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My wonderful 90-year-old mother has been plagued with bladder infections all year and has been on 20 antibiotics. Now she has c. diff. and is struggling to recover. The bladder infections make her dizzy, cranky and combative and exhausted, and the c. diff. is a nightmare.

In January she was dizzy, confused and disoriented from a bladder infection, jumped out of bed to answer an imaginary doorbell around sunrise, and fell and broke her leg.

I have tried everything I know to help with the infections: cranberry juice, cranberry pills, vitamin c, lots of water, lots of rest and exercise, yoga to help her immune system and stamina, 20 antibiotics, I've gotten her Ready Wipes to use in the bathroom, and a bidet, but just had her tested yesterday and she has another infection. It's heartbreaking. She has such a wonderful quality of life when she is not worn out from the illnesses, and these infections are just taking over our lives.

Could it be the Poise Pads and Depends she uses?

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My Mom was having UTIs every 3-4 weeks a Dr friend suggested d-mannose cranactin. She hasn’t had one in 1.5 yrs. Good luck.
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Hi there, my mom has had exactly the same issues. We took it a step at a time. First we started using wipes to help with wanting her up throughout the day. We got her on a probiotic that we had her taking daily. Then since she is mostly pees at night in her depends, I have had her (with the Drs blessing) add a few drops of beytadine (sp?) to the wipe she uses first thing in the am. This with having cranberry pills 1x per day has done wonders. She went from having 6 or more utis in a year down to 1 or less. She also struggled with cdiff. This was bc she was in a rehab place. We got her home. Started the above and probiotic and we're finally able to get rid of the cdiff. Note that there is a relatively new procedure out there called a fecal transplant. If your mother is chronic with the cdiff -this may be the answer. The procedure can be done similarly to a colonoscopy. Since I am not a Dr. Please consult her Drs to see if any of the above will help her. Good luck. It's a rough combo but can be wrangled.
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Stop the cranberry juice and the pills as they don't agree with everyone. Plain water and no drinks before bed. No Citrus fruits.
Berries and melon are ok to eat.
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Please don't give up on cranberry juice and pills. I have the icon-problem too. I started taking the juice (make sure it is just cranberry, vitamin C., no cocktail!) first thing in the AM, on an empty stomach. About 30 min. later, `1 cup of coffee, then I have a whole bottle of water later. Then, I have about 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with about 2-3 tablespoons of granola, only then do I have the cranberry supplement. I keep drinking cranberry juice through the day. A large bottle is gone by evening. I heard the juice actually helps the infection to slough off the inside of the bladder. One day, and most of the worst symptoms were hardly noticeable. I kept it up until I no longer passed cloudy urine. Now I take 2 capsules a day as a preventative. Keep drinking smaller amounts of cranberry juice daily. Best of Luck!
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Typo alert. ...that would be 'bladder' health. 😜
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FYI ~ Pam is correct. Fecal transplantation FMT (while may sound gross) is a thing. A life saving thing with a phenomenal success rate. I learned about it from a physician friend. No personal experience with it, but I read up on it as I'm a curious sort.

I can only speak for myself as a longtime caregiver for a mom with recurrent antibiotic resistant UTIs, but been there done that (and STILL doing that) with yogurt/acidophilus, cranberry, hydration, impeccable hygiene, no/low sugar diet, changing 'Attends' frequently, etc. UTIs are, sadly, the bane of existence for many folks which is just a heartbreaking reality. My dad went sepsis twice due to UTIs via enlarged prostate issues and now my mom is fighting her sixth UTI this year... And is running out of antibiotics to try. A crying shame, as she is the most vibrant albeit compromised lady in her outstanding six person board and care. I am intrigued by the estrogen cream suggestion (thank you for sharing that here!!!) and will pursue that if it has potential for mom.

