02. My story, summarized
❦
I'm not sure if I'll do a more in-depth post, this is the very quick version of almost 11 years of Recurrent Utis:
⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯
first UTI around 18years old
Out of nowhere. I wasn’t sexually active yet; Not on the pill;
2011-2015 (24-29 years old)
I entered a long term relationship; with regular intercourse, within the first month I had a UTI. They quickly escalated and after 4 years and 10-14 infections a year, it got to a point everything became physically and mentally unbearable. It ended.
2015-2017 (29-31 years old)
I was traumatized by sex. The relationship ended, I avoided intercourse, and the infections stopped for 1 year and 8 months;
2017-2019 (31-33 years old)
An UTI came out of nowhere in the summer of 2017; I had non-stop infections until January 2019; I did a 6 month prophylactic course of antibiotics; a vaccine; physical exams; dealt with a raging fungal infection that gave me uti symptoms 24/7, that went undiagnosed by the urologist; I was told it was psychological; Couldn’t sleep, took anxiety medication, got underweight, exhausted, hair thinned and started falling, my career suffered; In that time I was saved by my Gyno and all the symptoms went away in 48h with antifungals; After the 6months on abx, the UTIs continued; my kidneys started to hurt in 2018; overall exhaustion settled 24/7; started to have gut problems, with occasional bleeding. Raging UTIs by December 2018, with red dense blood coming out and what looked like blood drenched pieces of skin. Drove myself to the ER.
2019 January > October (33years old)
After the last UTI that took me to the ER I abandoned urologists and consulted a recommended Internist; She immediately switched my antibiotics, the infections stopped. I enjoyed a 9month Uti free period; Small kidney stones detected, 2-4mm, no treatment; Gut issues (some blood) would come and go, colonoscopy came clean but with small hemorrhoids (never had constipation nor pain).
2019 October + November (33years)
2 UTIs, one each month, simple multivitamin triggered
2020 April + May (34 years old)
One time intercourse = Uti. Alcohol = another UTI.
2020 June > December (34 years)
Entered a relationship, UTIs returned non stop; managed to be 60 days without a UTI; Pap smear came back with HPV; Chronic cervicitis; I developed IBS, with my gut bleeding around infections and after antibiotics; growing abdominal discomfort; SIBO problems when taking probiotics; developed a skin problem that got me on oral corticosteroids for 5 months; 9 infections in 8 months, with no-sex-after-infection intervals of 4 weeks. Exhaustion 24/7. Ended the year giving up on intercourse. Body began to collapse overall.
2021 (35 years old)
My body was still very much collapsing in the beginning of this year; still on oral corticosteroids that we’re giving me UTIs even without intercourse; developed persistent Tinnitus, 24/7; can’t tolerate post coital abx (disrupted gut +diarrhea +another UTI); Another colonoscopy: Gastro told me to avoid antibiotics at all costs, my gut continued to bleed after abx. Very changed stools; I managed to get rid of the oral corticosteroids myself, continued to do everything on my power to keep UTIs at bay, but I still had a some more. Last one was about 2 months ago.
⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯
I’m giving my body the best rest and preparation in my power before undergoing Fulguration this October in Turkey, under Dr. Sevinç, Liv Hospital.
Please keep in mind this is a summarized version of 10+y of recurrent UTIs /chronic UTI, and there is a LOT of information I had to skip!
(as an European non-English native please feel free to correct me)
Take care 🌿
