Bottle washing to prevent UTI's??

[jen74]

Hi ladies.
I bought a book about IC and UTI's, it is by ****** *********. I bought it because it tells how to prevent UTI's. This women said she was plagued by constant UTI's and said she learned how to prevent them by doing bottle washing after having a bowel movement.
I always would wash with soap and water after I have a BM anyways, but she said that the only way to do it is through bottle washing. SHe said that after you use the washroom, you lather your hand with soap and then lather your behind with it and sit down on the toilet and use 2 500ml bottles filled with warm water to pour over the labia and this will rinse away any bacteria and prevent a UTI.
Has anyone else ever done this? This lady claims it is the only way to effectively clean the area to prevent a UTI.
I was just curious if any of you have done this and is it beneficial?
Jen

[verdicries]

jen,
that seems a bit extreme...but i am anal retentive and slightly ocd (yikes) so after every bm i use my squeeze bottle to clean off very well. it seems to help a LOT (and just makes me feel better!).

[SandyRN]

I don't think you need to go so far as to lather up every time you have a BM...but, if you are having increased UTI's getting a peri-bottle and rinsing with plain water from front to back, then wipe front to back should be sufficient to clean yourself.

Just having a BM is not going to give someone a UTI...it's wiping backwards, from back to front, or dragging those bacteria up where they're not supposed to be that cause the UTI.

When I worked on the postpartum floor we always gave the new moms peri-bottles to rinse with to wash the area after using the bathroom...but we never had them lather up.

JMHO

[Katrina]

I haven't tried that....but because my stools are always somewhat loose...and seem to come out explosively I can understand why someone would go to that extreme if needed since I know front to back wasn't enough for me at one point. Now always on antibiotic so the problem isn't UTI's. I do recall doctor's giving me those clean wipes for this reason though.

[sandymarie]

re: book

If you read my other post you will find I have went there, done that. Don't do everything that you read. I speak from experience but the protocol given will make you sick as H.... Words from my gp and from doing the antibiotic protocol. I know. It almost killed me. I do use a spray bottle to clean after i go to the bathroom, it does make you feels better as far as the cool water. I don't want to burst your bubble, but When you are desperate you will try anything. I still have ic.

J.J. Hope you feel better.

[jen74]

Thanks ladies for the replies.
I guess I have become a bit obsessive when it comes to being clean down there, especially after having a BM, since I have been getting UTI's more frequently and have no clue why. My hubby and I dont even have sex, so that is not the culprit. I am very clean, or as clean as a person could possibly be, so I just do not know why I get these infections.
I do notice that after I get my period, I feel like that is when the infections come on. I wonder if just having your period could cause bacteria to travel up the urethra and cause an infection. They also say having hemmroids could predispose a person to getting UTI's. Who knows really though.
Anyhow, thanks for the info, I appreciate it.
Jen

[SandyRN]

Jen, do you use tampons or pads? I think you might be onto something with regards to your period. Just think about it...if you insert a "clean" tampon applicator up there, theres no guarantee that there aren't bacteria on them. They're clean, not sterile. If you use pads then menstrual flow is sitting right there, even with the best pads out there, and your urethra is in constant contact with it.

Sure seems like we can't win for losing sometimes!

[jen74]

Hi Sandy.
I use pads. I even change them every couple hours or sometimes even sooner. I do not let them get full. I do notice that my UTI's usually start about 5 to 12 days after my period starts though. Last time I had a UTI, it happened about 14 days after the start of my period. I have had my period now for 5 days and already I am getting that feeling again.
I have no clue what I would do about it though, except for take BC pills and I am leary of that since I have so many sensitivities when it comes to taking meds. I also dont like the thought of messing with my hormones. There are alot of women who's IC came after being on the pill, so I am a little nervous about that.
I also cant be getting infections every month either though. I am allergic to almost all antibitoics too, especailly the ones that treat UTI's, and there are not many that do besides macodantin,cipro,bactrim and such. I am allergic to ampicillin, erythromycin, and macrodantin makes my stomach stop working and I get severe constipation, I use to do well with cipro, but last month when I took it, I got these weird itchy prickly feelings all over and stopped it. My allergist said that that is not really an allergic reaction,and that I should try it again if I have to. But I dont know. I also got this reaction from bactrim. It is weird.
I have no clue what I will do if I get another infection or what anti-B I can take.
This is really frustrating, you are right about that. Thanks for replying.
Jen

[SandyRN]

I'm on my way to bed but wanted to answer this real quick before the Ambien kicks in! LOL Have you thought about depo provera? It can actually stop your periods all together and many women don't have the same side effects, or as severe side effects as they do on the pill. It's just a thought...a real nice one really....the thought of NO period without having to go through menopause sounds MARVELOUS to me. I don't know what the stats are on women using depo that have IC but you could talk to your doctor about it since there seems to be such a definintive correlation between your periods and your UTI's.