Lastly, speaking as a fifty plus woman, do any of you wizened folks know if doing kegel exercises now would be helpful for blade health later in life? Many thanks~
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I am only 70 but have prolapsed bladder. I use disposable pads only when I go on holiday and keep them on night and day. At home for economy I use my own cut up old teeshirts to make washable folded pads, and leave them off at night. I have come back from holiday with yet another UTI and found this article while searching for a reason and think disposable pads could be the cause.
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Pam, Let's not get gross. Since the antibiotics kill the intestinal flora, why not try the old-fashioned acidopholous ( sp?) such as yogurt or Activa? It won't cure the UTI's, but it may make her feel better.
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Yes, thank you, she changes them quite frequently. And drinks water, takes AZO, and other medications. Cipro works, but the infections still come back. It's a problem.
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Why not just change the diapers frequently? Let's not get complicated. A little more water and maybe some AZO with water.
If she does have diagnosed UTI's, did the Cipro work for her?
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My mother is 98 and we have recurring UTI. I just put her back on an antibiotic Unasyn (something I prefer to avoid, certainly limit) this is the second time in 3 months. I also make a liquid out of pearl barley (boil the barley for 40 minutes and reserve the liquid which I add to fresh orange juice). Mum loves tea and maybe this is an irritant. I think, though, that the main culprit are the pampers we use. I think she needs to be "aired out" as mentioned above. I will try Burt's ointment (hope I can find this here in Egypt, where we live) and wash front to back. Thanks for all your help.
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Not the pads, but improper pH in the urine from lack of fluid intake or excessive use of antibiotics. Most antibiotics kill off the good intestinal flora along with the infection. So the gut has to re populate via probiotics, good fluid intake and more recently, by transplanting good flora from a donor via enema. Sounds weird to donate your poop, but it works.
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Tulipdog, I was wondering how you used the estrogen cream for the UTI? Do you just apply it to the outside area? I thought I would ask my doctor about that because I am having trouble with the same thing. Thank you. Muddie
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My Mother in law suffered from a severe UTI 3 years ago. We did not know what the problem was at the time. She is a diabetic and has other health problems. She had bladder surgery 10+ years ago and it did not work. She is incontinent. 3 years ago it was so severe that she was having haulluciations, very confused. No fever. Several doctor visits. Finally her daughter took her home with her and had he admitted to her local hospital the diagnosis was severe UTI and Septis. We almost lost her. Also she developed fluid on her brain and had to undergo surgery to put a shunt in her head. Doctor has been checking her very close but 4th of July we were there and had to take her back to the hospital. Another UTI. When we arrived at her house she couldn't talk. We rushed her to the hospital they ran a full series of test. Only thing they found was the UTI and it was severe. They kept her for 4 days and she is home now. She is still having incontince but we are trying to keep her clean and dry. Her speech is coming back slow she said she knows what she wants to say but her words will not come out of her mouth. Very frustrating for her. Any advise
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Hi All. Let me explain about the Adult diapers. In my opinion, Adult diapers do cause UTI's because they harbor bacteria when we do not realize it ...when we are new at using them...if that makes any sense. It was my responsibility and had not been educated on it. I had no idea they were even getting wet! I was just using them as a precaution. Hope somebody learns from this and helps a loved up avoid a UTI.
And In the nursing home for rehab went from okay to bad, I was hands on all right. My husband and I were there each day at different times, sometimes twice a day. Each time we had to remedy another situation.
IE: To give pills without having the patient drink 8 oz of water, but just a little to get the pills down is craziness. Water is what flushes the body. Or they will wisk their dinner plate away when they haven't eaten, saying he didn't eat any dinner. Well, there's a red flag! How about diarhea 10x a day...hello?
I get angry with the whole thing which I have been battling for the last 6 weeks. Minute by minute there are changes. Grrrr
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Adult diapers must be changed very frequently. They cannot "cause" a UTI. They're only paper. You have to be hands - on when you have a relative in a nursing home/ hospital/ assisted living facility/group home.
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I believe adult diapers caused my dad's uti. I thought he would know to change it when wet. He has dementia and therefore would keep them on for quite awhile unbeknownst to me.
He went in first and it cleared up. A month later he had another and a long stay in the hospital and I finally attributed it to adult underwear. They loaded him up on all kinds of anti before the culture came back.
Thus he ended up with C Diff which is horrible and we are battling that now. Terrible stuff. He has gone from walking around normally 3 wks ago to being totally weak and having to be fed.
We brought him home since the nursing home where he was rehabing would leave him in wetness and poop for lengths of time...plus when the bed alarm went off, they did not get there soon enough and he would fall. He did not remember that he needed help to pee and he forgot how to call the nurse. The question is would the nurse even get there soon enough! At the hospital..yes...nursing home...no.
This nursing home had excellent ratings. Perhaps that is because those who got the best care did not have dementia. I don't know.
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Probably Try getting a spray bottle with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water spray her clean with it and get some 100% white cotten cloth to pat her dry or use a hair dryer. put cotten cloth between her and the pads and diapers. Whenever she can let her not tie them on just lay them beneath her. Also bathtub baths and bathsalts or bubble baths cause infections use handheld showers. I pray these help you God bless you.
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The diapers will not "cause" an infection. It's everything else: the wiping method,( very important ), the frequency with which the diapers are changed and the lack of water, as well as fitted clothing. I assume that you've discussed this problem with her Urologist.
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Sounds like you are doing all of the right stuff! Wishing you and your mother success with the infectious disease specialist. It must be very frustrating for both of you.
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She's on a Vancomycin taper for the c-diff, and I'm washing everything down with a diluted bleach solution. She is drinking lots of water and white cranberry juice, and, at the suggestion of a friend, thyme tea with camomile. I've ordered some d-mannose (another suggestion) and asked the doctor if she needs a CT scan, a cystoscopy or cyscopy exam. Lots of probiotics, yoghurt, acidophilus. Also no sugar,good nutrition, lots of cranberry pills and vitamin c. She's changing the pads often, urinating frequently, and resting because the infection makes her dizzy.

