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BANG FOR THE BITE
It's tough saving the world when your loins are aflame, and not contributing to superbugs is an added bonus, but the trick isn't a 100% guarantee against UTIs.
COCKTAIL FACT
In a 2007 nationwide poll, 29% of women said they consider themselves feminists.
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home › tip library › Peeing After Sex
Believe in a woman's right to choose to avoid bladder infections?
The Bite
You go, grrrl! Go pee after sex, that is, to avoid urinary tract infections (UTIs) and skip the antibiotics. Post-coital feminists, urine luck.The Benefits
- Less sufferage. Peeing after sex helps clear away germs that can get pushed up the urinary tract during sex. . .and UTIs well, suck.
- Women's lib from superbugs. Sometimes you actually do need medication to get rid of UTIs, but overuse of antibiotics is causing bacterial resistance.
- Saving a trip to the gyno. You'll avoid burning gas for the trip, as well as the awkward, just-went-horseback-riding-without-a-saddle shuffle to the doctor's office.
Personally Speaking
During college, Jen's mom commented how it was weird Jen was getting UTIs when she wasn't having sex...meanwhile, Hilary was singlehandedly keeping the cranberry pill industry afloat.Wanna Try?
- Just do it - even if that means you gotta get a bedpan.
- Santa Cruz Cranberry Nectar - cranberry juice is also a proven UTI-fighter; here it's organic, with grape and lemon juices for extra sweetness and zing ($5/32 ounces).
Jun 06,2008
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Free to Pee, You and Me
OK, so there wasn't a long line of staff members jumping at the chance to blog about this one. But having more than my fair share of annoyingly recurrent UTIs during my college years, (and why do they always seem to crop up on weekends, when doc's offices are closed?), I figured firsthand experience nominated me.
Back then, I was popping antibiotics way more than I wanted to, and even ended up having an ultrasound to figure out if something else was up. (There wasn't.) But after my doc recommended drinking more water and simply skipping to the loo after certain activities, I gave it a try, and the problem completely disappeared. Completely. Of course, rolling out of bed when all you wanna do is slip into dreamland isn't easy. But 30 seconds of sleepy stumbling versus two days of pain and emergency antibiotics? I'll take the former.
-NY Editor Beth...off to well, you know...
Biter Comments...
Why is it doctors don't tell you the prevention techniques and just load you up with antibiotics after the fact? I made sure to tell my daughter to 1) wipe front to back 2) pee immediately after sex and 3) drink cranberry juice. She's never had the same problems with UTI's that I did as a 20-something.
You're not going to believe this, but I have never, ever, EVER had a UTI, guess I've been fortunate, but, I've know ladies who've had them, and they suffer. Good thing there's cranberry juice.
I think hydration is a key an element as the others... of course, if you're fully hydrated you're going to want to skip-to-my-loo after activities.
Also, AZO makes a good homeopathic remedy for the cystitis that sometimes precedes a full blown infection. There product for yeast is good, too and the UTI and yeast overgrowth/antibiotic go hand in hand.
Amazingly enough, I just managed to fight off an emergent UTI over this past weekend. This has probably only happened once before in my life--once you feel it, you're usually doomed. Instead of loading up on cranberry juice and all those calories, I bought "Cranberry Forte" -- which is an all-natural supplement that came in a white bottle. The pharmacist said it's great because some of the stuff in it binds directly to the bad bacteria in your system to help flush it out. It certainly seemed to work for me!
Once int the past, I actually felt the symptoms coming on, and, just like Kristy, cured it through super hydration. Peeing after sex is SO SO SO important, and no one ever tells you that until after get your first UTI, and my first one sent me straight to the ER. I get them so easily (about once every 15 months), my doctor gave me an unlimited-use prescription, whenever I'm feeling the symptoms. I like the cranberry juice idea a lot better.
NOTE: Regular Ocean Spray won't work because it has too much sugar which will actually feed the infection. A UTI can be treated successfully by avoiding sugars and drinking 100% pure cranberry juice, which will be very, very tart. Read the ingredients- make sure it's not a blend with apple juice (most are.) Drink a 6 oz glass every 2-3 hours.
Also, it's best to wash completely after sex, not just pee.
