My initial case of c diff and relapse was last July/August. Vanco taper worked nicely. Have had 3 UTIs since then. Was able to take Macrobid for 2 of them which is a low offender. No issues. The 3rd one was resistant to Macrobid so I was prescribed 7 days of Ceftin (Cefuroxime) twice a day and preventative Vancomycin twice a day for 10 days. Just finished the Ceftin. Does 3 extra days seem like enough for the Vanco? I have some stashed from a past prescription that was filled wrong and could extend a few days if needed. Also a bit concerned that it’s only twice a day but I suppose that’s because it’s preventive only vs treating active c diff. The Ceftin also caused diarrhea (not c diff I don’t believe ) which I’m hoping will clear up now that I’m done with the 7 day course. Taking Florastor. The nurse at my IDs office suggested probiotics but I’ve been reluctant to add any others based on some of the things I’ve read here.

Many mental-health conditions have bodily triggers

Psychiatrists are at long last starting to connect the dots
April 24 2024 https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/04/24/many-mental-health-conditions-have-bodily-triggers
The tics started when Jessica Huitson was only 12 years old. Over time her condition worsened until she was having whole-body fits and being rushed to hospital. But her local hospital, in Durham, England, was dismissive, suggesting she had anxiety, a mental-health condition, and that she was probably spending too much time watching videos on TikTok. Her mother describes the experience as “belittling”. In fact, Jessica had an autoimmune condition brought on by a bacterial infection with Streptococcus. The condition is known as Paediatric Autoimmune-Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus (pandas). When the infection was identified and treated, her symptoms finally began to improve.
Ms Huitson is not alone in having a dysfunction in the brain mistaken for one in the mind. Evidence is accumulating that an array of infections can, in some cases, trigger conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, tics, anxiety, depression and even psychosis. And infections are one small piece of the puzzle. It is increasingly clear that inflammatory disorders and metabolic conditions can also have sizeable effects on mental health, though psychiatrists rarely look for them. All this is symptomatic of large problems in psychiatry.
A revised understanding could have profound consequences for the millions of people with mental-health conditions that are currently poorly treated. For example, over 90% of patients with bipolar disorder will have recurrent illness during their lives; and in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) over 46% do not achieve remission. Some 50-60% of patients with depression eventually respond after trying many different drugs.
For some in the profession, a deeper understanding of the biology of mental health, tied to clear biological fingerprints of the kind that might come from a laboratory test, will lead to more accurate diagnoses and better targeted treatments.

Shrinks, rapped

The field of psychiatry has historically been focused around the description and classification of symptoms, rather than on underlying causes. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (dsm), sometimes known as the bible of psychiatry, emerged in 1952 and contains descriptions, symptoms and diagnostic criteria. On the one hand, it has brought helpful consistency to diagnosis. But on the other, it has grouped patients into cohorts without any sense of the underlying mechanisms behind their conditions. There is so much overlap between the symptoms of depression and anxiety, for example, that some wonder if these are actually even separate categories of illness. At the same time, depression and anxiety come in many different subtypes—panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, for example, are distinct diagnoses—not all of which may be meaningfully distinct. This can lead to patient groups in drug trials being so diverse that drugs and therapies fail simply because the cohort being studied has too little in common.
Previous attempts to find causal mechanisms for mental-health conditions have run into difficulty. In 2013 the National Institute of Mental Health, an American government agency, made a heroic gamble to move away from research based on the dsm’s symptom-based categories. Money was funnelled into basic research on disease processes of the brain, hoping to directly connect genes to behaviours. Some $20bn of new research was funded but the idea failed spectacularly—most of the genes uncovered had tiny effects. Allen Frances, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University, calls the search for such biomarkers “a fascinating intellectual adventure, but a complete clinical flop”.
Genes alone are clearly not the answer. Ludger Tebartz van Elst, a professor of psychiatry and psychotherapy at the University Hospital Freiburg, in Germany, says that many different conditions such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), anxiety and autism can be triggered by the same genetic disorder, 22q11.2, caused by the loss of a small piece of chromosome 22.
Despite this counsel of misery, a shift in psychiatry is potentially on the horizon. Some of this is coming from a revived interest in finding neurological biomarkers with ever-more sophisticated technology. In addition, there is a greater understanding that some mental-health conditions actually have triggers or roots which need to be treated as medical conditions rather than psychiatric ones.

Fundamental health

A key moment came in 2007, when work at the University of Pennsylvania showed that 100 patients with rapidly progressing psychiatric symptoms or cognitive impairments actually had an autoimmune disease. Their bodies were creating antibodies against key receptors in nerve cells known as nmda receptors. These lead to brain swelling and can trigger a range of symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations and aggression. The disease was dubbed “anti-nmda-receptor encephalitis”. Most important of all, in many cases it was treatable by removing the antibodies, or using immunotherapy drugs or steroids. Studies of patients having a first episode of psychosis have found that between 5% and 10% also have brain-attacking antibodies.
​
It seems likely that, in rare cases, ocd can be caused by the immune system, too. This is seen in the childhood condition pandas, with which Ms Huitson was diagnosed in 2021. But it is also sometimes found in adults. One 64-year-old man reported spending an extraordinary amount of time obsessively trimming his lawn only to look back on this behaviour the next day with feelings of regret and guilt. Researchers found these symptoms were being caused by antibodies attacking the neurons in his brain.
More recently, Belinda Lennox, head of psychiatry at the University of Oxford, has conducted tests on thousands of patients with psychosis. She has found increased rates of antibodies in the blood samples of about 6% of patients, mostly targeting the nmda receptors. She says it remains unknown how a single set of antibodies is capable of producing clinical presentations ranging from seizures to psychosis and encephalitis. Nor is it known why these antibodies are made, or if they can cross the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that controls access to the brain. She assumes, though, that they do—preferentially sticking to the hippocampus, which would explain how they affect memory and lead to delusions and hallucinations.
Dr Lennox says a shift in medical thinking is needed to appreciate the damage the immune system can do to the brain. The “million dollar question”, she says, is whether these conditions are treatable. She is now running trials to find out more. Work on patients with immune-driven psychosis suggests that a range of strategies including removing antibodies and taking immunotherapy drugs or steroids can be effective treatments.
Another important discovery is that metabolic disturbances can also affect mental health. The brain is an energy-hungry organ, and metabolic alterations related to energy pathways have been implicated in a diverse range of conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis, eating disorders and major depressive disorder. At Stanford University there is a metabolic psychiatry clinic where patients are treated with diet and lifestyle changes, along with medication. One active area of research at the clinic is the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet, in which carbohydrate intake is limited. This diet forces the body to burn fat for energy, thereby creating chemicals known as ketones which can act as a fuel source for the brain when glucose is in limited supply.
Kirk Nylen, head of neuroscience for Baszucki Group, an American charity that funds brain research, says 13 trials are under way worldwide looking at the effects of metabolic therapies on serious mental illness. Preliminary results have shown a “large group of people responding in an incredibly meaningful way. These are people that have failed drugs, talk therapy, trans-cranial stimulation and maybe electroconvulsive-shock therapy.” He says that he keeps meeting psychiatrists who have come to the metabolic field because of patients whose low-carb diets were followed by huge improvements in mood. Results from randomised controlled trials are expected in the next year or so.
It is not only understanding of the immune and metabolic systems that is improving. Vast quantities of data are now being parsed with unprecedented speed, sometimes with the help of artificial intelligence (ai), to uncover connections previously hidden in plain sight.

Dr Jung, tear down this wall

This could at long last bring biology more centrally into the diagnosis of mental health, potentially leading to more individualised treatments, as well as better ones. In early October 2023, uk Biobank, a biomedical database, published data revealing that people with depressive episodes had significantly higher levels of inflammatory proteins, such as cytokines, in the blood. A study last year also found about a quarter of depressed patients had evidence of low-grade inflammation. This could be useful to know as other work suggests patients with inflammation respond poorly to antidepressants.
More innovation is under way. A number of researchers are exploring different ways of improving the diagnosis of adhd, for example, classifying patients into a number of different subgroups, some of which may have been previously unknown. In three separate announcements in February 2024, different groups announced the discovery of biomarkers that could predict the risks of dementia, autism and psychosis. The search for better diagnostic tools is also likely to be accelerated by the use of ai. One firm, Cognoa, is already using ai to diagnose autism in children by analysing footage of their behaviour—side-stepping the long waits for clinicians. Another outfit, the Quantitative Biosciences Institute (qbi) in California, has used ai to create an entirely new map of the protein-protein interactions (and the molecular networks) involved in autism. This will greatly facilitate further explorations of diagnostic tools and treatments.
All such developments are promising. But many of the field’s problems could be resolved by relaxing the distinctions that exist today between neurology, which studies and treats physical, structural and functional disorders of the brain, and psychiatry, which deals with mental, emotional and behavioural disorders. Dr Lennox finds it extraordinary that the treatment options differ so completely if a patient ends up on a neurology ward or a psychiatric ward. She wants antibody testing to be more routine in Britain when someone presents with a sudden post-viral mental illness that does not get better with standard treatments. Thomas Pollak, a senior clinical lecturer and consultant neuropsychiatrist at King’s College London, says mri scans should probably be used on patients after their first episode of psychosis as, in 5% to 6% of patients, it would change the way they are treated.
This rift between neurology and psychiatry is greater in Anglo-Saxon countries, says Dr Tebartz van Elst. (These are countries including America, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand.) In Germany, psychiatry and neurology are more integrated, with neurologists training in psychiatry, and psychiatrists doing a year of neurology as part of their training. That makes it easier for investigational work to be done. He says he offers most patients with first-time psychosis or other severe psychiatric syndromes an mri of the brain, an electroencephalogram, lab tests for inflammation, and a lumbar puncture to find evidence to support different treatments in some patients. The price tag, around €1,000 ($1,070), is no more than the cost of hospitalising a patient for three or four days, says Dr Tebartz van Elst, so may be good value for money.

What’s the diagnosis?

All this work will one day put psychiatry, and its patients, on a firmer footing. It is already offering validation for some of those for whom the field has failed.
Jessica Huitson is only one of them. Diagnosed and treated too late, she still struggles with her condition and her future is uncertain. Those with me/cfs, a post-infectious condition which comes with a series of cognitive problems such as attention and concentration deficits, were once dismissed as malingering or diagnosed with “yuppie flu”. New work suggests it is associated with both immune and metabolic dysfunction.
Some wonder whether these conditions are the tip of a much larger iceberg. The prize in finding out more will be better patient care and outcomes. Biology is coming, whether psychiatry is ready or not.

So this is kind of a long story but I’ve had recurrent UTIs and BV for most of my young adulthood. Its usually treated with Macrobid and Flagyl. For the most part, Ive only slept with one partner and keep a pretty good hygiene - peeing right after sex, he showers before, using lube instead of spit etc.
About a month ago, I tested positive for BV and had to go on Flagyl (vaginal suppository). Then 2 weeks later I got a flu, then I got a sinus infection, which was so bad I had to go on antibiotics (Vantin) for 7 days.
Felt better and was over the moon that I finally felt healthy… then two days after finishing my Vantin I tested positive for BV again. So I guess it never went away…
THEN I got a UTI (I was having sex with my BV) and I decided to finally pick up my antibiotics (Clindamycine and Macrobid). And since Ive gotten a kidney infection before and am prone to them, I started taking the Macrobid immediately for my UTI, but held off on the Clindamycine for my BV.
I consulted with one of my nurse friends who also studied holistic medicine and she said to hold off on the Clindamycine and start putting coconut oil down there since its antibacterial. So I did. Because honestly my gut has been through too many god damn antibiotics these past few months and Im just over it.
So basically my question is, does anyone know of any natural remedies for BV to GET RID of the actual infection and not just mask it? I always hear about boric acid, which I was advised by my doctor to use for 30 days after Clindamycine, but Im wondering if I could just use the boric acid to avoid complications with taking too many antibiotics.
UPDATE: I understand that I should ask a doctor about this! I was just looking for any people w similar lived experience for any natural remedies. I did talk with a doctor this morning and he recommended I stop my Macrobid and hold off on the BV antibiotic, as I have no symptoms and SHOULD take a break from antibiotics. That being said, I am taking a daily probiotic and eating lots of prebiotics in my diet now. Now just waiting patiently for my gut to heal 🥲. Thank you for the recs!

