Hiprex - antibacterial for UTIs

Everyday living
1

Hello all

For all of the last year, I’ve suffered from UTIs, seemingly non-stop. I get the right antibiotics, cure the infection, then a week later I have another. It seems the bacteria alternate between e.coli and enterococcus. I’ve tried prophylactic antibiotics and even though the bacteria are supposedly sensitive to the particular antibiotic (Nitrofurantoin) I still keep getting the pesky infections.

So, when I saw my urologist a few weeks ago she suggested two things. The first is an antibacterial drug called Hiprex (Methenamine). The idea of it is that when mixed with acidic urine, it turns into formaldehyde!! This then creates an uninhabitable zone for bacteria, hence no more UTIs.

Has anyone tried it? I’ve been taking it together with Vitamin C tablets (to create the appropriately acidic urine) for two weeks now. It’s OK, tastes like poison, but is probably doing the job, at least, I have no UTI (I tested it yesterday). But my urethra feels a bit sore and like I want to wee an awful lot of the time. I’m not sure whether the acidity or the formaldehyde is irritating my urethra.

The second thing she suggested was a vaccine called Uromune, it’s something that’s been used in Spain for several years and is being tested in the U.K. It is available here on a private prescription, and is something I might try if the Hiprex isn’t going to do the job.

This is the link to the information I’ve been given: https://westsussexurology.co.uk/clinical_service/recurrent-urinary-tract-infections-including-uromune/

Has anyone tried any of these? I’ve also been given Ovestin Oestrogen cream to use - again to prevent UTIs by changing the environment, making it less hospitable to bacteria.

I’d be really interested if anyone has used Hiprex particularly.

Thanks

Sue

2

Hi Sue

All I can say is that I had a bad Enterococal uti in February this year. Every time I finished the 7 day week’s course of Nitrofurantoin the uti came back. Then I tried Nitrofurantoin for 21 days without a break and since the end of February I have been ok. The GP was going to try Amoxicillin if that failed.

Marty

3

Hi Sue

I have had my SPC nearly 2 years now, just use a Flipflo technique. It has certainly been more favourable to the previous urethral job… which gave me UTi’s! & needed to be changed every 9 days. Thankfully I have not had any trouble with the SPC.

If I ever suspected an UTi I have Nitrofurantoin on tap, to take. Interesting reading of Susie Venn Urologist… saw her initially with my ms bladder issues Hiprex new to me. I rely on your knowledge with this ms business!

Good luck with it.

4

I had an SPC for 6 months and had a UTI pretty much the whole time. Once it was removed, I spent well over a year with no infections, even doing ISC all the time. It’s just been since December last year that I’ve been suffering infection after infection. It might be that all I need is to go a few months killing off any bacteria, then I’ll be back on track with a UTI free system. Hope so.

I’ll keep the forum informed as to Hiprex etc. (I see Susie Venn too as well as Angela Birnie.)

Sue