UTI-How to help stop recurring?

totallyconfused

Registered User
Apr 18, 2016
435
0
My mother has had a couple-shes on more anti biotics this week. Shes knocked out, so tired.

They really mess with the dementia, so much worse.

I hate that she gets these infections and feel guilty. The home help carer said theres nothing we did wrong its just that you get one, you tend to get more and they are hard to get rid of.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
After having recurrent UTIs my wife was put on low dose antibiotics with the medication changed monthly, this worked.
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
0
Bristol
The low dose antibitotics worked for C for a while, but the doctor stopped it to prevent any resistance building up. She is still occasionally prone to them, but not as frequently as 5 years ago, and I do try to encourage her to drink more which is as frustrating as that sounds.
 

Graybiker

Registered User
Oct 3, 2017
326
0
County Durham
Mam is in a care home so different setting but similar problem.
I now buy small cartons of fruit juice with a straw, the kind you’d put in a child’s lunchbox. They don’t have to be kept in a fridge, small portion but she really enjoys them. She doesn’t always remember she has them but when we go we offer her one and she never refuses.
It may not be suitable but we've found it helps.
Good luck x
 

RosettaT

Registered User
Sep 9, 2018
866
0
Mid Lincs
Some say cranberry juice is good others say it's a myth. My OH has had 7 UTIs since christmas, approx 1 every 3 weeks or so. I give him a glass of cranberry juice every day now and have for the last 3 weeks, so far so good but the next couple of weeks will be telling. Anything is worth trying as far as I'm concerned and cranberry is nice drink anyway.
 

JanetC

New member
May 4, 2019
4
0
A friend recommended cranberry tablets after mum was getting recurring UTI's. She's taken one a day for the last 6 months or so and so far so good.
 

Linbrusco

Registered User
Mar 4, 2013
1,694
0
Auckland...... New Zealand
My Mum has been in her care home now 3 yrs.
Undoubtedly UTI’s have been the cause of every downturn and behaviour change in Mum.
March 2018 she was hospitalised.
I asked then about Mum being put on a low dose daily anti B. Was told it would only be considered after 4 UTI’s in a 12 mnth period.
Jan this year after yet anothet UTI & chest infection and losing mobility & speech, GP agreed to a daily anti B.
Mum was moved to Hospital care in the Feb, and its the most settled I have seen her in 2 yrs.
No UTI’s in 6 mnths.
I just wish they had done so a lot earlier, who knows if she would have reached loss of mobility so soon?
 

Lotto

Registered User
Mar 13, 2014
39
0
My Mum has been in her care home now 3 yrs.
Undoubtedly UTI’s have been the cause of every downturn and behaviour change in Mum.
March 2018 she was hospitalised.
I asked then about Mum being put on a low dose daily anti B. Was told it would only be considered after 4 UTI’s in a 12 mnth period.
Jan this year after yet anothet UTI & chest infection and losing mobility & speech, GP agreed to a daily anti B.
Mum was moved to Hospital care in the Feb, and its the most settled I have seen her in 2 yrs.
No UTI’s in 6 mnths.
I just wish they had done so a lot earlier, who knows if she would have reached loss of mobility so soon?
 

Lotto

Registered User
Mar 13, 2014
39
0
Hello my mother also suffers chronic UTI’s - she has lost mobility and has had two seizures in the past five months. The urologist will not put her on a low dose due to resistance - can I ask what medication your mum is on ? I’m glad she is doing better
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
can I ask what medication your mum is on ?

Medication used depends on bacteria detected in sample, cross referencing to other people can be pointless.
If you can get sight of the pathology report it will give the name of the bacteria detected and the ABs it is susceptible to.

Things like only using Simple soap, or own brand equivalent , and never using bubble bath can help.
 

wonderfulmum

Registered User
Aug 20, 2015
46
0
Some say cranberry juice is good others say it's a myth. My OH has had 7 UTIs since christmas, approx 1 every 3 weeks or so. I give him a glass of cranberry juice every day now and have for the last 3 weeks, so far so good but the next couple of weeks will be telling. Anything is worth trying as far as I'm concerned and cranberry is nice drink anyway.
I too give mum half glass of cranberry juice every morning and she has not had UTI now for past year and half so I recommend it.
 

Patrioted

Registered User
Jul 4, 2017
23
0
What is a UTI? Don't assume everyone knows or understands acronyms you post. I don't know what a UTI is.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
What is a UTI? Don't assume everyone knows or understands acronyms you post. I don't know what a UTI is.

There is a list of abbreviation/acronyms on DTP
https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/abbreviations-list-and-dementia-talking-point-jargon.26388/
You can bookmark it within DTP by clicking 'bookmark' at the end, the link will then be added to your editable personal list which you can see by left clicking your avatar on the notification bar and then clicking 'bookmark' on the resulting dropdown

Very common ones typically just get used, less common ones get defined when first used in a thread e.g POVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults)
 
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C14

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5
0
My dad had recurring UTI's until I read somewhere that lack of Vitamin D is a contributing factor, so I asked the care home to see if the doctor would do a blood test. He was extremely low in Vitamin D and they put him on quite a high dose for a week then a maintainance dose. He has not had a UTI since.
 

Kaitlin

Registered User
Mar 20, 2018
11
0
My mum was having the uti frequently. She has been put on a low dose of antibiotics and the home constantly monitor her fluid intake
This seems to have helped.
 

tryingmybest

Registered User
May 22, 2015
638
0
My Mum who lives with me, gets them every 3-4 weeks no matter how clean I keep her or how much I give her to drink. I had heard of people being on a low dose of A/Bs but the doctors refuse to do this. They are now only prescribing a 3 day course each time, which quite frankly is hopeless, as such a short course is not working. This week due to yet another one and with higher levels of confusion (which is always the way with these infections), after pacing around her bedroom for hours and constantly crying, she fell and my poor Mum has broken her hand and is now wearing a splint. It's just never ending and I'm totally exhausted with it all. She won't drink cranberry juice but I didn't know there pills so will definitely buy some for her. Thank you @JanetC for that tip.
 

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