Hi everyon… does anyone have any tips on how to forgive their boyfriend for giving this horrendous thing to them? I have been on a long journey for 8 months … (first time after having sex with my current boyfriend my vagina smelled a way that I have never smelled before and I had UTI symptoms and lower back pain) … constantly being treated for a UTI that always showed up negative when the culture was sent off for growth.
Been on countless amounts of Macrobid and Augmentin … and I’m a sensitive person so antibiotics always affect me too and make me feel shitty.
Finally treated 8 months later for Ureaplasma and tested positive. Now on doxy … but I am very upset and angry with my boyfriend for some reason … I feel alone and dealing with this alone for so long.
Been praying about forgiveness because I know I need to but it’s been so hard. Especially because I’ve been the one dealing with all the pain for so long ….. anyone dealt with this type of feelings towards their boyfriend? Any advice?

Extracted from "Bacteria, Germs and VIRUSES Do Not Cause Disease: Discriminating between Medical Myth and Biological Fact, excerpted from the book, Awakening Our Self-Healing Body. By Arthur M. Baker.

Not many people realise that bacteria and viruses are the result, not the cause of disease.

PASTEUR'S GERM THEORY OF DISEASE CAUSATION
In 1864, French chemist Louis Pasteur fathered "The Science of Bacteriology" and "The Germ Theory of Disease Causation" by demonstrating the existence of various micro-organisms— and concluding that these germs cause pathogenic changes in living cultures within the laboratory setting. The germ theory states that diseases are due solely to invasion by specific aggressive microorganisms. A specific germ is responsible for each disease, and micro-organisms are capable of reproduction and transportation outside of the body.
With the germ theory of disease, no longer did we have to take responsibility for sickness caused by our own transgressions of the laws of health. Instead, we blamed germs that invaded the body. The germ theory effectively shifted our personal responsibility for health and well-being onto the shoulders of the medical profession who supposedly knew how to kill off the offending germs.
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Our own personal health slipped from our control. Almost everyone in the Western world has been nurtured on the germ theory of disease: that disease is the direct consequence of the work of some outside agent, be it germ or virus. People have been educated to be terrified of bacteria and to believe implicitly in the idea of contagion: that specific, malevolently-aggressive disease germs pass from one host to another.
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They also have been programmed to believe that healing requires some powerful force to remove whatever is at fault. In their view, illness is hardly their own doing. The 'germ era' helped usher in the decline of hygienic health reform in the 19th century and, ironically, the people also found a soothing complacency in placing the blame for their ill health on malevolent, microscopic 'invaders', rather than facing responsibility for their own insalubrious lifestyle habits and their own suffering.
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Pasteur was a chemist and physicist and knew very little about biological processes. He was a respected, influential and charismatic man, however, whose phobic fear of infection and belief in the "malignancy and belligerence" of germs had popular far-reaching consequences in the scientific community which was convinced of the threat of the microbe to man. Thus was born the fear of germs (bacteriophobia), which still exists today. Before the discoveries of Pasteur, medical science was a disorganised medley of diversified diseases with imaginary
causes, each treated symptomatically rather than at their root cause. Up to this time, the evolution of medical thought had its roots in ancient shamanism, superstition and religion, of invading entities and spirits. The profession searched in vain for a tangible basis on which to base its theories and practices. Pasteur then gave the profession the "germ".
By the 1870s, the medical profession fully adopted the germ theory with a vengeance that continues today. The advent of the microscope made it possible to see, differentiate and categorise the organisms. Invading microbes were now seen as the cause of disease. The medical-pharmaceutical industry began their relentless search for the perfect drug to combat each disease-causing microbe—of which there are now over 10,000 distinct diseases recognised by the American Medical Association.
The universal acceptance of the germ theory and widespread bacteriophobia resulted in frenzied efforts to avoid the threat of germs. A whole new era of modern medicine was then inaugurated, including sterilisation, pasteurisation, vaccination, and fear of eating raw food. Medical authorities advised the public to cook all food thoroughly and to boil water.
With the deprivation of raw foods, an inevitable deterioration of health ensued. The practice of killing germs with drugs was also initiated, resulting in iatrogenic (medically-induced) disease and further degeneration of health. Various programmes were instituted to confer 'immunity' against specific germs by way of vaccines and serums, with horrendous effects. Fortunately, the horror of consuming raw food as being dangerous and bacteria-ridden has largely been overcome, although the ban on unpasteurised dairy foods still exists in most of this country [USA]. And the acceptance of poisonous drugs and inoculations has not waned to any appreciable extent.
Pasteur Not the Originator of the "Germ Theory"
Actually, the first "Germ Theory of Infectious Disease" was published in 1762 (almost 100 years prior to Pasteur's theory) by a Viennese physician, Dr M. A. Plenciz. In 1860, Louis Pasteur took
the credit for the experiments and theory and became identified as its originator. Read the books, Pasteur: Plagiarist, Impostor, by R. B. Pearson, and Bechamp or Pasteur? A Lost Chapter in the History of Biology by Douglas E. Hume, for all the details. Claude Bernard (1813-1878) disputed the validity of the germ theory and maintained that the general condition of the body is the principal factor in disease, but this idea was largely ignored by the medical profession and the general public. Bernard and Pasteur had many debates on the relative importance of the microbe and the internal environment in which they thrive.
Pasteur Realises Mistake
Around 1880, Pasteur himself admitted his mistake. According to Dr Duclaux (one of Pasteur's co-workers), Pasteur discovered that microbial species can undergo many transformations. These facts were not consistent with his germ theory and destroyed its very basis.
It is frequently overlooked that around 1880, Pasteur changed his theory. According to Dr Duclaux, Pasteur stated that germs were "ordinarily kept within bounds by natural laws, but when conditions change, when its virulence is exalted, when its host is enfeebled, the germ is able to invade the territory which was previously barred to it." This is the premise that a healthy body is resistant and not susceptible to disease. With the advent of Pasteur's mysterious germ, however, medicine cloaked itself under the guise of 'science' and ever since has succeeded in keeping the public ignorant of the true nature of disease.

As a cause of disease, bacteria do not 'invade' the body—for they are already present in the digestive tract. As needed bacteria are brought into the circulatory system to aid in the process of purging the physiology of accumulated wastes.

Bacteria and Their Symbiotic Role in the Body.
Bacteria are our symbiotic partners in life and are completely normal to the body. They work symbiotically with the host organism by assisting in the breakdown and removal of toxic materials and in creating nutrients that are vital to our welfare. Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bifidus and coli bacteria are normally present in the human digestive tract and are sometimes called "friendly, beneficial or symbiotic intestinal flora". They are necessary within the body for the proper absorption and utilisation of food particles; for aiding in cellular nourishment; for stimulating peristalsis; for detoxifying and creating soft, smooth stools; and for keeping down pathogenic germs. (Antibiotics destroy these forms of useful bacteria).
Bacteria and micro-organisms also form a vital part in the world's food chain. When organic matter within plants and animals decomposes throughout nature, bacteria and moulds of the Monera family disorganise the highly complex organic molecules into simple inorganic wastes—whose elements are excreted back into the soil to be taken up once again as food by plants, and reorganised via the process of photosynthesis into widely diverse forms of vegetable matter, including food for humans, such as fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Bacteria are actually primitive forms of life which subsist on scavenging dead organic material. They break up and decompose waste material in our system just as they do within the plant and animal kingdoms. Bacterial action renders some waste-matters usable in our body that would ordinarily be expelled and, as such, bacteria are essential to our lives—without them, our existence would not be possible. As intestinal flora, for instance, bacteria are a much needed symbiotic partner in life, responsible for synthesising vitamin B 12 and vitamin K within our body.
Bacterial action renders some waste-matters usable in our body that would ordinarily be expelled and, as such, bacteria are essential to our lives—without them, our existence would not be possible. As intestinal flora, for instance, bacteria are a much needed symbiotic
partner in life, responsible for synthesising vitamin B 12 and vitamin K within our body.
Our body carries about a five-year supply of vitamin B12, and receives a constantly refurnished supply from bacterial activity in the lower intestine, just as is the case with other primates and natural plant-eating animals, including man. Also, vitamin K does not need to be supplied by food since bacteria which live symbiotically in the human intestine are capable of producing this nutrient, which is required for normal functioning of the body's blood-clotting agents.
The Beneficial Role of Bacteria in Disease
As a cause of disease, bacteria do not 'invade' the body—for they are already present in the digestive tract (which, by the way, technically is considered outside the body proper). As needed, bacteria are brought into the circulatory system to aid in the process of purging the physiology of accumulated wastes. When the body creates a highly localised toxic condition in the system, as occurs during inflammation, the body absorbs bacteria from the intestines and/or other body cavities and transports them to where the accumulated poisons have been concentrated.
During the inflammatory process, pus is formed from the aggregate of dead cells and from the healing, white blood cell activity that takes place; and bacteria proliferate to feast on and process this material which makes it easier for the body to expel. In this way, bacteria symbiotically assist in breaking down these toxic materials for elimination. In the process, however, the excreta of bacteria generated therein is toxic. The bacteria's own excretion
reflects the morbidity of the toxins they consume, in that these wastes are also highly virulent. If not eliminated from the body, these accumulate to such an extent that the body initiates a
cleansing/healing crisis.
Bacteria do not produce disease but are useful organisms that help decompose dead cellular material when the body's cells have completed their normal life cycle.
This process helps eliminate the dead matter from the body and, likewise, the bacteria aid in clearing toxic substances. This is why they are seen regularly during the disease/purification process since these processes require the disintegration of accumulated poisonous refuse which the system is endeavouring to purge.
Bacteria do not cause the death of the organic matter on which they act, however, as they are a part of the result of disease, not its cause.
Bacteria and germs play an important role in the evolution of disease but are not fundamental causes as commonly believed. Bacteria are intimately associated with serious illness, but merely contribute secondary or tertiary complicating factors by elaborating certain powerful toxins already present in the toxic body due to the poisonous by-products of their own fermentative and putrefactive actions.
Lactic acid, acetic acid (vinegar), alcohol from the fermentation process; and ammonias, indoles, skatols and purines, etc., from the putrefaction process are toxic—although our body, under normal conditions of health, can easily eliminate these forms of bacterial excreta. In fact, our faeces and urine are loaded with these protein decomposition by-products from both bacterial activity and our own body metabolism.
Bacteria need nourishment to grow and reproduce. When there is a dangerous accumulation of waste materials which is threatening body integrity, our symbiotic bacteria go into action and perform their anitorial/scavenging function of clearing the body of filth and debris. Afterwards, they resume their passive state once again.
Bacteria have an important role to perform in the vital process of healing. Germs take part in virtually all disease phenomena that require the disintegration of refuse and toxic matter within the body which the system is endeavouring to remove. They act as scavengers in clearing up the affected area of toxic saturation. As soon as their role is complete, their numbers decline.
For this reason once again, bacteria are associated with disease processes but are not its cause, for bacteria no more cause disease than flies cause garbage. To assume, because germs are present and active in the decomposition processes connected with dead organic matter, that they cause its death is erroneous. When toxicosis exists and threatens the well-being of the organism, the body responds by purging the toxins, and disease symptoms
appear. Bacteria are present to decompose metabolic wastes, toxins, dead cells and tissues and as such are a vitally important part of the healing process.
Bacteria are capable of only one action in regard to the disease process: the processing of dead materials as their food. Bacteria proliferate because there is dead organic matter for them to feed on, not because they suddenly become malevolent.

Bacteria proliferate because there is dead organic matter for them to feed on, not because they suddenly become malevolent.

