Antibiotics for UTI symptoms

[Mint_all_day]

I suspect I have endometriosis after years of painful periods, painful sex and occasional bloating. My symptoms were menstruation specific. The last 2 years I have been almost been symptom free (for some unknown reason) but since Feb I have been having the classic tugging pain from my upper abdomen down to my pelvis lower back pain almost every other day and now experiencing my second case of what feels like a UTI in a few months - both occurring during the tail end of ovulation. I've had scans lately but all have come back clear.

My question is; if the UTI symptoms are in fact endometriosis related , is it still recommended to take UTI antibiotics?

[Sunset-lady]

Hi with all the reading I've done I'd really try not to take too many antibiotics due to them destroying your gut microbiomes which helps you metabolise estrogen properly. Good liver function, good gut function and good blood sugar balance are all interconnected. Get the symptoms properly checked out with your GP and if it's not a UTI (which I suspect you don't think it is) try to keep off them. The other thing worth mentioning is that endometriosis is a strange disease; for some, like me, it settled down for years once adhesions were established. Peri menopause kicked it off again x good luck. Take a good look at your diet to support your liver and gut x

[SeaHorse6]

Hello, from my own experience I agree with Sunset-lady that it's best not to take antibiotics if urine samples are negative for bacteria, because they can damage your gut & make everything worse. UTI-type symptoms which aren't caused by bacterial infection can be caused by either Interstitial Cystitis (also called bladder pain syndrome), or endometriosis on the bladder (less common). You can have endometriosis (but not necessarily on the bladder) and have IC as well (that's my case) because the 2 conditions are linked.

ichelp.org/understanding-ic...

endometriosis-uk.org/endome...

The things that have helped me are finding which foods/drinks make my bladder pain worse (anything acidic, alcohol, gluten..) and when I'm having a flare-up I have to avoid all exercise except walking/gentle yoga. There are a few herbal supplements that can help, like marshmallow root because they make your urine more alkaline. I'm also thinking of trying pelvic physiotherapy. Hope that helps, take care! x

[poppy75]

I’m chiming in with the total opposite advice. Have you had a urine dipstick and culture done? Definitely do so if not but unfortunately they are notoriously unreliable by up to 50%, more so if a uti has gone on for a while and become embedded as there’s less chance of the sample containing free floating bacteria. If you have classic uti symptoms I would take a course of antibiotics (helps if the culture is positive and so you know which bacteria/correct antibiotic). UTIs aren’t to be messed with. I ended up with a severe kidney infection and in intensive care 16 years ago due to one. It’s far better to be on (the correct) antibiotics for 10 days or so rather than risk it and end up very ill and on them for months. It can be very hard to tell the difference between bladder Endo and a uti sometimes but if it is a uti the correct antibiotic should bring relief within 3-4 days so then you’d know what you’re dealing with. If you do take antibiotics make sure you take a good probiotic plus s boulardi to help the gut. If it’s E. coli then D Mannose can help flush out a simple uti but you’d definitely need antibiotics if the symptoms are more severe. Speak to your gp. Good luck! Xx