F.A.Q. about Waterfall D-Mannose

A. It is not a herbal remedy, but a natural monosaccharide isomer of glucose, extracted from sweet forest timbers (mainly of the hard Fagaceae and Betulaceae families) without using solvents. We only use the best mannose, ensuring that the product works exceptionally well. Also, and very importantly, we have never once taken an order that we could not deliver - usually the next day.

We don't believe anyone in the world is supplying a better quality 100% natural product. We use Waterfall D-Mannose ourselves, and we are continually focused on monitoring the results the product achieves. But there is also the personal service we provide - our knowledge of how to use Waterfall D-Mannose, and the fact that we are not some anonymous company that doesn't care what happens to you. You can get to know us personally, and we will help you get better.

A. First there is the obvious point that natural d-mannose is probably going to be closer to the body's own natural d-mannose - an essential component of every cell in the body. But obviously it also depends to a large extent on the source of the d-mannose and the purity. Sweet Cures uses only the best quality natural products available.

A. It appears to be effective against the most common bacterial urinary infection agents (bacteriuria). In particular, it seems to work best against E.coli (the cause of 90%+ of urine infections) and Klebsiella, (the cause of about 5% of urine infections). In fact, common sense says it must work against these bacteria because of the way mannose is known to occupy the mannose receptors that E.coli and Klebsiella rely on for attachment, so bacteria in the urine attach to the free mannose in the urine and can't attach to you.

It may also work to tease off attached bacteria through bio-molecular attraction, and should also fill any vacant mannose receptors of your own tissue cells in your bladder and urinary tract, preventing fresh bacteria from attaching. We are also getting reports that the product is proving useful against interstitial cystitis.

Q. What types of bacteria is Waterfall D-Mannose not very effective against?

A. It does not appear to be effective against Enterococcus, Streptococcus, the Proteus family, or Pseudomonas - a minority of urinary tract infection agents that you are more likely to pick up if, for example, you have recently been for an investigation in hospital, or if you are very immune compromised and have an indwelling catheter. Proteus and the Pseudomonas don't rely completely on mannose attachment, so whilst the product appears to work to some extent against Proteus Mirabilis, (but we think not against Proteus Vulgaris), and Waterfall D-Mannose seems to help prevent it from doing so much damage as normal, (from the fact that customers report that it feels better temporarily) it doesn't seem to completely get rid of it. People say of P.Mirabilis, it 'keeps coming back as soon as I ease back on the Waterfall D-Mannose '. Antibiotics, unfortunately, may be the only solution, although Proteus bacteriuria are very antibiotic resistant.

That Waterfall D-Mannose works at all on these, may be because the Proteus family also has some minor mannose attachment mechanism. We think the d-mannose interferes with the attachment mechanism in the same way as it does with E.coli and Klebsiella, but because the bacteria can swarm in the mucous membrane of the bladder, and are not reliant on mannose in the same way as E.coli, Klebsiella, and Salmonella, they are harder to flush away.

In practice, we get hundreds of customers every month saying it has cleared up their problem, and just a few who say it hasn't worked very well for them. When that's happened we've recommended they get their urine tested and have the results faxed to us. In these cases they have usually turned out to have a combination of Streptococcus and Enterococcus. We can't win them all, but we are working on some ideas to defeat these bacteria. Meanwhile an idea that has worked for some people, when antibiotics have repeatedly failed is our glyconutrient mix recipy.

However, customer feedback tells us that Waterfall D-Mannose does seem to prevent almost all bladder infections when taken as a prophylactic. Very few people who take it long-term as a preventative measure ever get Proteus infections, Pseudomonas infections, or any other urinary infections, and that, as they say, is the proof of the pudding. You can prove that for yourself just by trying it.

A. Yes. The only difference between the tablets and the powder is that the tablets have a little bit of excipient as a binding agent. And, of course, you just swallow the tablets with a drink instead of dissolving them in water. And they are just as good value. You get 50 grams of Waterfall D-Mannose in 100 tablets, for the same price as the powder. Handy for taking in public. It can be a bit embarrassing to take a bag of white powder out in a cafe...

