Cystitis again :(

Had sex yesterday morning. Got cystitis this morning. Also have really terrible thrush at present. Rubbish.

Better!

The cystitis that came on Tuesday morning had gone by Tuesday lunchtime. And no lingering soreness either, this time. Which is very good news. Even had unprotected sex on Wednesday night with no ill effects. Yes! Put this down to drinking lots of cranberry squash - not sure if it's the cranberry content, or just the simple fact of drinking more liquid - and taking probiotics both morning and evening. Itchy fanny has also pretty much resolved too. It's what I call a result. So... the management plan now is drinking cranberry squash and continuing to take the probiotics.

Itching fanny

So, I treated the last episode of cystitis with probiotics up the twat, and managed to get by without taking any Chinese herbs. Then I developed an incredibly itchy fanny and sore vulva. Assumed it was thrush and shoved yet another probiotic capsule up my twat. Seemed to calm down a bit, but then early Tuesday morning, and another bout of cystitis reared its ugly head. Put yet another probiotic capsule up twat, drank a pint of cranberry squash, and took a paracetamol. Good news is that it cleared up super quick - seems fine again now. Bad news is that fanny is itching and vulva is red and swollen. Oh for trouble free bits... :(

What's been happening this past year, then?

My, oh my. It's been nearly a year since I last wrote anything down here. Am I finally free of the dreaded cystitis? Sadly, no. Things were much calmer over the past year, as (i) had my coil taken out in preparation for trying to create some munchkins, but couldn't start immediately for various reasons, so started using condoms; (ii) OH was away for four months visiting family. Turns out that using condoms all the time meant no cystitis, which was flipping great. Now, however, OH is back, and the munchkin-creation has started in earnest. And I'm back to regular episodes of burning pee. They say the best chances of conception involve sex every two or three days. But there's no way I can manage that with my bladder/urethra and other bits. Most recent episodes:

• Thursday 2nd August: sex for the second time in three days whilst on holiday resulted in me being up in the night with diarrhoea and painful wee. Felt under the weather as if had infection too. Treated it with Chinese herbs and probiotics. Over the worst hump quite quickly - by mid-afternoon - but then lingering residual pain for a few days.
• Today: had sex yesterday (second time in two days), then went on a long bike ride. Took probiotic precautions immediately after sex, and drank a salty sachet before bed last night. But woke up this morning with diarrhoea and painful wee again. Currently nursing bladder on sofa.

What to do? :( I don't want to keep taking the Chinese herbs every few days - not sure how good regular use might be for my kidneys, and also doubt it's a good idea if I do manage to get pregnant. Going on a long bike ride shortly after sex was probably a bad plan. But it's pretty frustrating if that's the problem - I want to be able to go cycling, dagnamit! So what's the plan? Wish I knew. The best we could come up with is:

• Be completely stringent about hygiene.
• Use condoms most of the month, only have unprotected sex around ovulation time. Have paper pee strips to track ovulation.
• I will try drinking cider vinegar on a daily basis. Also try drinking cranberry squash on a daily basis. Feel like this used to help once upon a time.

It was a cold...

Yes, folks. The cold has broken - I now have a runny blocked up nose and am sneezy. This is no doubt the answer to my weird symptoms. Feel so much better now.

Not about cystitis

Went to a festival weekend before last and still feel absolutely rubbish. Am worried that have done too much and got adrenal fatigue/developing M.E. Thought I'd record my list of symptoms and then hopefully watch myself get better soon. (Please, please!)

- Exhausted. Wake up feeling like have not slept.
- Dull headache at back of head.
- Muscle weakness.
- Blood sugar feels out of whack - feel hungry, faint, and shaky very soon after eating. Just about goes away after eating, but not always.
- Eyes really tired and puffy.
- Congested air passages.
- Feel slightly nauseous, slightly dizzy.
- Pins and needles in my hands and feet that does go.

Most likely explanations:
- Stress: have been stressed out at work recently, and then had a load of relationship stress with A at festival. Feeling ok about the latter now, mostly. But a bit worried my poor system has finally gone caput. This is generating second-order stress about feeling stressed, which is surely not helpful! Am trying to do yoga and meditation regularly. Know I need to get on top of this, even if it's not the reason I currently feel like shit.

- Anxiety: the above really, but thinking of this as a bit more acute. Spent the last week worrying about A and me, and think may just be worn out.

- Virus: have an inner ear something or other that comes and goes. Perhaps am run down and it has taken me by force.

- Anaemic: have been taking a liquid iron supplement that usually sorts me out; also trying to eat a bit more meat. Not convinced it's this. Also, nothing showed up on recent blood test. But have felt pretty ropey before and had a clean blood test, then cured with liquid iron supplement. Lack of relief from taking supplement however suggests not this.

- Thyroid: nothing showing up on blood test again. Not entirely convinced the tests are sensitive enough.

- Lack of something in diet: what though? Am taking vast number of vitamins and supplements to try and sort it.

Would very much like to feel better now, though. Because this is rubbish.

Cystitis again

Minor episode. Currently treating with Chinese herbs, probiotic capsules, cider vinegar in water, hot lemon.

Had another such episode the week before last too.

:(

Will cutting out sugar help?