Post UTI inflammation - recovery story
It all started with a UTI in April 2025. I was prescribed 3 days of nitrofurantoin which did not clear it. I then had a further 7 days, but unfortunately that still wasn’t enough. This was followed by two courses of ciprofloxacin and then amoxicillin.
By the end of May, the infection had finally cleared, but I was left with severe bladder pain.
It started with pressure in my bladder after a flight, and then in the days that followed I developed constant pain. My normal urge to pee disappeared and was replaced by severe pain whenever my bladder filled, even slightly. Every day felt difficult and exhausting.
I saw a urologist who told me it was likely post-UTI inflammation and that it could take up to 3 months to resolve. Whilst I did have some improvement over time, I was still experiencing pain, and my whole lower pelvis felt sore and tender, even to press on.
By October 2025, it was decided I should have a cystoscopy with urethral dilation. For me, this was the first real step in recovery. However, I was still left with irritation and what felt like nerve pain caused by the long-term inflammation and months of my body being stuck in pain mode.
Very gradually, things started to improve. The pain became less intense, the flares became less frequent, and I slowly stopped thinking about my bladder every minute of the day. By the end of March 2026, I finally felt back to my old self.
This was honestly one of the most terrifying periods of my life. I found very little positive information online and became convinced I had IC or that I would feel like this forever.
I wanted to share this in case anyone else is going through something similar. When I was in the middle of it, I desperately wanted to find someone who had been through the same thing and come out the other side. Healing can take a very long time, but it is possible.