Persistent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Causes, Treatment & Relief

Question
 I noticed the question for urinary tract infection so I hope I'm in the right place.  I am 38 now and I have had urinary infections for a long time.  I'm talking years of this, I think since sometime in my twenties when it started and it is constant.  I have been to the doctors over the years and getting the antibiotics and the infection would go away for the most a month (one time) and the rest of the time it will be gone for about a week to two weeks and it's right back.  I don't bother going much to get the antibiotics because it just comes right back so I might go a couple of times in one year and not go for a couple of years.  I'm not sure why this is but am worried.  It has traveled to my kidneys once and I became very ill and went to the hospital and was prescribed medication and sent home.  Of course it came right back.  What do you think and what do you think I should do?

Answer
Dear Tracy,

Well, my "specialty" is in pregnancy-related issues, but I will answer your question regarding recurrent/chronic UTI as completely as possible.

My initial thoughts are:
1. If you haven't already, you need to be seen by a urologist.
2. If you haven't ever had one, I'm wondering what and abdominal ultrasound, KUB (abdominal X-Ray), cystogram, cystoscopy, or intravenous pyelogram (IVP) might show.
3. Getting a post-void residual (PVR) measurement might be very beneficial as well to determine whether your bladder is emptying completely each time you urinate. If it is not, that residual urine simply sits in that bladder and draws bacteria on a pretty constant basis.
4. In the presence of chronic UTIs, sometimes, not only is a stronger antibiotic indicated for the initial course of therapy, but a low-dose antibiotic is often used on a long term basis - often for 6 months on up to 2 years. Has this been discussed at all?
5. Taking ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can be beneficial to decrease the concentration of bacteria in the urine. Also, drinking the tried-and-true cranberry juice on a regular, daily basis can help.

So, those are my initial thoughts and I am not, by any means, a specialist in this area or even a nurse that has worked in a urology clinic. But it may give you a starting point to proceed from.

I hope that helps you. Be well!

Brenda