UTI - A serious health hazard I never knew about

I had a UTI ( urinary tract infection ) in 2022 and it lasted for more than 8 months in all, and where I was SEVERELY ILL - huge weight loss, severe bed sweats and bed chills, dramatic reduction in energy, unable to concentrate, weakness like I had never known and tired all the time but not necessarily able to sleep, just laying on the bed all day groaning.

John Bellamy

Symptoms and Causes

What are the signs of a urinary tract infection?

A UTI causes inflammation in the lining of your urinary tract. The inflammation may cause the following problems:

Pain in your flank, abdomen, pelvic area or lower back.
Pressure in the lower part of your pelvis.
Cloudy, foul-smelling pee.
Urinary incontinence.
Frequent urination.
Urge incontinence.
Pain when you pee (dysuria).
Blood in your pee (hematuria).

Other UTI-associated symptoms may include:

Pain in your penis.
Feeling extremely tired (fatigue).
Fever.
Chills.
Nausea and vomiting.
Mental changes or confusion.

How do you get a urinary tract infection ?

More common in women, Microorganisms — usually bacteria — cause urinary tract infections. They typically enter through your urethra and may infect your bladder. The infection can also travel up from your bladder through your ureters and eventually infect your kidneys.

Not as common in men but just as serious and from personal experience, doctors did not seem to take me seriously until it started to show with massive weight loss and serious chills - and I mean SERIOUS CHILLS and SEVERE bed sweats - going through 5 or 6 bath towels in the bed with me a night ending up absolutely soaked through with sweat.

Bare backing for men, and women wiping their ass the wrong way.

What is the major cause of a urinary tract infection ?

E. coli cause more than 90% of bladder infections. E. coli typically exist in your lower intestines (large intestine).

Who is at the greatest risk of getting a urinary tract infection?

Anyone can get a urinary tract infection, but you’re more likely to get a UTI if you have a vagina. ( Excuse me, I may be a cunt sometimes but I don't have a vagina...Men catch it also... read on... ) This is because the urethra in people AFAB is shorter and closer to the anus, where E. coli bacteria are common.

To be blunt, women who wipe their ass the wrong way and get bacteria into their vagina.

Men who bare back are at risk. You may be in the Hershey Highway and bacteria's live and thrive here and this is how I caught a UTI in 2022 and I was ill - severely ill, for over 8 months - 5 different courses of antibiotics and eventually attended A&E as I was so ill and spent 8 hours waiting and an hour laying on the floor as I was too ill to even sit in a chair.

I lost all energy, threw up even tea, had severe chills and shivers and then horrendous bed sweats where the bed and myself was soaked and a massive weight loss - and my mind, I couldn't concentrate on much and watched YouTube short things as I could not concentrate on anything too long.

Thank God for Gary and Woody who took over running the hotel and Woody started with us here right in the middle of me being ill and just took over, ran the place and allowed me to stay in bed - and between them Gary and Woody, I wouldn't have survived as there was no one else to help and I desperately needed help, it was THAT serious.

To be honest, it has put me right off fucking and I have fucked for England in the Olympics ( lol ) - yet this has emotionally and mentally scared me and I find myself scared to try things I have done tons of times - just in case - so I have stopped fucking entirely. I know it's a waste .. lol .. but I was so ill, so depleted of anything, it scared me deeply and now it's just suck and wank... occasionally, but even that - very rarely these days.

Can I become immune to the antibiotics used to treat a UTI?

Sort of. Every time you use antibiotics to treat a UTI, the infection adapts and can become harder to fight (antibiotic resistance). But the infection becomes immune to the antibiotics, not you. Antibiotics may not always be the best solution. As a result, a healthcare provider may suggest alternative treatments if you get frequent urinary tract infections. These may include:

Waiting. Your provider may suggest a “watch and wait” approach to your symptoms. During this time, it’s a good idea to drink plenty of fluids (especially water) to help flush out your system.
Intravenous (IV) treatment. In some complicated cases, a UTI may be resistant to antibiotics, or the infection may move to your kidneys. You may need treatment at a hospital, where providers will give you medicine through a needle they insert into a vein, usually in your arm (intravenously). Once you return home, you may need to take oral antibiotics for a period to rid yourself of the infection completely.

Does cranberry juice prevent a urinary tract infection?

