How I Cured My Chronic UTI When Nothing Else Worked. A step by step guide.
Hi Everyone,
I know this post is a little different from the usual content I share here on Chase Le Soleil, but it’s something I felt deeply called to share. For the past nine months, I’ve been navigating a chronic health issue that was not only physically painful but it was emotionally exhausting. It took over my life, left me feeling hopeless, and made me question if I’d ever feel like myself again. After countless hours of research, relentless persistence, and learning how to advocate for myself, I finally found a doctor who listened—and a treatment that worked. If even one woman can avoid the confusion, frustration, and suffering I went through, then sharing this will have been worth it.
With Love + Healing,
Elizabeth
Disclaimer: This blog post is based on my personal experience healing from a chronic UTI. It is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a licensed healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment, supplement, or medication.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re exactly where I was not too long ago. Exhausted, frustrated, scared, and Googling in the middle of the night, trying to figure out why your UTI symptoms refuse to go away. Chronic UTIs are barely talked about, yet they affect so many women. I spent almost a full year trapped in a cycle of symptoms and failed treatments, and it became one of the hardest health battles of my life.
My chronic UTIs dragged on for what felt like forever. The symptoms would come and go, but they never truly went away. I would take antibiotics, feel a slight improvement, and then suddenly the UTI would return like clockwork. I was scared to even feel normal. My sex life with my hot new boyfriend came to a complete stop. The constant discomfort, the fear, the emotional weight of it all—it took over my entire life. I went through every so-called solution, saw countless doctors, spent thousands of dollars, and still had no real answers. Finding the cure felt impossible.
So if you’ve landed here, please know I see you. I have lived through this nightmare, and I promise those asshole doctors claiming you have to live with this forever are simply not true. There is a way out. I’m going to walk you through exactly how I healed from my chronic UTI and share the fastest, most effective route to recovery, so hopefully you too can skip the trial and error and finally feel like yourself again.
Lastly, if this post doesn’t answer all of your questions, please feel free to send me a DM and I’d be more than happy to connect with you directly.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I may receive a small commision if you make a purchase using these links.
MY CHRONIC UTI JOURNEY
At first, I honestly thought I was just unlucky. I got a bad UTI after sex in September, and an at home urine test confirmed what I already knew. I started a typical course of Nitrofurantoin, and after just one day, my symptoms vanished. I felt better, so I did not finish the full prescription. That turned out to be a huge mistake. A week or two later, after sex again, my symptoms returned. Burning, pressure, urgency. I felt like my body was betraying me, as I’d always been incredibly healthy and never suffered with UTIs.
This time, the tests came back negative. But the symptoms were just as strong. I was prescribed another round of Nitrofurantoin. That is when the vicious cycle began. Soon, nothing was triggering the flare ups. They were just happening. Antibiotics offered barely any relief. I would show up to urgent care or my OBGYN with stabbing bladder pain, constant urgency, and pelvic discomfort, only to be told my urine culture was negative. According to every standard test, I was healthy. But I was in hell.
Each visit to a healthcare provider left me more confused. Doctors kept handing me prescriptions for standard antibiotics without ever explaining what causes frequent UTIs in females or why I had UTI symptoms with no bacteria detected. No one ever brought up the bladder wall. No one talked about chronic conditions or long term inflammation. They treated the symptoms like isolated events, not part of a larger chronic infection. We will get to that later.
TAKING MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS
Eventually, I realized no one was coming to save me. I stayed up for hours every night researching chronic urinary tract infections and reading anything I could find. I combed through Reddit threads, medical articles, and Facebook groups filled with women like me. Suffering, confused, and dismissed.
That is when I first saw words like biofilm, antibiotic resistance, chronic cystitis, and recurrent bladder infections. But even then, the information was scattered. There were no real answers. Just stories of survival.
In desperation, I looked for specialists. I called functional medicine doctors, chronic illness clinics, and urologists who claimed to treat persistent bladder infections. Most of them did not accept insurance, had months long waitlists, or charged thousands of dollars just for a first appointment. It felt impossible. No one had the right tools, and those who might did not feel accessible.
THE FIRST STEP: ACCURATE TESTING
That is when I found out about the Microgen DX test. It is a urine test and vaginal swab that uses DNA technology to identify bacteria that regular cultures often miss. It tests for everything. E. coli, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, and other bacteria that do not always show up on a standard test. It also tells you exactly which antibiotics your body is resistant to. That is huge when you have had a UTI for years and have taken every standard antibiotic under the sun. It was the first thing that made sense.
