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rdmc - Methenamine Hippurate

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    rdmc - Methenamine Hippurate

    rdmc
    I also use a prescribed med called Methenamine Hippurate which was suggested by the University Urologist
    I didn't want to hijack another thread but did want to ask you about your experience with Methenamine Hippurate.

    Would you mind sharing any pros or cons you have experienced while using Methenamine Hippurate?

    I have dealt with UTIs since the age of 4, I'm now 52. The majority of my childhood was spent with Urologists and on medication for UTIs.

    I was cathed many, many, many times by the time I was 11 years old (cathing stretches the Urethra) to try and help retention. Cathing never made a difference and my last Urologist, as a kid, told my mother not to let any doctor do that to me, it was not necessary, painful and would not help. So, just treating the UTIs became the normal.

    I am tired of dealing with UTIs. They are not as frequent as when I was a kid but I am still very prone to them. The problem I run into now is many times I can't feel that I have a UTI <sigh>

    Anyway, I have considered asking for Methenamine Hippurate in the hopes I might avoid UTIs, for the most part.

    Your experience with this medication would be much appreciated.
    Diagnosed 1984
    “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

    #2
    I take this medication, and it has cut down on the frequency of UTIs. I have not experienced any side effects from it. I also take a daily cranberry pill. I take it (methenamine) twice a day, 500 mg each time. My urologist also suggested taking it with vitamin C to aid with absorption.
    hunterd/HuntOP/Dave
    volunteer
    MS World
    hunterd@msworld.org
    PPMS DX 2001

    "ADAPT AND OVERCOME" - MY COUSIN

    Comment


      #3
      Hey Snoopy,

      I'm like Hunterd...I've done well with the med, very few side effects. And I'm like you, I can't always feel one coming on, in fact I won't have any of the "normal" symptoms, until it is well established.

      That's why I use those test strips quite often. First to make sure I don't have a UTI and secondly to monitor the acidic level of the urine. (quite inexpensive when bought on Amazon...just search UTI test strips...they're about $15 for 100, and they test 10 parameters, versus the AZO strips that only test Leukocytes and Nitrites and are 10 bucks for 3.)

      I take 1 GM of Methamine Hippurate, 2 times a day. It was prescribed by the "head honcho" uro in the area. He heads the urologiy department at the university med school.

      As I said, I have hardly any side effects with the Methenamine. My one symptom was a mild rash, and that is normal with this med. and lessened over time as I used the med longer.

      I also supplement with Vitamin C...I just use as much as I need to keep my ph low. I probably pop 1000 mg of Vitamin C every few hours. I take d-mannose because the uro tells me it can't hurt, and might help. And of late I've used the Theracran, just because the uro suggested it, but it's pricey. She thought it might reduce the number of vitamin C I'd need to stay acidic, but I don't think that's what's happening. Oh, and also a probiotic.

      Anyhoo, the best part about the Methenamine is the bacteria does not get resistent to it because it's not an antibiotic, but an antimicrobial. I've had a few infections where the bacteria were resistant to everything except IV antibiotics, so I have to check into the hospital for a few days. I'm allergic to a slew of the UTI antibiotics also...probably because I've used them so often. So between resistent "bugs" and allergies to meds, it's really become a problem I've had to stay alert about.

      Sounds like you've had more than your share of UTIs, and the thing that I've had such a hard time communicating to the urologist is when I (we MSers) get a UTI, the MS goes to "H" "E" double hockey sticks, in a handbag

      I keep sterile cups and BZK wipes at home, so if my urologist is in the office, I can just drop off a sterile sample for a culture, but if not I go to a walk in. I have a few different antibiotics that the uro has me keep on hand, so I don't go to get antibiotics, I go to drop off the urine to get it cultured. Then once I've dropped a sample for a culture, I start on one of the antibiotics, until the culture comes in. Blue Giraffe and I have had a few discussions about this, but we've gotten some UTIs caused by bacteria that are unusual to find outside a hospital/nursing home setting. What's with that we have no idea.

