I hope that all are as well as our illness allows. Hopefully, I am now out of my bladder infection after taking three courses of antibiotics. I was pretty sure that all of this can be put down to me using so much caffeine - I am mad keen on tea. But as I seem to slip into these infections after I have more than one ‘real’ tea a day, I decided to stick to just having this one. I have often read that caffeine is an “irritant”, but my question to the forum is, why this irritant can cause a full blown infection? Cranberry juice can also be classed as an irritant, because it acts by not allowing an infection to take hold. I am completely foxed!
l think it is because caffeine irritates and opens the bladder wall to infection - cranberry l thought coated the bladder and neutralised the urine.
l love my tea - but have taken to drinking Red Bush T - l did not like it at first - but now l am hooked on it and drink loads - lt is naturally caffeine free. l buy Tetley’s Red Bush. lt is very clean tasting - very refreshing and high in anti-oxydents.
l do treat myself to a proper cup of coffee first thing in the morning - by proper l mean expresso made in a cafeteire and l even froth the milk - can’t stand instant - it doesn’t even smell like coffee.
To-day l have converted 3 visitors to Red Bush. The local painter/builder - and a couple of neighbours. They have all gone off with a handful of sample t bags. So its on the list for the Tesco shop. l only buy tetleys. For men with prostate probs - it helps by not sending them back and forth to the loo day and night. lts lovely with a slice of lemon as well as a drop of milk.
The bags are quite strong - so don’t leave them in the cup for more then a few seconds - unless you like strong tea - l think l could make 3cups out of 1 bag.
Yes, I love red bush tea now and have a lot of it, though an occasional ‘real’ cuppa is a treat! I take cranberry capsules, mainly because there isn’t a much sugar as the drink and I do think they help a little! In my earler message to the forum, I’ve also mentioned that I recently had 4 infections. It may be worth checking you are emptying your bladder properly, as my GP suggested a bladder scan which revealed I was retaining some urine (probably caused by the bladder urgency tablets I was taking). Hope this helps. Spike x
i love my coffee too , think it saves my families lives sometimes
i was diagnosed with MS in 2002, i have had same issue with bladder infection and i had scan, basically bladder doesn’t empty properly so stale urine causes infection, i found drinking - lemon barley water rather then cranberry juice helps as well as taking time when go. i tense and relax lower muscle to try make sure bladder empties more and by doing that i’ve had no bladder infection for months now.
Also was told too much cranberry juice causes stones.
I haven’t taken medication to help as none was offered anyway.
Hello Patrick, Trish, Frances, Pat, Teresa, Spike and Wendz,
Thank you all for replying to my post. I am still feeling well now that I am keeping off the caffeine. I feel a bit of a numpty now that it is clear that it was my own fault for giving myself the bug. I said as much to the pharmacist who kept on giving me one anti-bi prescription after the other - he gave me a smirk - free on the NHS!
Spike, I already have bladder scans pretty regularly because I don’t empty fully and I also self catheterise three times a day.
Wendz, I had no idea that cranberry juice gives us stones. This gives me another solid gold reason to avoid it as it also gives me painful acne for some reason.
Frances & Pat,
I must admit that I am not that keen on red bush tea and I prefer pineapple juice or similar. I used to like R.B., but for some mysterious reason my stomach doesn’t likie it any more.
I was advised by my nurse to avoid caffine because it makes it harder for me to pee. Since it’s already hard for me to pee, I just smiled and nodded then continued drinking whatever I want.