I paid for the test out of pocket, hoping this would finally reveal the root cause. When the results came in, they showed nothing. No detectable infection. That moment almost broke me. I felt so defeated. I wanted to cry. I was doing everything right, and still I had no answers.
But it did give me something useful. A list of antibiotics I was resistant to. Ironically, I had just finished a course of one of them. It also ruled out any other conditions that could be causing the discomfort like an STI or BV.
If you’re dealing with persistent symptoms but your standard urine tests keep coming back negative, it’s essential to advocate for a more advanced diagnostic tool. Demand that your doctor order a comprehensive PCR urine test that includes detection for pathogens like E. coli, ureaplasma, and mycoplasma. It might be the only way to uncover the real cause of your symptoms, and also to rule out any other causes of your symptoms, like ureaplasma.
A NOTE ON PARTNER TESTING: If you continue to get flare ups after sexual activity with your partner, it is definitely worth it for them to get this test done as well to rule out STIs, BV, and ureaplasma. All of which can be passed back and forth and cause similar symptoms. A doctor can preform this test or Microgen DX has a test available for men as well.
THE TREATMENT THAT FINALLY HELPED
Thankfully, during a particularly bad flare-up, I happened to be visiting my partner in London, England. Out of sheer desperation, I booked a same-week appointment with a local gynecologist. I walked in expecting the usual script and maybe another round of antibiotics or a dismissive look, but this doctor listened and was thankfully educated on the most up to date causes and treatments for chronic UTIs.
The Bladder Damage Revelation
After I explained my history, he looked at me and said, “You’re likely dealing with damage to the bladder wall.” I had never heard those words before.
He explained that repeated infections—or even one severe one—can leave behind microscopic damage. Tiny scratches form on the bladder lining, and those damaged areas become hiding spots for bacteria. Even if your urine culture shows nothing, bacteria like Escherichia coli can still linger in those crevices, especially when they build protective biofilms.
Suddenly, it made sense. Why I kept getting frequent UTIs. Why the UTI came right back after antibiotics. Why I felt chronic UTI symptoms even when the test said I was “clear.” I wasn’t crazy. My bladder was just damaged.
Why It Still Hurts Even Without an Infection
He also explained why I was still feeling symptoms, even when no infection was present. The inside of my bladder, and my urethra, had become so damaged and sensitive from the ongoing inflammation and damage from the infection, that even normal urine was irritating. If my urine became more acidic from things like alcohol, sugar, or dehydration, it would trigger the exact same symptoms as an active infection.
Healing from this kind of damage can take months. And the bladder can’t repair itself if it keeps getting re-injured every time bacteria find a way back in. It was a vicious cycle, and no one else had ever connected the dots for me in this way.
Additionally, a recent study by Duke University Health, revealed that when the bladder lining repairs itself after a bad infection, it triggers an OVERGROWTH of nerve cells to occur, meaning that with each infection you become more and more sensitive to irritation and inflammation. This is another explanation for you why you continue to feel pain with no infection present.
What pisses me off is that so many (IMO Lazy AF) doctors are looking solely at urine cultures, and ignoring the fact that we are in pain. Especially when it’s so obvious as to WHY many women are still in pain.
THE TREATMENT THAT FINALLY WORKED (AND NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT): BLADDER INSTILLATIONS
My wonderful OBGYN then told me about a treatment I had never heard of and had never seen mentioned in my hours of research. Not in Facebook groups. Not in Reddit forums. Not even in chronic illness podcasts. It was completely new to me, but ironically has been around for years. It ended up changing everything, and finally started my journey towards actually healing my chronic UTI. The treatment is called iAluril.
iAluril is a bladder instillation therapy made from hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate. It’s designed to coat and rebuild the damaged bladder lining, helping it restore its natural defenses. Think of it like a soothing balm for your internal wounds. According to my doctor, this is one of the only alternative treatments to UTIs, instead of the usual long-term low-dose antibiotics. And more importantly, many of his chronic UTI patients had seen incredible success with it!
EVERYTHING I DID TO FINALLY HEAL MY CHRONIC UTI
Let’s get into the good stuff, here is everything I did to finally heal my chronic UTI. This is where things finally started to shift. From the breakthrough treatment iAluril, to uncovering hidden discomfort causes most doctors never talk about, to the supplements that actually made a difference.
This is the full breakdown of what helped me get my life back. I’ve included a full shopping list of every supplement that I took, at the end of this section for you as well.
Bladder instillations: What It’s Really Like
Once I learned about iAuril bladder instillations, I started treatment that same day. The plan was to do the treatment once a week for eight weeks, then every other week until the symptoms were gone. For most women, it’s 10 to 12 treatments.
