r/utis

I AM SO EFFING DONE WITH THESE RECURRENT UTIs! ALL DOCTORS SEEM TO DO IS PRESCRIBE ANTIBIOTICS, AS IF THAT’S SOME MAGICAL SOLUTION. I’M HIGHLY RESISTANT TO POWERFUL ANTIBIOTICS, HIPREX DOESN’T GUARANTEE 100% PREVENTION, AND BIOFILM DISRUPTERS DON’T FUCKING SOLVE THE PROBLEM EITHER. HOW HARD IS IT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING THIS IS? AND GOOGLE KEEPS SPITTING OUT THE SAME USELESS TEXTBOOK ANSWERS: “TAKE THE RIGHT ANTIBIOTICS,” “DRINK MORE WATER,” “MAINTAIN HYGIENE.” GODDAMMIT, I’VE TRIED SO MANY THINGS, AND I’M STILL STUCK IN THIS NEVER-ENDING CYCLE!

THE WORST PART IS THAT MY BLADDER HAS BECOME SO SENSITIVE FROM ALL THESE INFECTIONS THAT EVEN ON NON-UTI DAYS, I EXPERIENCE BLADDER SPASMS AFTER URINATING. NOW I CAN’T EVEN ENJOY THE DAYS WHEN I’M HEALTHY WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT THE NEXT INFECTION. THE ANXIETY, THE FEAR, THE CONSTANT UNCERTAINTY. IT’S EFFING DRAINING.

WHY IS THERE NO RELIABLE, LONG-TERM PREVENTION? WHY ARE WE EXPECTED TO KEEP SUFFERING THROUGH THIS CYCLE WITH NO REAL SOLUTION? I DON’T WANT ANOTHER GENERIC ANSWER OR ANOTHER ROUND OF ANTIBIOTICS WITHOUT A PROPER PLAN. I JUST WANT MY BODY BACK, MY PEACE OF MIND BACK, AND A CHANCE TO LIVE WITHOUT CONSTANTLY FEARING THE NEXT EFFING UTI.

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.

Hello, I had my first UTI back in June. Took antibiotics and was fine. A few days ago I started having the urge to go to the bathroom and a bit of lower pelvic pressure/pain. My last UTI had all those symptoms along with burning when urinating. No burning this time but just a lot of going to the bathroom. Would this be a UTI? I'm heading into urgent care tomorrow to ask for a urine test.

Yo i might sound crazy but should we create the UTI Ender Cocktail? 😂😭

At this point, hear me out 😂

What if we as a community used AI + all the research + thousands of real patient experiences to figure out what actually causes this damn cycle and create a “UTI Ender Cocktail”?

Not another random supplement with 15 ingredients. 😭

Something specifically designed to END the recurrence cycle target whatever bacteria survive treatment, deal with persistence/biofilm/intracellular bacteria if those are actually driving recurrence, and help restore the bladder environment afterward.

Because I'm seriously tired of the cycle:

UTI → antibiotics → gut destroyed → anxiety → “is that a UTI?” → culture → another UTI → repeat. 😭

And honestly, the constant fear is almost as bad as the infection itself. Antibiotic resistance, gut imbalance, worrying about kidney damage in the future... it's exhausting.

Obviously, I'm not saying AI can magically invent medicine 😂 But there are SO many people here experiencing the same problem.

What if we started asking the RIGHT scientific questions instead of just accepting that recurrent UTIs are something we have to live with?

And if we actually figure it out...

UTI Ender Cocktail™ 😂💀

We'd have a massive market ngl AND we'd finally be helping a community that desperately needs something better.

Who's in? 😂

If you could put ONE thing in this hypothetical cocktail, what would you want it to target?

it started as what felt like a mild uti and i waited a couple of days thinking it would pass. it didn't and by the time i went in it had spread to my kidneys. that was three months ago and it genuinely scared me. now i'm paranoid about every twinge and i feel like i need to be doing something proactively rather than waiting for symptoms.

been looking into daily urinary tract support ever since. came across uro urinary health in a few threads about uti prevention and the reviews from women who'd had serious infections and were now taking something daily to prevent recurrence felt really relevant. i never want to be in that position again. anyone changed their approach to prevention after a serious uti?

Hi, im 22F and have been prescribed with Cipro for a UTI, I usually investigate about every med Im prescribed bc I've been more mismedicated than actually right-medicated. I've taken 3 doses already, no side effect (only dry mouth but idk if its a side effect or just me sleeping with my mouth open) but I'm scared about the extreme side effects some experience, i do have tendency to anxiety and panic attacks since i have bipolar and also i already experience insomnia before this pill, but currently no side effect and i was able to sleep well because i also take Valium, on monday i have to go back to see which actual bacteria i have so my medication can be precisely prescribed for that bacteria, should i wait to monday and stop taking it to prevent the side effects that are horrible to me? I've read that only 1 to 2% experience that extreme side effects but I don't wanna take a chance

So anytime I have sex I get a uti with both partners I’ve had and I don’t know why! I’ve tried being super clean me and him, drinking alot of water before n after, clean myself after sex, pee after sex, cranberry pills, D mannose, anyways you get it I’ve tried a lot they prescribed me Hiprex but my urine PH is 8.5 can someone please help? Or have other ideas? I’ve been to a urologist and my doctors are no help they don’t really know what to do I’ve had so many utis and antibiotic treatment I’m so over it

Ugh. This is the first UTI I’ve had in a long time - but I have chronic diarrhea post covid and am terrified to take it.

