Suggestions Needed - In A Flare

[passion4life]

I received the last of my six instillations this past Friday. Wow!!!! I usually feel uncomfortable but start to feel better in a couple of days. Not this time...unusual urethral pain and burning. Can someone suggest a cream or gel for urethral pain and burning. I have a doctor's appt on Friday and would like to discuss other action plans.

Looking back I can definitely see triggers: added stress at work, 2 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and chicken fingers from Publix after the instillation. Definitely have to work on food preparation.


Thanks for all the love and support I find on this amazing site. I could not do this without you

[ICNDonna]

My suggestion is to first have your urine checked to be sure you don't have an infection working. Any time we are catheterized, there is an increased potential for infection.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[passion4life]

Thanks Donna. I will have my urine checked.

[nottoc4]

I have successfully used 1 tsp. of baking soda in an 8 ounce glass of water after an instillation. Use with caution if you have high blood pressure because it is high in sodium. I think the friction from the catheter causes the burning and Urethral pain. My Dr. gave me a prescription for Clobetesol cream for burning vaaginal tissues and it works well.

[hoping4acure]

I would get checked first. If it is not an infection, I find lidocaine helps with my urethra burning.

Good luck

[hoping4acure]

I have the Uro-Jet. It looks like a syringe and it's full of lidocaine, it is a much easier way to insert it into your urethra. It works wonderfully.

[purpleviolet]

my flare strategy

Despite my elmiron I was getting worse into flares especially the last few weeks, so I stopped that. I did a home uti strip which showed white blood cells but no nitrates from bacteria so I had a culture done, then started macrobid which only helped a little, and then the uro nurse said yes I had white blood cells but no infection so I stopped the macrobid and started prosed/ds and I also found that just doing a tiny bit of self PT to insert a thumb and stretch the vagina back away from the urethra seemed to help, especially one nite it really did and I also took some valium at night to sleep. Several days later and still taking some prosed but I feel much better. My plan is to stop that and go back on the elmiron at some point, but I am wary. I have an appt in a week with the uro. I want to know why there are these white blood cells. I also had tried hydroxyzine and that did not help at all. I would say some flares are definitely tensed muscles that can almost mimic an infection the one difference being I never got real buring during urination just pain afterwards that would take a long time to settle down and then ofcourse it would build up again. UUUGH. You have got to try the gentle thumb thing to see if things are tight. Feel around for tender spots and press and rather than doing it for a long time just see how that works and if you feel a tiny bit better try it again later being careful not to cross that line of not adding to the irritation. Post what happens! Forgot to say I tried putting manuka (medicinal grade honey) around the urethra area and it seemed soothing. It was a little messy and it did not get up inside.