Okay Ladies, listen up! If you know ANYONE that suffers from the UTIs - please fill them in on this secret. It's a life saver!
During my junior and senior year of high school into my freshman year of college I had horrible problems with UTIs. Despite using appropriate cleaning techniques and drinking a lot of water and cranberry juice, every 2 weeks or so, I would get one. At one point, I even had one constant for a month and a half. Whether it was the same one, or different ones occuring right after one another, who knows? All I know is that it was miserable!
The urologist was really no help. He stuck me one an array of different antibiotics with no avail and once we had tried them all, he tried putting me on them for a second time. I was even on Cipro, which seems to be the "uber"antibiotic. It worked a few times, but then I became resistant. I ended up having a cystocsopy, but they found nothing.
My urinary tract and social life was saved when my mother told me about something she read in an Email. It suggested taking Benodryl and Alkaseltzer at the first sign of a UTI. Let me tell you after all of my pain and suffering - it works! Not only did it releive my symptoms, but I have now been UTI free for nearly 2 years. It is a pain because Benodryl does not make a non-drowsy formula and Alkaseltzer is just nasty, but tough through it, take a long nap, and you'll wake up feeling great! What do you have to lose, right? =)
To be correct, it's Benadryl. Whoops!
UTIs have been a common occurence with me. It started in the 80s when I was using a diaphragm (yes, there was condomless birth control before AIDS). After having quite a few in a single year, my gynecologist suggested that I might have a latex allergy. Oh joy!
Skip forward a few years (post AIDS) and I had no choice but to make friends with latex condoms. After many more UTIs I found that the spermicide on latex condoms is more irritating/infection inducing (preservative? fixative? whatever) than plain latex condoms with spermicide gel or suppositories.
The best thing was when my (then not-yet) husband and I both tested negative for AIDS and were able to give up condoms! Hooray!
Urinating before and immediately post-coitus, wiping front to back, cranberry juice or pills, and keeping hydrated are absolutely important, but I thought the latex aspect might be helpful to some ladies who are tired of taking course after course of antibiotics, and the yeast infections that can follow them.
Take care.
I'm surprised you guys didn't list D-Mannose. The wonder supplement!! My youngest daughter was suffering from chronic UTI's and D-Mannose was a lifesaver for us. At first sign of UTI, start taking it and it knocks the infection right out.
Highly recommend...
Hi there,
I have been having terrible UTI's since my propholactic hysterectomy last year. I have been on every imaginable antibiotic, and have found that I am allergic to half of them. I just had an ultrasound and a cystocopy because after having the big C at a young age, I have to be careful. Holy Cow does that huurrrtttt! Thank goodness for Xanax, cuz between the pain and the fact that I had the worlds HOTTEST urologist, I was a head case. Anyhoooo....nothing there, my urologist gave me Detrol LA (yeah with the "mature" lady on the box) and it made it worse! I traded off between organic wild blueberries (I live in Maine, I pick em' in my backyard) and organic cranberry juice. I also upped my yogurt intake and stayed well hydrated. After 2 months I (knock wood) feel pretty good. Man those UTI's well...BITE!!!!!!!!
Just wanted to emphasize that peeing or washing BEFORE sex can be just as (if not more) important than peeing or washing after sex in the prevention of UTIs. If you get rid of the nasty bacteria that gets all moved around (sometimes up into the bladder) during sex BEFORE the act via peeing/washing, then it's not going to be around to cause an infection. And of course, all those things everyone else mentioned, like hydration and cranberry pills/juice.
You know what is really weird about this.. lol my husband & i JUST had a conversation about this.. my peeing after sex, & it was funny b/c he told me "you know that your peeing isnt going to keep you from getting preganant" & i laughed at him.. so we talked about it & so i explained to him that basically it helps so i dont get a UTI.. he still didnt beleive me so guess whos reading this when he gets home from work!!
!!!THANKS FOR THE ARTICLE!!!
is it just me, or is this "free to pee, you and me" tip heterosexist? by sex do you mean all sex and any sex by all and any people? or by sex do you mean vaginal penetration between a man and a woman? heterosexism sucks (NO pun intended) and it would be unfortunate if i had to face it amongst fellow ideal biters.
