Embarrassing Illnesses

it feels like a weight off my shoulder to see im not alone with this problem ... i have them on and off all the time even when im not having sex, unfortunately for me i ended up in hospital where i was checked over closely i was in so much pain i stayed in the bath and urinated in it so it didn't hurt as much and the water would be red from blood i was even passing the lining of my bladder too and i would find it hard to move from the pain and be awake all night in tears. i constantly felt i needed to urinate too even when there is nothing there! i also found all the time that having sex can be very painful after wards even after not showing any symptoms previously i will go to the loo after and it would sting so bad and i would feel a burning sensation inside my vagina it would eventually wear off but it makes sex almost a burden!! i also took time off work and was fired from it yet i was laid in bed at home in agony! as i am on antibiotics alot for it i found one time i was resistant to the tablets so i remained ill for another week they gave me some more and i found i was also resistant to them (after another week or so) and they gave me extreme stomach ache and eventually i was put on some that worked i hope i don't become resistant to them too! of all the problems cystitis causes, the pain after sex is the worse and i dont think people who dont suffer with it realise how severe it can be is there any chance it can be hereditary my only female cousin from the same side of the family suffers as bad from this as i do yet shes only 11. i have read and took note of some other comments thanks a million i will try some out... since leaving my last partner partly due to this problem (and have found a decrease in water infections since from no sex) i have now met someone new and im dreading the sex scene so much its quite depressing really!

I have now been with same partner for 7years, we used to have sex everyday, untill almost 3 years ago now when i started getting cystis monthly, the doctor siad the usual of cranberry,water,cotton knickers, non -perfumed soap,ect, and I did and still do all those things, I even had a operation a year ago to widen my uretha tube and entrance to my bladder, i wa so happy it may finally be over and 1 week later, again i got cysitis. I have been on antibiotics ever since and this helped a lot but i still always get the undescrible feeling in my clitorus and like theres loads of pressure on my bladder after sex and when im due my period. I get up at least 3times per night for a wee. It really gets me down more and more each day,more than anything, Im almost 30 and want to start trying for children and I just cant as water infections are even worse when pregnant and i cant deal wit pain now never mind then. Please help! I will try cutting down or out on whaet though, as i do suffer from terrible bloating too!

hi. i've got problem with cystis as well. it happened each time after sex. twice it was UTI and i was taking antibiotics. my gp wanted me to start pernamently taking it if problem happen again, but im on a pill and dont wanna it, cos pill will not be working. recently cystis symptoms are not as painful as before but can appear even after 24 after sex. its mad, im always having some medicine on me in case i get cystis again... its really annoying. i checked myself for STI but all was negative. can a pill causing it?

Hi. I am 25 years old. I get recurrent UTI's aswell. I do ALL the usual DO'S and DONT'S. I drink plenty of cranberry juice, water, I wipe from front to back. I go to the loo before and after sex. But these UTI's I keep getting always happen around the time of my period. And it's every month and it's been going on for a few years now. My GP has sent me for scans and everything was normal. I used to be on the pill but never had a problem whislt I was on them. I also suffer badly with my periods. They can last from 2 days for as long as 2 to 3 weeks. And I can even have a break between periods from 2 days to 8 weeks. And I've also had to take time off from work. My periods are extremely heavy where I've had to change my clothing a few times during the day. And the pain is always unbearable, I can be in bed for days. I've had clamydia teats etc, which have all come back clear. If anyone can help, please dont hesitate to message. Thank you.