In a relatively sterile environment they die due to lack of nourishment, just as they similarly die off in an environment of their own creating—namely, in the presence of their own toxic excreta
including lactic acid, acetic acid, alcohol, ammonia and numerous other protein decomposition by-products.
It is inappropriate to call bacterial activity an 'attack' or an 'invasion' on the part of germs, unless we mean it is an attack on the toxins. The only real attack that takes place is the one we make upon our own body as we continually assault ourselves on the average of some 30 poisoning acts each day—including the devitalised 'foods' and 'beverages' we consume, the drugs we take, constantly staying up late and overeating needlessly—all of which create enervation and exhaustion of the body.
On the other hand, bacteria cannot thrive in healthy blood. This is why a clean, well nourished body is not subject to their presence. Living in a germ-free environment is impossible, however, and not even wholly desirable. Trillions of bacteria live in our body at all times.
Bacteria Mutate According to Decomposing Soil in the Environment.
There are no 'disease-producing' bacteria, germs, microbes, bacilli or viruses: it is the environment and the host which determine disease symptoms and the type of bacteria that proliferate. Germs do not cause disease; rather, the body generates disease occasions for the germ proliferation that takes place. In order for a particular germ to exist, it has to have a suitable environment created by the toxic and pathological pollution saturating the body. Systemic poisoning then creates the specific germ culture, depending upon where the body has accumulated the wastes and according to the unhealthful lifestyle habits of the sufferer.
The key point is, however, that it is the diseased toxemic condition, where the body is overwhelmed with poisonous waste, which creates an environment favourable to the mutation of bacteria into those commonly associated with particular diseases. The disease condition favours proliferation and increasing virulence until their function of devouring toxic debris is accomplished. When you ask a bacteriologist what comes first, the soil or the bacteria, the answer is always the tainted environment, in order for the bacteria to thrive. Bacteria never exist in a proliferating state where there is no food or soil for their propagation—but they multiply rapidly when there is decomposing material to feast on, and then they die off when there is famine or adversity in their surroundings.
Once again, bacteria no more create their food supply than flies cause garbage. The garbage or soiled state within our body must pre-exist the presence of bacterial 'invasion': bacteria do
not cause disease; they are present because of it.
Bacteriologists themselves wrongly divide the germ population into specific 'good germs' and 'bad germs' and overlook the fact that 'good germs' have the ability to mutate and proliferate into 'bad' virulent germs when their soil is suitable for this change.
In other words, germs can modify their structure and metabolic function according to the environment in which they find themselves. They exist in a multitude of strains, shapes and metabolic capabilities and may appear as rod-shaped or circular shaped depending on the dictates of their environment.
The germ theory was founded on the assumption that disease germs are specific, unchangeable entities in their biological structure and chemical characteristics. The 1968 Pulitzer Prizewinner and eminent bacteriologist Dr Rene J. Dubos contradicted this assumption, showing that the virulence of microbial species is variable.
As far back as 1914 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, experiments by E. C. Risenow, M.D., of the Mayo Biological Laboratories in Rochester, Minnesota, demonstrated that pus germs (streptococci) can be transformed into pneumonia germs (pneumococci) simply by making minor alterations in their environment and by feeding them on pneumonia virus—dead organic matter characteristic with the manifestation of the disease. When the procedure was reversed, the bacteria quickly reverted to the pus germs. In each case when the environment and food source were changed, the germs, regardless of type, quickly mutated into
other forms.
Two New York City bacteriologists, in similar experiments, converted cocci (round, berry-shaped bacteria) into bacilli (long, rodshaped bacteria) and back again. A coccus (pneumonia germ) can change to a bacillus (typhoid germ) simply by making minor alterations in its environment and by feeding it typhoid virus—specific dead organic matter which is particular to this type of bacteria proliferation. When the procedure is reversed, typhoid germs revert to pneumonia germs illustrating that, indeed, any bacteria can modify and adapt its structure and metabolic function in accordance with its changing environment. The virulence of germs can likewise be altered in the laboratory at will by the technician.

...pus germs (streptococci) can be transformed into pneumonia germs (pneumococci) simply by making minor alterations in their environment and by feeding them on.

The Toxic Body Produces the Virulent Germ
It is evident, then, that germs do not directly produce disease: rather, the body-generated healing crisis produces the germ by providing a suitable environment where non-toxic bacteria mutate into toxic micro-organisms within septic surroundings. For germs to become dangerous, they must be intermingled with concentrated waste products before a germ metamorphoses into a toxic entity. While it is true that germs and bacteria exist everywhere, the micro-organisms only proliferate in the body when a person develops toxemia as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle.
When high quantities of oxidized organic material are being extraordinarily eliminated by the body via the throat, lungs or elsewhere, bacteria multiply geometrically. In hours, they may
number in the trillions but suitable 'soil' must be present before they can proliferate.
Strep throat and sore throat are said to be caused by streptococcus bacteria. This is a common form of bacteria in the lactobacilli family, a round-shaped organism that also breaks down or sours milk.
You can easily prepare a culture containing billions of strep bacteria as in yoghurt, and any healthy person eating the yoghurt will not develop strep throat. Put them in a milk culture, and in
hours they multiply into trillions. It is difficult to find anyone who does not contain this form of bacteria in their throat except in those using massive amounts of antibiotics or other life-destroying drugs.
Streptococci are not in themselves dangerous, however, for millions of them are found in the average person's throat and body cavities—but their excrement can be highly toxic as they help break down, decompose and putrefy waste materials which the body then eliminates through the lungs, throat, mucous membranes and/or skin.
A sore throat is actually an irritation of the tissues, caused either by what is being eliminated there or by some injurious substance sent down it. Streptococcus bacteria use the exudates as soil. When a concentration of toxic material is available, their reproduction is tremendous. To reiterate, streptococci are not harmful bacteria as they are always a normal portion of the body's flora.
Scientists know that specific bacteria are not always found in each case of the disease they are supposed to cause. Introducing germ cultures in a healthy body does not consistently generate
disease symptoms. Numerous experiments feeding pure cultures of typhoid, pneumonia, diphtheria, tuberculosis and meningitis germs produced no ill effects.
As mentioned before, in 28-40% of diphtheria cases, diphtheria bacillus is absent. Likewise, in about 20% of those suffering venereal disease (syphilis, herpes, gonorrhoea, etc.) neither gonococcus nor spirochetes are present. Saying that bacteria causes an ulcer,
pustule or pimple about the genitals disregards the fact that these result from the body's autolysis (self-digestion) of issue. The creation of boils and inflammations characteristic of V.D. are vital body actions, not bacterial or viral invasions.
Similarly, pneumonia is thought to be caused by the bacterium pneumococcus, although it is absent in more than 25% of cases. Moreover, administering the bacterium to healthy organisms does not occasion the disease.
Even during the early stages of the common cold, nasal secretions are completely void of bacteria, as none are found in the thin watery mucus in the first two to three days. When thick purulent secretion begins, pneumococci, staphylococci and streptococci appear. Since bacteria are so conspicuously absent at the onset of a cold, another cause had to be found. Now, 150 different viruses are blamed for the affliction.
Colds are not 'caught'; rather, they develop from our enervating way of life. Bacteria or viruses have nothing to do with the development of colds. They may be complicating features, since bacteria function as saprophytes (scavengers) feeding on the debris being eliminated. As long as tissues remain abnormal, bacteria thrive. Once the eliminative and purging actions are completed, they subside.
Physicians readily admit that they do not know exactly which virus causes colds, for when the cold virus is sprayed into throats it causes inflammation in "susceptible hosts only"—in those whose tissues are already irritated by foreign agents. In addition, so-called respiratory pathogenic bacteria are present in throat washings of those who have colds, but killing the microorganisms does not shorten the period of illness.
Colds are preventable, but first we must learn their causes. As long as it is assumed that germs and viruses cause colds and that we 'catch' them, and as long as our efforts are directed against these microscopic entities, the cold will prevail. Colds are actually remedial efforts made necessary by the accumulation in the blood, lymph, and tissues of unexcreted metabolic waste, and by the intestinal absorption of toxic by-products of indigestion.
The ultimate causes of the cold are habits of living which reduce digestive efficiency, check elimination and cause enervation, permitting the internal environment to become polluted—a state of physiological smog, if you will. Unless a germ will cause a disease every time it 'infects' the body, it is not a cause. A cause must be consistent and specific in its influence. Germs are omnipresent and fail to have a specific influence all the time.
Both laboratory evidence and empirical observations substantiate that disease is the body's reaction to intoxication, and not to germs—bacteria do not invade nor control the body, for they are always within the physical domain.
The Body Controls its Bacterial Population
Normal healthy organisms are actually deadly to germs and parasites and have innate, built-in resources to handle them. Bacteria are helpless against living cells, especially white blood cells and others that compose our natural lines of defence.
We harbour countless billions of micro-organisms within our intestinal tract, within our skin, in our mouth, nose and other body cavities. The celebrated Dr Lewis Thomas, who heads the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, said: "Pity not the man who has caught bacteria, rather pity the bacteria that was caught by the man." Humans furnish a very rough environment for bacteria, keeping them tightly restricted and controlled.

Colds are actually remedial efforts made necessary by the accumulation in the blood/ lymph, and tissues of unexcreted metabolic waste, and by the intestinal absorption of toxic by-products of indigestion.

