Just a Bladder Infection? Maybe Not

Don't miss any of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line. Add our address, HealthyWomanfromBottomLine@news.bottomlinepublishing.com, to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. March 3, 2011  Easiest Way to Lose More Weight Perfect Painkillers... Helping a Loved One Recover from Heartbreak Prescription Drugs to Avoid Like the Plague Is It Just a Bladder Infection... or Are Your Kidneys in Danger?   Easiest Way to Lose More Weight Is it folk wisdom -- or just an old wives’ tale -- that drinking water helps you lose weight? There has been surprisingly little scientific evidence to answer that question... until now. Researchers put 48 overweight or obese people ages 55 to 75 on a low-fat, low-calorie diet. Each day, one group drank 500 milliliters (about two cups) of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner... the other group did not drink water before meals. Average results after 12 weeks: People who didn’t drink water lost 11 pounds... water drinkers dropped 15.5 pounds. Over the following year, during which all study participants followed a weight-maintenance diet and water drinkers continued their premeal water consumption, the water drinkers lost an additional 1.5 pounds, while those who didn’t drink water regained two pounds -- for a final average weight-loss tally of 17 pounds versus just nine pounds. Earlier, the researchers had found that drinking water before a meal resulted in eating 75 to 90 fewer calories at that meal, but they had not determined whether water drinkers compensated by eating more at other times during the day. Now the greater weight-loss success among water drinkers shows that the strategy really does reduce total calorie intake. Age advantage: Prior research showed that drinking water before meals did not reduce calorie consumption in people ages 18 to 35 -- so the water strategy seems to work best for middle-aged and older adults, perhaps because the stomach empties more slowly with age. Source: Brenda Davy, PhD, RD, is an associate professor in the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, and leader of a study of 48 people. Perfect Painkillers... Work in seconds, cost 23 cents and heal your gut! We’re all trying alternatives now that painkilling drugs are proving so deadly. There’s got to be a better way! And now there is, thanks to a brilliant physician named Dr. Mark Stengler. In a famous case that’s making fellow doctors gasp in admiration, Dr. Stengler’s patient, Todd, could barely believe how fast his arthritis agony disappeared after all those drugs had failed him. Read on for more details... Helping a Loved One Recover from Heartbreak Judy Kuriansky, PhD Columbia University Surely your heart aches, too, when someone close to you is suffering from lost love. Maybe it’s a friend who can barely stop crying... a grown son who obsesses about work to stifle the pain of rejection... or a long-widowed mother who, with dashed hopes of having finally found a new partner, vows to spend the rest of her days alone. Of course you want to help, but you may be unsure of what to say or do -- and offering the truisms we all know (such as, "There are other fish in the sea") only seems to make the person feel worse. Catch yourself if you start taking over. The other person won’t necessarily react the way you would or did in a similar situation, so resist the urge to tell your own sob story. Instead say, "I would like to help in any way that would make you feel better, so please tell me how." Then do as she asks -- for instance, listen to her vent or invite her out -- all the while reminding her that she is loved and lovable. Repeat whichever words and actions elicit a smile or sigh of relief. If she does ask how you got over a heartbreak, it’s fine to share insights (for example, "Planning a vacation helped me stop obsessing"). But then refocus on her -- "What fun activities would take your mind off your ex? We could take a pottery class or go to a day spa." Don’t rush things. Time heals all wounds, but clinical observations suggest that recovering from the loss of an intense relationship may take half as long as the relationship itself lasted -- or even longer. Of course, it won’t help to tell the heartbroken person, "You were together for four years, so you can expect to be miserable for the next two." But understanding that recovery can be a very slow process helps you stay patient when you’re tempted to say, "Aren’t you over that yet?" However: Do speak up if you notice signs of ongoing depression (such as sleeping way too much or too little, or seldom leaving the house) or destructive behaviors (such as excessive drinking or out-of-control shopping), and suggest consulting a therapist. Act as a guide through the stages of rejection. Reassure your jilted friend or family member that certain reactions are to be expected... and gently encourage progress through the stages. When the person expresses shock ("I can’t believe it’s over"), provide a reality check ("I know that you wish this hadn’t happened, but it does sound final"). If she is in denial about problems in the relationship ("We were perfect together"), give a tactful reminder that all was not rosy ("Remember all the times your ex failed to support your career"). When the person feels angry, offer safe ways to express fury ("You could write a letter about how you feel and then burn it to release the hurt"). Discuss lessons from this experience. Together, consider whether there are negative patterns in the person’s relationships. For instance: She always falls for cheaters or Peter Pan types who can’t "grow up"... or ignores warning signs, such as frequent canceled dates or repeated lying... or expects to get more than she gives, which drives partners away. Then brainstorm strategies to help her do better next time. Save truisms until the person accepts that the relationship is definitely over. Many well-meaning people try this approach first, but saying "There’s someone for everyone" too soon only invites contradictions ("No, I’ll never find another love like that one"). Time-honored words of wisdom bring comfort only when the person is ready to hear them. You’ll know that time has come when she starts saying those phrases herself. At that point, you can readily agree, reinforcing the words that she uses. Also helpful: Remind her of other truths, such as, "If it wasn’t meant to be, it’s best that it’s over"... "When a door closes, a window opens"... "Once you