I want to add to the above comment about D-Mannose. I also was a sufferer of UTI's. Last year, I had three UTI's and one even lead to a kidney infection with a very high fever. All my doctor would prescribe me was antibiotics and although they did kill the infection, they made me feel even worse than when I had the UTI. If you know anyone that suffers from UTI's, please please look into the D-Mannose powder. It's a simple sugar, that binds to the e-coli bacteria (99% of the cause of UTI's) and it simply won't let the bacteria stick to your urinary walls. No side-effects, all natural. I couldn't believe my doctor did not know about this and recommend it to me. I've used it since my third infection last year and havn't had a single UTI since.
I have tried cranberry & all the other homeopathic remedies found in the bladder/UT section of the health food store. None of them worked. Finally, I heard about HORSETAIL from a friend. I took Horsetail. It worked! You'll drink a lot & pee a lot, but the infection will be gone in one day. I don't know why Horsetail isn't on the urinary tract/bladder shelf at the store or why it isn't listed on any of the websites for healing UTI's w/out antibiotics. The herbalists at Whole Foods told me that many women swear by Horsetail.
I had what was affectionately called "Honeymoon Syndrome" after getting married. I got a UTI every month (sometimes twice) for a little over a year. When things moved into my kidneys, I'd had enough (Rocephin shots hurt my friends)! I stopped using antibiotics altogether and went for a German home remedy.
When I get symptoms I eat one full can of asparagus, including the canned juice, everyday for a week. I don't know why it works, but it does. I haven't been on antibiotics since. One word of caution: your urine will smell disgusting! It's temporary and not a terrible side effect IMHO.
Aparagus has sulfur.
"Ingredients: Sulfur
Instructions: Eat foods that are high in sulfur: Spinach, Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Onions, Cabbage, Beans/Peas, Garlic, Wheat germ, Almonds, etc."
"Ingredients: Asparagus
Instructions: Get about 6 asparagus stalks and boil them until they get squashy. Let stand until cool; then eat and drink the juice."
My naturopathic doctor had me take D-Mannose. I took the whole bottle. It seemed to work until I ran out & then the symptoms came back. Horsetail works best & works fast.
"Horsetail, an astringent and mild diuretic is one of the other urinary tract infection remedies that has tissue-healing properties."
Remember to Avoid refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar!
http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/uti/urinary-tract-infection-remedies.html
"Remember to Avoid refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar!"
Heath Ashli, what La-La Land are YOU living in? I suppose if you've got plenty of money it's possible to do that.
Ha ha, those are foods to avoid when you are suffering from a UTI.
not to resurrect this topic again, but I just wanted to point out that the herbs/extracts that have been recommended -- horsetail, D-mannose-- are also in the Cranberry Forte capsules by NF Formulas. Along with a megadose of cranberry, of course. It truly was a miracle worker for me.
All these experiences ring true to me too... so I won't rehash the horror stories.
What worked for me? Seeing a Naturopathic Doctor who treated the root cause of chronic UTIs and much more (turns out I had a really suppressed immune system). Was the best thing I ever did... in fact so much so that now I want to become an ND myself.
For those of you in the US (I am in Canada) be careful to check that NDs are licensed in your state as their are a lot of people out there who pass off as NDs but have not been properly trained. You can check out this website which is the accredation association for the US and Canada: http://www.aanmc.org/
"Remember to Avoid refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar!”
You shouldn't only do this when you have a UTI - I do this every day! It's really not that hard.
Thanks, "Mom," but alcohol and caffeine are two of the food groups in my pyramid.
I've had a lot of luck with Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE). I've had a friend describe it as "cranberry juice on steriods".
Most people don't get enough water. What a great natural remedy story. And the best part besides it working, is it is completely safe and there is nothing to buy. natural soap
My Dad said his Doctor told him after his first physical for high school basketball (like 50 years ago)that to remain healthy and to deter cancers in that "area" (like prostrate and bladder, etc) he should always pee after having sex. So this applies to not only women but men. It is just healthy.
For me, drinking a lot of water is the best way to prevent UTI's
fairings
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: JoAnne | June 06, 2008 at 06:45 AM