Hi Leo1, worth not only drinking plenty, but try largely avoiding sugar and refined carbs like anything made of white flour. The saliva turns white flour to sugar so fast it's nearly as bad, and sugars tend to feed the bugs. And consider, checking with your pharmacist first, some gut-friendly bacteria in capsule form. These should restore the good ones knocked out as collateral damage by the antibiotics. Anything like yogurt drinks, the good bacteria may be mostly destroyed by the normal natural stomach acid, so capsules are more certain..
Hope you’re starting to feel better after your antibiotics. I had my RC late September’24, similar time to you. I had 8 weeks or so of upwards recovery from surgery, then plateaued. Started to feel unnaturally cold & tired from the end of November. Initially I thought this was just the new normal (weather was cold).
Struggled being back at work with shivering, shaking and cold waves radiating from my abdomen. Eventually went to my GP early January, who diagnosed UTI. Whilst on antibiotics I started to feel a little better, but symptoms recurred a couple of days after ceasing antibiotics. 3 course of antibiotics later, and a referral back to Urology CT scan revealed stricture (narrowing) of my left ureter, which appears to have been the root cause of my symptoms.
Rushed into surgery two days later; a tube inserted into my left kidney under local anaesthetic which was then pushed through the ureter & out of my stoma; I now have a catheter type tube exiting into my bag. Op was last Wednesday & appears to have done the trick, but time will tell.
Hi Leo. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a UTI. Unfortunately there is a higher than normal risk of UTI after RC due to change in urological anatomy. Drinking enough water (2 to 3 litres a day) is essential to minimise the risk. I’ve been told that cranberry juice is also good for UTIs. I’ve also started to use disposable (one night only) night bags as I’m worried that longer term night bags may harbour bugs, but probably the risk is very small. ATB
Hi Gareth. Sorry to hear that you’ve developed a ureteric stricture. It’s one the recognised risks of RC. Hopefully they will sort it out for you. I’m impressed that you’ve already gone back to work. My return to work is not until end March!! My best wishes.
Just wondering, do you actually have symptoms of a UTI, or was this diagnosed simply from a urine test? I'm asking because I believe post RC, urine tends to test positive because of the use of intestine as part of the new plumbing.
I had a routine urine test (prior to a cysto post RC) which came up positive so they made me take antibiotics even though I had no symptoms. Didn't please me, as the ones I was given when stents removed gave me diarrhoea.
It’s a right pain when you keep on getting UTI’s. My Urologist put me on antibiotics that they swap every four months. This was after constantly having UTI’s. Since they did that, I haven't had another UTI since. Although I am worried I will have a knock on effect of becoming resistant to certain antibiotics which would become troublesome as I am seriously allergic to penicillin. You might need to ask your doctor about a program of antibiotics which would put a stop to UTI’s.
I have another UTI back in hospital. It’s getting very weary some. Signing off from here for a while whilst I try to get my life vaguely on track. I have been unlucky. TTFN