I’m not going to lie, the first few sessions were not pleasant. My doctor told me the inflammation in my urethra and bladder was significant, and that initial discomfort was normal. Luckily, the treatment itself only takes about two minutes, and the discomfort only lasted for about an hour or so before I felt fine. It basically felt like a HUGE flare up of my UTI.
Here’s how iAluril works: a small catheter is inserted into your ureathra, and the gel is slowly pushed into your bladder. It feels strange—some fullness and at first like strong UTI discomfort, but it’s not unbearable. You hold the treatment in for at least 30 minutes to let it absorb. I always wore a pad afterward in case any leaked out.
By the fourth treatment, I could finally start to see a difference in my symptoms. For the first time in months, I felt hope. The burning dulled. The urgency eased.
In total, I did 10 rounds of iAluril.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF TO GET TREATMENT TO HELP REPAIR YOUR BLADDER LINING
Not a single doctor (other than my OBGYN in London) even mentioned to me that treatments like this EXISTED. iAuril currently available in the UK, Europe, Australia and many more countries. At this time it has not currently been approved by the FDA in the US, however, different types of bladder instillations are available in the US to treat UTIs.
It makes me angry that repairing the bladder lining is not a huge part of the conversation for every woman dealing with chronic urinary tract infections. Push for treatment for this. Bring research. Print this blog post if you need to.
You deserve more than temporary relief and a destroyed gut from long term antibiotics. You deserve real healing.
SIDE NOTE ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE BLADDER TREATMENT HIPREX: A reader who also struggled with chronic UTIs recently shared her experience with me after being treated at the Chronic UTI Clinic. She was prescribed a bladder instillation using Hiprex, which is typically taken orally but was used in this case as a direct bladder treatment. Hiprex (methenamine hippurate) works by converting to formaldehyde in acidic urine, which is thought to help kill bacteria. However, this chemical process can also make the urine significantly more acidic.
While the intention is to create an environment that prevents bacterial growth, acidic urine can be very irritating to an already inflamed or damaged bladder lining. In this reader’s case, the treatment caused a lot of discomfort and seemed to worsen her symptoms.
From what I’ve learned and experienced, this kind of irritation can delay healing—especially if the underlying issue is an injured bladder lining rather than an active infection. Personally, I would avoid this approach if your bladder is already raw or sensitive. Always discuss with your doctor, but it’s something to be aware of as you explore treatment options.
LOW DOSE ANTIBIOTICS
Around the same time as the iAluril finally felt like it was beginning to work, I ended up having another flare up infection. This time, I tested positive for an actual infection.
My doctor and I decided to add in a daily low-dose of Trimethoprim for the remainder of my treatment to prevent additional infections. The combination of the iAluril plus the antibiotic, felt like the perfect combination for me.
BREAKING DOWN BIOFILMS SO THE ANTIBIOTICS CAN WORK
This was another part of the missing piece for my healing. During one of my many deep-dive research sessions, I came across the term biofilm.
It turns out that some bacteria can create a protective layer—a sticky film that helps them hide from antibiotics. This is one of the reasons why I kept the infection kept returning in the beginning, even after finishing a multiple course of antibiotics.
With the help of my doctor (and some serious late-night ChatGPT research), I started a biofilm-busting supplement plan.
MY BIOFILM BUSTING SUPPLEMENT PLAN
NAC (N-acetylcysteine) – 600 mg to 1200 mg, 2x daily on an empty stomach is best, but can be taken with food if needed.
Monolaurin – 600mg twice daily with food
CranActive – concentrated cranberry extract to help prevent bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall
These three supplements are game changers. They help break down biofilms and expose the bacteria hiding underneath so the body can actually start healing, while helping to prevent additional infections.
YOUR URINE CHEMISTRY IS MAKING THINGS WORSE
If you’ve been doing research on Chronic UTIs, then you’ve most likely heard of Dr. Ruth Kriz. Dr. Kriz is nurse practitioner who has dedicated her entire career to researching and helping people with chronic UTIs.
During my research I came across a podcast that she was on, and learned that people who suffer from chronic UTIs all share some interesting medical similarities.
She explained that nearly all of her chronic UTI patients had two surprising issues in common: low vitamin D levels and trouble processing ammonium in their urine.
