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Due to retention i self catheterise 8 times a day.I have self cathed for 12 years .During the last 18 months i have suffered recurrent uti,s.
I have been prescribed daily 50 mg of Nitrofurantine.The drug has decreased the effects of uti but i am getting recurring symptoms on a fairly regular basis.
When i take a sample to my GP and uti is present i am prescribed a 3day course of Trimothropim, which always kills the infection .Last week my sample was sent to the lab for testing and i am told that the appropriate antibiotics are being prescribed for me.
Would increasing the dosage of Nitrofurantine on a daily basis help reduce the recurrent UTI problem?
Also i have read about Uromune vaccine and i belive this to be proving successful in trials.Will this be licenced by the NHS future.
Thank you.
Philip Davis

Hi philip25

If you have been catheterising for 12 years but only started developing UTI's more recently, you should make sure your urologist has excluded any other causes for your infections. I would normally perform a scan of your kidneys and bladder to make sure you haven't developed stones that may be triggering your infections. If an underlying cause has been ruled out then taking a low-dose antibiotic can be helpful. However, it is important to make sure it is still the right antibiotic for your particular infections based on your urine sample results. Simple things such as good fluid intake may help, and you may find supplements such as D-Mannose, probiotics, and cranberry may reduce the risks of you getting a UTI in the first place.

The Uromune vaccine has been studied in one centre in the UK and studies are ongoing. It may become licenced if larger trials continue to show good results but this may take time. There are other vaccines on the market and I offer the Urovaxom vaccine which does have good results. However, it is not suitable for everyone and depends on the specific type of organism that is causing your infections.

Hope this helps!

Hi Philip25
Exactly as Mr Malde said id be concerned why, after such a long period of catheterising smoothly without incident you've suddenly become more prone to infection.
I'm assuming your technique or catheter choice hasn't changed? I guess you've looked at this already.
A trip to your Urologist/continence advisor may shed some light.
I do hope you get some relief too. UTI's are a misery.
All the best.