u/Badabloom317

I have rescheduled my barium swallow test once already- mostly out of fear. I can't have a bowel movement on my own without the help of some kind of motility drug or osmotic laxative . I am so fearful that I will not be able to pass the barium solution. Has anyone had this test and been able to pass the solution? I really need this test done and I'm scared out of my mind. I've had two spinal fusions, 3 knee surgeries, a defagraphy, monometry, a colonoscopy, and endoscopy... and this barium swallow test has me shaking in my boots.

Im looking for anyone with a rectal prolapse who has had this test and can tell me their experience. Any input is appreciated

Are there as many plumbing issues on the ship as the posts on here make it seem?

How hard is it to find somewhere to smoke a cig on the ship? It is my mom's first cruise and I want this to be smooth for her.

Also, for those of you that have sailed the Caribbean Princess with toddlers- is the whale splash pad enough? My husband is worried it isn't "big enough" but im pretty sure they would be happy playing in a puddle ...

Please chime in with thoughts ... we set sail in Feb

Also I have only sailed carnival once. The Carnival Freedom. It was a gnarly ship. Yucky and dingy. I literally walked away with an eye infection... idk the baby wipes came up black if I wiped a table on that ship.

Is Caribbean princess clean? I mean I just dont want the baby wipe test to come up nearly back again. It was so yucky I couldn't wait to get off to feel clean again. Also the cat in the hat breakfast experience was awful and their costumes were visibly brown and dirty.... I just worry that since Princess is its sister company that it will similarily dirty. Is this the case?

Please whoever is reading this with UTI symptoms and you have not yet seen a Dr and you are here looking for help.... I am begging you to get a urine culture. This is not usually done at a urgent care. Make yourself an appt at a drs office and tell them it is urgent that you need a urine culture. Urine cultures take 3 days minimum to come back with results so make sure you do this immediately. Along with the culture make SURE a susceptibility report is ordered. This is a report that tells the provider the exact antibiotic that will conquer the bacteria causing your infection. For whatever reason some providers do not order this report and they prescribe antibiotics willy nilly. You must advocate for yourself. Demand the soonest appt. Do what you need to do to fight the UTI.

In the meantime d mannose powder and water only!!!

(D mannose is only helpful if the infection is caused by the bacteria E coli-) UTI infections are caused by a plethora of different bacteria. This is why you need a culture to find out what that bacteria is!

1)urine culture

2)susceptibility report

3)water only

Stay away from juices that you think will help flush your bladder as they are LOADED with sugar and this will exasperate your infection . Also stay away from carbonation during an active infection as the gas bubbles will cause your symptoms to multiplyx1000.

No sugar

No caffeine

No carbonation

No artificial flavors or colors

No citric acid

...UNTIL YOU HAVE A CLEAR URINE DIPSTICK-

If you have an active infection all of these things will help to make it much worse

GOOD LUCK

You are not alone in this

Chemical cystitis- a non-infectious inflammation of the bladder caused by irritants or toxic chemicals. Common triggers include bubble baths, harsh soaps

For 2 years I was burning horribly. Constant UTIs, constant irritation. I was usig antibacterial dial after having nearly a UTI every month...thinking this would wash away all and any bacteria causing the UTIs and washed my privates with it! Horribly decision . This caused major chemical cystitis.

I bring this up because I have fixed this problem by switching to summers eve sensitive wash -

Last night my husband put his hand on my back full of suds from the dial he was using. It dripped down my back into my privates and BOOM back to square one. I was burning all day from the SOAP. I used my estradiol cream multiple times yesterday and now im back on track with no irritation.

Please girls make sure your soap is Ph friendly for your privates.

Now part of my problem was histamine related so I began taking an antihistamine daily to start finally healing my bladder ... but if I kept using the wrong soap I would still be met with nasty symptoms of burning and urgency.

Hope this helps! Your burning might partially be caused by your body soap.

I have a post primarily about my histamine induced cystitis- please take a look at my other post for this information.

I have almost had a UTI every single month since November of 2024. These are all real infections too. I never took an antibiotic for a UTI without a susceptibility report- My bladder was so inflammed from all the antibiotics I would reinfect instantly. Then I stumbled upon a reddit post talking about histamines within the bladder causing burning and urgency. I was so fed up with the constant infections.. my poor gut has suffered too. I finished my last antibiotic on July 3rd, 2026. I began taking a zyrtec every morning when I wake up along with my Uqora supplements and a hibiscus cranberry supplement... my burning and urgency has subsided. I feel like I have my life back. Zyrtec every morning has actually changed my life. I have seen 3 urologists in the past 3 months and they all insist on a cystoscopy.. I am not doing it. They have insisted on ANOTHER antibiotic to be taken before the procedure to prevent a possible infection.

I am visiting these doctors to avoid ever having to take another antibiotic again after taking nearly 25 rounds of antibiotics in two years and they have the NERVE to try and prescribe another one. I understand that they think they need to "find out" why I've been having so many infections but I know the reason- when all of this started i trusted a urogyno who kept prescribing metronidazole for BV. She prescribed 4 rounds of this- it never worked. It only flared up my poor bladder to OBLIVION . This was extremely irresponsible of her. And sadly for me... sent me on a path of infection after infection FOR TWO STRAIGHT YEARS.

I know people wave the white flag for cystoscopies. I understand that there can be scar tissue or a tight bladder neck- whatever. I am not risking another infection and blasting my body with more antibiotics because a urologist wants to stroke his ego- I asked for hydroxyzine or something of this nature to help with the inflammation and burning. One urologist prescribed hiprex (which i did not take because I read on here that it possibly makes IC flare) and wanted to do a cystoscopy. The other two would do nothing to help me until I did their cystoscopy. I saw one urologist after i had started taking the zyrtec. He was so curious as to how i figured out that this drug would help me. I told him I learned it on reddit. He then insisted on a cystoscopy AND a CMG and prescribed two antibiotics and sent me to his scheduling room . I was asking him for hydroxyzine because the zyrtec sometimes makes me retain urine and i was looking for another suitable med. I left feeling utterly broken and shocked that he could look at 3 pages of scripts on a pharmacy letterhead and prescribe even more antibiotics. This list of antibiotics i brought to him was not just a list of scripts they filled. It was a list of infections that wreaked havoc on my life and my body for weeks at a time- I felt violated and pushed into a corner. I feel there is no reason for an invasive procedure like this to feel better. And behold- I figured it out myself.

(I also avoid MSG, citric acid, artificial dyes, chocolate, and too much sugar) (I also try and limit milk and cheese as these seem to lead to increased inflammation)

So far, I am symptom free. When I was on my journey a post like this would have given me hope. I hope this helps.