A. Yes, to the very best of our knowledge, and according to all research. D-mannose is an essential glyconutrient, rather than a 'medicine'. It is in every cell in your body, and your body produces mannose naturally, just as we produce vitamins like C and D. Mannose is also in all sorts of things like blueberries, pineapple, and aloe vera. You eat it all the time in a lot of foods. You just don't eat enough of it, which is why you get UTIs. Waterfall D-Mannose (we speak only for our product, and can't vouch for others) has no known adverse effects at normal or even high dose levels. But obviously, like with any foodstuff, (Eg: chocolate) you could make yourself sick with it by eating too much. Suggested maximum dose is 50 grams a day. But you wouldn't normally need even close to that. But it's been shown to be safe at continuous very high dose levels, and most people will not need more than 6 level teaspoons a day (10 grams), even for well developed infections.

From Invista.com "In humans, no adverse effects have been noted when oral doses of approximately 15 grams were administered at a time (about 10 level teaspoons). Even oral doses as extreme as 53 grams per day given over an 11-month period showed no adverse side effects. However, when excessively large amounts (35 grams per hour) of Mannose was injected intravenously continuously for 10 hours, human subjects did experience fatigue, anorexia, malaise, and massive uric acid crystalluria. "

If, for some reason, you want to take such huge doses of Waterfall D-Mannose , especially over an extended period, best to discuss this with your doctor or an experienced nutritionalist.

Our own experience is that if you take more than about 2 or 3 times the recommended measure of Waterfall D-Mannose, you only absorb part of it through the small intestine. The remainder passes though to the large intestine, and could cause some diarrhea, (because it will latch onto any pathogenic E.coli or Klebsiella it encounters there, and escort them out of your body).

A. No. But it's not a treatment for Candida either. However, what we've found is that people who use Waterfall D-Mannose on a regular basis as a preventative against urine infections, don't seem to get Candida problems. This is probably because as an essential glyconutrient, Waterfall D-Mannose could help boost the immune system, and by preventing reinfection, prevents you having to take antibiotics again, which are a known cause of Candida overgrowth. Incidentally, if you have thrush, there is an old fashioned way of dealing with the problem with a 5% solution of clear vinegar. That's one spoonful of vinegar to 19 of sterile water/ food jelly. This was the simplified basis of a now defunct product called Aci-Gel®. Seems to work well, by all reports. Obviously best to see your doctor though to make sure you know what you are dealing with.

Q. What's a good way to determine what I need as a maintenance/prophylactic dose?

Our suggestion: if when you take your first dose or two of Waterfall D-Mannose, you find that your urine is smelly or cloudy - that is a fairly obvious sign that there could be E.coli attached to your bladder, and you should use treatment level until at least you finish one pack. If instead your urine is clear and not smelly, you are probably safe just to take one spoonful a day as a maintenance dose. If despite the maintenance you feel something starting, immediately take a heaped teaspoonful, and 1 hour later take another. 99 times out of 100 that will prevent it from flaring up into a full blown infection. However, the fact that it started would be enough to indicate that you should thereafter increase your maintenance dose. On the other hand, if you are taking, say, three level teaspoonsful a day, and you remain free of cystitis for a month or so, it's probably safe to cut down to two a day, and if that keeps you clear, you could then cut down to one a day, and so on. It's not 'one size fits all'. It's what you need for your own particular symptoms and case history.

Q. Is Waterfall D-Mannose safe for babies and pregnant mothers?

A. To the very best of our knowledge, Waterfall D-Mannose is safe for everyone - and also won't harm the unborn child. In fact d-mannose is essential for normal development of the unborn child and a lack of it can cause problems. It is involved in so many fundamental cell actions that any deficiency of this one saccharide can lead to a host of physical problems.

