Bladder Infection and Antibiotics

by Fiona
(Glasgow, Scotland)

Q. I have a bladder infection and am taking an antibiotic. I am a 33 year old women and have not had a bladder infection before.

Do you think I should also take a probiotic and if so which would be the best one for me to take?


A. Whilst your question isn't strictly about vaginal infections, if you're taking antibiotics to treat a bladder infection, that can certainly lead on to things like thrush.

I'm not a doctor but in your position I would certainly take probiotics.

The antibiotics will be killing off your good bacteria as well as the bad and unfortunately that means that there is a lot of unoccupied space through your intestinal tract and bladder. Sometimes yeast infection can get established at a time like this.

Don't take the probiotic supplements at the same time as you take the antibiotic - separate them by a few hours. Eat plenty of yogurt and/or kefir as well. Try to get your probiotics from a variety of sources.

Both Saccharomyces boulardii (in Florastor) and Lactobacillus GG (in Culturelle) are proven against antibiotic associated diarrhea.

Fem Dophilus is very good with bladder infections.

Also - nothing to do with probiotics - but I've personally found that the quickest way to get rid of a bladder infection when it is coming on is to drink a lot of water. Drink enough water so that for a couple of hours you're going to the toilet every half hour or so. Bacteria can double in numbers each half hour, so think in terms of you're fighting to flush them out quicker than they can multiply!