If I flood myself with water (lemon water?) and cranberry juice, can I stave off the onset of a UTI if there are already symptoms?

I know you all aren't doctors, but trying to determine if anyone has had success. I have a doctor appointment for something else on Friday and would rather not have to go in early for this.

I used to get UTIs about 4 times year so, although I'm not a medical professional, I have lots of experience with them. I found that drinking lots and lots of water and cranberry juice definitely made the symptoms more bearable, but it never actually cured or even delayed the onset of the infection for me. I think that you should go in early because a UTI can spread to your kidneys if it isn't treated. If that happens, you could end up in the hospital.

If you get UTIs frequently (once a year or more), I'd recommend asking your doctor for a referral to a urologist. When I went to a urologist, I found out that I had a perfectly treatable (and not uncommon) condition that was causing my UTIs. Once the underlying condition was treated, my UTIs completely stopped. I haven't had one in over six years (knock on wood).

You also might ask your doctor for a refillable prescription for the UTI medication (I got this from my urologist and it was a life saver--seems like all my UTIs started on a Saturday or just when I was about to go on vacation). That way the next time you get an infection, you won't need to go in.

P.S. - I love your avatar!

I agree about the water and cran. juice. I also take a cranberry extract tablet at times I would be vulnerable to an infection. You can buy pyridium over the counter--it cuts down on the pain but will stain your underwear orange so be careful.

None of that can "cure" a uti. Cranberry juice makes the walls of the bladder slick, so that it can "prevent" an infection by making the surface too slick for bacteria to stick. Water of course is great too, by keeping the fluid in the urinary tract moving bacteria doesnt have time to multiply. Antibiotics are your only hope for getting over one though. maybe drinking lots of water and cranberry juice could keep it bearable until friday...depending on your symptoms. I dont get symptoms til it is too late....i get fever and back ache once it moves into the kidneys, otherwise i dont even get symptoms. Bummer, i would at least like a warning.

Thanks for your replies. The water and cran juice is helping with the discomfort, but I guess I'll have to call the doc tomorrow. She's fairly new for me, but I really hope she'll call something in instead of requiring an office visit.

If it is your first time going to her with a uti, she probably won't call anything in. They usually like to do a urine test the first time to rule anything else out, but once my doctor did that, he gave me repeats on my antibiotic so that now i can just go get a refill when i need it.

I used to get frequent UTIs. I went to the health food store and asked for advice from the homeopathic expert there. She told me to get Cantharis and put one pellet under my tongue at the first sign of a UTI. Only one pellet, one time. Not 2-3, several times a day, as the packaging recommends. I made the mistake of telling the homeopathic lady that I had deviated from her recommendation and take 2-3 pellets, and I got bawled out. This method works most of the time, if I catch it early enough. I drink lots of water too. If you don't react immediately, it won't work. Once you're hurting, you need antibiotics.

The thing that helped me the most is advice I received from my OB/Gyn: Urinate both before and after sexual intercourse. I am now diligent about that and I haven't had a UTI in about a year. Also, he gave me a prescription for antibiotics and said to take one immediately after, ahem, especially strenuous activity. (I'll not elaborate on that!) I did that for a while - until I ran out of pills. Don't seem to need them anyway.

Be careful taking AZO Standard and other things that relieve the pain. Only take it while you're waiting for the antibiotics to kick in - maybe 24 hours. After that, the burn should have subsided.

Hope you feel better soon.

I drink pure cranberry juice (no sugar added) and cut out all sugar from my diet and mine would go away within a week. I've never once taken antibiotics for a UTI. Mostly because they don't agree with me, I get sicker from antibiotics and am out of commission for 1-5 weeks afterwards. I'd keep a close eye on it, and if it becomes too much get in to see your doc!

-Aimee