I began the mannose as directed, 2-3 pills 3 times a day for about 4 days. In the meantime, I had a urinalysis that revealed no infection. I still had the heavy, full feeling in the bladder area, worsening as the bladder fills. I have stopped the mannose and the symptoms are lessening leading me to wonder if the mannose caused the symptoms (while no e coli present?). Thanks for reading. Go Packers :)

Multiple Remedies
★★★★★
I have been feeling much better and though I must devote some extra energy to keeping myself healthy, the relief is well worth it! Here's what has helped me so far:
ACV- This has been a life saver!! I couldn't find the organic where I live in Mexico, so I just got the regular kind and it still worked wonders. I add a couple tablespoons to a large bottle of water which I sip over several hours. During an acute attack, I would drink a more concentrated solution and continue to drink a lot of water. I say would drink because I seldom experience the severe kind of pain that I used to feel. I can say pretty confidently that ACV has been one of the most helpful things in combatting these issues.
Water- I try to drink about 3 liters a day.
Probiotics- I take a strong probiotic everyday- helps to keep the general area in order, limiting vulvadynia symptoms and also keeps me more regular.
Fiber- speaking of regular... This helps with my bladder and female issues. If I am ever constipated, pushing at all can cause problems down there. I try not to push.
Kegel exercises- I contract the muscles and hold for a few seconds. I do this pretty regularly, but also when I am in the midsts of pain or discomfort. It really does seem to help.
Loose clothing- I used to wear tight jeans, sometimes a thong... Not anymore! I wear lots of skirts or dresses, cotton underwear and I make sure to wear pants and leggings that don't have big seems right through the crotch.
Stress- I know that avoiding stress is difficult at times, but it is paramount to reducing the severity of my health problems. So, I just pay close attention to what my body is telling me. If I am cleaning and start to feel a bit of pressure or stinging, well guess what- its time to stop for the day or maybe I just need to move slower. Lower back strain can make things worse, so I will try to sit more frequently, bend with the knees, that sort of thing. And I only cry when it is really worth it now. I think about whether or not what I am crying over is worth the pain it will cause a short while after. Usually its not. I am not a robot and it may be strange to say I choose not to cry-- but when you cry or worry or panic, the body tenses up and puts pressure on those nether regions. Sometimes the onset of my symptoms was enough to start this chain reaction of worrying and stressing and honestly it made it all much worse. Thinking too much about my symptoms never helped. I do what I know has worked for me and then try to keep calm and distract myself.
Things I try to avoid: sugar, lots of bread, alcohol (I immediately feel stinging in my bladder), really spicy foods, strong chemicals (bleach is the worst for me), pollution, cigarette smoke, lack of sleep.
Ice- I have several ice packs- I wrap one in a hand towel and place it down there when I start to feel swolen or stinging. It's instant relief.
Intimacy-Anything that touches down there must be clean. No after the game, after a long day anything with my husband. And right after, I make sure to pee and then rinse everything off. Maybe it hinders spontanaeity, but not as much as several days of pain.
I hope this is helpful. It's my arsenal and I'm sure that everyone needs to find what is specifically helpful for them. I have gone from having weekly bouts of severe pain, sometimes for several days... To having a problem once every couple of months.The first hint of discomfort and I am combatting it with everything Ive got. I really feel for anyone experiencing ongoing discomfort or pain of any sort and I wish you much peace and relief.
Lime Juice for UTI Prevention
★★★★★
2 tbsp/8 oz. glass of water (2x per day, 1/morning, 1/evening)
I get a UTI at least once/month and they're primarily caused by sex. I've always done the routine of cleanliness (peeing before/after, showering so there is as little bacteria in the area to even tempt an infection etc.) when having sex though an infection always occurred no matter how careful I was. This has been happening for the past 7 years and I've only ever been prescribed antibiotics to cure/prevent. After being sick of taking so much antibiotics to keep up with my libido I started doing my research on alternative treatments and here's what I've found that worked...
If your story parallel's mine, I've found that drinking lime juice in the morning and evening diluted in water prevents me from getting a UTI. Though you MUST do this EVERYDAY. People in my situation are in a critical place considering body maintenance and keeping our bodies clean. Lime is very Alkaline with other beneficial vit.'s and I believe this has a lot to do with disallowing bacteria to develop - hence - no infections. Though once more, you must be discipline and drink EVERYDAY. I promise this will work.
Fresh Lime Juice is always best though there are crystallized forms if you're always on the go like me. I stock up on limes at the beginning of the week, squeeze my lime juice and keep in fridge. When I'm without it I always make sure I have the crystallized packets.
Make Sure it is a UTI
Olive Leaf, Turmeric
Olive Leaf, Turmeric
★★★★★
Cranberry
★★★★★
Alkaseltzer only worked temporarily.
ACV worked for that day only and stopped working.
