The topic of bladder issues has been with me since childhood. Ups and downs, and how I managed to get my bladder under control, you’ll learn in my story.

Childhood Memories

My urinary tract infections started in primary school. And with them, the following hamster wheel: The doctor treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately, the infections kept coming back. A hospital examination didn’t provide any significant insights, except that it left fear and terror in my young mind.

In the last year of school, my mum sent me for acupressure. Although I also remember it being very painful, ultimately, several sessions of acupressure and one last time of antibiotics brought the long-awaited success. The infections stopped, and the suffering ended.

Although my memories of my childhood are generally very hazy, this painful time remains unforgettable - even for my mother.

My First Proper Relationship

I was in my final school year when an old enemy visited me again - cystitis ... Long time no see! There it was again, and I certainly hadn’t missed it. The sneaky game started again:

• I wake up early in the morning with burning and pain in my bladder.
• I go to the GP, and the doctor diagnoses - surprise, surprise - a urinary tract infection.
• I leave the surgery with a little bag in my hand.
• I drink bladder tea and swallow "good old" antibiotics.
• I’m pleased after a few days that the ordeal is over.
• And every few weeks, the same pattern repeats itself, and I find myself starting over once more 😢.

You probably don't need to be a doctor to recognise that taking antibiotics 12 times a year is certainly not healthy. I simply didn't want to swallow any more antibiotics. Eyes shut and get through it: If it was somehow bearable, I tried to get the infection under control with litres of bladder tea. Sometimes it worked – and sometimes it didn't.

Over time, I also noticed a pattern. My bladder infections were definitely linked to the "most beautiful thing in the world". What a nuisance! It got to the point where I could almost predict with 100% certainty when the scourge would strike again.

And inevitably, the "most beautiful thing in the world" became the "most beautiful, but most painful thing in the world" and ultimately the "rarest thing in the world". It was an insane burden for me. How could someone in their early 20s already give up on their love life?

For a very long time, I was convinced I was alone with the problem. In the pre-Google era, information wasn’t as freely available as it is today. Even if I had known what "honeymoon cystitis" was, it wouldn’t have helped me in the least. After all, knowing the trigger doesn’t solve the problem... Everyone else was normal and enjoyed being in a relationship, but I was obviously different because it just didn't work for me. In fact, the whole situation was even embarrassing for me, and I felt anything but sexy about it.

Until one day, a classmate came to me with the same issue – recurring bladder infections. She recognised my constant trips to the toilet and the litres of tea on my desk. I was so relieved to hear that there was another sufferer – a problem shared is a problem halved. However, she, like me, didn't have a solution in sight.

And so it came to pass that I spent my days wearing warm socks and preparing myself to live the life of an abstinent nun.

New Relationship - New Happiness

It turned out that I didn't want to go to a convent after all, even though a life without bladder infections was certainly a reason to celebrate.

A gynaecologist once told me in my desperation that some combinations of men and women simply aren't physically compatible. I had high hopes that a new man might change the situation.

Unfortunately, hope died last... either I had found another man who wasn't a match, or it wasn't the man but my bladder. Today, I know that the latter was definitely closer to the truth. I already knew that the previous strategies - bladder tea & antibiotics - weren't really successful. Another solution was needed!

Determined, I set out to find everything that would put an end to a urinary tract infection. This was followed by a long period of trial & error - countless Google searches and books were my companions. In addition, I decided to finally visit a long-avoided urologist. The doctor was able to confirm that everything was physiologically fine with me. That also gave me a lot of positive spirit to continue.

It paid off, and I am grateful for these insights and so excited to share this knowledge with you. My bladder will probably always be my weak point, but I've found a way to deal with it, and today I'm almost free from this dilemma.

And because I know there are so many fellow sufferers out there, and you're probably one of them, I can't wait to share my knowledge with you too.

On my landing page, you can learn more: Recurring Bladder Infections

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