When your urine is too acidic and your vitamin D levels are low, your bladder becomes more vulnerable. Acidic urine can irritate the bladder lining, especially if it’s already damaged. That constant irritation creates an environment where harmful bacteria can thrive. Low vitamin D weakens the immune response, making it harder for your body to fight off infections or repair inflammation in the urinary tract. Together, these factors make you more susceptible to recurrent UTIs and can cause discomfort.
This information blew my mind. No one had ever mentioned this before, not a single doctor or article. I shared the info with my OBGYN in London, and while he had not heard of these facts, he was incredibly open, did his own research and helped me build a plan to support both.
The below regimen made a huge difference. Within just a few days, the burning started to fade. The urgency calmed. And my bladder finally felt like it was recovering.
MY SUPPLEMENT PLAN TO HELP WITH MY URINE BALANCE
- Vitamin D3 with K2 – 5,000 IU daily (taken in liposomal form with K2 better absorption)
- Aloe Vera (Inner Leaf Extract) – 600 mg once or twice daily, taken with water and preferably on an empty stomach
- Potassium Citrate – 1,080 mg once daily with a full glass of water (helps alkalize urine and reduce bladder irritation)
It’s Not Just Your Bladder, It’s Your Gut Too
Another factor not many people are talking about is the link between UTIs and your gut’s micorbiome. Gut health plays a huge role in UTI susceptibility. A disrupted microbiome weakens your body’s defense system, making it easier for harmful bacteria to multiply in the urinary tract.
In addition to this, long term antibiotic use has another consequence: yeast infections and gut imbalance. I was getting yeast infections nearly every month, and was stuck in a hellish cycle between UTI symptoms and yeast infections.
To repair my gut and reduce fungal overgrowth, I took Candida Support supplements and a high quality probiotic (THIS ONE HAS BEEN STUDIED TO SHOW IT’S ONE OF THE BEST ON THE MARKET daily. I also added Magnesium Oxide when needed to support digestion and avoid constipation caused by the antibiotics (This stuff is LIFE changing).
At the first sign of a yeast infection, I used Love Wellness boric acid suppositories, which worked almost instantly.
Supporting your gut and bladder health also means making smart choices in the kitchen. During this healing process, I focused on whole foods and avoided anything that could trigger inflammation or feed yeast. I cut back on sugar, alcohol, gluten, and processed foods, and leaned into a diet rich in protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and low sugar fruit like berries. I also drank tons of water with electrolytes to flush my system. It was not always easy, but it made a noticeable difference in how quickly I started to feel better.
ChatGPT helped me design this routine, and I ran every step by my doctor. Healing is not just about killing bad bacteria. It is about restoring the balance of good bacteria too.
I recommend keeping up many of these routines, long after the symptoms are gone, to help heal your gut from the damaging effects of antibiotics.
AVOIDING COMMON UTI TRIGGERS
Once I began to heal, I noticed certain things could still trigger a flare, and learned many of them the hard way. These are the things I would avoid like the plague to avoid UTI flareups while healing.
- Hot tubs and pools (chlorine irritates the bladder lining)
- Tight clothing, like leggings and synthetic underwear
- Wearing wet clothes too long (like swimsuits)
- Sexual activity especially without urinating before and after. You may want to consult your doctor about taknig an antibiotic afterwards as well.
- Condoms, spermicides, and scented products down there
- High-sugar diets (feeds yeast and bad bacteria)
- Skipping water (hydration is key for flushing bacteria)
It’s not about living in fear—it’s about learning your body’s triggers and making informed choices.
MY CHRONIC UTI ESSENTIALS
A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO CURING YOUR CHRONIC URINERY TRACT INFECTION
If you’re in the trenches right now, here’s what I wish someone had told me about how to go about curing a chronic UTI:
- At the first sign of a UTI, get a urine sample and ask for a urine culture AND a PCR/DNA test (like Microgen DX). A standard test isn’t enough. Be sure to demand that your doctor tests for antibiotic resistance as well. This can explain why standard antibiotics may not work.
- Ask your partner to get tested as well. Things like BV, ureaplasma or STDs can cause recurrent UTIs, and are often passed back and forth between partners.
- Don’t skip the antibiotics, and don’t end them early even if you’re feeling better.
- If you’ve had a persistent UTI and are in constant discomfort even with no infection present, talk to your doctor about iAluril bladder instillation therapy to heal your bladder or a similar treatment. Again this is a treatment you may have to demand to get access to it. Bring research, this blog post, whatever you need. Please feel free to send me a DM on instagram, and I’d be happy to connect you with my doctor as well if you’re local to the UK.
- Consider staying on a low-dose antibiotic short term (e.g., Trimethoprim) while you treat the underlying cause, and to avoid additional infections.