Hope this helps...wish I had a better answer for you. I was thinking, even if you do change your pads frequently, there is still a chance of the cells/bacteria taking a running leap off your pad and into your urethra. Who knows....I wish I did because we'd all be cured and I'd be rich!

[jen74]

Hi Sandy.
Thanks for the info. I have heard of depo provera. My gyne mentioned me going on lupron, but that I am not so enthusiastic to do after reading up on the side effects. I was thinking about going on BC pills, my uogyne wanted me to, but I am so afraid of all the side effects, which I always seem to get.
I am also afraid of it making my IC and my stomach and bowel motility worse as I have heard that BC pills can mess up the tum and the bladder.
I will ask my gyne about the depo provera. I am feeling so awful right now with my bladder. I had to drop off a urine sample yesterday and my uro wanted the first morning pee and a cathed specimin. Well I did the cath yesterday morning, I used the lofric cath for the first time, and WOW did that hurt like hell!! I thought lofirc was suppose to be less painful. This was just sooo painful. They are supposedly self lubricating after soaked in water for 3o seconds. BS is what I say. I think I may be getting a UTI just from using that cath I am having so much pain today. Great, that means I will likely have to drop off another pee sample tomorrow if the cath sample comes back negative. But I think the catheter may have caused a UTI when I cathed the specimin. NEver again will I let my urogyne have me cath a pee specimin, he will just have to accept the clean catch which is just as good in my opinion.
Thanks Sandy for the info, I appreciate it. I will ask my gyne about the depo-provera.
Jen

[Angeles]

I do the bottle washing protocol described in that book by A Kilmartin, to me it makes sense to clean up the area after BM if you are subseptible to UTIs.
I think it is a must before sex. If I don't get to the bottle washing I shower as soon as I can. To me it was a life saver.
I don't believe everything I read, I don't belive in the "solution for IC" and antibiotic protocol she describes in her book, but her bottle washing suggestion is a good one...it doesn't have side effects and don't think it'll hurt (how?), on the contrary it may help or at least give you peace of mind. (like the women who take 1 antibiotic pill after sex, sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't)
Lingering bacteria can be carried to the urethra, just think about thongs (I used to wear them, not anymore ), and having sex. There's a reason why women get more UTIs than men.
When the vaginal PH and flora are "normal" we are able to fight bacteria better, when it gets altered by antibiotics, yeast creams, etc, it is a different story.

[Tuckersmom]

I clean up after each BM with baby wipes, the ones that are all natural. First, I wipe with TP from front to back, then I use the wipes. I only use 1 wipe for each swipe, toss it, and get a new one, until I am completely clean.

[Angeles]

baby wipes are ok, I use them too, however, they leave a "wet/moist" enviroment and bacteria can move around while we walk, etc.
I recomend washing even after using baby wipes if you have time, of course, and want to be on the safe side. Specially if you get recurrent UTIs or you are sexually active.
I know is a lot of work but this is just my advice.

Also summer is coming so you want to maintain the area clean and dry as much as you can.
Hugs,

[Tuckersmom]

I left out a slight detail when talking about using wipes: I dry the area with toilet paper once I'm done cleaning with the wipes.

[jen74]

I always bottle wash and shower after I have a BM. I am meticulous about making sure I am clean down there, I am very prone to UTI's. But for some reason I keep getting te UTI's no matter what I do or no matter how clean I am. I had a UTI in December right before X-mas, and I have one now. That is 2 in a little more than four months apart.
I am starting to think maybe I am being to clean?? Is it possible to get a UTI from being to clean?? I take a shower in the morning and one before bed. I use soap down there, but a very mild one that is fragrance free and only use it on the outside, not the inside of course. I just do not know what to do to prevent these anymore.
I asked my urogyne about cleanliness and if it prevents UTI's and he said he does not believe it matters. He said babies and older people soil themselves all the time and do not suffer UTI's and then he went on to say that the people in thrid world countries live in horrible conditions and never shower hardly or get clean and they do not get UTI's. So I just do not know. Maybe we are missing something that is suppose to protect us somehow.
Jen