because IC will flare especially when the pollen is out or you have a reaction to medications; Flexeril: a muscle relaxant, because IC pain is due to tight muscles in your bladder (if you take a relaxant already you won't need this); Neurontin or Topamax: or similar medication, because IC is similar in action to neurological disorders that cause nerves to overreact and send pain signals to the brain; Amitriptyline: low dosage because it's been shown to treat the bladder nerve pain; Effexor: or other low dosage antidepressant, because it helps with neurological nerve pain and aids in sleep; a sleep aid like
    Ambien or Lunesta: to get good rest at night.

    It's important that an urologist not overlook the possibility that you may have IC because they assume your bladder problems are just caused by your paralysis. It's possible you have autoimmune disorders, especially if you have migraine headaches, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, MS all of which often occur with IC.

    If you need more info on IC look at the website on the ICA, Interstitial Cystitis Association. I hope I'm wrong, but didn't want to ignore the possibility.

    Oh, one last thing. You can look for something called Cold Press Coffee, which allows you to make coffee using cold water, regular or decaf (decaf is best for IC, less acid). There is this decanter and filters, you put the coffee in, then cold water, it filters overnight, and you end up with a concentrate that has far less acid then if you brew it, and it even tastes better. I've had mine for a long time. Mom gave it as a gift, and I don't remember the name of it, but you should be able to find it on the internet.
     
  • Visit Ron's profile
    Ron: D-Mannose is the best non-invasive, low impact and inexpensive product to try bar none; saddly it is contraindicated while on a yeast/candida diet. This is a tough one and a real particpation sport; I truly do wish You ALL the best.