Replied By Holly (Broadview Hts, Ohio) on 08/15/2008
I'm trying the d-mannose for my elderly mom, who's had two uti's within the last month. The 1st uti wasn't treated with enough anti-biotics, the 2nd, required hospitalization, with IV antibiotics and a weeks worth of oral antibiotic. I'm hoping the d-mannose will do the trick to keep this awful infection from occurring again. Has anyone successfully used d-mannose for the elderly? Thanks.Replied By Dewchild (Matthews, Nc, United States) on 09/14/2012
I have been a long time "lurker" on Earth Clinic. I first came to the site when I started having frequent UTIs, (monthly for a year) and the doctors were unable to help. I tried it all. Apple Cider, Vitamin C, Cranberry, Water. You name it. I went to two different Urologists, that basically gave me a refillable Rx for antibiotic and sent me on my way. During this time, I continued to get yeast infections, as well - from the antibiotic use. It seemed like there was a link to the yeast infection and the UTI, but my general practicioner ignored me when I mentioned it. Finally the third Dr. I saw was a Uro-Gynocologist. He had me take probiotic on a regular basis internally and also to open a probiotic capsule and put the probiotic in my vaginal cavity, so that I could restore the good bacteria there. His theory was that the antibiotics had killed all of the good bacteria in my vaginal area and by replacing it with probiotics (actually putting the probiotics in there), the good bacteria could start to flouish and kill off any bad bacteria before it made it into my bladder.
He also gave me an antibiotic. I threw the antibiotic away and used the D-Mannose instead. I did the probiotic internally and the infections never came back. It's been over a year since then, but I wanted to come and share my story in case it could help someone else.
In retrospect, I don't think I had frequent UTIs. I think I had a UTI, that never went away. I was probably resistant to all of those antibiotics and the D-Mannose did the trick. It was like a miracle for me. I haven't had an infection since, but if I do start to feel like one might be coming on, I take a dose of D-Mannose and drink lots of water! Big thanks to the Earth Clinic for helping with the healing!
Replied By Gentle Reader (Graceland, Tn) on 07/02/2013
Could you indicate, if you can, how often you were instructed to put the probiotic in the vaginal cavity and was there a specific strain or brand that was used?