Why do I keep getting UTIs?

You keep getting urinary tract infections (UTIs) and your GP has tried you on antibiotics several times already.

Taking advice from anyone who’ll listen to how much pain you’re in means you’ve tried alternatives...

Drinking cranberry juice hasn’t helped and dodging alcohol and caffeine hasn’t either. What next?
​
I’m going to share some of the main causes of repeated and chronic urinary tract infections, as well as interstitial cystitis (IC) and how you can support your body. 

What are UTIs?

​Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). They are one of the most common infections affecting older adults, particularly in women. They can be mildly irritating or they can be brutally painful. 
​
Your symptoms might include: a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria), needing to pee more often than normal at night (nocturia), cloudy looking urine, an urgent need to pee, needing to pee all. the. damned. time, tummy or back pain, and sometimes even blood in your pee. It's vital to consult your GP as a first point of contact as - left untreated - things can get much worse.

​“Killing” the pathogen with antimicrobials over and over, however, doesn’t repair the damage the original urinary infection has caused. And people get stuck in the same pattern and you can be susceptible to getting infections back again which makes the inflammation and irritation in the bladder worse. 

None of these symptoms are pleasant, and antibiotics can’t fix a non-existent infection if you have interstitial cystitis (IC). 
​
How do I know?

I understand the agony and frustration of IC and UTIs
​

In my twenties, I had repeated UTIs. They were so painful and debilitating that I stopped living my normal life. No more socialising or parties, embarrassment from always  needing to take sick days from work, even struggling to walk home with my shopping. UTIs were quite literally ruining my life. (You can read more about my bladder and IC journey here).

The support from my GP and consultants was minimal, some were even dismissive and made me feel like it was all in my head and I was a nuisance. The tests they gave me were inconclusive, and instead of asking more questions they pretty much shrugged their shoulders, labelled me with "interstitial cystitis" or "IC", and told me I’d have to live with my pain. 

Life changed when I saw a nutritionist in Sydney and we worked on optimising my nutrition. They also referred me to a female health physiotherapist. So I get where you’re at. I really do. And I’m here to tell you that you DON’T have to live like this. 

So what’s causing the UTIs?

​When you peel back the layers and investigate chronic UTIs there can be several factors and underlying causes of them recurring. It’s not as simple as forgetting to pee after sex. 
​

Embedded urinary tract infections

​One theory is the possibility of biofilms and embedded UTIs. Biofilms are when bacteria “hide” in the lining of the bladder under a sticky surface. These are not picked up on testing and antibiotics fail to kill them because the bacteria are embedded in the lining of the bladder. Incorporating natural antimicrobials and biofilm disruptors is a potential way to reduce risk of biofilms while also helping to reduce risk of future UTIs.
​

Low secretory IgA

​Another cause can be Low Secretory IgA which indicates a poor gut-immune response. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of mucous membranes.

​If secretory IgA is low it suggests there is low mucosal immunity which is part of our innate immune system (our first line defence) and this makes us more susceptible to infections. This can be detected on a comprehensive stool test. Certain vitamins are helpful to support healthy secretory IgA levels, including vitamin A, vitamin D and colostrum, along with lifestyle changes to address stress. 
​

Chronic stress 

​Stress is also a big factor. Stress depletes secretory IgA. Stress also depletes our gut bacteria. And a huge chunk of our immune system resides in the gut (approx 70%).

A vicious cycle persists: stress - deplete gut microbes - depletes secretory IgA (part of our gut-immune response). Evidence shows that prolonged stress can alter gut microbes and make your immune system less effective. 

When our body is chronically stressed, our body's nutrient demands increase. Add to this:

• Alcohol
• Antibiotic use
• A diet based around refined carbs and sugars
• Poor quality sleep
• Eating on the run 

and our nutrient depletion further increases, rapidly increasing our bodies need for essential nutrients.

The result is poor immune response and an increased risk of recurring infections, such as urinary tract infection.

Working with a nutritionist, it's important to put in place steps to support our:

• Secretory IgA
• Gut bacteria
• Immune system
• Micronutrient needs such as vitamin and minerals 

until such time our stress levels return to more manageable levels. 
​

Histamine intolerance

​Mast Cell Activation and histamine intolerance might be contributing to your bladder symptoms. The high mast cells in our gut affect the mucosal barrier in our intestines leading us  to 'leaky gut' syndrome and an increased risk of food sensitivities.

People with interstitial cystitis (IC) for instance, often report multiple food sensitivities and are sometimes prescribed antihistamines by their urologist. So we need to take a closer look at what's happening in the gut to understand why our mast cells are activated in the first place instead of simply masking over symptoms with anti-histamines. 

It  may have been recommended to you by your doctor to follow a restrictive anti-histamine diet to help your bladder. Instead of cutting out high histamine foods and histamine releasing foods (of which there are sooo many and it’s completely unrealistic to avoid all of them) the answer is temporarily avoid the very high histamine foods, lighten the histamine “bucket” and follow steps to support a healthy gut lining and heal leaky gut (because this is where the mast cells are).
​

Working with a nutritional therapist will help

​I’ve spent years helping women who’ve been struggling with recurring UTIs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis (IC). It's why I've created my 90-day 1-1 programme, Heal your Bladder.

Removing common bladder irritants while supporting the immune system and incorporating anti-inflammatory foods is the first thing we’ll do. Sometimes it’s a simple change in diet and nutrition to ensure we are supporting the whole body (immune, bladder, stress response) while also using the right supplements that are tailored to your needs.

​Other times we need to investigate further, look at mucosal support, and reintroduce healthy bacteria back into the gut, bladder and/or vagina. Comprehensive stool and/or vaginal testing is available. 

So many other solutions out there focus solely on the bladder. 
​
I take a whole-body approach. The gut, bladder, nervous system, pelvic floor - it’s all interconnected. And to return balance, although it might feel tempting to fixate only on the bladder, we absolutely need to support your body as a whole. 
 
My 90-day Heal your Bladder programme will focus on providing support for:

• A healthy bladder lining 
• Calming the nervous system 
• Repopulating the bladder with the right bladder probiotics
• Addressing any intimate health issues (such as thrush or bacterial vaginosis)
• Introducing anti-inflammatory foods while avoiding common bladder irritants 
• Strengthening your natural immune defences 

Contact me now​ to find out more about how I can help you with finally stopping those pesky UTIs. I offer 1:1 support as part of my Heal your Bladder programme so that you can start living and loving life again! 
​
Prefer to chat to me first? Book a free call here.