Massive thankyou to Melanie Reid who highlights the inexorable cycle of urinary track infections. UTIS , in today’s Times spinal column .
I’ve drafted a letter…
Dear Mel

I’ve just read your column today.
Marbles? I lost mine years ago…you are utterly brilliant at putting into words this most exhausting cycle of utis. I LOVE D mannose. Don’t know what it does and frankly don’t care! I’ll try the garlic you describe. Gin is good. Fizz better. Does bugger all for the bladder but induces a booster to brain.  Dr Vodka V would agree I’m sure. Allergy J has a nurse who prescribes Brazilian rum.
But I digress…
there’s another potion called Uromune . I got some viA German Pharmacy. It didn’t seem to help. However, I’ve found out there’s a new version.  A certain Dr FOLEY ( can you believe the surname!!!) The effing FOLEY catheter is part of the problem!

Sorry where was I ? oh yes. Dr Foley  is running a trial. BUT also he is able to sell the stuff. No way I’m going on a trial .Just my luck I’d get the frigging smartie placebo which would give me a massive migraine.
There’s not a proper evidence base. They have used it a lot in Spain with good results. But, DrCatheter  tells me…they are Spanish. As if that is explanation enough. The results favour the vaccine as an effective strategy for recurrent utis. However, they don’t ‘do’ the evidence quite like in UK. Mananya…Anyhow….

The huge joke is it’s meant to be started when the patient is NOT on antibiotics and with a clear msu culture. So that rules me out!

Best of marbles to you

Mex
PS My irascible late father-in-law , used to wander about looking for his pipe. Muttering ‘ I’ve lost my…I’ve lost my…I’ve lost my …..’ Our youngest, Little G, or BFG as he’s now known interjected… “marbles?”
Only BFG could get away with that !
PPS I’ve found a brilliant way to avoid too many annoying whatsapp messages. Let the phone battery die. Leave it charging. Forget it. no messages. RESULT.