Beer and Bladder Infections

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Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby greybeard » 10 Mar 2018, 16:39

John, I remember you writing some time ago that you only get UTIs if you stop drinking beer. This made me wonder if this was because of the extra volume of fluid flushing the bladder, or whether there is some component of the beer that kills the bugs.

Have you researched this at all? I ask because like many with spinal issues I'm now getting frequent reoccurring UTIs and already have to take shed loads of medications for other ailments. I have no wish to have to include antibiotics if they can be avoided.

Starting today I am going to change my preferred daily tipple from Chianti to Fullers London Pride just to see if it makes a difference.

It would be interesting to hear if anyone else has found beer to be beneficial in stopping bladder infections?
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 10 Mar 2018, 17:46

Its the fluid. But a good excuse. drunk2
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby greybeard » 10 Mar 2018, 18:12

OK. Still going to give it a go. ( i LIKE London Pride!!! )
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 10 Mar 2018, 18:22

I find that it works because of this.
1. Its almost impossible to drink 3 or 4 pints every bedtime if its coke, water, etc. But beer naturally seems to make you want another one. So it becomes easy to get enough fluid to wash your bladder through each night.
2. As to the alcohol, at least some appears in your urine I think, which probably kills germs too. But its really the fluid volume. I can tell you that the moment I stop, I do get infections.

https://drugabuse.com/alcohol-might-be- ... om-misery/
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby greybeard » 10 Mar 2018, 19:39

Like everything there are contrary opinions to be found. Several places I looked at suggested that the hops in beer may help prevent or eradicate UTI's. Others claimed medics had advised night-time frequent pee-ers to drink one bottle of beer before sleeping. Plenty said beer wouldn't/couldn't possibly help and advised cranberry juice or capsules. Others claimed cranberries are a myth.

I'll stick to giving beer a try and see how it goes. I don't have a huge capacity for it any more so need to get training asap. drunk2 czy 8-)
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 10 Mar 2018, 22:00

The consensus seems to be a few beers at night regularly to stop a bladder infection occuring helps a lot. A drink problem causes infections.
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Arae83 » 18 Sep 2018, 00:09

I went to the ER every month for two years. Everytime I finished taking my antibiotics I'd have the symptoms of uti right back. Until one doctor who was new to the clinic where I go asked if he could suggest something. He said we should do a ultrasound & see what's going on in my bladder because he thought I probably had a stone in there. When I was getting the ultrasound I saw it on the screen. A big golf ball size stone in my bladder. I needed to have them break it into smaller pieces with a laser so it could come out. Since then I have had 0 uti's!! Yay me!!! Just sayin'......
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 18 Sep 2018, 12:42

That could easy be the case with me. But I dont like hospitals! :cussing drunk2
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Mark » 19 Sep 2018, 20:21

A few months ago I started to measure the pH of my urine every day with test strips (cheap from eBay). When I get infections they are asymptomatic except for large amounts of white sludge in the legbag pipe. This sometimes blocks the catheter itself (very painful until the emergency district nurse arrives to change the catheter). Because my infections are otherwise asymptomatic, I can't be sure that I always have an infection when I get these white sludge deposits in the pipe, however, whenever I'm on antibiotics the urine rapidly clears to crystal clear and the pH drops to under 7, typically 6.0 to 6.5. (i.e. slightly acidic) Within 3 days or so of the antibiotics course finishing, the urine pH rises above 7, typically 7.5 to 8.5 (i.e. alkaline) and the white sludge deposits re-appear.
I can't find anything to drink or eat that will reduce my urine pH below 7, but I believe that if I could I wouldn't have these blockages and possibly UTIs.
I already drink beer at least 7 nights a week, and fluid intake is 4 - 5 litres per day including beer. Cranberry tablets don't seem to make any difference to me.
As an experiment (can't help it, I'm a Scientist) I stopped drinking beer completely for a week but it made no difference whatever to my urine pH. I did get a lot of ribbing from my drinking mates however.
When pH is over 7 and I'm getting the white sludge I do daily bladder flushes with Suby G or Solution R (3.3% and 6% Acetic Acid respectively). These are tedious and time consuming but do help reduce blockages.
Has anyone measured their pH and managed to lower it? If so, how?
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 19 Sep 2018, 20:56

That white sludge is bacteria. I dont use a catheter but use convenes. (a sticky condom, with a pipe attached).

If I dont change a leg or night bag every 2 days, for a fresh one, that white coating builds up in the pipe, mostly near the top. And if I allow it to build enough so its easy to see, then I get bladder infections, and feel ill. And yes the antibiotic clears it. But only ciprofloxacin, non of the rest ever do a thing.

All paralplegics have a permanant mild bladder infection. And inadequate flow (four pints of fluid or better) allows it to get pretty wild! So pee a lot, and fresh bags or catheters every couple of days. Keeps it away. And cipro antibiotics (ciprofloxacin spelled wrong because its in serbian on my packs) if not. Available from your ex girlfreind from the former yugoslav republic via post!

pH I have no idea about. But will get some testers!
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Mark » 19 Sep 2018, 23:45

Interesting. I used conveen sheaths for 12 years or more until complications meant they changed me over to indwelling catheters. These have solved the problems but I never had this white sludge with the conveens. I used to only change bags every ten days or more with conveens, now do it ,7 days or less. I still want to find out whether high pH is the cause, or just an effect but I can't find anything except antibiotics that reduces it. GPs don't seem to know and urology department just keep prescribing antibiotics. Flexible cystoscopy (camera inspection) shows no bladder stones.
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Re: Beer and Bladder Infections

Postby Burgerman » 20 Sep 2018, 00:40

Did you try central heating descaler? cheers

Please note this was not a serious suggestion. Its just that time of night and I am looking at some on my shelf!
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