Lymph nodes—the glandular tissue masses that occur along the lymphatic vessels throughout the body—routinely remove bacteria and foreign particles from the general lymph circulation and supply lymphocytes to the circulatory system. The lymph nodes and spleen form a portion of the body's reticuloendothelial system— referring to those phagocytic cells scattered throughout the body which can ingest bacteria, solid particles and other errant cells. This aids in keeping the body in a healthy, stable condition.
For example, billions and even trillions of bacteria and fungi are incidentally absorbed from the intestinal tract into the portal blood each day. These are so effectively apprehended and destroyed by our white blood cells and macrophages that scarcely any bacteria or fungi ever enter the circulating blood.
Leukocytes (white corpuscles) are the blood's defensive organisms that prevent intoxication by bacteria, cooked food debris or other toxic materials. Leukocytosis (an excessive proliferation of white blood cells in the circulation) occurs in response to inflammation, to excessive numbers of bacteria in the body, and to a preponderance of cooked food—all of which represent pathological phenomena.
The body must exist in a toxic state before it will institute the disease process. Neither bacteria nor anything else can start and sustain a healing crisis—micro-organisms are incapable of unified action and cannot exist where there is no food (soil) for them to survive. Living healthy cells are not soil for bacteria, but decomposing substances are.
If a healthy body can 'catch' a cold or flu due to influenza germs and is unable to resist an 'attack' by these micro-organisms, then how can the subsequently debilitated body ever recover? How can the weakened organism repel the onslaught of trillions of proliferating
micro-organisms? The inevitable result would be the death of the organism.
If bacteria did invade organisms and subsequently laid them low, as medically supposed, the impetus and momentum they built up in the process would become progressively more pronounced and overwhelming as the organism receded further into disease. If germs and microbe 'attackers' overwhelmed a healthy body, then, once they laid a victim low, their proliferating reproduction would exponentially increase the 'devouring', which would cease only when they had exhausted their food supply. There would be no recovery. If bacteria and viruses cause disease and debilitate the body, how does the weakened individual recover?
Were germs the cause of disease, there would be no remission, and germ proliferation would continue unimpeded.
Once the invading entities have a head start, it does not seem they would stop their destruction but, instead, would further diminish the organism's ability to defend itself. When bacteria start decomposing a body, only complete exhaustion of all organic materials ends their course—only when 'the bones are picked clean', so to speak.
Logic tells us that if microbial organisms make someone sick' and proliferate by the billions as they become more numerous and stronger, they would progressively sap more and more
energy, vitality and resources from their victim. How can this process be reversed by a much weakened organism?
The whole concept of being laid low by microbes and then turning
the tables on them makes for good fiction, but is physiologically false. For once dominance is established in nature over a weakened organism, it's downhill from there. Once zebras are overwhelmed by carnivores, they rarely survive. Once bacteria start decomposing
organic matter, they continue until their food source is exhausted.
The body does not suppress the growth and multiplication of 'disease germs' until the morbid toxins on which they subsist have been consumed, and until the inflammatory process has run its course.
When diseases are said by medical authorities to be 'limited', this really means the illness is a body detoxification process that is terminated by the body when its purging objectives are reached. The body is in control, and not at the mercy of hordes of microbes or some 'mysterious disease entity'.
Disease, once more, is not caused by germs but by the toxic state of the body which allows the germ to flourish. This deranged state of the organism is the outgrowth of violating our biological requirements, and is no chance or haphazard condition.
It is this diseased condition that creates an environment favourable to the mutation of bacteria into those associated with specific disease, and to their increasing virulence and proliferation. A state of internal cleanliness, therefore, is essential for health and well-being A pure bloodstream, free unimpeded circulation of all body fluids, and unobstructed excretion generate and maintain healthy tissue Virulent bacteria soon die in this environment for want of suitable nourishment.
If the microbe is to have any part in causing disease, it must find an organism that produces suitable soil for its metabolic activities We cannot avoid germs for they are everywhere—we must be proof against them We avoid disease only by keeping ourselves in such a
state of health that germs are powerless against us.
Medical Rationale of "Susceptibility" and "Resistance"
Everyone has literally trillions of fungi, bacteria and viruses in their body even when healthy When physicians are confronted with this, they say that disease is not caused by these agencies because "you are not susceptible' or because "your resistance is high'
This is a cop-out, saying that these agents do not cause disease, but those factors which dispose us to susceptibility do - since the word "susceptible" means that the criterion which establishes susceptibility is the actual cause of disease, and not the micro-organism or the agency blamed. This cop-out confirms that the supposed contagious agents—bacteria, viruses and fungi—do not cause disease. The actual cause is whatever causes susceptibility or low resistance.
If we maintain our body in a clean, healthy state then germs are irrelevant, for susceptibility does not exist. The concept of susceptibility is really the medical rationale which admits that
bacteria only proliferate when the internal physiological condition warrants it To repeat, it is an admission that an unclean environment is really the cause of disease—for if germs were the cause of disease, everyone exposed to the harmful germ would become sick with the same illness.
When the condition of susceptibility is introduced into medical theory to describe disease causation, the condition of the host is then of primary importance in the production of disease.
Susceptible individuals are those with a high degree of body toxicity and sufficient vitality to conduct the disease/purification process When such sufficient vitality is waning, organic tissue
damage occurs from the extraordinarily polluted internal state of the body which creates the foundation for chronic disease So long as our body is relatively pure, however, waste materials do not accumulate and the scavenging assistance of bacterial germs is not called upon
Physicians say that our resistance against germs is our only protection to avoid disease, but they leave their patients ignorant of how to guarantee a high degree of resistance at all times. We are told that germs invade only when resistance is lost. But what causes a loss of resistance? Obviously, loss of health means diminished resistance.
So if health is the best protection against disease, why not promote health by educating the populace in the requisites of health according to their biological mandate? Why not create a true "health care" system, instead of the prevailing "disease care" system that currently exists? We must promote health by living life according to those factors upon which health is generated.

I am 17 years old and female, and about 3 weeks ago (maybe 4) I went to the urgent care for a uti that I had for a couple weeks before and never went away. They gave me macrobid and it started to work but came back, so I went again and they sent my pee out for a culture while giving me Ceflex. I took the Ceflex and about 2 days left they gave me my culture and my uti was not clearing, they said I have a Strep B infection. So they prescribed me AmoxClav. I took that last Thursday-Monday and stopped taking it with about 2.5 doses left because my doctor told me to since I am having horrible symptoms from it, and he said I should be fine because the medicine used to get only 3 days instead of 7. After i stopped taking the medicine my symptoms of the side effects are going away, but last night the uti symptoms have came back. I keep peeing, and feel pressure on my bladder without burning though.
I am just so tired, I don't know what to do. I'm worried because not treating it could be bad but it was fine for 2 days after stopping the medicine but last night it came back. My mom won't take me to the doctor anytime soon because she said with three rounds of meds should have fixed it, so it could just be lingering? but I don't know what it is and I'm over it. I have been taking yogurt since yesterday for the medicine effects but that's it, nothing to cause these symptoms. I also drink a lot of water but it feels just how it did before the 3 weeks of medicine without the burning. Does anyone know what is wrong? do you think it will clear up shortly? thank you for the help. Also, the day of getting AmoxClav, the doctor took my blood and said im fine and tested my pee and said im fine but the medicine (took 1 ceflex before that) could have hid it, that was close to 1 week ago.

Does macrobid (nitrofurantoin) treat enterobacter cloacae?
Also, is it safe for those with hep b to take it?

I come to you all in desperation.
I've been dealing with aerobic vaginitis/ mild DIV for several years now. Symptoms: copious watery yellow discharge, BURNING, mild/sour smell. In typical fashion, my gyn treated me for BV multiple times without improvement. (She still doesn't really believe I have DIV, but is reluctantly doing what I tell her to do, lol). I unfortunately don't live near any vulvogavinal specialists.
My most recent evvy results are 50% Streptococcus anginosus, and then 15% of both lactobacillus crispatus and gardenella. Negative for ureaplasma and mycoplasma. I've never had an STI.
The only things that help are amoxicillin, clindamycin, and fluomizin (dequalinium chloride)- but symptoms always return within days.
I am a healthy 31 year old with no chronic conditions. I am not immunocompromised. I have good hygiene, and am monogamous with one male partner (and he does not ejaculate inside of me... sorry, tmi). But, I have an IUD. I actually swapped out my IUD about 1 year ago, and things improved significantly for about 4 months... but then returned in full force.
My question: does anyone have experience with aerobic vaginitis/ DIV and birth control? Did it improve if you removed your IUD? Have you tried switching to nexplanon/OCP? With my IUD, I don't have a period. My fear is that I'll take out the IUD and start having a period, and also still have this horrible discharge. I would be harder to do various treatments (suppositories) if I'm bleeding 25% of the month.
Last thing I'll add, because someone is going to suggest it - boric acid makes things SO MUCH WORSE. Lactic acid gel, RepHresh gel, vaginal probiotics, and aci-jel all make symptoms worse. Vaginal vitamin C seems to be neutral. Taking probiotics by mouth seems neutral.

Hii does anyone know how to treat streptococcus (10%) and E. coli (5%) bacteria? Afraid I’m gonna get the usual not a lot of help from doctors. Thank you!!

Yogurt is a dairy product made by fermenting milk with a yogurt culture. It provides protein and calcium, and it may enhance healthy gut bacteria.
Health benefits range from protecting against osteoporosis to relieving irritable bowel disease and aiding digestion, but these depend on the type of yogurt consumed.
Added sugar and processing can make some yogurt products unhealthy.
Yogurt starts as fresh milk or cream. It is often first pasteurized, then fermented with various live bacteria cultures, and incubated at a specific temperature to encourage bacteria growth.
The culture ferments the lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. This produces lactic acid, which gives yogurt its distinctive flavor.
Fast facts about yogurt
Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with a yogurt culture.
Health benefits can include promoting bone health and aiding digestion.
Some yogurts contain active, living bacteria known as probiotics, which can help keep the intestines healthy.
Yogurt products that go through heat treatment have no active bacteria, reducing the health benefits. Yogurt-covered raisins are an example.
Yogurts contain calcium, vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, potassium, and magnesium. The amounts depend on the type.
Nutrition
Yogurt can be a tasty, nutritious addition to any diet. However, there are plenty of different yogurts, and some are more healthful than others.
There are many types of yogurt that provide varying levels of nutritional benefit.
When is yogurt good for you?
Whether yogurt is a healthful choice depends on the person consuming it and the type of yogurt.
Yogurts can be high in protein, calcium, vitamins, and live culture, or probiotics, which can enhance the gut microbiota.
These can offer protection for bones and teeth and help prevent digestive problems.
Low-fat yogurt can be a useful source of protein on a weight-loss diet.
Probiotics may boost the immune system.
Some argue that they could also impact brain functioning, too, although more research is necessary to confirm some of these claims.
In 2014, researchers found that consuming yogurt may help protect against type 2 diabetes. Other types of dairy product did not appear to impact the likelihood of developing the condition.
Other scientists have suggested that yogurt containing probiotic bacteria successfully protects children and pregnant women against the effects of heavy metal exposure.
It is also a nutritious option when people find it difficult to chew their food.
Non-dairy yogurts offer an alternative for people who do not consume dairy or animal products or have allergies or intolerances.
Yogurt contains less lactose than milk because the lactose is used up in the fermentation process.
When is yogurt bad for you?
Not all yogurts are healthful. Those without added sugar or unnecessary additives can be a healthful addition to the diet, but some products have high quantities of added sugar and other ingredients that may not be beneficial.
Natural yogurt can be a low-calorie, high-nutrient food packed with protein.
However, many manufacturers add sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other ingredients that are not healthful.
All yogurts contain some natural sugars, but consumers are advised to look for a product with less than 15 grams of sugar per serving. The lower the sugar, the better, as long as it does not contain any artificial sweeteners.
Some studies have refuted the view that yogurt consumption is linked to good health, causing authorities to question whether health claims can be made for commercial purposes. However, people who eat yogurt are more likely to have an otherwise healthy diet.
Yogurt-flavored products
Packaged products like cereals and bars claiming to be “made with real yogurt,” yogurt-covered raisins and other products with yogurt coating contain only a small amount of yogurt powder.
Yogurt powder is heat-treated, and heat kills the beneficial bacteria. Yogurt coatings are made of sugar, oil, whey, and yogurt powder.
Types
There are different types of yogurt.
Low fat or non-fat
Low-fat, or reduced-fat yogurt, is made with 2-percent milk. Non-fat yogurt is made with zero percent or skim milk.
Kefir
Kefir is a liquid yogurt for drinking. It contains probiotics and is easy to make at home by adding kefir grains to milk and leaving it to stand for 12 to 24 hours.
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts, but it contains less calcium.
Greek yogurt is thick and creamy. It can withstand heat better than regular yogurt and is often used in Mediterranean-style cooking and dips.
It is made by further straining regular yogurt to remove the liquid whey.
The result is a higher protein content, due to its thicker concentration, but the extra straining leads to a lower calcium content.
Greek yogurt is available in full fat, reduced or low fat and non-fat or zero percent.
Skyr
Similar to Greek yogurt, skyr, pronounced “skeer,” is an Icelandic-style yogurt that is dense, creamy and high in protein. Compared to regular yogurt, skyr requires 4 times the amount of milk to make and contains 2 to 3 times more protein.
Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurts are often seen as a healthful alternative to ice cream.
However, many frozen yogurts contain the same amount of sugar or more as regular ice cream.Also, according to the National Yogurt Association, not all so-called frozen yogurts contain live and active cultures. Some use heat-treated yogurts, which kills the live and active cultures.Non-dairy yogurt
Non-dairy yogurt alternatives include soy yogurt and coconut milk yogurt.
Benefits
Yogurt can offer a range of important nutrients.
Probiotics
The microorganism Lactobacillus bulgaricus is used to ferment yogurt.
Some yogurts have probiotics added to them.
Probiotics are a type of healthy bacteria that benefit the gut. They help regulate the digestive system and decrease gas, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.
Some research has suggested that probiotics can boost the immune system, help with weight management, and reduce the risk of cancer.
Consuming yogurt and other probiotic foods may enhance absorption of vitamins and minerals.
The two most common bacteria used to ferment milk into yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) and Streptococcus thermophiles (S. thermophiles), but many yogurts contain additional bacterial strains.
To help consumers identify yogurts with live and active cultures, the National Yogurt Association has implemented the Life & Active Cultures (LAC) seal, found on the product container.
In most cases, the fresher the product, the more live bacteria it will contain.
A recent study from the University of Toronto points out that different probiotics will have different effects, and some yogurts containing probiotics may be healthier than others.
Calcium
Dairy products are one of the best dietary sources of calcium in terms of bioavailability.
Calcium is essential for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. It is also important for blood clotting, wound healing, and maintaining normal blood pressure.
Calcium-rich foods are best when paired with a source of vitamin D, as vitamin D helps the small intestine to absorb calcium.
Most yogurts also contain varying amounts of vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, potassium, and magnesium.
Lactose intolerance
Yogurt has a low lactose content, so a person with a lactose intolerance will likely find it more tolerable than milk. It also contains bacteria that aid digestion.
As a result, people who experience discomfort, bloating or gas after consuming liquid milk or ice cream can often tolerate yogurt without symptoms.
The individual should try a small amount of yogurt, say, a quarter of a cup, to see how their body reacts. This only applies to lactose intolerance, not to those with a milk allergy.
People with a lactose intolerance often lack calcium, so yogurt can be an important component of their diet.
A person with a milk allergy will not benefit from consuming yogurt.
Diet
Here are some tips for incorporating more yogurt into a healthful, nutritious diet.
Start with plain, unsweetened yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fruit, unsweetened applesauce or a small amount of pure maple syrup or honey.
Avoid pre-made fruit and yogurt desserts, as these often contain unnecessary added sugars.
When baking, use yogurt instead of butter or oil.
Use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to top baked potatoes or tacos.
A healthful yogurt should have more grams of protein per serving than sugar.
​
https://standardofcare.com/yogurt/

