The People's Pharmacy® with Joe and Terry Graedon

I have had UTIs every few weeks for the past year. My doctor treated them with a mini-dose of Macribid for 3 months. They came back two weeks later and are still continuing. Any suggestions? I am in my late 70s.

For radio show Sat. May 3rd.....I have IC (interstitial cystitis) This painful chronic disease has changed my life...Pain, urgency, frequency, painful intercourse, waking every 30 min, to an hour at night to use the bathroom. Going 15 to 25 times a day. I've become depressed, anti-social. I do take Elmirion, prosed, enablex. Is there any cure in the near future. Most people I know look at my problem as a bladder infection. People aren't familiar with IC.

Marilyn

I have had UTI's frequently in the past to the point where my gynecologist would give me a prescription of antibiotics to take with me just in case. I haven't had one in a long time. But I do believe that people can be more prone to them.

But so can animals. My cat had the same problem recently and they managed her diet. She was on a high pH very acidic diet for three months to break up crystals in her urine and is now on a maintenance diet. She was checked just recently and her urine is ok. So all this being said, what is the connection between UTIs and diet. Thanks

what does cloudy urine mean??? i drink 7-8 glasses of water a day... blood work is normal and so is the urine report...

My 8 year old daughter wets her pants about once a day. She has been to a urologist and a pediatric urologist. She does not have a physical problem. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Question for Dr. Kavaler: Any advice about stress incontinence (as opposed to urge incontinence)? Any effective exercises or meds?

I was prescribed Oxytrol patches with oxybutynin. Can this cause memory problems?

I listened to the broadcast and felt that Interstitial Cystitis was not addressed fully. The drug Elmiron only leaves 20% in the bladder to attempt to fix the lining. It almost sounded that if we take care of ourselves it would go away. I have had IC for 17 years and have done just about every treatment and nothing has resolved this issue. I would like to see a show devoted totyally to IC. There are so many of us out there waiting foe answers.

I'm wondering if Dr. Kavaler has any advice regarding Interstitial Cystitis, a condition I was diagnosed with about a year ago.

I'm thirty years old, and I have persistent symptoms of a bladder infection, but my doctors tell me that only diet can make a real difference. My diet has drastically changed, leaving me feeling tired often, I'm sure because I can no longer eat many vegetables, highly concentrated soy products, etc. and I'm probably missing out on lots of important vitamins and nutrients. But vitamin capsules irritate my bladder.

Furthermore, because I am a vegetarian, not eating soy is especially problematic. I'm wondering if 1) the condition is something real and specific or just a catch-all term for an unknown problem and 2) if I'll likely have this the rest of my life, as two different doctors have told me. Any suggestions regarding this condition?

Many thanks!

I'd like to ask Dr. Kavaler a question if I may. Two years ago, I had a transurethral resection of a very small (less than 2.5cm) transitional cell bladder cancer. I was given the option of having bladder instillation chemotherapy, which after discussing benefits and risks with my urologist, I declined. I have been having cystoscopies every three months to evaluate for recurrant tumor...nothing so far. My urologist advised taking increased doses of Vitamins A, E and B6 to decrease risk of recurrance.

My question: is there literature to support this and what is your opinion about vitamin therapy?
Thank your for your time.

I was pleased and disappointed in this morning's show on UTI's. Your guest gave very good information however I got the feeling you were steering her away from discussing the effects of estrogen on urogenital problems. Since all these problems are increased at menopause the hormone connections are very important and it would have been very informative to here the latest research in this area.

I was prescribed Oxytrol patches with oxybutynin. Can this cause memory problems? I am in my late 70s.

Great show May 3rd. Question concerning my 10 year old daughter who has suffered urge incontinence, bladder infections, UTIs for 6 years. We have consulted several Pediatricians, a Urologist and Physical Therapist, changed diet, performed exercises for pelvic floor muscle strength, medication-oxybutinin, Detrol 2 and 4 mg. Nothing has helped and accidents occur daily with pretty embarrassing results. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Nancy

Please pass on this message to Dr. Kavaler. Dr. Kavaler I would like to recommend you become familiar with the work of Dr. Vliet (Her Place, Arizona). She is specializes in treating women with difficult to treat problems. You can listen to her radio show at her web site. I believe you are both science based doctors and could benefit from one another's expertise. Thank you for the show this morning.

