cranberry juice vs. cranberry capsules

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been having recurrent UTI's for several years and am becoming resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. A friend/co worker suggested taking cranberry capsules QD. I would really love to do this as I am becoming SICK of drinking juice all the time. Have any of you heard of this? If so, how do they compare to juice? Thanks for any input.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

a great resource to treat recurrent UTI's may be no further than your local Midwife or WHNP (women's health care NP)...or a naturopath. These people can help you come up with a NON antibiotic plan to combat and prevent UTI's. I can't say the cranberry supplements are equal to the juice for sure, but I believe they DO have worth. If this is as big as problem as all that, try the naturopath/NP/CNM route! Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU.

Hi Belinda...my sister-in-law has suffered horrible UTI's for years. She went to a naturopath last year and he suggested Cranberry caps (available at any health food store) She's had no recurrence since!

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Cranberry tablets!! What a great idea! I have never heard of them. I also have frequent problems with UTIs, very bothersome. In the past I would drink a lot of cranberry juice to help treat the infection, but I really dislike the high sugar content in the juice to get the medicinal effects. I found a few websites with info on cranberry tablets and their effects on UTIs.

http://mdri.com/cranberr.htm

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/alt/cranberry_faq.htm

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Cranberry caps are good.

Cotton underwear and NO tub baths help too. And try to avoid the "Nurse's Clinical Bladder" also.

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What is the Nurses Clinical Bladder????????????

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Specializes in home health.

Not taking the time to pee....

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I HAVE ALSO HEARD OF WOMEN HAVING RECURRENT UTI'S B/C THEIR HUSBANDS CARRY THE INFECTION AND DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE IT. MEN CAN CARRY A UTI AND NEVER KNOW THAT THEY HAVE IT. HIS PARTNER RECEIVES THE GERMS DURING SEX CAUSING A UTI. SHE IS SYMPTOMATIC, TAKES ANTIBIOTICS, GETS WELL, HAS SEX.....IT'S A VICIOUS

DEFINITELY AVOID THE NURSES CLINICAL BLADDER (NURSES ARE WELL KNOWN FOR HAVING A BLADDER MADE OF STEEL AND WON'T PEE FOR A WHOLE SHIFT OR EVEN ONE WHOLE DAY....WAITING TOO LONG TO PEE AND STRETCHING OUT THE BLADDER). IF YOU HOLD YOUR URINE FOR A LONG TIME... YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO HARBOR BACTERIA CAUSING A UTI. ALSO, AS COMMON SENSE AND NURSING SCHOOL WILL TELL YOU .... LADIES SHOULD WIPE FROM FRONT TO BACK. CLEAN "DOWN THERE" BEFORE AND AFTER SEX. IF YOU ALREADY KNEW THIS .... SORRY FOR SOUNDING LIKE A KNOW IT ALL.... JUST THOUGHT I'D PASS THE INFO ON TO SOMEONE.

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well what good is a cranberry tablet, I mean it doesnt go with vodka at all!

I want to get a lil buzz while preventing UTI's thanks..

actually one of my co workers takes cranberry tabs or capsules or whatever they are and she said they work like a charm , no UTI's , give it a try!

damn us and our shorter urethras!

UTI's are a pain...

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We have been usung them in the nursing home setting for 12 months now to see if they reduce the UTI rate in the elderly.

they have been great !!! Stats showed an 85% drop in the UTI rates in the last 12 months and our ladies that get them on a regular basis have been UTI free.

I'd give it a go, the AB's just start the vicious thrush cycle.

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I suffer from frequent UTIs as well and have done well with the capsules. I take four a day, sometimes more if I think something is going on down there.

Much easier to find and easier to palate than unsweetend cranberry juice! :x

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

The commercial cranberry juices on the market do very little, if any, good because of the high sugar content and lack of purity. If you want results, go for the caps, or make sure you buy the pure cranberry juice at a health food store (check the labels). Of course, the tabs are cheaper, and if you're like me and absolutely HATE the taste of cranberries, they go down a lot easier. Just be sure to take enough (2-3 tabs TID if you're having UTI problems, maybe 1 BID or TID for maintenance). We used these in the nursing home for people who had continuous UTIs, and they really reduced the frequency and severity of infection.

Just my 2 cents' worth.............

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