Not sexually active - religious reasons - never had sex. It’s not an STD. I have had a reoccurring UTI for years. At first it went untreated for a while, it would go away and come back sporadically. I finally after about a year went to the gyno and was treated for BV. She said come in next time I have a UTI and I did and I got an ultrasound on my bladder. They said everything was fine. I bought UTI test strips that I would use often and always test positive for a UTI. I am accustomed to the intense urethra burning at this point. I take those AZO pills that make my pee turn orange a few times a month. By that I mean, maybe half the month. The AZO pills also get rid of the burning for a few days at a time then I take them again. I get a UTI before my period, always. And sometimes one after my period is over. Also irregular so I never really know when it’s coming but the burning is so bad sometimes it makes my eyes water. I’ve been treated for a UTI, BV, yeast infection.. all of it. I just got off macrobid, and they are saying the burning will continue for a few more days. I truly don’t know what else to do but it’s so expensive to see a specialist and I need to see a urologist. Does anyone else in the PCOS world have this awful awful syndrome? If so, what did you do? How did you treat it? Do you know anyone who gets these? Thank you!

So in august I had sex with my new boyfriend and got a uti that was caused by strep b. Treated that and was symptom free for a whole month before getting another uti. Every month since then I’ve gotten a uti… seven UTIs in seven months! Each uti is from a different bacteria with 3/7 of them being from strep b. At first my symptoms would subside for 3-4 weeks completely before I’d get another, but now I’m getting them more often and my symptoms linger after the culture comes back negative. Now I’m being told I have no uti right this second, but bv and strep b vaginal infection. I’m on a packet of powder antibiotics to take for bv and penicillin for the strep b vagina infection. My strep b utis were treated with penicillin though and the symptoms would linger even after they were negative. Is penicillin the wrong antibiotic to be using? How would my body even have an overgrowth of enough strep b to cause a strep b vaginal infection after taking penicillin two times only a month ago for a strep b uti? Could this be an infection that hasn’t been resolved and keeps coming back but now in a different area? How do I solve this strep b vaginal infection/uti problem!! My symptoms are terrible itching in my pubic hair and vagina, burning, yellow discharge, and frequency. I need help because I’m tired of the recurring utis and I’m tired of the lingering symptoms. My doctor wants me to start prophylaxis after sex with macrobid but if strep b is my most common bacteria found in my UTIs, I feel like macrobid wouldn’t be helpful.
The swab test they recently did to diagnose my strep b vagina infection showed that it’s susceptible to penicillin but if I’m not resistant to that then why does strep b keep occurring for me and causing me uti and vaginal problems?

So in august I had sex with my new boyfriend and got a uti that was caused by strep b. Treated that and was symptom free for a whole month before getting another uti. Every month since then I’ve gotten a uti… seven UTIs in seven months! Each uti is from a different bacteria with 3/7 of them being from strep b. At first my symptoms would subside for 3-4 weeks completely before I’d get another, but now I’m getting them more often and my symptoms linger after the culture comes back negative. Now I’m being told I have no uti right this second, but bv and strep b vaginal infection. I’m on a packet of powder antibiotics to take for bv and penicillin for the strep b vagina infection. My strep b utis were treated with penicillin though and the symptoms would linger even after they were negative. Is penicillin the wrong antibiotic to be using? How would my body even have an overgrowth of enough strep b to cause a strep b vaginal infection after taking penicillin two times only a month ago for a strep b uti? Could this be an infection that hasn’t been resolved and keeps coming back but now in a different area? How do I solve this strep b vaginal infection/uti problem!! My symptoms are terrible itching in my pubic hair and vagina, burning, yellow discharge, and frequency. I need help because I’m tired of the recurring utis and I’m tired of the lingering symptoms. My doctor wants me to start prophylaxis after sex with macrobid but if strep b is my most common bacteria found in my UTIs, I feel like macrobid wouldn’t be helpful.
The swab test they recently did to diagnose my strep b vagina infection showed that it’s susceptible to penicillin but if I’m not resistant to that then why does strep b keep occurring for me and causing me uti and vaginal problems?

So in august I had sex with my new boyfriend and got a uti that was caused by strep b. Treated that and was symptom free for a whole month before getting another uti. Every month since then I’ve gotten a uti… seven UTIs in seven months! Each uti is from a different bacteria with 3/7 of them being from strep b. At first my symptoms would subside for 3-4 weeks completely before I’d get another, but now I’m getting them more often and my symptoms linger after the culture comes back negative. Now I’m being told I have no uti right this second, but bv and strep b vaginal infection. I’m on a packet of powder antibiotics to take for bv and penicillin for the strep b vagina infection. My strep b utis were treated with penicillin though and the symptoms would linger even after they were negative. Is penicillin the wrong antibiotic to be using? How would my body even have an overgrowth of enough strep b to cause a strep b vaginal infection after taking penicillin two times only a month ago for a strep b uti? Could this be an infection that hasn’t been resolved and keeps coming back but now in a different area? How do I solve this strep b vaginal infection/uti problem!! My symptoms are terrible itching in my pubic hair and vagina, burning, yellow discharge, and frequency. I need help because I’m tired of the recurring utis and I’m tired of the lingering symptoms. My doctor wants me to start prophylaxis after sex with macrobid but if strep b is my most common bacteria found in my UTIs, I feel like macrobid wouldn’t be helpful.
The swab test they recently did to diagnose my strep b vagina infection showed that it’s susceptible to penicillin but if I’m not resistant to that then why does strep b keep occurring for me and causing me uti and vaginal problems?

Male
Full panel std screening tests positive moderate for Ureaplasma urealyticum.
Negative for the other bacterias.
urethritis! 🥵 (I think pretty bad)
HIV - negativeHSV 1&2- negative, negativeSyphilis - negativeCT/NG- negative, negative,Trichomonas- negative
Candida albicans, parapsilosis, tropicalis Candida krusei
Morganella morganii
Mycoplasma hominis
Staphylococcus epidermidis, haemolyticus, lugdunensis
Trichomonas vaginalis
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Acinetobacter baumannii
Enterobacter cloacae complex, Klebsiella aerogenes Escherichia coli
Proteus spp (mirabilis, vulgaris)
Serratia marcescens
Streptococcus agalactiae (Group BStrep) SHV, KPC Groups
Candida glabrata
Chlamydia trachomatis
Mycoplasma genitalium
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Ureaplasma parvum
Streptococcus pyogenes (Group Astrep) Citrobacter freundii
Enterococcus spp (faecalis, faecium) Klebsiella spp (pneumoniae, oxytoca) Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staphylococcus aureus
ACT, MRI, FOX, AC Groups
CTX-M1 (15), M2 (2), M9 (9), M8/25 Groups
​
I went to a good clinic that tests for this, so had some good luck there. still waiting for the blood /viral tests (praying!). I’ve had some irritation just like if you were having a lot of sex or masterbating and your urethra was physically irritated, which told me to get checked, especially since I’ve had a lot of sex with multiple partners recently. Looking back there was too much irritation and feeling on the tip to just be irritation. Actually, it’s possible I’ve experienced mild symptoms for a long time because No idea how long I’ve had this As I’ve never been tested. It could also be that I had it and now it flared up with the sex, or i recently picked it up.Ok, I get Doxycycline 100mg 2x per day, 5 days.
Im dying! climbing the walls burning Since day 1 taking the antibiotic..
day 2 second dose and I feel like I have to pee constantly, pressure on that pelvic floor, and my urethra is on fire, bad. I’ve noticed about 20 minutes after I take the dose it flares up, will get better, flare up, and so on, tapering to feeling ok when it’s time for next dose. I have to get up and pace around the house it’s that bad pain-discomfort . OMG, it’s flaring up again as I type this! no pain while I’m peeing, but feels like I have to go all the time, especially in the morning, and i think some clear watery discharge after I go…I can’t really see anything coming out, but it feels like dribbling or fluid from my bladder into my penis utethra.
im super scared and want to feel better, and not sure 5 days is going to clear this. Please I hope my blood comes back good tomorrow, i start to feel better on day 3 tomorrow, can easily get more doxy if I’m not, and I can eventually get rid of this.
This is a nasty nasty bug, that should be tested for, treated as an STI/STD. I hope everyone can clear this.
day 3 update: about to take my first doxy with water and get ready to burn For a few hours. Took it empty stomach with a full glass and no kidding 5 mins later and I’m burning. Still waiting for my blood lab virus tests. As soon as I get them, will share. Still thinking, 3 more days of doxy won’t be enough, damn I’m dribbling and burning 🥵
day 3 end. burning Is better, but I’ve been slamming water and peeing like crazy. So, burning is better but dripping a lot. Lots of pressure on that lower pelvic - bladder or prostate or ?. Tonight’s doxy dose will definitely flare it. When I lay down and relax it hurts through my whole penis, god I take it back, it’s burning so bad still flaring up 5 hours after doxy dose, and anytime my penis tip touches anything 🥵🔥no results from the blood virus tests. I’m going to take a hot shower
ended up masterbating myself (very gently) last night . The idea was that pelvic discomfort and burning could be originating in the prostate, and I want everything flushed out for a fresh start if you will for the antibiotic. The burning went away after! although I’m still irritated inflammed bc I felt it on my tip.
day 4: This has been the start of the best day I’ve had in awhile. Slept in, Woke up rested, and no burning! I feel some discharge , like dribble you can’t see. So, took a hot shower, got a coffee, and took my doxy. 20 mins later, feels like I have that pee pressure feeling again, and some light burning (but some of it is in my head because of how bad the burn was for 3 days…it’s literally burned into my mind).
Im still preoccupied about my viral blood, and the damn lab keeps sending me emails I have results coming in. They have a thing here where they have to give the doctor a chance to discuss before they release them to you. I think they don’t send it to the doctor until all of the results are available. So, why tell the patient just to make them wait for the doctor? So, that’s a screwed up thing with over regulation and the labs admin processes. I think they don’t release it to them until complete Bc I received 2 emails, called the doctors office, and they had not received. (I’m sharing this because it could help someone else who is struggling with this). it’s Saturday, but I’m hopeful because the doctors office is open on Saturdays, and I think other results came in after they closed yesterday. We will see, but I’m anxious to get the viral now that my urethra is feeling better (please don’t jinx myself and it flares later!).
focused on drinking water today and glad I tolerate these on empty stomach for max fight. Getting concerned about recurrence, and follow up testing time periods. I also still think I should be on doxy for a few more days, but will make that decision tomorrow whether I go back for another round.
I kind of have to pee, and as it builds I start to burn a little more….
well, the burning is coming back. I decided to take an ephedrine pill and drink another coffee to start flushing my bladder today, maybe try to get a little exercise if my penis does not hurt too bad (It’s tender because of the inflammation, which is a different feeling than the burn)🔥
day 5: I’m on my way to clear this thing. went to the doctor to ask for another 5 days of doxy to make sure with some lingering symptoms of retention, mild burn irritation, tip Discomfort, all mild, but only 1 doxy left,,but. She’s pretty certain I’ll be good, but ordered another script and test. I’ll know tomorrow if I cleared this thing. I learned how they grow the test out so no point in waiting,
day 6: I’m clear, testing negative. 5 days doxy 100mg 2x per day . It was awful especially days 1-4 of treatment, but that burning killed this bug. Hang in there everyone!
​

