Several weeks ago, just as the floods were happening, I was reminded of what life with a UTI feels like.
Just as the UTI started creeping up, the panic kicked in. UTIs trigger an uncontrollable fear inside of me because I know what’s coming – the pain, wakeful nights, endless hours sitting on the toilet and general despair. I used to get UTIs ALL the time when I was in my teens and early 20s and hadn’t had one for over 5 years.
While I sat on the toilet awake through the night, trying to position the hot water bottle to relieve the pain, I thought of all my clients and women who still suffer daily from recurrent UTIs.
I felt a new sense of urgency to remind all my fellow women who suffer from UTIs that you do not have to live with this condition. When you treat the root cause, you finally get to rid yourself of recurrent UTIs. Unfortunately, treating the root cause isn’t always easy while pregnant. There are naturopathic treatments that can’t be used while pregnant, so often, pregnant women are left wondering what is safe and effective.
D-mannose was a lifesaver for me while I was treating my UTI.
In simple terms, D-mannose is a naturally occurring type of sugar related to the better-known sugar – glucose. D-mannose is found in several fruits and vegetables, including cranberries, apples, oranges, peaches, broccoli and green beans. However, you can purchase D-mannose as a supplement for a more effective treatment. D-mannose works by preventing E.coli (the bacteria responsible for 90% of UTIs) to attach itself to the urinary tract mucus membranes (cells). D-mannose is believed to be as effective as the antibiotic treatment for recurrent UTIs (Lenger, et. al., 2020). Despite some people still needing antibiotics to prevent urinary tract infections travelling up to the kidneys.
Is D-mannose safe to take during pregnancy?
D-mannose works by preventing E. coli bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary system and has been clinically proven to be safe for use during pregnancy. However, it only works when combating E. coli and so has no efficacy when another pathogen causes the UTI. Functional testing is recommended for women experiencing recurrent UTIs. In addition, d-mannose may cause diarrhoea in some people. Before using D-mannose, people with diabetes (including gestational diabetes) are warned to speak with a healthcare practitioner.
D-mannose dosage during pregnancy
Most people who have suffered from recurrent UTIs have heard of D-mannose but sometimes are not taking the adequate dosage needed for therapeutic effects. In addition, there are specific dosage recommendations for women who are either pregnant with an acute UTI flare-up or a UTI remission. Therefore, I highly recommend you book in to speak with one of our experienced naturopaths. If you need a discovery call, please reach out so one of our friendly staff can answer your concerns. BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION HERE.
CAUTION: If you are pregnant, notice blood in your urine or experience any fevers, back pain or nausea, you need to speak with your doctor immediately. Untreated urinary tract infections can lead to foetus abnormalities.