A. At normal, or even five times normal dose levels, the product can't possibly be causing adverse side effects, except for (at high dose levels) some loosening of the bowels. But if you think it is, stop taking it. Remember that it's very easy to get mixed up about what is causing the problem. If you have a kidney infection, for example, you can feel very ill, and get a fever. Antibiotics cause a wide variety of side effects, many of them quite nasty. Those symptoms may still happen when you are taking the product, until enough of the bacteria has been flushed away to allow your body to recover.

Q. Can I take Waterfall D-Mannose along with antibiotics, or is there not much point?

A. There are no known drug interactions with Waterfall D-Mannose, so although of course you should always ask your doctor before taking ANY alternative remedy alongside a prescription drug, it should be perfectly safe to take the product alongside antibiotics, and there is a good reason for doing so. Antibiotics work by killing bacteria by, for example, poisoning them with fluorine. When the bacteria are killed, they may already be attached to your bladder or urinary tract. They are attached bio-molecularly mainly to the mannose receptors on the surface of your tissue cells. They can't let go when they are dead, because the mannose attachment is strong, and they have this bio-molecular bond, so they stay there, gradually rotting. However, your body tries to absorb them, and gradually covers them with the skin of your bladder, and its mucous membrane. This can cause longer term problems, such as interstitial cystitis, where you get the pain without there being live bacteria present. Waterfall D-Mannose, however, seems to provide a strong bio-molecular 'magnet' that attracts these dead fragmented cells and fimbria, helping to clean out the bladder, removing the problem at source.

You may not necessarily be getting reinfected - E.coli can 'hibernate' in the bladder, atttached to, or embedded in, the bladder wall, and be shaken loose during sex. However, take the obvious precautions such as being clean before sex, but do not take this to the point of obsession. Persistant scrubbing and use of perfumed or powerful cleansers can damage the delicate skin around the genital area, particularly for women, and actually make you more prone to infections. Skin is best at resisting infection when it is thick and unbroken, rather than rubbed raw... However, any thing else, like fingers, for example, that will be in contact with you should be sterile. Get a good antibacterial wash for hands, and ensure that the cleanliness is maintained all the way through. So touching that door handle after scrubbing is out. Touching that alarm clock is out.

It may also be time to remind your partner that there are other things besides penetrative sex. Most people who get repeated infections find that some change of sexual habits is necessary to prevent having to constantly fight infections. You may also have to avoid oral sex, since the mouth is a harbour for E.coli, and even after a mouthwash, the bug quickly gets back into the mouth through the nose and sinuses.

Stay focused. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you can relax because you have not had an infection for months. If you are prone to cystitis infections, you can't take the chance of being spontaneous, even if you have Waterfall D-Mannose in the cupboard. Just make sure you've taken it. It should be as routine as using a condom or taking the pill, but we agree that it's very annoying to put off sex for an hour whilst you are waiting to let the D-mannose gain its protective effect, so why not ensure that foreplay lasts at least that hour? That should also give you time to get ready... cystitis can be caused by lack of lubrication.

Take a teaspoon of Waterfall D-Mannose in a small glass of fuit juice or tea one hour before sex, and immediately afterwards. If you prefer, you can take it dry. It melts instantly in the mouth, and is not unpleasant. If you forget to take it before sex, you may wake up to find that you have a raging infection that causes you considerable discomfort until you can flush it away.
Ensure that you have a strong immune system by taking echinachia (1 month on, 1 week off), garlic, and antioxidant vitamins.
Avoid immune-damaging chemicals, food preservatives, deodorants, colourings, strong coffee, alcohol, red meat, prepackaged foods, and antibiotics.
Eat plenty of raw fruit and vegetables. Drink water that brocolli is cooked in (old Indian remedy).
Although Waterfall D-Mannose should in our experience quickly help you get rid of any E.coli based infection, avoid contamination during sex by making sure your partner is as clean as you are. You may also have to restrict what you do during sex, to prevent cross-contamination. You may find that certain sexual positions are more likely to cause cystitis for you. Keep a log of what you did before symptoms appeared. WIthin a few episodes, the causes may become apparant. For example, some women have discovered that cunnilingus gives them cystitis. The mouth and nose are full of bacteria. You might want to have a look at using Xylotene as a pre-sex mouthwash.