I've only discovered in recent years that my mother is narcissistic, my sister is a completely different kind of narcissist, and my ex-wife - I guess she is a narc too. It was very hard for me to believe this. It can't be true that everyone around me is a narc. Maybe something is wrong with me. Maybe I label them this way because it's now very popular. But the truth is that I don't think so. The truth is that I guess I am a victim. Even as I write these lines, my heart refuses to believe it, but reason sees no other possibility. And yet, my eye is glancing at you, to make sure that you validate my words, that you agree, otherwise this whole post is worth nothing. I have only discovered in the last few years (I am 44) that my mother is narcissistic. I see how she behaves with my daughter (and with me) and it angers me anew each time. I had conversations with her in which I thought I was going crazy. I thought maybe she had a particularly low level of intelligence, but that contradicts my experience with her. I didn't understand what was happening there. I assume such conversations happened when I was younger too, but then I probably didn't know how to interpret them. In these conversations, I find myself explaining simple things to her at length and with great effort time and again and somehow the conversation always changes direction. Her answers are usually unrelated to the topic of the conversation or adhere to flawed logic. In no conversation did I really manage to reach an agreement with her. It just doesn't happen. This is just one example of many very diverse narcissistic behaviors that my mother has, but this behavior is among the most difficult, most strange, and most confusing. As a result, all my life I doubt my righteousness, my opinions, and even my desires. It is very hard for me to understand what I want from myself and from others. I don't know how to properly connect with myself and understand myself. I hope I am acquiring these tools now, through meetings with my psychologist and because of the awareness of my condition. My mother behaves the same with my daughter every time she sees her. Just an example from the last meeting: My daughter is writing in her school notebook. My mother laughs and tells her that she has the same uneven and not pretty handwriting as her cousin. My daughter is offended and answers she has pretty good handwriting and I obviously support her by saying it is very pretty indeed. Then my mom tells us that that’s exactly what she meant. Gaslighting again. I told her explicitly that she shouldn’t twist reality and we all understand exactly what she meant. Then I got the silent treatment with the change of tone which is so familiar. I married my dream woman about 9 years ago. She was gorgeous and special, but for me, she was the most beautiful woman in the world (and it's not an exaggeration - that's what I thought), in my eyes she was the smartest and funniest person ever. I felt that I had won her, I loved her madly and that I had received someone so out of my league, that I actually don’t deserve. I even told her that more than once. And yet, I was aware from the first month of our relationship, long before the wedding, of her extreme lack of empathy (in my eyes, and many friends do not agree with me on this). I suffer from panic attacks and an anxiety disorder that turned into agoraphobia. I am an excellently functioning father, I work and progress in my career, but of course, there are also difficulties, mainly avoidance of very open spaces, flights, and highways. She accepted this and I was grateful for that. But often, her reaction to my anxiety was odd and cold and in that, among other things, I felt the lack of empathy. I remember in the first months of our relationship I drove her to return a book to her friend. In the middle of the way, for some reason, I felt difficulty breathing. I didn't make a drama. I explained to her that I am in the middle of a panic attack, I am having difficulty breathing and I want to go back home. I really apologized and explained (while feeling that I have no air) that it is a panic attack and it will pass, but it will be really hard for me to continue. Her response was: "If you drive me there, it will be easier for you, you'll see." When she saw that it didn't work, she said: "Even if you drive me to the nearest bus station, it will still be easier for you." That didn't work either. She didn't think for a second to go back home with me (we were already living together). In the end, she was disappointed and decided to continue on her way to her friend to return the book and let me go back alone. I remember that this event made a strong impression on me. I think that no stranger who would see another person in respiratory distress (even if it is psychological) would leave him alone and certainly would not convince him to continue with the original plan anyway. It might have been good as CBT exposure therapy, but she didn't really know the principles of that. She just wanted to deliver the book to her friend no matter what. The manipulations happened so many times. Small lies to achieve things. Even her mother in one of her conversations with my mom told her that she was a little liar from early childhood ( I guess she meant manipulative). Well, I wasn't an angel either, I understood that she and I didn't get along and I wanted to leave so many times, but I was afraid to stay alone. I was afraid to lose her. I loved her very much and understood that I would never find a woman like her. So I probably manipulated too. Every few weeks I would talk to her about what bothered me and in the end, I would tell her that it didn't work out and we probably needed to separate. I would talk about separation. On the one hand, it's ugly manipulation, probably. Because I guess I didn’t really want to leave her. I think I’ve tried to make her behave more warmly, to be more empathetic towards me. But it didn't work of course. On the other hand, at the moments I talked about it, often I really wanted to leave. I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore. That I was lying to myself if I stayed with her. So not sure how much of it was manipulation and how much was my true wish. Anyway, the right thing to do for me was to decide by myself what I am doing and to commit to it, but not torment her with my decisions. So yes, for that I am guilty and ashamed. I was very weak and I was manipulative. In one of the conversations about our failing relationship at the beginning of our journey together, she took a knife and cut her veins. Across, of course, because she didn't really intend to commit suicide. I panicked. I took care of her, hugged her, promised that we would never part, but inside I trembled with fear. It was very big, very violent. Afterward, she took a bottle of whiskey and started drinking from the bottle, without a break. I tried to take it from her, she screamed at me. I was afraid to take it by force, so as not to be violent towards her, but I was also afraid that something would happen to her. I was in a terrible panic. I remember that in another fight, she stripped and sat crying on her knees on the floor. It was a strange act. Very manipulative. On the one hand, it is arousing, a kind of BDSM. Usually, it would turn me on very much, but I understood that it was abusive, manipulative. After all, I open my heart, talk about our problems, about what bothers me so much, try to find solutions and she just does it. Why? Why not just address the issues? Why turn it into some sexual drama? I’d love it as a foreplay, but not in the middle of a serious conversation about our relationship. In the end, she just told me that she was separating from me. We went to couples therapy, I tried to save it, but in vain. She was no longer with me. I am sure she already had someone else, although she claims she never cheated on me. She told me that she doesn't know why, but she feels nothing towards me. It ended somehow all at once. All the immense love she had for me suddenly stopped. I have no idea how it can happen - it was a shock for me. But to be honest, before the separation after the birth of our daughter a lot has changed for the worse. She became violent towards me and sort of apathetic towards our daughter. I guess she had postnatal depression. She would push me when she passed by me. I would ask her why, I felt helpless. After all, I wouldn't retaliate. She even didn’t share with me her feelings of sadness. Just closed completely. I tried to talk, but to no avail. There was no one to talk to. Just like with my mother. There was no attempt. I remember many times entering a dark room when she was sleeping with our daughter with a lit phone screen and she simply threw the phone out of my hand. Hard. It wasn't okay that the screen was lit, but the reaction was so violent and disproportionate it stunned me. Once she told me that her mother used to push her too, because she would bother her walking around the house from place to place and standing in her way and that's what she did to me. If I was standing and she was coming towards me to enter the kitchen, she would intentionally bump into me hard with her shoulder. After the separation, she accused me of silent treatment. I googled what it is, thought a lot, blamed myself, but in the end, it wasn't that. About two years after the separation I would blame myself for what I wasn't okay with. But no, I didn't give her any silent treatment. When I was angry, I told her I was angry. I stayed beside her, just quietly, sad. I told her explicitly that I couldn't smile and communicate as usual and it would pass me within a few hours. She knew exactly why I was angry, she knew that I was there and just not talking as usual for a few hours and she called it a silent treatment. She called it abuse. And it makes perfect sense: when she accused me, I cried, I felt terribly guilty, I wanted to die for what I did even 2 years after the divorce. But she knew she’d hurt me very much, because of my constant self blaming. That's how I grew up: doubting myself in everything. It took me some time to understand what silent treatment is and to understand that what I did is so much different. In the end, I explained everything to her in text messages. I wrote her a whole essay with proof that I didn't abuse her. To that she replied in one line: You were okay, I am angry because of the covid social distancing. That's it, that's what she answered. After the terrible screams in front of our daughter and the accusations for which I cried so much. And this week, she put a heating pad on our daughter and left it overnight without checking. Our daughter woke up with extensive burns from the ankle to the knee, some of them second-degree. She didn't go for medical treatment. She bought some ointment at a pharmacy (without the pharmacist seeing our daughter) and sent her to school, telling me to apply the ointment. When I saw the blisters in the evening, I was horrified. Of course, I called for advice from a nurse and the next day took her to receive treatment. They gave her an antibiotic ointment with steroids. I wrote to my ex-wife that I couldn't understand how this happened. I accused her, yes, but very lightly. Mainly, I was factual and reported on the medical treatment and what needed to be done. I also sent her a picture and asked if it had improved compared to the day before, and she didn't respond to any messages. She has an insane sensitivity to criticism, no matter what it's about. So she chooses when to reply to my messages and when to not reply. She can not reply for days, even important messages about our daughter and then out of a sudden be nice and reply and write normal text messages. Hot/cold treatment. The next day, my daughter called from there and said she felt a bit weak and asked if it was related to the burn, because I had told her that if there was an infection, she might feel tired and feverish and then it would need to be treated. I asked if the burn was red and hot and she said no, so I said it's probably just fatigue or a slight chill. In the background, I heard my ex-wife screaming about how dare I take her to the nurse without a face mask and expose her to coronavirus ( not directly to me, but to my daughter who talked to me over the phone and was confused). I responded that it's true, but on the other hand, no one there was wearing a face mask so I didn't even think about it. But the fury I heard and all this in front of my daughter was just so appalling. How is that at all proportionate? She's preventing me from taking our daughter to a psychologist and generally avoiding medical treatment. About two years ago, my daughter had a sore throat for several days without a runny nose. I asked my ex-wife if she had made an appointment with the doctor or should I, and she said yes, in 8 more days, because it didn't fit her work schedule. Even though I told her that prolonged throat pain could be streptococcus A and needed to be treated within 9 days, otherwise it could affect the heart. She didn't change the appointment. Of course, I went with her the next day to the doctor, and indeed it turned out to be streptococcus. There are quite a few more cases like this. I mean that is the exact lack of empathy I talked about: not taking my daughter to get medical treatment, not taking her to psychologist or other specialists (which I insisted and thank god she agreed). My daughter has ADHD and is dyslectic. Her self-esteem and social skills are quite low and I want to help her so much. I invite her classmates to our home, try to help her with new initiatives etc… It’s hard and professional help could help her a lot. My ex answered me: it’s ok, I had the same issues and I’m still alive (My ex had a very hard time growing up). So why does she want our daughter to experience this hardship too? I just don’t get it. As with my mom, I can’t have a logical serious conversation with her. The communication is highly non-effective. Though I can’t blame my ex for lack of logic or IQ: she’s a software engineer and manages a whole team of professionals at work. I wrote a lot because I wanted to vent, sorry for such a huge post. But in the end, it's clear to me that there's narcissistic behavior here. I think she fell in love with me (if it happened at all) not because of my depth as she claimed, but because I am a victim of another narcissist. You can feel it. You can feel it in my self-doubt, in fear, in constant self-blame. I suppose that was the reason. By the way, her mother is also a very difficult woman. With a severe problem of controlling anger, probably she too has some kind of personality disorder. My ex-wife was afraid of her. I remember when we were driving to them, I said to my ex-wife, don't worry, I'm there with you. It's been 5 and a half years since the divorce. I no longer love her. I loved her for a few years after the separation, but it's over. I think I hate her now. And it's very hard for me to realize that I was exploited. I was exploited for so many years. And as I write these lines, I say to myself: "What if you're the exploiter? Maybe you're complaining to get sympathy? Maybe all this is manipulation? And why did you describe your behavior in contrast of your ex? To show how good you are and how bad she is?" And again, the self-examination, the accusations. How do I get out of this? But I think yeah, I need the validation that I never got from anyone. I need the validation that I’m ok. That I am a good father. That I didn’t abuse my ex wife and she was just projecting her abusive behavior upon me. I don’t need you just to validate that I was abused. I need you to validate that I’m not an abuser. ( I guess I’m not, but at times I am afraid that there is truth in her accusations).

