urine infections

[paulagodfrey]

my partner has a C7 injury. For the last 8 weeks he has had a urine infection that has laid him up and he feels like his rehab is going backwards. It is not e coli type. we have tried 3 courses anti biotics, Waterfall d mannose, eating raw garlic ! Has anyone got any other suggestions before we go mad!
Would appreciate some help
Paula

[Andy]

Hi Paula,

welcome to the forums ....... sorry to hear of your partners injury.  Apart from drinking as much water and cranberry juice as possible, it would seem the drs are trying their best to alleviate the infection

anyone else got any further ideas?

Andy 

[wheels5894]

I don't hve any more ideas but I agree with Andy that drinking is vital. Now I don't mean a couple of glasses of water a day. I mean drinking the sort of amounts when the urine is the same colour as the water! If I am ever in hospital I am a pain to the nursing staff as I get bored and drink jugs and jugs of water.  2 litres is a minimum but often get through twice that.

Go for it! Drink gallons!

[brainandspinalcord]

Another suggestion is cornsilk tea. If you can't find the tea at the grocery or health food store, you can make it from regular corn on the cob. Just remove the silk and dry it on "warm" in the oven, tie it up in some cheesecloth (or just throw it in loose and strain before you drink) and drop in boiling water just like tea. There are other ideas here, but I only have experience with corn silk:
http://www.herbal-treatment.net/article_paraplegic_urinary_tract_infection.html

[Gary Anderson]

Wearing the doctor head - you should dring enough every day to keep urine clear as has been said.

For serious urine infections - I am afraid the only cure is an antibiotic and it can take time to find one that works.

Also, you need to fine out what is causing the infection. Could it be how he is doing his bladder routine? They are not unique to SCI, even able bodied get them and I am afraid there is no Miracle Cures for urine infections, only the correct antibiotic.

[Jilly]

Im inclined to agree with the others. Drink lots of water!!!!
And yes it will take time to find the right antibiotic. I gather they have taken a sample to test for the bacteria type.

And also what Gary said.
Most urine infections are caused by bacteria being introduced into the urethra somehow, maybe by bacteria in the catheter tube..or even bag. Or by fecal matter. I know its hard to avoid when you are dealing with catheters and bowel routines, and it can be hard to get rid of the infections. Drinking lots of water will dilute the urine and help flush out the bacteria.

Yes, able bodied people can get them too. I had one years ago...It felt like my guts were going to explode every time I peed!!!! Ouch!

[Lieveling]

I can only echo the wisdom thus far imparted. Though I would focus on the bladder routine to see if it cannot be changed in some way to minimise even further risks - perhaps it might need re-evaluating.

And of course the correct antibiotics. In health shops they sell really pure pure cranberry juice, so very bitter but try drinking quite a few glasses before going to bed especially and that might help matters slightly. But this sounds like rather a challenging one so the right antibiotic is paramount.

Best of luck with that and try not going too mad 

[cate]

Hi My mother in law who had MS, and suffered from  urine infections often, used to drink a lot of Barley water, she found that was help, Could of course just be that she was intaking alot of water, but that is the key, drink lots,
Good luck
Cate

[Tremulous Tetra]

I don't hve any more ideas but I agree with Andy that drinking is vital. Now I don't mean a couple of glasses of water a day. I mean drinking the sort of amounts when the urine is the same colour as the water! If I am ever in hospital I am a pain to the nursing staff as I get bored and drink jugs and jugs of water.  2 litres is a minimum but often get through twice that.

Go for it! Drink gallons!

Think you should check into that.  This lad in a wheelchair used to drink an awful lot, ended up almost killing himself, something to do with washing all essential minerals out of his body.  I'm led to believe 2 l is reasonable,  but going way over can be dangerous.

[wheels5894]

Gosh, you can't beat a bit of thread necromancy! 

2 litres is usually thought of as a minimum intake a day. How much one drinks, though, will depend on a number of things - not least the ambient temperature. 5 or 6 litres would be fine in very hot conditions though where I am, in Scotland, this is unlikely! I drink about 3 litres a day and do fine.

[Gary Anderson]

In my medical opinion 2-3 litres is about right. Believe it or not you can drink too much water. I know people who NEVER drink water and believe it or not they are in the medical profession.

I am a great believer in everything in moderation so for myself I only drink a few glasses.

It is very easy to tell whether you are deyhydrated or not and any drink will do you good be it water, tea, coffee, flavoured water, etc.

[Luc]

I used to get urine infections when I wasn't drinking enough. Mainly because I didn't drink much during the day while at work and I was afraid my leg beg would get too full as I couldn't empty it myself. All that changed when I purchased an automatic leg bag emptier which allowed me to drink virtually as much as I wanted because I had full control over emptying my leg bag. Now I am drinking 6 quarts or about 5 liters a day on average, my urine is clear all the time and the infections are history

[Gary Anderson]

That's the way to keep them at bay!

[Jilly]

Automatic leg bag emptier!!!! Now wouldnt that make my job easier!!!

Im caregiving in a hospital for the elderly and the other day I was assisting one of our nurses with a patient.

She wanted me to put the night bag on... easy enough... it just plugs into the bottom of the day bag...

Guess who forgot to check the outlet plug thingy on the bottom of the night bag???

Yup... puddle...oops...

[Gary Anderson]

 

 That's a scream Jilly.
I remember being in hospital after my New Year crash and I was still woozy from drugs and the nurse looked at my condom catheter and with a straight face asked her colleague if she could show her how to fit the cathether!!   

[Jilly]

What! A nurse not knowing what a uridome is?   Where on earth did she think she was going to put that tube I wonder!!!! 

HaHa! Stupid nurses... Id rather be a caregiver anyday!