The last time I took an antibiotic it set me back 6 months - wasn’t able to work, etc.

Thoughts? Any other suggestions?

I had a Rocephin shot a week ago (last sunday on sept 27th) and the injection site still is a bit sore

i’m not sure if that’s normal as i’ve never had a Rocephin shot before . It’s a bit bruised but nothing too crazy

I thought the soreness would’ve been gone by now?? Is this normal ?

I am a female, age 26– not in menopause. The pain is about 2/3. The timing is only when I sit down or apply pressure to the area.

I’ve had chronic UTI’s since 2015. I see a urologist once a year who prescribed bactrim to take after sex. I’ve been ok on the bactrim and have probably had about 5 UTI’s since 2022.

Last Monday I noticed one was coming. I took a home test and it came up positive for a UTI. I currently don’t have health insurance since I started a new job and it won’t kick in until November. I decided to just do a telemedicine appointment to get an antibiotic. The doctor gave me keflex. By day 3 I wasn’t feeling any better so I went to urgent care and they checked my urine and it came back negative for uti.

Since I had keflex in my system, they said it was a false negative and gave me macrobid. It’s currently day 3 on macrobid and I’m still not feeling great. I do feel a little better but not as good as I feel I should. Should I go back to urgent care or finish the macrobid and then see how i feel?

I just don’t want to spend more money in urgent care to get told my urine sample is negative.

I have recently had a UTI. Finished antibiotics on Monday. My only symptom of that infection was burning sensation.

A few months ago I had noticed I’ve been having frequent toilet trips more than usual lately. 10-12 a day. I used to be maybe 5-6. I feel like I’m going more than what I’m even drinking even though I know that’s impossible 😅. It’s bothering me a little and making me feel constantly nervous thinking there is something wrong with my kidneys! I’ve had a CT scan of my kidneys and ultrasound of the bladder/urinary tract back in April. Everything looked normal.

I did notice on my recent antibiotics my frequent trips subsided but now back! Has anyone ever experienced something like this?

Update: I went to urgent care. The nurse practitioner said it's good I came in and that there was blood in my urine sample. She said between that and an increase in burning, the current antibiotic is not doing what it should be. She prescribed me a more widespread antibiotic and sent my urine off to be tested. She said I should start feeling considerably better by tomorrow at lunch so hopefully that's true.

This is my first UTI. Symptoms of urgency to pee and burning while peeing. I just took my 4th pill of 10 for the antibiotics and this morning the burning while peeing is worse than ever. Pretty intolerable feeling. Should I give it more time or go to the urgent care? No fever, blood, or vomiting.

Btw I was diagnosed and prescribed over telehealth because it was a Thursday late afternoon so my urine has not been tested at all yet.

we see each other once a month and every single time within a few days i'm dealing with a uti. it's become predictable enough that i almost dread the visits even though i love seeing him. i'm doing everything right, peeing after, staying hydrated, showering. it's still happening every time.

a friend suggested looking into something daily for urinary tract support rather than just reacting each time it happens. she uses uro urinary health and said it helped her with the same pattern. i want to enjoy our time together without spending half of it miserable. anyone found something that helped break this pattern?

About 2 years ago my pee started smelling like actual death. The best way to explain it would be fishy, ammonia, rotting?, almost sweet, chemical, shit smell.. I drink plenty of water and my pee is even clear! but still has the odor. It is significantly worse when I am dehydrated, when I haven’t peed in a few hours, and when I first wake up in the morning. This doesn’t concern me as much as the putrid smell that is coming from my hydrated urine. My roommate has started to notice this aswell, she always asks me if I took a shit when she goes in the bathroom after me and it’s always the same “no i just peed😭”. It takes her breath away and she is extremely concerned. It one day just randomly stopped. I didn’t have this smell problem with my pee for a good 7 months! but it’s back……and now i’m living with my boyfriend and im so self conscious….not only peeing in our bathroom but even in public spaces! the pee is not painful nor cloudy…like I said i’ve had it for years. I’ve had a check for diabetes and I was perfectly healthy! In high school I suffered from chronic utis and IC. I’m desperate for answers. I think I have a serious problem happening in my body and maybe a chronic illness is showing. I just need some support, has anyone experienced this? How can I make it better.