Cranberry juice that you can buy at the grocery store doesn’t prevent a UTI. However, cranberry extract supplements (vitamin pills) may decrease your chances of getting a UTI.

If you get UTIs often, methenamine hippurate is another nonantibiotic alternative that helps prevent infections.

Can a UTI go away on its own?

Minor urinary tract infections can sometimes get better on their own. However, most UTIs need antibiotics to go away. You absolutely need antibiotics if you have a UTI as well as:

A fever.
Chills.
Nausea and vomiting.

How soon after treatment will I feel better?

Most people feel better within a few days after starting antibiotics to treat a UTI - ONCE THE DOCTOR / HOSPITAL GIVES YOU THE RIGHT ANTIBIOTIC THAT ACTUALLY WORKS AND DOESN'T RELEIEVE IT FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT RETURNS WORSE THAN EVER - AS IN MY CASE - 5 TIMES - BEFORE THE HOSPITAL GOT THE MEDICATION RIGHT AND IT WAS THEN JUST DAYS - PHYSICALLY - but it took me a lot longer to get over the emotional stress of it all, replace the massive weight loss I encountered and the fear - the fear as being so ill, so decimated and so unable to do anything for myself, it took me down the rabbit hole of death and dying and while I never suffer from depression, it really did drag me down that rabbit hole and the fear was genuine and real.

It's the emotional / mental recovery that takes the time.

Prevention

Can I prevent a urinary tract infection?

The following lifestyle changes can help prevent urinary tract infections:

Practice good hygiene

Practicing good hygiene is one of the best ways to help prevent UTIs. This is especially important if you have a vagina because your urethra is much shorter, and it’s easier for E. coli to move from your rectum back into your body. Always wipe from front to back after a bowel movement (pooping) to avoid this - applies to women.

For men - avid fucking bare back. After decades where we had to - these days because of modern meds for HIV - if someone is Undetectable - they are safe to fuck bareback as HIV cannot be reansmitted. BUT - normal STD are still out there but nothing is as bad as an UTI, so wear a condom.

Drink plenty of fluids

Drinking extra fluids — especially water — each day can help flush out bacteria from your urinary tract. Healthcare providers recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water daily.

Change your peeing habits

Peeing can play a big role in getting rid of bacteria from your body. Your pee is a waste product, and each time you empty your bladder, you help remove that waste from your body.

Peeing frequently can reduce your risk of developing an infection, especially if you get UTIs a lot.

You should also try to pee right before and right after having sex. Sex can introduce bacteria to your urethra, and peeing before and after sex helps flush it out. If you can’t pee, wash the area with warm water.

Men who get Prostate trouble ( It's up your bum - size of a walnut and is your G Spot ) in older age can also become prone to a UTI as you rarely empty your bladder and this can cause infections. A swollen prostate blocks the urine flow and it can take a long time to actually empty the bladder and then you can still dribble when you think you have finished as your Prostate is blocking things and as you relax AFTER taking a pee, more can dribble out, so take your time and really empty your bladder each time.

Change your birth control

Some people have an increased risk of developing a UTI if they use a diaphragm for birth control. Talk to a healthcare provider about other birth control options.

Use a water-based lubricant during sex

If you use lubricant during sex, make sure it’s water-based. You should also avoid spermicide if you have frequent UTIs.

Change your clothing

Tight-fitting clothing can create a moist environment, which promotes bacterial growth. You can try loose-fitting clothing and cotton underwear to prevent moisture from accumulating around your urethra.

Medications

If you’re postmenopausal, a healthcare provider may suggest a vaginal cream that contains estrogen. These creams may help reduce your risk of developing a UTI by changing the pH of your vagina. Talk to a healthcare provider if you’re postmenopausal and get a lot of UTIs.

Over-the-counter (OTC) supplements — including cranberry extract and probiotics — may also help prevent UTIs. Talk to a healthcare provider before you start taking any supplements.

Outlook / Prognosis

What can I expect if I have a urinary tract infection?

The outlook for urinary tract infections is good. Most UTIs usually respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be annoying or uncomfortable before you start treatment. However, once a healthcare provider identifies the bacteria and prescribes the appropriate antibiotic, your symptoms should improve quickly.

It’s important to finish all of the antibiotics that your healthcare provider prescribes. If you have frequent UTIs or your symptoms aren’t improving, your provider may test to see if your infection is resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant infections may require IV antibiotics or other treatments.

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