Don't forget...

If you go on a trip, take Waterfall D-Mannose with you. Some people carry a small sachet or pill-box of Waterfall D-Mannose at all times. Cystitis, like conception, can happen when you are standing in a bus queue. It is not always going to happen at a convenient time or place.

You may be reinfected by the same bug because it has been quietly living behind a protected bio-film in your bladder. Waterfall D-Mannose can't stop that happening, but it can flush it away when it happens before it can do any damage.

It’s hard to say definitively what your first sign of infection is likely to be. For some people it’s when the urine feels hot, or is smelly. For some it is stinging in the urethra during or after urinating. For others, it is a particular sharp pain down low, or on one side leading from the hip bone to urethra. For others it is frequent urination or cramping when the bladder is full. For others it is a dull ache above the hip on either or both sides... You just have to watch out for any symptom and learn to recognise it. That becomes easier over time, if you are prone to recurrent attacks. This is unlikely if you take Waterfall D-Mannose as a prophylactic.

A. Sperm attaches to eggs primarily in the same way that E.coli attaches to body cells - mainly using mannose receptors. So Waterfall D-Mannose can surround sperm and stop them from sticking to eggs. This is a temporary effect, and disappears about 4 hours after your last dose of Waterfall D-Mannose . There is ongoing research on using D-Mannose as a natural contraceptive, perhaps with slow release implants. However, the research is too sketchy for us to make specific claims yet, and it seems unlikely to be something that will work, as so much (90%) of the d-mannose you take is passed through the kidneys within around one hour of taking it. Still, if you are trying to get pregnant, it's probably best to avoid taking d-mannose around sex, unless it is more important to you not to get a UTI. See relevant article

Q. Can the product be used on animals?

A. Yes, we often supply to vets for cats, dogs, and horses, and it works for animals just as it does for humans. The effect is dose related, so you have to give Waterfall D-Mannose proportionally according to weight, with a level teaspoonful being the normal adult human dose.

Q. Do you always have large quantities of Waterfall D-Mannose in stock?

A. Today. By free first class post, Special Delivery, or Courier, depending on your order. We match the delivery to your needs. You can order special delivery up to 5:20pm, Monday to Thursday. Not much point in ordering Special Delivery at on Sat. or Sun. because they may not reach you until Tuesday. For same day free dispatch by First Class Post, we take orders up to 6.30pm. (But phone us if you make an order after 6pm to ensure that we've seen it, or it may not go until the next day. We'll take it directly to the sorting office.)

If you've bought our product you will know that we give existing customers access to reduced prices and special offers. For example, currently buy 4, get one free, or buy 3 and get a sample pack of our new Xylotene product.

Also, you can save money by ordering more packs at the same time. If you buy 10 or more at the same time you are getting the product at close to half price.

Q. Your advice on the amount to take differs from other advice I've heard. Why is that?

A. We have discovered that the effect of using the product is both dose related, and related to the severity of symptoms and the level of infection, and to how long the infection has been present. Some people need more, some less. Our information was written by ourselves, based on our own experiences, and on the experiences of our customers, so it is the best advice we can give, and is independent of what others may suggest. We believe nothing beats first hand experience.

If you want to discuss your own particular case or dosage with us, please call, (but please read this website first, as we are inundated with calls), and remember, your doctor is your medical advisor - we can just give you some alternative suggestions based on our experience.

Q. I have been told that recurring UTI's can have an underlying cause of Candida in the gut ? do you have knowledge of that ?

A. Candida can cause UTIs, where the urinary tract is infected with the fungus. It's a less common cause. It's more likely that the UTIs and the resultant antibiotics you've taken, have been a cause of the candida flare up.