Lemon seemed to help kill this faster.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
★★★☆☆
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Apple Cider Vinegar, D-Mannose
★★★★★
Antibiotics, Cranberry Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cranberry
★★★★★
Bladder Infection Causes
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
★★★★★
Chinese Herbs
★★★★★
Alka Seltzer
★★★★★
EC: Urine in the blood can indicate one of many conditions. Read more here: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/blood_in_the_urine/page2_em.htm#Causes of Blood in Urine
★★★★★
Day 1:
These used to be a massive reoccuring problem. Unfortunately I have been neglectful of the things that keep them at bay for me [which include regular vitamin c and good water intake.] So, I'm trying an at home remedy today and if it persists, I swear I'll take the uristat [pain drugs] and go to the doc for some antibiotics. We'll see how it goes... So far, this is my plan for the day: no sugars, less carbs, more water, vitamin C, and drinking a shot of plain unfiltered organic ACV [apple cider vinegar] in a big glass of water every other big glass of water. https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/bladder_infection.html Drinking teas with no soy milk no sugar or honey that are natural as well. *fingers crossed*
This morning: deep bladder ache feeling [stitch in side kind of pain]. Frequent urge to urinate and barely no flow when I did. Ache increased when urinating and afterwards. No back pain [whacked myself just to be sure.] Also realizing I ate a ton of sugar last week when I had a cold virus including - cough drops, sipping honey stuff constantly, etc.= Self- diagnosed UTI. Haven't had one in years...
The home-remedy regime:
One 16 oz. glass of water, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp. baking soda
Followed over time by 2 16 oz. glasses of water
Then 1 cup of herb tea.
Additionally no sugars or extra carbs today - just eating chicken soup I made this weekend.
So far I've done the above twice today.
Other things I've done today:
+ 1x a day 1 tsp sea salt in warm water 6 oz or so
+ taking ester C - 500 mg at every meal
By the end of the day:
Very mild, deep pressure pain in bladder. Urinating large quantities and reasonably often every 30-60 minutes. No pain with urination.
I'd be interested in getting some cranberry extract or capsules and oregano oil as well in the home remedy options. Oh, well there's a bright side to all this. Two things: one I'll probably loose more weight as result of this.
Day 2:
So I did my thing yesterday as I outlined 4x total yesterday with the baking soda & ACV. [ack that s*** tastes bad].
Wrapped up the day yesterday with a hot bath with yet more baking soda and ACV. Yes, I didn't just drink it I bathed in it. It's actually kinda nice for a bath. And lastly, I took a ester C every time I woke last night to get up to pee because believe me I had to get up a couple times.
Today, I started the day with more ACV & baking soda. uck! And tea and water. I'll try to down the ACV & baking soda mixture three times today with lots of water as well. Continuing with the very minimal carbs and no sugars.
How do I feel: pretty much fine. No urgency. No discomfort when urinating or after. Very very mild awareness of my bladder which could be infection related or could because I still am peeing every 30-60 minutes since I'm drinking so many fluids. Oddly, yesterday I was wired after all that water & ACV.I slept in a little today. I'm hopeful at this point that I'm kicking this and it's going away. *fingers crossed*
Day 3:
I tried to exercise a little [light of my normal routinge = pushups and a number of situps, squats, etc.] That and the dose of apple cider vinegar & baking soda this morning made my tummy unhappy. But other than that, I now seem to be feeling generally ok. I had a little sugar today in my tea [as in sweetened rice milk] and had Vietnamese feast including rice noodles and table sauce which includes sugar. I feel a little hyper from all the good food but my tummy has stopped hurting [all that damn apple cider vinegar] and carbs taste good! I still had a couple esterC's today with lots of water today. Generally, I'm feeling mostly ok and not so damn scatter brained as yesterday [two days no carbs & sugar makes me dumb.] I seem to be going to the bathroom like a normal highly hydrated person and eating pretty ok. *fingers crossed*
Day 4:
I'm feeling even better today. Eating normally but less sugar over-all. Still taking ester C and doing 2-3 doses of ACV & baking soda a day. Mygoddess real food tastes good. Oh, and I realized I could sweeten the home remedy with stevia. doh. It's still nasty but not nausea-making. I'm thinking I'm through the woods but just being careful.
Over Day 4-6 drank unsweetened cranberry juice with stevia.
After Day 4 on...
Continuing to drink good amounts of water, take normal doses of Ester C, and taking at least one shot of ACV [2 tsp.s] every morning followed by big glass of water. Stopped ACV & Baking soda combination.
After Day 4 symptoms, seem to have gone. It's been a week since my first symptoms. And I feel normal and good. I've lost some weight which is a nice side benefit. Hope this helps someone else; it's nice to have to take antibiotics and throw off the whole system.
Thank you for this website!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
★★★★★
Alka Seltzer
★☆☆☆☆
Cranberry
★★★★★
I have had 3 bladder infections (or UTIs) in my life. Two turned into kidney infections.
I just got over symptoms of the third two weeks ago. Within 2 hours of the first symptom I had completely red urine (from the blood).
I read everything about how only pure cranberry juice will work IF it would work at all. I read so many reports that there was no conclusive evidence that cranberry would CURE a bladder infection. They said it may prevent them but there was no evidence of a cure. I can tell you I have evidence of a cure. I drank a glass as soon as my urine turned red. The symptoms began to improve slightly.
I went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist told me any fluid would work just as well as the cranberry so to be calorie conscious I started drinking straight water. NOPE! Within half an hour the symptoms were WORSE than before I began drinking the water.
So I began chugging ocean spray cranberry. It wasn't pure, it was sugary, and it WORKED. For good measure I also took 1/2 a tsp. of baking soda in a glass of water AND I went to CVS and bought some cranberry pills all these things against the advice of the pharmacist but the last kidney infection I had left me with BAD BAD side effects from the cure so I was really desperate and IT WORKED! I did this for three days.
Don't belive that cranberry doesn't work - even the Ocean Spray kind. I woke up the next day 100% better. Still some slight pressure after urinating but that was it and by the next day all symptoms were COMPLETELY GONE.