I've only discovered in recent years that my mother is narcissistic, my sister is a completely different kind of narcissist, and my ex-wife - I guess she is a narc too. It was very hard for me to believe this. It can't be true that everyone around me is a narc. Maybe something is wrong with me. Maybe I label them this way because it's now very popular. But the truth is that I don't think so. The truth is that I guess I am a victim. Even as I write these lines, my heart refuses to believe it, but reason sees no other possibility. And yet, my eye is glancing at you, to make sure that you validate my words, that you agree, otherwise this whole post is worth nothing. I have only discovered in the last few years (I am 44) that my mother is narcissistic. I see how she behaves with my daughter (and with me) and it angers me anew each time. I had conversations with her in which I thought I was going crazy. I thought maybe she had a particularly low level of intelligence, but that contradicts my experience with her. I didn't understand what was happening there. I assume such conversations happened when I was younger too, but then I probably didn't know how to interpret them. In these conversations, I find myself explaining simple things to her at length and with great effort time and again and somehow the conversation always changes direction. Her answers are usually unrelated to the topic of the conversation or adhere to flawed logic. In no conversation did I really manage to reach an agreement with her. It just doesn't happen. This is just one example of many very diverse narcissistic behaviors that my mother has, but this behavior is among the most difficult, most strange, and most confusing. As a result, all my life I doubt my righteousness, my opinions, and even my desires. It is very hard for me to understand what I want from myself and from others. I don't know how to properly connect with myself and understand myself. I hope I am acquiring these tools now, through meetings with my psychologist and because of the awareness of my condition. My mother behaves the same with my daughter every time she sees her. Just an example from the last meeting: My daughter is writing in her school notebook. My mother laughs and tells her that she has the same uneven and not pretty handwriting as her cousin. My daughter is offended and answers she has pretty good handwriting and I obviously support her by saying it is very pretty indeed. Then my mom tells us that that’s exactly what she meant. Gaslighting again. I told her explicitly that she shouldn’t twist reality and we all understand exactly what she meant. Then I got the silent treatment with the change of tone which is so familiar. I married my dream woman about 9 years ago. She was gorgeous and special, but for me, she was the most beautiful woman in the world (and it's not an exaggeration - that's what I thought), in my eyes she was the smartest and funniest person ever. I felt that I had won her, I loved her madly and that I had received someone so out of my league, that I actually don’t deserve. I even told her that more than once. And yet, I was aware from the first month of our relationship, long before the wedding, of her extreme lack of empathy (in my eyes, and many friends do not agree with me on this). I suffer from panic attacks and an anxiety disorder that turned into agoraphobia. I am an excellently functioning father, I work and progress in my career, but of course, there are also difficulties, mainly avoidance of very open spaces, flights, and highways. She accepted this and I was grateful for that. But often, her reaction to my anxiety was odd and cold and in that, among other things, I felt the lack of empathy. I remember in the first months of our relationship I drove her to return a book to her friend. In the middle of the way, for some reason, I felt difficulty breathing. I didn't make a drama. I explained to her that I am in the middle of a panic attack, I am having difficulty breathing and I want to go back home. I really apologized and explained (while feeling that I have no air) that it is a panic attack and it will pass, but it will be really hard for me to continue. Her response was: "If you drive me there, it will be easier for you, you'll see." When she saw that it didn't work, she said: "Even if you drive me to the nearest bus station, it will still be easier for you." That didn't work either. She didn't think for a second to go back home with me (we were already living together). In the end, she was disappointed and decided to continue on her way to her friend to return the book and let me go back alone. I remember that this event made a strong impression on me. I think that no stranger who would see another person in respiratory distress (even if it is psychological) would leave him alone and certainly would not convince him to continue with the original plan anyway. It might have been good as CBT exposure therapy, but she didn't really know the principles of that. She just wanted to deliver the book to her friend no matter what. The manipulations happened so many times. Small lies to achieve things. Even her mother in one of her conversations with my mom told her that she was a little liar from early childhood ( I guess she meant manipulative). Well, I wasn't an angel either, I understood that she and I didn't get along and I wanted to leave so many times, but I was afraid to stay alone. I was afraid to lose her. I loved her very much and understood that I would never find a woman like her. So I probably manipulated too. Every few weeks I would talk to her about what bothered me and in the end, I would tell her that it didn't work out and we probably needed to separate. I would talk about separation. On the one hand, it's ugly manipulation, probably. Because I guess I didn’t really want to leave her. I think I’ve tried to make her behave more warmly, to be more empathetic towards me. But it didn't work of course. On the other hand, at the moments I talked about it, often I really wanted to leave. I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore. That I was lying to myself if I stayed with her. So not sure how much of it was manipulation and how much was my true wish. Anyway, the right thing to do for me was to decide by myself what I am doing and to commit to it, but not torment her with my decisions. So yes, for that I am guilty and ashamed. I was very weak and I was manipulative. In one of the conversations about our failing relationship at the beginning of our journey together, she took a knife and cut her veins. Across, of course, because she didn't really intend to commit suicide. I panicked. I took care of her, hugged her, promised that we would never part, but inside I trembled with fear. It was very big, very violent. Afterward, she took a bottle of whiskey and started drinking from the bottle, without a break. I tried to take it from her, she screamed at me. I was afraid to take it by force, so as not to be violent towards her, but I was also afraid that something would happen to her. I was in a terrible panic. I remember that in another fight, she stripped and sat crying on her knees on the floor. It was a strange act. Very manipulative. On the one hand, it is arousing, a kind of BDSM. Usually, it would turn me on very much, but I understood that it was abusive, manipulative. After all, I open my heart, talk about our problems, about what bothers me so much, try to find solutions and she just does it. Why? Why not just address the issues? Why turn it into some sexual drama? I’d love it as a foreplay, but not in the middle of a serious conversation about our relationship. In the end, she just told me that she was separating from me. We went to couples therapy, I tried to save it, but in vain. She was no longer with me. I am sure she already had someone else, although she claims she never cheated on me. She told me that she doesn't know why, but she feels nothing towards me. It ended somehow all at once. All the immense love she had for me suddenly stopped. I have no idea how it can happen - it was a shock for me. But to be honest, before the separation after the birth of our daughter a lot has changed for the worse. She became violent towards me and sort of apathetic towards our daughter. I guess she had postnatal depression. She would push me when she passed by me. I would ask her why, I felt helpless. After all, I wouldn't retaliate. She even didn’t share with me her feelings of sadness. Just closed completely. I tried to talk, but to no avail. There was no one to talk to. Just like with my mother. There was no attempt. I remember many times entering a dark room when she was sleeping with our daughter with a lit phone screen and she simply threw the phone out of my hand. Hard. It wasn't okay that the screen was lit, but the reaction was so violent and disproportionate it stunned me. Once she told me that her mother used to push her too, because she would bother her walking around the house from place to place and standing in her way and that's what she did to me. If I was standing and she was coming towards me to enter the kitchen, she would intentionally bump into me hard with her shoulder. After the separation, she accused me of silent treatment. I googled what it is, thought a lot, blamed myself, but in the end, it wasn't that. About two years after the separation I would blame myself for what I wasn't okay with. But no, I didn't give her any silent treatment. When I was angry, I told her I was angry. I stayed beside her, just quietly, sad. I told her explicitly that I couldn't smile and communicate as usual and it would pass me within a few hours. She knew exactly why I was angry, she knew that I was there and just not talking as usual for a few hours and she called it a silent treatment. She called it abuse. And it makes perfect sense: when she accused me, I cried, I felt terribly guilty, I wanted to die for what I did even 2 years after the divorce. But she knew she’d hurt me very much, because of my constant self blaming. That's how I grew up: doubting myself in everything. It took me some time to understand what silent treatment is and to understand that what I did is so much different. In the end, I explained everything to her in text messages. I wrote her a whole essay with proof that I didn't abuse her. To that she replied in one line: You were okay, I am angry because of the covid social distancing. That's it, that's what she answered. After the terrible screams in front of our daughter and the accusations for which I cried so much. And this week, she put a heating pad on our daughter and left it overnight without checking. Our daughter woke up with extensive burns from the ankle to the knee, some of them second-degree. She didn't go for medical treatment. She bought some ointment at a pharmacy (without the pharmacist seeing our daughter) and sent her to school, telling me to apply the ointment. When I saw the blisters in the evening, I was horrified. Of course, I called for advice from a nurse and the next day took her to receive treatment. They gave her an antibiotic ointment with steroids. I wrote to my ex-wife that I couldn't understand how this happened. I accused her, yes, but very lightly. Mainly, I was factual and reported on the medical treatment and what needed to be done. I also sent her a picture and asked if it had improved compared to the day before, and she didn't respond to any messages. She has an insane sensitivity to criticism, no matter what it's about. So she chooses when to reply to my messages and when to not reply. She can not reply for days, even important messages about our daughter and then out of a sudden be nice and reply and write normal text messages. Hot/cold treatment. The next day, my daughter called from there and said she felt a bit weak and asked if it was related to the burn, because I had told her that if there was an infection, she might feel tired and feverish and then it would need to be treated. I asked if the burn was red and hot and she said no, so I said it's probably just fatigue or a slight chill. In the background, I heard my ex-wife screaming about how dare I take her to the nurse without a face mask and expose her to coronavirus ( not directly to me, but to my daughter who talked to me over the phone and was confused). I responded that it's true, but on the other hand, no one there was wearing a face mask so I didn't even think about it. But the fury I heard and all this in front of my daughter was just so appalling. How is that at all proportionate? She's preventing me from taking our daughter to a psychologist and generally avoiding medical treatment. About two years ago, my daughter had a sore throat for several days without a runny nose. I asked my ex-wife if she had made an appointment with the doctor or should I, and she said yes, in 8 more days, because it didn't fit her work schedule. Even though I told her that prolonged throat pain could be streptococcus A and needed to be treated within 9 days, otherwise it could affect the heart. She didn't change the appointment. Of course, I went with her the next day to the doctor, and indeed it turned out to be streptococcus. There are quite a few more cases like this. I mean that is the exact lack of empathy I talked about: not taking my daughter to get medical treatment, not taking her to psychologist or other specialists (which I insisted and thank god she agreed). My daughter has ADHD and is dyslectic. Her self-esteem and social skills are quite low and I want to help her so much. I invite her classmates to our home, try to help her with new initiatives etc… It’s hard and professional help could help her a lot. My ex answered me: it’s ok, I had the same issues and I’m still alive (My ex had a very hard time growing up). So why does she want our daughter to experience this hardship too? I just don’t get it. As with my mom, I can’t have a logical serious conversation with her. The communication is highly non-effective. Though I can’t blame my ex for lack of logic or IQ: she’s a software engineer and manages a whole team of professionals at work. I wrote a lot because I wanted to vent, sorry for such a huge post. But in the end, it's clear to me that there's narcissistic behavior here. I think she fell in love with me (if it happened at all) not because of my depth as she claimed, but because I am a victim of another narcissist. You can feel it. You can feel it in my self-doubt, in fear, in constant self-blame. I suppose that was the reason. By the way, her mother is also a very difficult woman. With a severe problem of controlling anger, probably she too has some kind of personality disorder. My ex-wife was afraid of her. I remember when we were driving to them, I said to my ex-wife, don't worry, I'm there with you. It's been 5 and a half years since the divorce. I no longer love her. I loved her for a few years after the separation, but it's over. I think I hate her now. And it's very hard for me to realize that I was exploited. I was exploited for so many years. And as I write these lines, I say to myself: "What if you're the exploiter? Maybe you're complaining to get sympathy? Maybe all this is manipulation? And why did you describe your behavior in contrast of your ex? To show how good you are and how bad she is?" And again, the self-examination, the accusations. How do I get out of this? But I think yeah, I need the validation that I never got from anyone. I need the validation that I’m ok. That I am a good father. That I didn’t abuse my ex wife and she was just projecting her abusive behavior upon me. I don’t need you just to validate that I was abused. I need you to validate that I’m not an abuser. ( I guess I’m not, but at times I am afraid that there is truth in her accusations).