- Start a supplement routine to help support healing.
- Cranberry extract supplements and Cran-Eaze to help prevent harmful bacteria
- Serrapeptase and NAC for busting biofilms.
- Vitamin D3 with K2, Aloe Vera, Potassium Citrate and L-Ornithine to reduce bladder inflammation and discomfort from urine.
- Candida Support, Magnesium, and probiotics to restore gut health and prevent yeast infections.
- Make lifestyle changes: good hygiene, avoiding triggers, etc.
- Be patient. Healing chronic infections takes time. If your UTI comes right back after antibiotics, it doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means there’s a deeper issue to uncover.
From start to finsih my chronic UTI lasted 9 months. Once I started this treatment plan, about 5 months into the ordeal, my full healing took about 90 days. I am happy to report that I am now symptom free, and am working on healing my gut. I take the odd low dose antibiotic when needed, but otherwise, my life is completely back to normal!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Living with my chronic UTI took everything out of me. It was mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. But if you’re reading this, I want you to know that there is hope. There was my path to healing, and I am hopeful it can help others to.
Advocate for yourself. Trust your intuition. Gather health information. Learn what works for you and don’t stop until you feel safe in your body again.
You are not alone. And you deserve to feel whole again.
If you have any questions or if I can be of any hope or help to you, please feel free to reach out and send me a message on instagram.
With Love, Hope + Light,
Elizabeth
Understanding the Root Causes and Risk Factors for Recurrent UTIs
If you’re dealing with recurrent urinary tract infections, you’re not alone. UTIs are one of the most common conditions affecting the urinary system, especially for women. While a first UTI may seem like a one-off, recurrent infections can drastically affect your quality of life. Understanding the risk factors is key to choosing the right treatment and taking effective preventative measures. The most common causes of UTIs often include e. coli, which enters the urinary tract through the genital area—especially after sexual intercourse. For some, lifestyle factors like not drinking enough water, using certain products near the genital area, or even the presence of foreign bodies like catheters can increase the risk of an acute UTI turning into something chronic.
If your UTIs keep coming back, it’s important to work with a health care provider who takes your full medical history into account. A physical examination and urine test can help determine the type of bacteria involved and whether a different antibiotic or longer course of antibiotic therapy is needed. Not all infections respond to standard antibiotic treatment, and side effects can vary—especially if you’ve been on antibiotics for a long time. In some cases, an uncomplicated UTI becomes recurrent because the original infection wasn’t fully treated or because the bladder lining never had time to heal. Recognizing the early signs of infection and knowing how to flush bacteria from your system quickly can make all the difference. While there’s no one-size-fits-all cure, the right treatment plan, paired with smart lifestyle shifts and helpful information from trusted sources, can significantly reduce your chances of recurrent infections and improve your overall health.
When you’re stuck in the cycle of recurrent urinary tract infections, it can feel like your body is betraying you. But healing is possible—and understanding your body is the best way to start. For me, recovery wasn’t about just masking the symptoms of a urinary tract infection with a standard treatment. It was about digging deeper, listening to my body, and supporting my entire urinary system, not just the infection.
Simple steps like staying hydrated and drinking cranberry juice with active compounds can help flush bacteria before they stick. I also made sure to support my immune system daily with supplements like vitamin C, and cut out things that irritated my bladder—especially during sexual intercourse. It’s a good idea to urinate right after sex, avoid the use of spermicides, and stick to clean, non-irritating hygiene products. All of these are powerful preventative measures.
One thing I learned: not all UTIs are the same. The type of bacteria causing the infection matters. In most women, it’s e. coli, but antibiotic-resistant infections are becoming more common. That’s why testing for the right strain and knowing which medications work is key. Blindly cycling through standard antibiotics may not work—especially if the infection is hiding or returning due to bladder wall damage or biofilms.
Also, not every diagnosis is straightforward. Some women are misdiagnosed with interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome when the real issue is lingering infection or bladder sensitivity from repeated inflammation. The risk of recurrent UTIs increases with every flare-up and misstep, so getting the effective treatment early matters.
The road to healing is not always linear, but it is doable. The more you understand the root causes, the more empowered you are to take control of your health. And if you’re still in the thick of it, just know—you are not alone. Keep going. Keep asking questions. Keep advocating for yourself. Healing takes time, but it is absolutely possible.
If you’re suffering from a chronic urinary tract infection and looking or effective treatment of the lower urinary tract, or have increased risk of bacterial infections, kidney infection, or are a postmenopausal women or a pregnant women, here’s where to start.