Her doctor's kind of given up and sent her to an infectious disease specialist. We're going to be so glad when this is all under control. At least we can laugh about it (most of the time)...
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I don't know, but I doubt that it is the pads or Depends that is causing the UTI's.
Is she drinking enough water? If she gets dehydrated, her urine will be concentrated. Our bladders need plenty of water to flush out any bacteria that might be growing. I do agree that a visit to a urologist, if you haven't done so, is probably a good idea. As for the C-Dif, it is a very infectious bacteria that grows in feces. It is often found in institutions such as hospitals or nursing homes where proper there are poor hygiene practices. C-Dif is becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics. The best protection is probably as already suggested-- that she maintain a bacterial flora in her intestants that can help to ward off the invasion of C-Dif.
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Wow, Tulipdog, thank you for sharing! I'm sure it won't be the answer for everybody, but non-invasive is always worth knowing about!!
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My mother is continent and does not use adult diapers but has had the same problem on and off over the past few years. What we have found is that she needs to stay well hydrated. Good daily bowel movements are also important because the stool can put pressure on the bladder, causing urine to remain inside and thereby causing bladder infections. The doctor now has her on daily Miralax to keep her bowels moving. The advise about probiotics is very good advice and they will also help in keeping the bowels functioning properly.

Good luck. UTI's are the worst.
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Thank you. We have checked for a prolapsed bladder, and she has an estrogen ring, which I believe has the same results as the cream but is easier for her to manage. I will ask her urologist if the cream might be an improvement.
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Thank you -- we have cultures done regularly, and do probiotics too. Have not heard of D-Mannose and will look into it right away.

Glad to hear you, your mom and dogs are all doing well!

Thank you!
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Every time I read about a 'recurring bladder infection' I feel compelled to add my 'two cents' I am not a doctor, but what I am about to recommend worked for years for my mother, and I use it for myself AND even my dogs.

The urologist/gynocologist should have done a CULTURE on the urine to see just what 'bacteria' is present. If this hasn't been done, please request that a culture be done. Most time they will NOT do a culture until requested. That being said I also agree that ANYONE using ANTIbiotics, needs to take PRObiotics between antibiotic doses to repopulate the system with GOOD bacteria. NO bacteria in the system is almost as detrimental as the existence of 'bad' bacteria in the system. We (mother and I) used D-Mannose to ward off urinary tract infections which can result in bladder infections. Please take a few minutes to read the information I reposted from one of hundreds of sources online. D-Mannose is available in whole food stores (bulk powder is least expensive) and since it is a powdered sugar, VERY easy to add to cereal, coffee, juice... etc.

I hope this helps... it is certainly worth researching. Again... I am not a doctor but I cared for my mother for 5years and we had much success with this product.

God Bless.
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@ bmc1cflrrcom The cream is Estrace and is a prescription. I think it comes in different strengths. You don't use a lot of it so a tube lasts a long time. Apply a pea-sized amount once a day for 2 weeks and then changed to applying twice a week after that. I really think it helped and is so much better than an operation or even the pessary she had for a while. I think going to a gynecologist who works with the elderly is the best bet. Frankly I couldn't believe after almost two years of seeing a urologist that no one had ever suggested it before. Of course it isn’t a cure-all but if it even cuts down on the infections - why not try it?
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Hello - my mother also has been getting a lot of bladder infections or UTI's. I also give her cranberry suppliments and aloe vera suppliments as well as a small glass of cranberry juice every morning. She has one leg amputated and had a stroke that effected her right side so she is handicapped and needs a wheelchair and a patient hoist. It's hard to find a doctor that will help her. The last urologist wanted to do an outpatient procedure that required her to be under anastesia but we had to get permission from all her doctors before we could do it and that wore my mother out so much she started throwing up; so we cancelled everything. Tulipdog, if I may ask what type of estrogen cream do you use and where do I get it. Will it also help an itch in the private section? Thank you for your help.
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My Mom tested negative many times for a UTI but I could tell she had one. Finally the Dr agreed to 7 days of antibiotics and then 1 per day as a preventative. I give a small amount of yogurt with her nightly pills. So far, so good.I love the idea of no diaper at night but my mom soaked thru a pad and 2 diapers, and the bed pads 6 out of 7 nights and moves around a lot.
Hope her dr is good and treats daily as a preventative, it can make them crazy in their heads. The daycare always knows when a patient has one too now, they are used to the signs. Good Luck
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