Okay. So this doesn’t strongly relate to having bipolar disorder, but who needs one more thing to make us tired or irritable? Urinary tract infections (U.T.I.s) make me wiped out and cranky. When the frequency of intercourse is increased (pretty much a given during the trying to conceive period), it’s common to have U.T.I.s.

Since I’ve had lots of these pesky infections, here are my tips on preventing them:
1. Drink 1-2 cups of cranberry juice daily. Try to never miss a day. Drink extra cranberry around the time of ovulation when you’re having the most intercourse. The juice seems to be more effective than the capsules, no matter what the vitamin companies claim.
2. Eat yogurt with active cultures daily. My current favorite is Stonyfield Farms yogurt. The full-fat version is better for fertility in case you haven’t heard that yet (read more info. in the book The Fertility Diet). The probiotics in the yogurt help to prevent infections.
3. Do kegel exercises. (Don’t ask me how this helps, but they say it helps prevent U.T.I. and it can’t hurt anything.)
4. Urinate 15 minutes after sex even around the time of ovulation. The latest info. says lying there longer will not make you pregnant. I know from experience if I lie there 20 minutes or longer, I’ll have a U.T.I.
5. Go when you gotta go. Don’t hold it for 2 hours because you’re busy at work.
6. Drink approximately 8 cups of liquid daily. Sometimes we get so busy we don’t keep ourselves hydrated. It doesn’t have to be water.
7. The pink scum that accumulates on shower curtains can cause U.T.I. and pink eye if it splashes just right. Keep your tub and shower curtain clean.
8. Wear only cotton undies and don’t wear any undies while you sleep.
9. No baths or jacuzzis. (You’re not supposed to during IVF treatment anyway.)
10. Get plenty of Vit. C rich fruit to promote healing. I try to eat one orange a day. The cranberry juice usually also contains Vit. C.
11. Bars of soap can harbor bacteria, too. Use your own soap. Don’t have one bar of soap for the whole family in the shower. You can always share the liquid soap.
12. Avoid excess sugar. (Always a good idea.)

NOTE: Lucky gals like me with a tipped uterus have to be especially careful to urinate after sex and to not withhold urine.

What if you think you already have an infection?
I rely heavily on AZO urine test strips that I buy at the drug store to test my own urine. I drink corn silk tea which helps immensely when the symptoms are very painful. I tell the doctor if there is any chance that I might be pregnant so that I am only prescribed the safer antibiotics. Usually I’m prescribed Macrobid.