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If the person (elderly in this case) will not give up sugary foods, and continues to eat sugary foods while taking the antibiotics or d-mannose? I've heard that people who are susceptible to UTI infections should limit their sugar intake, but as you know elderly people especially like sugary foods, which contributes to UTI infections. Thanks for any comments or suggestions on this subject.

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A UTI is bacteria in the bladder. In someone older or compromised, symptoms are quite different. You may find the person hallucinating or with an altered mental status. Typically that is the 1st indicator of the infection. From there the person will develop fever etc. It's crazy what a UTI can do to someone! When a person wears diapers that provides a breeding ground for bacteria and unles you keep the person dry and clean, infection is always a potential. In addition, if a person has a foley catheter, that is also a potential infection waiting to happen since it's something foreign in the body. As far as cranberry extract or d-mannose etc, they coat the bladder making it slippery so that bacteria have a difficult time attaching, hence, no infection can form since the bacteria is flushed out of the system. This won't work if the person has an active infection as these are not antibiotics and do not TREAT the infection. It's also VERY important to drink lots of water! As far as treating the infection, a blood test has NOTHING to do with a urinary tract infection other than to determine if the infection has traveled to the blood stream and the person has gone septic. A urine analysis will check for infection and is quick to get the results but the culture which takes at least 2 days for the bacteria to grow, is where the sensitivity report is generated which gives the specifics you need. A sensitivity report will reveal which form/forms of bacteria are present and which drugs will kill the specific bug/bugs. I hope this helps. I wish I didn't know so much about this but unfortunately I do...
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My Dad had an both an external and in-dwelling cath for 9 months and continuously had UTI's that often led to hospitalization. Symptoms present differently in people. He rarely had a fever, but frankly we began to be able to "read" him and knew an infection was present. We were fortunate to get rid of the cath. with a surgery to correct his problem. Hallucinations were a primary indicator too. Best course we found was to get an urine culture sample as quickly as possible as another member mentioned it takes a few days to grow, but you will get the correct antibiotic that way it can be different with each infection so there is no "one" perfect antibiotic. 2 months ago I began giving my Dad megadose of cranberry 4200 mg - 3 times a day and it has really made a difference over the past 2 months and is not very expensive. Lower doses will not do the trick. So spend a few more dollars for the high dose. We have gone from an infection every few weeks to almost 2 months without. Since Dad is only occasionally incontinent we have moved to regular underwear during the day to avoid the "breeding" and use a poise style pad during the day which is changed 3 times and pull ups during the night only. Plenty of water is a must !!! Stay away for drinks and desserts with sugar. The sugary foods do make a difference. We are always aware of what sugary foods he is eating especially during an infection and closely monitor and limit them. We have found the new low sugar prune juice and low sugar cran drinks make a difference too. Anything you can do to reduce the sugar in advance too as mentioned it can be almost a week until you really get the right drug prescribed. Prevention is key !! Good luck !
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My Mom has a prolapsed bladder and rectum and also diabetic. She wore briefs for years and I was very on top of changing her but still constant UTIs. So antibiotics and diarrhea and yeast infections for side effects. We saw 3 different urologists and the last doctor suggested a Foley catheter. Well we know the horror stories with those, well funny thing she is doing better! I give her probiotics, D Mannose twice a day and cranberry capsules four times a day. I also use a peri spray called Sensi Care for cleaning her well and I am very careful changing bags and using alcohol to clean tubing and bleach the bags. I keep a pitcher of water on the counter to keep track of her fluid intake also. I don't know why the catheter has been working out but in August it will be a year! Best wishes.
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Cranberry juice is the best preventive, either the capsules or mixed with her drinking water. Vinegar is also good and you will find it in most salad dressings. Even a teaspoon of vinegar at bedtime is good for anyone.
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The antibiotics are going to suppress her immune system the longer she takes them, and her intestinal flora (bacteria) is also compromised. Sugar not only contributes to UTIs, but probably will increase her chances of getting diabetes if she doesn't already have it. Have her urine tested. Switch to stevia, and limit her ability to get the sugary sweets.
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I was in the doctor's office reading a study re cranberry supplements and the elderly. I seem to remember the difference was something like 27% more effective. I read it quickly, as my mother was called in, but I've looked this up for you and it appears Web MD wrote about this.....webmd/urinary-incontinence-oab/womens-guide/cranberries-for-uti-protection

I did NOT read the WebMD report, but it seems to be the latest. Good luck.
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I suffer from at least four per year. AT one time I was on preventative Bactrim,but doctor's tend not to prescribe that anymore. I've tried the 100% cranberry juice, but it doesn't really work. But, google 100% Cranberry Juice. When I did take it, I did so in a shot glass, right down the hatch. If you don't do this, you won't get that benefit. So, if she likes to kid around, you can use that shot glass and say 'cheers'. Whatever. Then there are the pills. Don't know much about the cranberry supplements. I just swear by the antibiotics. I know it's a pain, but having a UTI is painful. Did the doctor say it was alright to use the AZO urinary tract pain killer, which is an over the counter drug used to take care of the pain that comes with these infections until she can get to the doctors for the culture? azoproducts/products/azo_standard_max

phenazopyridine hydrochloride which is the generic for peridium (sp).

Make sure nothing is in there but cold pressed cranberries. Nothing from concentrate...nothing.

lakewoodjuices/product_detail/id-33/

vitacost/vitacost-100-pure-cranberry-juice-concentrate-16-fl-oz

The stuff my urologist 'prescribed' cost $30 per bottle. I didn't even look it up because it was way too expensive for the results I was likely to see. I threw up my hands and just went with the antibiotics, which do make me sick at times. You do what you have to do .
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Oops...sorry, but I found this by googling Anti biotics and sugar...

Not a 'new report' by any means, but the google results overall are showing that antibiotics and sugar may be a good thing.

https://www.bu.edu/abl/files/future_microbiology.pdf

I'm also seeing this: http://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v%3Aproject=medlineplus&query=antibiotics+blood+sugar+&x=0&y=0

apparently, antibiotics can affect blood sugar levels if you have diabetes.
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There are several medications that will get rid of a UTI. Dr. Oz, give me a break. Call your physician & get the meds. One can die from a UTI. One can become septic & die.
Now, I just am speaking from 50 years of experience as an R.N. Watch out for allergies to the meds. Bactrim is the main med used today. It is a sulfa drug.
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I agree with ferris1. The juice is sugar loaded. I buy crazins (dried cranberries) for my mother & I also insist that she change her briefs twice a day. She isn't technically incontinent, but she "leaks a little" as she puts it through out the day
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