Hello I am post treatment just on Letrazole. I have had 5 Urinary Tract infections since the new year, and am on none-hormonal creams for the pain and vaginal soreness. Anyone any ideas how to deal with the infections without antibiotics, (which I am quite happy to take,) and also now being offered prophylactic antibiotics, again quite happy to have if it will help. Has anyone else experience of this please, my GP said as all my oestrogen is being mopped up by the Letrazole it will be a common problem for me. Any advice on the best creams?
Thanks
Di
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Hi @dianeta you could try d-mannose tablets. D-Mannose is basically a fruit sugar so not a drug and is sticky stuff so lines the wall of the bladder so any bacteria, which might cause a UTI, can’t get a grip and is then expelled when you have a wee. I’ve used it myself. Usually a tablet twice a day for 3-4 days can make a big difference. You can get them from pharmacies, health food shops like Holland & Barrett but I get bags of it from Amazon which works out cheaper. When I started Letrozole I had issues with vaginal dryness and UTIs but didn’t want to swap on to Tamoxifen in order to use Vagifemme so controlled it with Hyalofemme vaginal cream and d-Mannose and haven’t had a problem for over a year.
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Hello there , that is miserable . I would also second what a @Tigress has said about the D-Mannose . I get mine from a firm called SC Nutra - I once asked them at the firm if it interacted with anything medication wise and have been told that it doesn’t . I’ve tried the hyalofemme and it helps but I prefer Bio Activ pessaries ( the menopause ones ) which I know are available at Boots . Also though it’s an old fashioned thing lemon barley water - not the other flavours as it can help with the symptoms and if you can avoid coffee orange juice and cranberry juice ( yes avoid cranberry ) that will help as well . Xx
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Have you asked about oestrogen pessaries such as Vagifem? I have TNBC so there are no oestrogen considerations, but my consultant told me she was happy for ER+ patients to use them too as very little goes into the blood. I had vaginal atrophy and UTIs post-menopause and cannot imagine what life would be like without this treatment.
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I think it depends on your oncologist to be honest. I was er+ 8/8 so mine wouldn’t consider any estriol or estradiol products on an AI although she would have considered it for er+ people if they were on Tamoxifen. I did not want to come off the gold standard AET for postmenopausal women so couldn’t have it and actually didn’t need it as it was dryness as opposed to atrophy. I think more are becoming more accepting of things after recent research shows minimal absorption of oestrogen from vaginal products but certainly not all.
I have the same problem of frequent UTIs, so reading these replies with interest. I’m currently on 3 months low dose antibiotics. Did the DMannose cause any bowel upsets as that’s listed as a side effect? I developed microscopic colitis after my chemo, so try to avaoid anything that would cause diarrhoea. Thanks.
It hasn’t for me @Chrissy19. I have long-standing stomach issues which have not been impacted by d-mannose. I have not had bowel problems.
Thank you
Me too!! Although I have now been moved from Letrozole to Exemestane but same uti problems. I was on a low dose once daily anti biotic earlier in the year & no problem but since then uti started. I only get frequency & urgency but thats still horrible. Have started D-Mannose as when I worked in Urology it is recommended but wasn’t quite sure on me taking it. Good news so far…
Hello, Thank you for your reply, Ide not heard of this before so have been interested to read up about it, am open to any suggestions to ease this niggling pain and soreness. I hope you are well
Diane
Hi thank you, have looked this up and am going to give it a try, hope you are well
Diane
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Thank you My mum used to drink lemon barley water by the bottle she swore by its health benefits, maybe she was right am going to buy some and some D mannose
Thanks
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Hi Thank you, my oncologist and surgeon are against oestrogen as it the GP but am reading that some doctors now believe the benefits outway the risks. Thanks hope you are well
Hope you get some improvement xx
I meant to say try the Hyalofemme or the pessaries as well - you go onto the Hyalofemme website they will send you a free sample . Xx
Do your own research Dineta …look at the study published in 2023 about vaginal eostrogen supplements and BC patients …i am prescribed ovestin cream…its made a big difference…i also take hiprex daily …prescribed by my GP …its an antiseptic tablet which keeps your urine acidic …and kills off any bacteria trying to take hold …its 2 tablets a day but some people struggle to tolerate …it was suggested by a urologist i saw …D mannose can help too …but only for e coli infections…wishing you well