Question for Dr. E. Kavaler: Starting as a teenager, I have had stress incontinence where I leak when I sneeze, cough, and exercise.

I am almost 40 now and in the last few months, I have suddenly experienced urine leakage not resulting from sneezing or exercising; I can just be sitting down and then I feel myself leaking. The amount is enough to fill up a pantyliner during the course of the day.

Can you help me understand what's going wrong with my body to suddenly experience leakage without "stress" and how can I treat it?

Druing a tramatic divorce I slowly was not able to urinate. Finally when at a hospital for what I thought was a heart attack, I could not urinate. They catheritized me.

The urologist office referred to me as the 'divorcee who could not pea.'

They gave me a self catheritizeing tube.
They wanted to do a microwave technique to allow me to urinate. Later I was told that I was lucky not to be able to get it done as it is ineffective.

So I am still on flowmax. If I miss a pill, there is no problem. Fortunately, libido has returned after two years.

Should I try to get off the pill, thinking that the urination problem was just from traumatic stress syndrome?

Do you think birth control pills or the type (estrogen to progestin ratio) makes ladies who are likely to get UTI's any more or less likely to get UTI's? Are there any BC pills that you think help the situation?

Unfortunately,I only caught the last 15 minutes of your show this morning. I have been having below-the-belt problems since last summer. My abdomen feels full and very tight all of the time, even on an empty stomach. I have very inconsistent bowel habits and have become focused on keeping myself emptying as often as I think I should be.

I also have a constant mild to moderate vaginal burning, have the urge to urinate frequently, although I can hold it for long periods, but once I empty, it is usually smaller amounts than I've been used to in the past. I also start dribbling urine when I get out of bed in the morning before I can get to the toilet - very frustrating and embarrassing, I'm only 36!!!

I have been to my gynecologist for a vaginal ultrasound, this past winter, in which they found small ovarian cysts, they were gone by the time of my follow-up ultrasound. I then went for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, both were negative.

I have gone to a walk-in twice this spring with symptoms of UTI. The first time they found trace amounts of blood and ketones and protein, I was given Cipro with no effect. My second visit they found traces of bacteria and blood and lower than normal pH levels, I was given Macrobid with no effect. I've also treated myself twice for a yeast infection.

My gynecologist, whom I visited again last week for my annual, says everything looks good, I may be suffering from bladder spasms, and he gave me samples of Enablex, which don't seem to be helping thus far. I have an appointment with a urologist in mid-June at which point I feel I'll have covered all of the bases!

Do you have any suggestions? Something has definitely changed since last summer. I can deal with the bowel problems, but the racing to the bathroom, and almost not making it, the constant feeling of having to urinate, and the dribbling in the morning, the constant vaginal burning - I'm having a very difficult time accepting these as "normal". Please help!!!

My 80-year-old mother cannot empty her bladder due to cystocele (fallen bladder). This has resulted in constant/chronic bladder infections for more than a year. [Her GYN extracts 2 - 4+ cups of urine via catheter after Mom has emptied her bladder to best of her ability!] The GYN will conduct 'bladder tests' next week, and plans to operate (inserting a graft) on 27 May. I'm curious to know whether Dr. Kavaler has any comment on this problem and the GYN's approach.

In response to the first question regarding the use of macrobid for three months, only to have the infections come back:
Suppression doses of antibiotics, which is a very low dose every night to prevent recurrences, is very effective in many women. The amount of time that any single person needs to stay on the antibiotics is not fixed. It sounds like you may need to stay on it for another three month period. I would discuss that option with your physician.

Great show today - as always! In fact, I contacted the program director at WBUR in Boston to ask if they would consider you in the Boston radio market. Any response from them? As a snow bird, I really hate not being able to listen to your show when I go north.

Oh well, my question for today regarding urinating urgency. Perhaps you could forward this to the Doctor's email for an answer. I am a 65 year old woman, very healthy, good diet, exercise, and do not take any medicines, however, I do have what I consider a bladder problem. Specifically, After emptying what seems like a full bladder, within ten minutes I have the urgency to go again. I do, a fair amount comes out, then a short time later I need to go again. I notice this problem earlier in the day.

