Consideder the following treatment options for preventing UTIs.
1. Drink the same amount of fluid at the same time each day and urinate on a set schedule whether you feel like you need to or not; typically this means every 2-3 hours. Try to avoid ever having a situation where you feel like you have to urinate urgently or that it hurts.
2. Careful attention to hygiene, patricianly involving bowel movements. Make sure you always wipe from front to back. Urination after sexual activity is also recommended.
3. Conservative measures including Ellura cranberry tablets (twice daily) and probiotic.. Ellura is a concentrated form of cranberry extract that is more potent than many other over the counter pills. Probiotic supplements may also be of value, these may be purchased over the counter. It may however be more worthwhile to consider your diet and make sure it is rich in fiber and limited in processed foods. A high fiber diet also helps prevent constipation which is a risk factor for infections. This will have the effect of fostering a healthy environment for "good" bacteria that live in and on the body. D-mannose is another supplement at 2 g per day dosing that might also be of benefit.
4. Medications including either Hiprex or a low dose daily prophylactic antibiotic. Hiprex acts as a bladder antiseptic and creates an environment in the bladder that bacteria do not like to grow in, as opposed to an antibiotic that actually will kill bacteria that are prese4nt. You should only take this medication when you are not using antibiotics; If you go on antibiotics for any reason you should stop taking hiprex and then resume once the antibiotic course is complete.
Try to urinate at least every two hours during the day; setting an alarm to help remind yourself to go can be helpful.
Restrict night time fluids starting 4 hours before bedtime and make sure to urinate right before going to bed.
Keep your legs elevated during the day to reduce swelling. Also consider wearing compression stoking's if swelling in your legs is a recurring issue.
Consider reducing intake of caffeine, alcohol, carbonated b4everages, spicy foods, and/or citrus fruit as these may worsen bladde3r symptoms. See list of foods and drinks that may exacerbate urinary symptoms: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns_hopkins_bayview/_docs/medical_services/gynecology_obstetrics/bladder_irritants.pdf.
Keep a brief journal of your symptoms and see if you can determine specific triggers for pain and/or urgency.
Try to stay regular in terms of bowel movements; fiber supplements such as miralax or metamucil may help.
For night time urination specifically, consider the following:
1. Urinating before bedtime
2. Using a bedside urinal to limit sleep disruption and fall risk
3. Limiting food and fluid intake 5 hours before bedtime
4. Avoiding caffeine after noon time
5. Avoiding salty food in the afternoon and evening
6. Increasing daily exercise in the morning
7. Sleeping in a cool dark room
8. Avoiding TV/computer work 1 hour before bed
9. Maintaining a healthy weight
Doctor's File Notes
History
Lab Test Results
Medication
Symptoms
Table of Contents