know the wonders of love, you can love again" -- all truisms, but all true. Source: Judy Kuriansky, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and sex therapist on the adjunct faculty of Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. She is the author of five books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (Alpha), and is a columnist and advisory board member for HealthyWoman from Bottom Line. www.DrJudy.com Prescription Drugs to Avoid Like the Plague Some drugs are just so bad, you should avoid them at all costs. If your physician won’t prescribe a safer alternative -- or let you use a natural remedy -- then run (do not walk) to one who will. What kinds of drugs? Widely used antibiotic so dangerous to your kidneys that up to 28% of those who use it develop some impairment. This former rat poison is now touted as a cure-all for everything from dental problems to bone loss. Banned in Japan and Europe, it’s unavoidable here in the US -- unless the proper precautions are taken. Widely prescribed drug for high blood pressure that is so dangerous, it should be used only as a last-ditch effort if nothing else works for you. Popular osteoporosis drug is just a rehashed version of an older one that built bone of such poor quality, breaks actually increased. Not to mention side effects such as permanent damage to the esophagus and kidneys, stress, diarrhea, constipation, fever, calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, rashes, headaches, and muscle pain. Read on... Is It Just a Bladder Infection... or Are Your Kidneys in Danger? My friend Jean was chagrined to have unwittingly risked her health. "It felt like a barely-there bladder infection, so I took some cranberry extract. The next day, I felt OK, so I forgot about it," Jean told me. "But on day three, I developed a fever and my back hurt like crazy, so I called my doctor. I wound up in the hospital getting intravenous [IV] antibiotics for a kidney infection that could have caused serious, or even fatal, complications! I’m kicking myself for not checking with my doctor sooner, while the infection was still just in my bladder." Jean’s story is not unusual, I heard from kidney specialist Mildred Lam, MD, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She told me that, in most cases of urinary tract infection (UTI), bacteria get into the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body), travel into the bladder and multiply. Called a bladder infection or cystitis, this generally is easily treated with antibiotics. But sometimes the bacteria travel farther and invade the kidney itself, causing a kidney infection. Possible consequences of this type of UTI include temporary or permanent kidney failure... chronic kidney disease... and potentially life-threatening septicemia if bacteria enter the bloodstream. Women are more vulnerable to UTIs than men because in women, the urethra and bacteria-laden anus are closer together... and the urethra is shorter, so bacteria don’t have to travel as far to reach the bladder and kidneys. Other risk factors... Being postmenopausal -- accompanying hormonal changes can diminish muscle tone in the urinary tract, making it easier for bacteria to invade. Sexual activity, especially with a new partner -- perhaps because, over time, a woman develops antibodies to her partner’s bacteria. Diabetes -- sugar in the urine promotes bacterial growth. Kidney stones -- these provide a place for bacteria to grow and also impede the flow of urine (and therefore bacteria) out of the body. Congenital defects that let urine travel upward from the bladder to the kidney -- normally urine only travels downward from kidney to bladder. Because a kidney infection can quickly become serious, Dr. Lam urged women to be on the lookout for symptoms. Call your doctor today if you notice... Discomfort or burning pain when urinating. Frequent urge to urinate (even if little comes out). Cloudy or blood-tinged urine. Low-grade fever. Mild to moderate pain in the middle of the lower back. These symptoms suggest a bladder infection. A urine test can confirm the diagnosis. Remember: Prompt treatment -- typically a three-to-five-day course of oral antibiotics -- helps keep a bladder infection from moving to the kidneys. If you need a pain reliever, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol). "High-dose aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen carry a small risk for kidney failure," Dr. Lam cautioned. Severe pain in the "flank" area of the back, at the lower edge of the ribs on the left or right side. Chills and/or fever above 102°. Nausea and vomiting. These symptoms suggest a kidney infection. "To minimize the risk for permanent kidney damage, high-dose IV antibiotics are needed to quickly achieve high antibiotic levels in both the blood and the urine," Dr. Lam said. You may be given IV fluids if dehydrated or very nauseated. Once fever subsides and you can take fluids and medication by mouth, you’ll switch to oral antibiotics, taking these for 10 to 14 days to eradicate the bacteria. Dr. Lam’s bladder and kidney infection prevention strategies... Don’t hold your urine too long -- going when you need to go helps flush bacteria out of the bladder. Always wipe from front to back after using the toilet. Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplements may help -- cranberries contain a compound that makes it difficult for bacteria to cling to the bladder walls. Stay hydrated. Urinate before and after intercourse. If you are especially prone to UTIs (getting more than two in a six-month period), ask your doctor about taking a single dose of an antibiotic immediately after intercourse. Source: Mildred Lam, MD, is an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and an attending physician in the division of nephrology at MetroHealth Medical Center, both in Cleveland. She specializes in the care of patients with acute and chronic kidney disease. Tamara Eberlein, the editor of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, has been a health journalist for nearly three decades. An award-winning author or coauthor of four books, she is committed to helping other women in midlife and beyond live healthy, fulfilling lives. Her latest book is the updated, third edition of When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads (HarperCollins). She is also the "chief health adviser" to her husband of 25 years, college-age twins and teenaged son. 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