Will a UTI pass without meds?

[IrresistibleGrace]

On an entirely different note from my punch recipe question, I have a UTI. Will it pass without medication if I wait it out or does one have to have antibiotics to cure it? It is not as painful yet as I have had before and seems to get slightly better at the end of the day after drinking TONS of water. But the next morning it is "ouch" again until about lunch time.

[wapiti]

I'd go for the antibiotics myself. I wouldn't want to risk developing a kidney infection.

 

If you're interested in natural supplements, D-Mannose can be very helpful. There are multiple brands available at the vitamin store.

[JessReplanted]

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Answer-Ut-4-Ounce/dp/B001AIMOT6

 

This stuff is fantastic and has worked better than an antibiotic for me.

[Coco_Clark]

I used to get a TON of UTI's before I did a major diet overhaul, like 3-6 a year. I used to chug water, along with cranberry supplements and goldenrod/horstail compound (goldenrod, horsetail, uva ursi, juniper berry). That would get rid of them if i couldn't afford the rx. Cutting sugars and simple carbs (which can feed the infection) for a few days can help get rid of it, too.

 

If you develop lower back pain (kidneys) or a fever go to the doctor though. Kidney infections are the worst.

[IrresistibleGrace]

Thanks guys! I will keep chugging the water and maybe get some cranberry supp. from the store. I have had some doozys before and will be heading to the doc. if this gets anything like those. I have not had one in years and I'm not sure why this one hit or why it is not so bad. I have never tried D-Mannose, is it pretty safe?

[dbmamaz]

i used 100% cranberry juice. i've also used garlic pills.

[VaKim]

Along with what everyone else has mentioned, I use the Walmart brand of this. Works wonderfully for taking away the burning. I take it along with Cystex and cranberry.

[Guest]

Personally, I don't mess around with this. My sister died from a kidney infection that went septic. She had no idea she was becoming dangerously ill. I've also developed a kidney infection before from waiting out a UTI. It was agony. I never want that to happen again.

[gardenmom5]

I use the cranberry tablets from the health food store.

[Audrey]

I used to have 6-8 UTI's a year until (like a PP), I overhauled my diet and cut out a lot of sugars and committed to drinking a LOT more water. There are also some practical things one can do to prevent UTIs caused by irritations.

 

That said... I highly recommend seeing a doc and getting appropriate antibiotics. I had a UTI so bad once that I developed a serious kidney infection that nearly killed me (literally). It was HELL trying to get rid of the kidney infection. It is not worth the wait or the alternative medicines, IMO.

 

Disclaimer: for many, many things I am very much pro-alternative medicine, but some things need traditional medical attention and UTIs are, in my opinion and my experience, most definitely one of them!

[Orthodox6]

It can resolve itself; however, I read so many warnings of complications when a UTI is ignored.

 

Not long ago, the news was full of research reports that cranberries do not do anything useful, as previously thought.

[LAS in LA]

AZO is wonderfully effective in my experience! I usually take just one tablet and that often clears things up. With lots of water and cranberry juice for good measure.

 

Are the symptoms of kidney infection obvious? Beyond lower back pain?

[Dahliarw]

D-Mannose is perfectly safe. It's actually a (very expensive) type of sugar that goes through your body very quickly and then the the bacteria cling to instead of clinging to the lining of your bladder, so you can "eliminate" them.

 

I also take cranstat.

 

Blueberry juice (100%) is better for UTIs than 100% cranberry juice is. It has the same anti-bacterial properties, but is calming to the bladder while cranberry is irritating.

[rjand6more]

I try mega amounts of water. If that doesn't clear it in 2 days. Definitely get the meds. My midwife orders a sensitivity test on the sample to make sure she is using the right antibiotic. I am not an advocate of meds like this usually. Kidney infections should not be messed with.

[Bang!Zoom!]

No way would I try to home treat either. Same as the other ladies, had one and ignored it, home treated and it took me about a year and a half to recover.

[Mrs Mungo]

Personally, I don't mess around with this. My sister died from a kidney infection that went septic. She had no idea she was becoming dangerously ill. I've also developed a kidney infection before from waiting out a UTI. It was agony. I never want that to happen again.

 

Oh my gosh, that is terrible. I am so sorry.

[Guest]

AZO is wonderfully effective in my experience! I usually take just one tablet and that often clears things up. With lots of water and cranberry juice for good measure.

 

Are the symptoms of kidney infection obvious? Beyond lower back pain?

 

 

Not necessarily. My sister thought she was coming down with a garden-variety fever/flu. She threw up and felt feverish, went to bed and never woke up.

 

When I had one, I thought I injured my back - thought it was a muscle pull. Within a few hours, though, I was very feverish and had blood in my urine. I turned desperately sick so fast, I could barely believe it myself.

[Luckymama]

UTIs are the one thing I never try to wait out and self-treat.

[katilac]

The symptoms are not always obvious. The same day I came down with some pain and fever, I wound up in the ICU with a kidney infection. I had zero symptoms of a UTI before that day. I came way too close to dying to not go to the doctor if I *know* I have an infection! If you have a regular doctor, they will often let you pee in the cup and get a scrip without paying for a full visit. Even if not, I promise you that the four days I spent in the hospital cost WAY more than a doctor's visit!

 

This is why antibiotics exist, imo. It can be serious. It can be disabling. It can be deadly.

[TranquilMind]

On an entirely different note from my punch recipe question, I have a UTI. Will it pass without medication if I wait it out or does one have to have antibiotics to cure it? It is not as painful yet as I have had before and seems to get slightly better at the end of the day after drinking TONS of water. But the next morning it is "ouch" again until about lunch time.

 

Not likely. I'd treat it early, rather than wait until it swells into something larger.

[Alexigail]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but if you do use cranberry juice, it's very important that you get the kind that has no sugar or sweetener added at all. The bacteria will feed on the sugar and it will defeat the purpose. 100% cranberry juice is really intense so you can cut it with water or 100% blueberry juice if the taste is too much.

 

(This info is from my nurse midwife. I'm not a nurse or anything.)

[laundrycrisis]

I went through a kidney infection that recurred after 2 full rounds of strong antibiotics. Instead of going for a 3rd round when it came back again, I finally got rid of it myself by consuming a *ridiculous* quantity of minced garlic daily, for about five days, plus a supplement I ordered called ClearTract, and a probiotic from Walgreens called Schiff Digestive Advantage. I also got raw apple cider vinegar (Bragg's but Heinz carries it now too) and I would make a teaspoon of that into a hot drink with boiling water and drink that 2-3 times each day. A vinegar/water solution used externally may also be helpful. And I added a lot of greens to my diet - romaine lettuce and spinach, 3 big servings a day. And extremely limited or no caffeine or sugar.

 

In your case, I would get the antibiotics, but then follow up with other ideas like these, because antibiotics do not always completely solve the problem.