Truth: Worth it on Jezebel

Image found here. 

Notice the big old picture of an Azo box at the head of this post? At the moment, I consider this medication a life-saver as I battle yet another urinary tract infection. I always, but ALWAYS have a box of these little brown beauties in my medicine cabinet. Because I get more than my fair share of UTIs and Azo helps relieve their resulting mind blowing discomfort. This typed as I dash from my comfy chair to the bathroom.

Nurse Julia says that if you have a UTI, be sure to drink lots of water, wear loose fitting pants and cotton panties, avoid bladder irritating drinks such as alcohol, coffee, and citrus drinks, and to get thyself to a physician-ordered-pee-in a-cup-urinalysis-type place if you have symptoms for more than 48 hours. If you have never had a UTI and aren't sure what the symptoms are, well bless your lucky little heart. And bladder. Here's the symptoms per Mayo Clinic:

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Urinary tract infections don't always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include:

• A strong, persistent urge to urinate
• A burning sensation when urinating
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
• Urine that appears cloudy
• Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine
• Strong-smelling urine
• Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

UTIs may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions in older adults

Here's the thing - if you have had one UTI, you will be totally in fear of having another. But take heart. The active ingredient in the over the counter drug Azo is phenazopyridine which interestingly enough is a dye. It is taken orally and is soothing to the urinary tract, and boy howdy. It is very effective for me. Hence my desire to lift my glass of cranberry juice in agreement with this author of the following article which sings the praises of this medical miracle.

But before you click on over to read the piece on Jezebel, consider this: Nurse Julia cautions that if you have never had a UTI before and suspect you may have one, contact your doctor immediately. Also, don't take Azo for more than two days without your doctor's consent. Read these important precautions when considering taking this drug. This medication will not cure a UTI, just masks some of it's symptoms. I think the potential side effect of staining your tears and contacts is just kind of creepy. Luckily I've never noticed this. 

Here's yet another warning: the Jezebel article uses pretty salty language so it's not for the faint of heart. Here's an excerpt and the link. I think I'll take my schnauzer and my blankie and my heating pad and big-gulp size water glass and take a nap.......

Worth It: A Little Solace For Your Miserable Urinary Tract

By Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann

I get UTIs a lot. I don't drink enough water (which is really dumb, and I'm working on it, I swear); as a result, I often suffer from the horrible, my-body-will-never-be-right-again pain that anyone who has ever suffered a UTI knows about. (Continue reading here.)