I would love to hear from folks on how to handle doctors being unwilling to listen to you - as well as if any folks had mixed flora results while symptomatic and was refused help?
Background: 42yr female - my last UTI prior to my recent bout was twenty years ago. I have struggled with other issues “down there” but UTI’s never crossed my mind.
Fast forward to September and I started having burning in my nether region along with intense bloating and pressure in my bladder and cramping. Went to my OB - they did testing which got lost so they treated me for BV (as it was what I had most recently) with a cream. I had no relief so I went back to the OB and they did the testing again including urine. It was sent to a regular lab and first came with a normal dipstick test then after 24 hours the culture came back saying “mixed flora” over 100,000. 48 hours later it came back with that same level and Strep B. The OB gave me Amoxcilian with Clav. The burning downstairs stopped and so did the gut pressure.
Beginning of October I shortly began having more acute pain, my hips were in a lot of pain. Where my c-section scar was felt numb. I could not even wear a seatbelt without pain. Especially on the left side I felt pain shooting up my side. I was having incredible pain after walking and nausea from the pain. I could not even sleep at night. Never in my life did I debate a trip to the ER until this time.
I went back to the OB and once again the dipstick test was normal, 24 hours later it came back with mixed flora at high levels, 48 hours later it came back with e-coli. They put me on Macrobid for five days. The edge was taken off ever so slightly but I still felt unwell, when I walked down my street it caused crazy pain up my left side, squatting would be super pain, my lower bladder area felt tender. I had zero appetite. Sitting for long periods stunk.
I went to my PCP and they just said “we have never seen this before” and gave me two more days of macrobid and told me to see a urologist. I made an appointment with a urologist but it was over a week away so I went back to the OB. They did a pelvic ultrasound which was normal. My urine first was normal then it came back mixed flora. No additional results. I went back again - mixed flora and then 48 hours later Strep B again.
I was beyond frustrated so I had the doctor on call at the OB office paged that weekend. She first said she was going to put me back on Amoxicillin. I was like why is no one paying attention to the mixed flora?! Clearly I have multiple and need broader specturm antibiotics. I read Keflex could work for negative gram and positive gram bacteria so I asked the OB for it - she agreed to give it to me for a week.
Within a little over 24 hours I was hungry for the first time in a month (could my gut be involved?!) within 48 hours the pain improved. At the end of the week I was able to buckle my seatbelt, walk etc - it was still tender but the doctors assured me that was just leftover inflammation.
During the week of Keflex I did see a urologist - well nurse at a urologist office. She had me do a CT scan which was normal, and an ultrasound of my bladder which was normal. She said she thought I was fine. This brings me to the end of October. The OB let me retest as I had an incredibly painful period and could not tell cramps from UTI symptoms and the urine was clear - I was shocked but happy. I started taking uQora at the time and had discomfort so I had my urine tested again by a more advanced lab that was clear. I stopped the uQora and within a few days I felt better. I had about three to four weeks or so where I felt normal. I was still shocked to be honest - but tried to enjoy it.
Enter beginning of December. It started with my pants feeling tight, then my hips and sides started to burn. The pressure got more intense. I tried to stay calm and hydrate, do additional probiotics and not sit as much during the work day. The pain got worse - for the first time I had to pee more often - then after peeing my bladder would spasm with a lot of pain. Then it became constant pain, hurt to sit, could not sleep etc.
I went back to the OB. They tested my urine and dipstick was normal as always. Then it came back with high levels of mixed flora. (I did everything I could to get a clean sample including showering right before I drove over - as this is what I did for the two clean urines I had). Nothing else came back. Thankfully the OB office gave me Keflex - this time at double the dose and for ten days. Same as before I felt better after 24 hours. I know antibiotics can be anti-inflammatory but AmoxClav and Macrobid never gave me much relief, nor did NSAIDS.
The OB also gave me Estrogen Cream - but with cancer in my family I have not started it. Hormones are no joke.
I did a telehealth with the urologist nurse. She told me I did not have an infection, it was just contamination. I said but this was pretty much exactly like my prior tests - she said I need to be open to other possibilities and that it is just my pelvic floor. I argued and she gave me Hiprex for three months - she was not happy about it and told me to no longer see her but a doctor there. I made a follow up for March.
My OB said I should see a UroGyno - so I went to see one of them as well. The appointment started with “I know what is wrong with you but go ahead” Her mind was made up. She did not look at the two pages of notes I handed her. She goes “this is triggered by sex right” I said no - I had not been active since the BV in May (eight months). She did not listen and kept asking me about sex to the point where I asked if my husband needed to come in to verify. She tried to tell me this would always happen the week prior to my period from the damage from the antibiotics - even though I had a pain free period and clean urine in November, and in December it started two weeks prior. She tried to tell me no white cells in my urine meant no infection - but agreed I had an infection in October (when none of the dipstick tests showed white cells). That mixed flora is just contamination. She said it was just my pelvic floor. She even said Strep B can’t cause a UTI! It was wild. I got extremely frustrated and asked to leave.
Where I stand now - the OB won’t treat me for a recurrent UTI as that is not their speciality, my PCP will not either, the urologist does not think I have recurrent UTIs and the Hiprex will run out soon, the UroGyno probably now thinks I am crazy. I don’t want to go back to suffering and unable to do a lot with my kids or missing work- and am terrified.
Things I do: Rephresh Cranberry Supplement, back on Uqora defend with d-mannose, Rephresh probiotic. Hydrated. I work from home so I am in literally cotton boxers all day. No sex. My hygiene is great.
I have a PPO so I can see any doctor without issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thank you if you read my long rant!

So I was able to go through a telehealth doctor to discreetly get a prescription for my UTI. They initially gave me Macrobid. My last UTI didn’t clear up with it and it made me sick, but it’s normally the first choice any doctor I go to chooses, so I just tried it again. I took it up until the last 3 pills but I was so sick and wasn’t getting better so I reached out to the doctor and they gave me Bactrim. Another one I previously hadn’t had luck with but they disregarded my request for something new. I took Bactrim two times a day for 7 days and my symptoms did weaken but didn’t completely go away. Now they’re worsening again. I can’t go to the gynecologist whenever I need to, so I tried to request one more antibiotic from the telehealth doctor before I put in an order for a urinalysis, but they denied my request and said I needed to see a provider. Then I found out Amazon has their own doctors and pharmacies so I explained my situation and the doctor prescribed my fosfomycin.
I’ve never heard of or used this antibiotic before. Does anyone know if it’s stronger than Bactrim and Macrobid? What the side effects are like? Bactrim doesn’t give me side affects but Macrobid made me absolutely sick every. day.
Is it good for people with typically resistant UTIs? I’m a little turned off by it because it’s not a pill, it’s a powder that I have to measure out twice a day and mix into water to take it. This just seems a little weird to me.
I also ordered some D-Mannose. I heard it can greatly improve antibiotics success at treating a UtI and some how speed up the process? has anyone else used this before? I saw some people / studies saying it can actually flush out a UTI on its own. But i have a feeling mine is too far gone to be treated with just that. But will it maybe help this resistant and pesky uti go away?

Hi everyone, I am a 27 y/o female that has had 20+ UTI's since December 2021. I am also trying to work full time and am also in grad school so dealing with constant UTI's on top of everything else has been very rough. I have seen multiple urologists, one urogynecologist, and two infectious disease doctors in my area and no one is helping. One urologist referred me back to my GP and wrote that I "need psychological evaluation because I seem to have an obsession with urinary tract infections" (as if it is my brain's fault for having all these UTI's??), another flat out told me he has "no idea why I keep getting all of these infections but hopefully they go away" (yeah, same here). Infectious disease doctors have been extremely unhelpful too, they just tell me that being on so many antibiotics is bad (I know but what else am I supposed to do then?) The doctors have also said I have overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis but I believe both of those are BS diagnoses that they are trying to label me with because they are refusing to admit that 1) I have had 20+ confirmed UTI's and 2) they have no idea how to treat me so it's easier to just label my problems as something else. I've had two cystoscopies and those have both came back fine.
I also had endometriosis excision surgery on September 12. I was hoping that would solve all of these issues but it hasn't. I have had 5 UTI's with multiple different bacteria since then. The last infectious disease doctor I saw is also trying to say that my symptoms are due to endometriosis but that makes no sense to me because these infections have gotten worse even after having all my endometriosis removed. That same doctor also told me that "enterococcus does not form biofilms" (I suspect I have an enterococcus biofilm since I have been battling that bacteria since May 2023). Pretty funny how all the health journals and research I have done says that enterococcus does indeed form biofilms. He also told me to stop taking probiotics despite the research saying that it can help prevent UTI's. Once again, the doctors around here do not care to research or help patients. This has absolutely exhausted me because I feel like why am I even bothering going to these doctors who are telling me incorrect information or say I have psychological issues. I am not trying to sound arrogant but I feel like I know more about my body and UTI's than they do since I've actually taken the time to research and try to figure out the root of all of this.
Here is the list of all the UTI's I have had in order:
12/29/21- Group B Strep
1/31/22- Group B Strep
2/19/22- Enterobacter cloacae + streptococcus viridians
4/29/22- Group B Strep
5/21/22- Group B Strep
6/9/22- UTI but unknown the exact kind of bacteria
7/6/22- Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
11/19/22- Klebsiella Pneumoniae ESBL
12/29/22- UTI but unknown the exact kind of bacteria
1/19/23- Viridans group strep
1/27/23- fungal UTI
4/3/23- Alloscardovia Omnicolens
4/14/23- Morganella Morganii and yeast
5/24/23- Enterococcus faecalis
6/16/23- Enterococcus faecalis
6/29/23- Enterobacter cloacae + E Coli
8/22/23- Enterococcus faecalis
9/19/23- Klebsiella
10/3/23- Klebsiella + Enterococcus
10/23/23- Klebsiella, Enterococcus, and Enterobacter
12/2/23- E Coli
12/27/23- Enterococcus
1/4/24- E Coli
I have done everything I can to prevent these. Here is what I have tried:
-Currently taking nightly dose of Macrobid that urology put me on. Have been taking since mid October.
-Hiprex with vitamin C (also currently taking)
-Tons of different supplements (cranberry PACS, d-mannose, olive leaf extract, oregano extract, monolaurin, NAC, collodial silver, uva ursi, garlic, zinc, vitamin D, Cystex drink, corn silk, magnesium, probiotics, Buchu leaf, marshmallow root)
-Am extremely careful with my hygiene, I wipe properly, shower immediately after bowel movements, wash my underwear and towels with laundry sanitizer, iron my underwear, change my underwear twice a day, only wear cotton underwear and no tight clothing, etc.
-Have avoided chicken and sugar because I have read that both of those can cause UTI? Not sure that's helping though since I'm still getting these infections
-Drink lots of water every day
-Currently in pelvic floor physical therapy (my PT is the one doctor in my area that has been fantastic and is extremely empathetic towards all of this that I have gone through)
-Just started seeing a functional medicine doctor who did vaginal microbiome testing. Waiting for results of that to come back.
I am so tired of living like this. I just want to be happy and healthy again and move past this. If anyone has any advice please let me know. I am moving to San Antonio in June (thank goodness because I am beyond done with the area I live haha) so I'm hoping to see Dr. Hlavinka when I move since he seems up to date on testing and research unlike every doctor in the area where I currently live. I'm actually going to call his office today and see if he hopefully offers telemedicine until I move down there.
I am so sorry to anyone who has gone through this UTI battle too. I don't understand why the doctors continue to dismiss us instead of actually trying to help. Thank you if you read all of this and sorry it was so long lol
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