Not in the classical sense of contagion, but it is slightly more complicated than that.

Although bladder infections and UTIs themselves are not contagious, it is possible to pass the E.coli back and forth between partners, thus triggering a bladder infection. For example, many women get a bladder infection after cunnilingus (sorry). Mouths can harbour E.coli. Others get it after vigorous sex, but not after gentle sex. In this case, it is less likely to be a new infection coming from ourside the body, than to be from bacteria that are already there in your bladder. (One reason why it is a good idea to take Waterfall D-Mannose an hour before having sex. It seems as if the closeness of the female urinary tract to the vagina, makes it possible for dormant E.coli (or similar bacteria) present in the urinary tract or bladder to be 'stimulated' into reproductive action, or shaken loose during sex, triggering an episode of cystitis.

Q. Is there always a trigger cause for cystitis?

Probably, but you'll often not be able to find the trigger cause. This is because E.coli lives naturally in the human body, and so your infection may not have come from outside your body at all. In other words, there may be nobody to blame. Sometimes, and for reasons we can't always pin down, the E.coli gets into your urinary tract - normally a sterile place. Once there, unless it is rapidly flushed away, it clings to your cell walls, and given the right circumstances, begins to multiply, damaging the membranes by causing a great deal of inflammation.

Obviously, if you can afford to order Waterfall D-Mannose, you can greatly reduce, or even eliminate your propensity for cystitis. In this sense, therefore, it is clear that you are in a better position than someone living a lifestyle that does not allow them the luxury of Waterfall D-Mannose.

There is also a relationship between what you drink and eat, and your propensity for infection. A healthy immune system is very much related to diet. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables stimulates a healthy immune system. Stodgy prepackaged foods can damage it. Red meat is especially damaging to the immune system, since many animals are fed hormones and antibiotics to stimulate weight gain, and most meats contain bacteria that your immune system has to continually fight.

It is also clear that we should all drink plenty of fresh clean water,and cut down on coffee, tea, and alcohol.

And then there is sex. Stay clean, stay safe. Make a note of your triggers, and then don't do them, if they can be avoided. You might have to say no to some things. Anal sex is a known major trigger.

Q. I have used antibiotics but with a short term success. I have had various urine tests and am interested to learn from your site that E Coli can get masked from showing up on a test. I don't know if the test looks for E Coli. The litmus tests show trace blood in the urine sometimes. I have had my kidneys checked and they are fine. How can one tell if the UTI is due to E Coli ?

A. It can be tested by your doctor. However, these tests are expensive. Doctors are more likely to simply verify the presence of the infection, and whether it is gram positive or negative. E.coli is gram negative, but a gram negative infection need not be E.coli, although 90+% of them are. Basically, if it is E.coli, there is a very good chance that Waterfall D-Mannose will work for you, and that is a good test - if it doesn't work, it is almost certainly not E.coli (or Klebsiella).

Try to keep an alkaline bladder. Don't take cranberry or orange, and if you take more than 100 - 150 mg of vitamin C, most of the excess goes straight into your urine, helping any E.coli that are there to thrive. They rapidly mutate to thrive in acidic conditions, but find alkaline conditions harder to cope with.

You might also find it beneficial to take Echinachia two weeks on, and two weeks off. You need to help your own immune system to kick in.

If you do decide to take Waterfall D-Mannose , it will probably be useful for you to read the following:

http://www.waterfall-d-mannose.com/cystitis-treatment-method.htm

Q. Waterfall D-Mannose seems to work brilliantly during the day, but my infection is flaring up at night again. What should I do?

A. This usually only happens to people who are treating an acute infection. One solution is to take a double or triple dose of the product just before bedtime, to prevent recolonisation of the bladder with E.coli during the night. You can top it up if you get up for the toilet during the night.

If that doesn't work, for the first day or two of using the product to treat an acute infection, you may need to set the alarm clock to allow you to take one or two doses during the night. Then, you'd have just as much Waterfall D-Mannose in your system during the night as during the day, so the problem would not arise.