I am writing this to try and help some of you girls (any maybe boys) out there. I used to suffer from really severe urine infections, they would come about almost every time I had sex or got really stressed. My urine would smell odd and become cloudy, I would have back ache, feel sick, be bloated, get diarrhoea and pass blood for about 3-6 days, but the worst things was the pain when I passed urine, sometimes I wanted to die it was so bad! And also the feeling of having to go all the time even when nothing was there to come out. sometimes I didn't get to the loo in time, so over those days I would have to call into work ill and not leave the house. Each time I went to the GP and they told me that from my sample it looked like an infection, there would be blood and puss in my urine, they always gave me antibiotics but when they sent my sample off for tests it always came back clear!!! I was advised to have a sexual health check to make sure that it wasnt anything biological or sexually transmitted and that all came back clear. They advised me to not over wash the area with perfumed soap and to ALWAYS have a wee straight after sex, it sounds simple but it made a massive difference! Another part of the cure came about by accident. Basically I have also always suffered from acne, and whilst on my pursuit for perfect skin I found a book called 'Clear Skin' by Karen Jessett, it tells you all about how taking the contraceptive pill can cause lots of other problems including urinary tract infections and actually make your skin worse too. It teaches you everything you need to know about how to use food to help reduce acne, such as not eating things like wheat or dairy and not drinking caffeine and alcohol. Since reading the book I have stopped taking the pill (I now use the rhythm method for contraception) and have changed my diet drastically. My urine infections are almost completely cured, now sometimes I get a twinge, but nothing like how it used to be. I now take cranberry tablets daily just to make sure my acidity levels are ok and I take Uva Ursi (bearberry) tablets, which can also be made into a tea (you can get both of these tablets from Holland and Barrett) I make sure that I drink at least 2 litres of water a day. I know it sounds a bit simple, but never wipe Back to Front NEVER EVER! Have a bath without any soap, no bubble bath and no shower gel, just water and relax, Don’t force the urine out, I know they tell you to try and empty the bladder fully, but I know this gives me more pain, try and stop before you get to the stingy last drip of wee. I find that running about helps to stop the feeling that you need to go, try running up and down the stairs, don’t ask me why but it helps. Always wear cotton knickers! I really hope that at least one thing from here helps you, I know how bad this problem can be, I used to think it was one of the worst illnesses in the world. Good luck x

I'm 19 and I've been getting random bouts of cystitus for the past few years. Water and cranberry juice help get rid of the feeling that you're desperate for the toilet and it sorts of 'dilutes' the burning/stinging when I pee. I've found that if I drink alcohol/fizzy drinks I can prevent it from balancing it out with coffees, water and juice. The tablets get rid of it but it always comes back.

I actually feel a sign of relief reading all these comments as i too suffer with cystitis. Iv had it now for over a year and its ruining my life, im constantly worrying that it could be more than just cystitis, but when i do go to my doctor's they just give me more tablets which don't help over a long period of time. I do find that drinking plenty of water each days helps get rid of the pain and drinking cramberry juice even though i hate it! I was reading one comment about cranberry flavoured tablets that are sold at Holland & Barrot which i might try. I have also recently met a new guy, but im too scared to get into a relationship with him and have sex. Me and my last partner broke up over this problem and i don't want it to happen again. I do think having a wee before and after sex and using lube whilst having sex helps the pain a lot, my doctor also said constantly keep yourself clean by washing daily and carrying wipes around with you helps too. I have also found that drinking alcohol makes the pain worse the next day when you wee, but i really do enjoy a drink with my friends now and again. I hope the comment i have left helps people out there with the same problem as me.

I suffered from cystitis off and on for many years which was brought on by sex. Consequently it ruined my sex life and at its worst I once peed myself in tesco trying to get medicine- mortifying. I have however found an absolute miracle cure for cystitis called waterfall d mannose. I buy it on the internet from a company called sweet cures and have not had it for 2 years now!

I am 27, I have had so many bouts of Cystitis, to the point I had it for 6 months in a row once a month. I have a regular partner and have been with him for almost a year. The doctor sent me away for tests eventually. The first doctor I saw was rude nasty and made me cry. I had a chlamydia test which came back clear thankfully but I recently found out my contraceptive pill is probably to blame. Do try cranberry juice, tonic water, barley water and clean well after sex and pee after sex as well and clean well after especially if you aren't using condoms. Following that advice I haven't had cystitis for 2 months now, but it's still a worry and I am going to be changing my pill.

Since meeting my boyfriend I have been suffering UTI's for the past 2 years now, and recently had 4 within the last 4 weeks. Been feeling really down and sick of this I've been back and forward to the doctors with samples and got more antibiotics, I'm now going on a 6 month course, not sure if it will help? Like everyone else I go through the do's of what to do and don'ts.. I find drinking lots of water and cranberry juice helps, urinating before and after sex helps. The past 2 months off and on I have also been getting a dull ache on the right side of my back, half way. would this be related?