Last week it was particularly troublesome - during my golf lesson, I was unable to spread my legs to assume my golf position for fear of wetting my pants, so I sat out the rest of the lesson until I could rush to the bathroom. Some nights I get up every 2-3 hours to void. Other days I can go 8 hours with no problem at all. The problem is not constant but seems to fluctuate. Is it diet, sex, age, prolapse. Some suggestions please, I don't want to go on medicine. It's not better or worse, just annoying and unpredictable. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, Gerry

I'm 51. I consider my daytime urinary frequency to be "normal," but since about my mid-30s, I have to "go" every time I wake up at night. In fact, I can "go," get back in bed, and if I don't fall asleep right away (i.e., within just a few minutes), I'll feel the need to "go" again--although sometimes I may actually pee less than a tablespoon.
What causes this? Can anything be done for it?

Dear Dr. In listening to your comments on the Peoples Pharmacy this morning (show 678) you mentioned bladder meds that had some effect on memory cells on the brain. Would you be kind enough to indicate the meds that do affect brain cells and the most current ones that don't.
Thank you. SB

I'm in my 60s, and I used to have UTIs 3-4 times a year, despite my drinking large quantities of water daily. This was a life-long problem.

My current family doctor finally suggested several years ago that I see a urologist (the male urologist I saw treats only women). He suggested that I stop drinking soda pop (carbonated drinks such as colas); I was drinking, on average, one per day - sometimes none, almost never more than one. He also stated that caffeine affects some women (I don't drink coffee, so that wasn't a factor for me). He also recommended cranberry juice.

I stopped drinking soda pop, and yes, I really missed it at first, but I got used to it. I hate the taste of cranberry juice, so I tried taking cranberry capsules twice daily. The combination of these two behavior changes seems to have worked. I've only had one UTI in the last three years. That happened when the formulation of the cranberry capsules I was taking was changed, and it took a couple of months for me to find an appropriate substitute brand and dosage. Would I like to drink a Pepsi or a root beer every now and then? Yes, of course, but I SO much DON'T miss the infections! :)

Rado show 678 mentioned the drug VESICARE, but I did not hear what was said about this drug. Can you please tell me what I missed? Thank you.

Years ago I had frequent bladder infections. One time I was vacationing in Florida and visited a urogolist who found e -coli in my urine. Now I not only wipe completely from front to back as I always have done, I use baby wipes( I carry them with me) and have never had another problem.

Dr. Kavaler spoke of drugs that cross into the brain. What cognitive deficits are the possible symptoms?
Specifically, what might Datril cause as a cognitive side effect?
What are the names again please of the three newest drugs that do not present this issue.
Is there a good resource for more information? Thank you.

What is a urethral caruncle and how can it be treated safely. Is this a common problem?

I suffered for more than 10 years from chronic bladder infections. I was prescribed one antibiotic after another. I was placed for a couple of years on prophylactic antibiotics (for prevention) and still the bladder infections continued to recur. I drank cranberry juice until I would almost gag at the thought of it. I almost earned an honorary chair in my doctor's waiting room.

Finally, I got sick of all the antibiotics. Instead of the antibiotics, I started a regimine of taking Cystex and Cranactin before sexual activity and emptying my bladder afterwards. In over ten years, I have only had one bladder infection since. Dr. K. said cranberry supplements are not standardized. Most are not. However, Cranactin reports that it is the "first commercial cranberry supplement to tested for and guaranteed to contain cranberry's bacterial antiherence activity. The CranActin supplement is supported by pharmacokinetic and clinical research."

I don't know if this information can help anyone else...I can only hope so. Dr. K. is wonderful in giving women control of their own antibiotics but believe me, most physicians do not relinquish that control. I know Dr. K. also said women should not have to empty their bladder after sex, but given the alternative and given doctors who required an office visit and urine test before they would provide relief, it was an inconvenience I was willing to accept. The constant fear of recurrence, pain, inconvenience, and cost was a powerful motivator.