      Definitely talk to your doc about it...it couldn't hurt and I really hope it helps you. Not a fun problem to have, and I probably seem a little paranoid about UTIs, but anybody whose read about the evolution of UTIs that are resistant to more and more meds, realize it's a sobering problem, in addition to it's just a hassle when you get them often.

      P.S. one more thing, Cystex, which is OTC, has some Methenamine Hippurate in it, I just don't know what dose.

      I just reread my post and it looks like I wrote you a novel, not a simple answer to a question...sorry

      Comment


        #4
        Thank you hunterd and rdmc for the information provided about your own experiences with Methamine, I really appreciate it.

        rdmc, I have used the AZO test strips in the past and find they are pretty much useless. Sometimes the results (positive and negative) would match up with my Doctors, sometimes not.

        I will search Amazon for test strips and see if the results are better than what I have found with the Azo strips.
        Diagnosed 1984
        “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

        Comment


          #5
          I never feel it coming on, but I know right way from the scent and the way it is cloudy. I have never heard of those test strips. are they OTC?
          hunterd/HuntOP/Dave
          volunteer
          MS World
          hunterd@msworld.org
          PPMS DX 2001

          "ADAPT AND OVERCOME" - MY COUSIN

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by hunterd View Post
            I never feel it coming on, but I know right way from the scent and the way it is cloudy. I have never heard of those test strips. are they OTC?
            The test strips are OTC. AZO is the only brand I have found in stores but as I mentioned they have not been very accurate. AZO is found in the female hygiene isle.

            What rdmc is talking about is test strips you can buy on Amazon.com which are cheaper and I am guessing, better than AZO brand.

            I have gone several months with a UTI before I go get checked "on a hunch" simply because my MS starts acting up <sigh>
            Diagnosed 1984
            “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

            Comment


              #7
              I've been in both of your situations. My spasticity might be getting worse...so I check. Or like hunterd, it's the cloudiness and odor that lets me know.

              I know it messes with our spasticity because whenever I go in to have my pump adjusted up due to increased spasticity, the first question they ask is, "Are you sure you don't have a UTI?" Because if I did the spasticity could just be coming from that and I don't really need a pump increase, but to clear the UTI.

              Here's a link...these are the same strips you see them use in the doctor's office. My uro told me about them because I had been using AZO and they're soooo expensive. There are different times to check certain parameters, i.e. you compare the colors for leukocytes at 2 minutes, but the color for many of the other parameters at 60 seconds...it's all explained in the directions.

              http://www.amazon.com/Phinex-Paramet...ti+test+strips

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by rdmc View Post
                I've been in both of your situations. My spasticity might be getting worse...so I check. Or like hunterd, it's the cloudiness and odor that lets me know.

                I know it messes with our spasticity because whenever I go in to have my pump adjusted up due to increased spasticity, the first question they ask is, "Are you sure you don't have a UTI?" Because if I did the spasticity could just be coming from that and I don't really need a pump increase, but to clear the UTI.

                Here's a link...these are the same strips you see them use in the doctor's office. My uro told me about them because I had been using AZO and they're soooo expensive. There are different times to check certain parameters, i.e. you compare the colors for leukocytes at 2 minutes, but the color for many of the other parameters at 60 seconds...it's all explained in the directions.

                http://www.amazon.com/Phinex-Paramet...ti+test+strips

                Thanks so much for the info! I have to be ever so vigilant about UTIs now, after the serious complications I've had as a result of them. I've gotten some that went south before I've even noticed any symptoms. Like Snoopy, I've found the AZO strips pretty much useless.

                Figured out the correlation between spasticity & infections myself after the drs. kept ordering an increase in my pump every time I was in the hospital with another bad infection. Then I'd be back at my drs. shortly thereafter to get it lowered. Now I add oral baclofen for awhile before I'll commit to getting my pump adjusted.

                Wishing everyone well,
                Kimba

                “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

                Comment

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