Q. Can I start having sex again as soon as I feel relief by using the product?

A. Best to wait until you are sure that the infection is completely gone. It can take 4 or 5 days to completely flush away an acute infection, even if you feel better after the first dose.

A. This summarises a lot of the research we have read elsewhere. This is just to show you that the product can have other beneficial effects, rather than as a positive guideline.

Source: http://www.innvista.com (Site contains misleading information about amount of d-mannose that passes into the urine, (based, we think on research on Mussels, of all things... which have very different kidneys to us) but the below information may be helpful in indicating some important ways that your body uses mannose. Also, we are not sure about the claims that mannose helps joints at ordinary dose levels, because of our own experiences. As for the anti-cancer claims below - remember that the quote is not ours, and that the tumour reduction has only shown to be effective in clinically controlled trials in animals. Also, it wasn't Waterfall D-Mannose and so may have been synthesised mannose rather than natural; the dose levels used were much higher than normallly used for UTIs and bladder infections, and we do not sell the product for anti-cancer purposes. See your doctor if you suspect cancer!)

1. It really depends on why you need the examination done. In the normal course of a day it can be difficult for urologists to properly sterilise the cystoscope before using it, because of time pressures and limitations of the sterilising fluids they can safely use. If having a cystoscopy therefore it may be important to be the first patient of the day to avoid possible cross contamination from the bacteria affecting others that the cystoscope has been used on, unless you know the urologist has extra sets of equipment to use while previously used equipment is being sterilised. It is worth noting that unless any mucous residues from previous patients are carefully cleaned off before the equipment is submersed in the sterilising fluid, bacteria may remain alive in the equipment even after 'sterilisation'. This is a risk factor - the bacteria affecting patients undergoing cystoscopies are often multi-antibiotic resistant.

2. There is a small risk of tissue damage during the insertion and removal of the scope - this is more often the case with men than with women.

3. The procedure can be painful - it is possible to have an anesthetic used. For men, this may be the most painful thing they have ever experienced.

4. The benefit to having a cystoscopy done is that the urologist can examine the bladder to ensure that nothing other than infection is wrong with the bladder. If you are sure that what you have been suffering from is just straightforward infection, (antibiotics or Waterfall D-Mannose gets rid of it), the procedure may be pointless. Often the only 'result' you will get is that the urologist says, "Yes, your bladder does look inflamed. You are right - you have cystitis."

On the other hand, if you've had this problem for years, whether originally of bacterial origin or not, your bladder may have 'Hunners Ulcers' or other results of long-term damage. The procedure in this case will allow the urologist to assess your bladder for possible treatments such as bladder instillations, stretches, and surgical interventions. You will have to assess the success or failure rate of any suggested procedure. Best to see it on paper rather than taking a vague advice that it is 'often fairly successful' or something. Whilst some procedures are necessary, others are optional, and you may find that some procedures are likely to have only short-term benefits that are more than offset by the pain and disruption of having the procedure done. Other surgical procedures can cause long term serious problems if the procedure fails, or can leave you feeling worse than before the procedure. There is rarely such a thing as a permanent surgical cure for the bladder problems. However, surgery can often at least alleviate the condition temporarily.

5. Remember that most urologists are well intentioned professional and dedicated doctors. But you are in charge of your body and you don't need to have anything done to it that you don't want to have done. Unless you have an accident that physically damages you, or a virulent cancer, there is probably not going to be an urgent need to do anything before you've had a chance to explore alternatives.

Q. I have other questions I'd like to ask.

A. Please explore the rest of this website. We are overloaded with phone calls, but if your question is not answered on this site, you are welcome to call us on +44 (0)1904-340916.

Always ask your doctor before changing a treatment regime. You know we just give advice based on our experience, and it's no substitute for a thorough investigation by a competent and caring doctor, if you can find one.


