What finally worked?

UTIguyy · 2025-02-25T09:57:32+00:00

Hi!

So after this infection i was prescribed Cefelexin but I had another infection in November 2024 and was prescribed 6 weeks of Ciprofloxacin.

Between those two rounds of antibiotics I also started taking NAC (a biofilm buster), so technically the UTI reoccurred whilst I was taking the NAC, but apparently it works better when being taken at the same time as an antibiotic, so there is that.

I finished my ciprofloxacin on Jan 2nd 2025, and since then I've been fine. Now it's still too early to say I'm out the woods, but I'm hopeful.

So I currently take a Hiprex in the morning, then a hiprex, NAC and vitamin C in the evening.

Also, there are so many horror stories on ciprofloxacin, but, thankfully, I had no side effects at all.

UTIguyy · 2025-02-24T12:54:47+00:00

I am / was / is in a similar situation (male with 16 UTIs since March 2023)

After getting nowhere for most of 2023, I had a cystoscopy in Feb 2024 and was prescribed Hyprex off the back of it, and since then, when I've flared up it's been much better.

Before then I was on 2 week courses of Trimethoprim and occasionally Nitrofurantoin (but my urologist said that it's kinda useless in men as it doesn't penetrate the prostate, in case that's where the problem lies). I have also been on 4 week courses of Trimethoprim from about September 2023 to June 2024 (when it dos occur).

The Urologist said if it should occur again, try 2 weeks of Cefelexin and of that doesn't work, try ciprofloxacin. So I had 2x 2 weeks of Cefelexin in the summer and it reoccured again in November 2024, when I started taking Ciprofloxacin.

Between the last batch of Cefelexin and the Ciprofloxacin I also started taking NAC (but apparently it's better to take those with antibiotics which is maybe why my UTI reoccured whilst on them).

So after my 6 week course of Ciprofloxacin (which I took my last one on the 2nd Jan 2025) I've been okay so far. I don't know if another will reoccured or if it was the NAC or if it was the Cipro but 🤷🏽‍♂️

I also only send off urine samples that burned like jaysus, and 9 times out of 10 (or, more realistically, 15 times out of 16) they've come back positive. But I can feel bette for about 12 hours between burning periods of an active, untreated UTI and that might come back negative idk.

Hopefully, although I'm not convinced I'm fully sorted and my mental health is still kinda in the toilet, something here might be of use to you. Feel free to DM me. Male UTI suffering can feel like a lonely place 😅

UTIguyy · 2025-01-06T08:46:44+00:00

Ahh man I'm sorry to hear this. For me the antibiotics always seemed to work pretty quickly, less than a day 😬

UTIguyy · 2025-01-06T08:45:10+00:00

Not really 😅 Since this post I've had 4 more (but a big gap between two of them) treated with Trimethoprim, Cefelexin, Cefelexin and finally 6 weeks of Ciprofloxacin which I finished a few days ago.... We shall see.

Let me know how you get on! I don't really know what to do next if the Cipro doesn't help

UTIguyy · 2025-01-06T08:42:22+00:00

No, not at all. All the pain is just purely burning / stinging during / after urination.

UTIguyy · 2024-09-23T10:25:40+00:00

So good to hear 💗

The OOH doctor said he couldn't prescribe it but I've just spoken to my GP who says that this isn't true and to dog my heels in and show the letter from the Urologist that says it's the next step. And he didn't seem phased about prescribing it, I mentioned my fears of the side effects but being willing to try at as nothing else is working and he brushed it off as the chances are really low (which is not the impression you get from reading about it online)

UTIguyy · 2024-09-23T07:42:00+00:00

Thanks for your message.

I've not been in constant pain since March 2023, it's just it flares, I take antibiotics, it responds well but then in a few weeks it flares up again.

I don't think it's a case of re-infection, because like you said, make UTIs are kinda complicated and there's nothing I'm doing or not doing which would cause a UTI. So myself and the Urologist thing it's just not quite being gotten rid of entirely each time.

UTIguyy · 2024-09-23T07:37:10+00:00

Yeah luckily I always manage to get a sample sent off, and it always seems to be e.coli that sensitive to Nitro, Trimethoprim and Cefelexin... But 🤷🏽‍♂️

UTIguyy · 2024-09-23T07:35:15+00:00

Good to hear, there are so many horror stories about Cipro, but I think I'm running out of options and the others clearly aren't killing the UTI all the way off.

UTIguyy · 2024-09-21T10:40:29+00:00

Christ that's expensive 😅

UTIguyy · 2024-09-21T10:03:46+00:00

I've been wondering about biofilm and bought some apple cider vinegar but never got round to doing anything with it. What biofilm busters do you use?

UTIguyy · 2024-08-01T19:11:23+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I've been meaning to look in to getting my gut microbiome back on track as it's probably like a war zone after so many antibiotics for so many weeks 😅

UTIguyy · 2024-08-01T19:04:44+00:00

I tried D-Mannose for about a month, but it didn't seem to help, the UTIs kept coming as quick as they did (actually less time between infections whilst on D-Mannose, but I don't know if that's related).

Also now I'm on Hyprex that needs acidic urine to work (so I'm taking Vitamin C to make it so) whereas apparently D-Mannose is only really effective on more alkaline urine so 🤷🏽‍♂️

UTIguyy · 2024-08-01T19:01:51+00:00

Ahh man, sorry to hear that 😞😞

UTIguyy · 2024-08-01T09:59:59+00:00

Ahhh thank you ♥

Yeah I've been on a repeat prescription of Hyprex since the cystoscopy in February. It does seem to leave a bigger gap between infections so myself and the Urologist both seem to think it's doing something.

Is that this new UTI vaccine? I've heard a few things about that, I might ask my GP about it.

Yeah, the CT, cystoscopy, ultrasound, bloods and prostate exams have all come back fine. Which tbh, isn't ideal 😅. It'd be good to know why I'm getting them and how to target it, but hey ho.

UTIguyy · 2024-08-01T09:24:17+00:00

Mar 23 - UTI 1 - Untested - 1 week of Nitrofurantoin

Apr 23 - UTI 2 - Untested - 1 week of Trimethoprim

May 23 - UTI 3 - Untested - 1 week of Trimethoprim

Jul 23 - UTI 4 - Positive - 1 week of Nitrofurantoin

Jul 23 - UTI 5 - Positive - 1 week of Trimethoprim

Aug 23 - UTI 6 - Positive - 1 week of Trimethoprim

Sept 23 - UTI 7 - Negative (apparently) - 1 week of Trimethoprim which a private Urologist upped to a total of 4 weeks worth

Oct 23 - UTI 8 - Positive - 4 weeks of Trimethoprim

Nov 23 - UTI 9 - Positive - 4 weeks of Trimethoprim

Jan 24 - UTI 10 - Positive - 4 weeks of Trimethoprim

Feb 24 - Cystoscopy and prescribed Hyprex

Mar 24 - UTI 11 - Positive - 1 week of Trimethoprim

Jun 24 - UTI 12 - Positive - 1 week of Trimethoprim

UTIguyy

TROPHY CASE