Question:
ARE POST-OP'S MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS ?

I WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A URINARY TRACT INFECTION AND COULDN'T HELP NOTICING THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANOTHER QUESTION ASKED RECENTLY IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE. [I'VE ALSO RECENTLY BEEN RATHER DEHYDRADED]. THEREFORE MY QUESTION IS ARE WE POST-OP'S MORE PRONE TO THESE TYPES OF INFECTIONS ?    — Sherry S. (posted on March 20, 2002)

March 19, 2002
I did not have a uninary tract infection after WLS. However I had surgery in sept for something else and got UTI probably from having the catheter in too long. I think anytime a Cath is use it increases the possibility of UTI. Clearing the infection was no big deal.
   — Rose A.

March 19, 2002
I am VERY prone to urinary tract infections and have found a cheap and painless way to treat it. I also told my Mom about it and she now does it. If anyone has this problem and would like to try it, email me. I don't think it is appropriate to explain "how" I do it on this forum. But I would be happy to explain in an email should someone want to know.
   — Danmark

March 19, 2002
I haven't had UTI's post op, but I was getting several of them a few years back. It was so bad that I was afraid to drink because of how it hurt when I peed. That turned out to be aggravating the problem. Dehydration is the culprit, so if you increase your fluid intake, I'll bet it stops being a problem.
   — GGinMA

March 19, 2002
Regina is right. Dehydration is the problem. When you're drinking enough, you flush out the bacteria that lurk in your urinary system as you pee. So up the water intake and you shouldn't have many problems in the future. Good luck.
   — Danette H.

March 19, 2002
I dont' recall seeing how far post op you are. If you got the UTI right after surgery the culprit would be the catheter you had in your bladder. The catheter is a freeway for bacteria to settle into your bladder. Other items to keep in mind when dealing with UTI's (as to if related to WLS I don't know): 1. Dehydration (everyone's mentioned that :-)and is very true. 2. For females, are you wiping your self front to back after urinating? Your bowel movement has bacteria that are part of the normal digestion process. The urinary system is "sterile" If a woman wipes back to front she gives the bacteria in the rectal area a "free ride" to the urinary area. 3. Prior to sex a woman should drink some fluid, empty bladder and then urinate immediately after sex. Bacteria are exchanged during sex, same principle are number 2, leading to UTI's (this is common with new sex partners and Emergency Rooms call it the Honeymoon UTI:-) 4. Your decrease in nutrition may be causing your immunity to be down, thus more likely to become infected (with any "bug" around" Hope this helps.
   — Brenda F.