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In the nearly 10 years since my SRS, I have had many Urinary Tract Infections to the point that at my next Doctor's visit, I plan to talk about getting my Neo-Vagina removed. Because of my Amish conditioning perhaps, I have never gotten my head around having sex with a male outside of a lawful marriage, so it has had no use outside of my plastic bf. My hypothesis is that due to lack of use, germs build up in there and indirectly provide the source of the UTI germs.
I also plan to discuss the use of Lavage to perhaps keep that more clean.
I do not plan to live as a man.
Gwen
Comments
Good luck Gwen
I wish I could suggest something to strengthen your immune system against UTI's but do offer my wishes that your doctor can help without such drastic surgical action. I'm sure you've heard these suggestions but will offer for other readers with similar problems:-
1. avoid perfumed bubble bath, soap or talcum powder around your genitals – use plain, unperfumed varieties, and have a shower rather than a bath;
2. go to the toilet as soon as you need to pee and always emptying your bladder fully;
3. stay well hydrated;
4. wipe your bottom from front to back when you go to the toilet;
5. empty your bladder as soon as possible after having sex;
6. don't use a condom with spermicidal lubricant on it;
7. wear underwear made from cotton, rather than synthetic material, and avoid tight fitting jeans etc.
Rhona McCloud
Most of the time
the bacteria that cause UTIs are coliforms which normally reside in the bowel and these can migrate from the rectal area where they would emerge during defecation and any flatulence. The presence or not of a vagina shouldn't make any difference as it's not the originator of the infections.
If you're prone to UTIs I'd advise minimal use of tights or pantyhose as they tend to encourage conditions which could lead to infections, and as Rhona suggested avoid man made fabrics in favour of cotton. When I dilate, which isn't often, I frequently use some povidone iodine solution with the lubricant which reduces the risk of infections being harboured in the vagina. Make sure you can use iodine before you try it.
Angharad
UTI Comments
You have my heartfelt sympathy, Gwen. UTIs can be very serious, even fatal. You've gotten some very good advice from the other commentators.
Not fully emptying the bladder is a major issue in UTIs. The retained urine is like a petri dish for the growth of bacteria. If your urethra is narrowed, for example by scar tissue, prostate tissue, or an anatomical abnormality, you may not fully empty your bladder when you void.
I'd suggest seeing a urologist. They can measure retained urine volume after you void using ultrasound. If that seems to be a problem they can do another test to measure flow rate, pressure and volume as you void to determine if an obstruction is present. That can be corrected by surgery with no need to do anything to the vagina.
There are other less common problems that could cause frequent UTIs, for example a fistula connecting the bowel (or vagina) and bladder or urethra, which would also be detected by testing, and could be corrected.
Kris (I am not a doctor)
Kris
{I leave a trail of Kudos as I browse the site. Be careful where you step!}
possible help
While I've read studies have been done that say there is no effect my late wife had tremendous success drinking a glass of cranberry juice every morning. While I never had a UTI, she did and I lived 36 years with the effects.
Before starting cranberry juice she had 4-5 UTIs each year, that reduced to about 1 every 2 years once she drank a glass each morning. It might be worth a shot.
Boys will be girls... if they're lucky!
Jennifer Sue
Another reason...
Dear Gwen, When I read your blog entry I somehow felt that I had heard something like your problems. But it was not until te next day that I recognize that it was what had happened to me many years ago. As you I had re-occuring UTIs. It was good as long as was still on medication, but about a week after the last tablet I had to see the doctor again, After 8 (or was it 10) rounds I got referred to the hospital. They did some more examinations and just found even a new microbe inside me. I think it was the third or fourth. But there was no real explanations of those many infections. Finally they referred me to the urologic department/?/. There they did a Uroscopy on me to really look into my bladder. AND they found something!! It was a bladder-stone, that could be remove by washout after crushing the stone with ultra-sound, The Uroscopy was not really auful but nothing I would like to repeat.And when I left that part of the hospital I suddenly felt that did not need to keep remembering where the next public toilet was. THE URGE was no longer there! About 10 years later the frequent need had returned even if there ws no infection. But now it was easier to get the Uroscopy don again. Not more pleasant this time, But it was a bigger stone no. I was in for a new removal. I slept while it was done. When I woke up I had external pains Slightly above the vagina. I later found out tht they had needed to open me and remove the stone in a more practical way. Anyhow i was referred to the Endochrinological department and they found that I had too high ammount of parathyreoid-hormone (Look that up in Google or elsewhere). I got anti tablets but that did not change my internal chemistry. I still have extremely high Calcium levels in my blood. The next thing was to checkup the glands that produced this hormon. Those glands are situated on the backside (more or less) of the Adam's Apple. With scintigramme it was found out that ONE of those four glands had grewn and therefore was producing more hormone than was good for me. I am now waiting for a removal , hopefully in January or February next year. I think you ought to discusse this cause of the many UTIs that you have had. The "stone" can harbor microbes so that they are not hindered by antibiotic drugs. If you feel that it can help you, feel free to print out this and show the doctor. Wishing you all the best! Ginnie
GinnieG