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Add to Favourites Home Why we care User Feedback Questions About Sweet Cures Press Releases Order More about E.coli Understanding Repeat infections News E.coli loves cranberry Research Contact Us How to use Waterfall D-Mannose Our Affiliation Programme Traders and Resellers John's Blog Relationship hurting?	How To Use Waterfall D-Mannose Frequently Asked Questions... Q. What is Waterfall D-Mannose, exactly? Q. What makes Waterfall D-Mannose stand out? Q. What is the difference between natural and synthetic d-mannose? Q. Do you 'white box' Waterfall D-Mannose to other suppliers? Q. What types of bacteria is Waterfall D-Mannose effective against? Q. What types of bacteria is Waterfall D-Mannose not very effective against? Q. Are the Waterfall D-Mannose tablets as effective as the powder? Q. Is Waterfall D-Mannose safe, even at large dose levels? Q. Does Waterfall D-Mannose feed Candida? Q. Is Waterfall D-Mannose safe for babies and pregnant mothers? Q. Will it stop me from becoming pregnant? Q. What if I get some adverse symptoms despite what you say? Q. Can I take Waterfall D-Mannose along with antibiotics, or is there not much point? Q. Can the product be used on animals? Q. Do you always have large quantities of Waterfall D-Mannose in stock? Q. When will you send out my order? Q. Your advice on the amount to take differs from other advice I've heard. Why is that? Q. Can recurring UTI's can have an underlying cause of Candida in the gut ? Q. How can I prevent bladder infections after sex? Q. What's the first sign of a urine infection? Q. Are UTIs contagious? Q. Is there always a trigger cause for cystitis? Q. Does my lifestyle affect my propensity for cystitis? Q. How can one tell if the UTI is due to E Coli ? Q. My infection is flaring up at night again. What should I do? Q. What's a good way to determine what I need as a maintenance/prophylactic dose? Q. Can I start having sex again as soon as I feel relief by using the product? Q. What other benefits could there be from taking Waterfall D-Mannose ? Q. Could a Cystoscopic examination be useful for me? Q. What is Waterfall D-Mannose, exactly? A. It is not a herbal remedy, but a natural monosaccharide isomer of glucose, extracted from sweet forest timbers (mainly of the hard Fagaceae and Betulaceae families) without using solvents. We only use the best mannose, ensuring that the product works exceptionally well. Also, and very importantly, we have never once taken an order that we could not deliver - usually the next day. Q. What makes Waterfall D-Mannose stand out? We don't believe anyone in the world is supplying a better quality 100% natural product. We use Waterfall D-Mannose ourselves, and we are continually focused on monitoring the results the product achieves. But there is also the personal service we provide - our knowledge of how to use Waterfall D-Mannose, and the fact that we are not some anonymous company that doesn't care what happens to you. You can get to know us personally, and we will help you get better. Q. What is the difference between natural and synthetic d-mannose? A. First there is the obvious point that natural d-mannose is probably going to be closer to the body's own natural d-mannose - an essential component of every cell in the body. But obviously it also depends to a large extent on the source of the d-mannose and the purity. Sweet Cures uses only the best quality natural products available. Q. Do you 'white box' Waterfall D-Mannose to other suppliers? A. Absolutely not. For a list of local retailers who do supply our product please see: Waterfall D-Mannose suppliers UK & Europe. Q. What types of bacteria is Waterfall D-Mannose effective against? A. It appears to be effective against the most common bacterial urinary infection agents (bacteriuria). In particular, it seems to work best against E.coli (the cause of 90%+ of urine infections) and Klebsiella, (the cause of about 5% of urine infections). In fact, common sense says it must work against these bacteria because of the way mannose is known to occupy the mannose receptors that E.coli and Klebsiella rely on for attachment, so bacteria in the urine attach to the free mannose in the urine and can't attach to you. It may also work to tease off attached bacteria through bio-molecular attraction, and should also fill any vacant mannose receptors of your own tissue cells in your bladder and urinary tract, preventing fresh bacteria from attaching. We are also getting reports that the product is proving useful against interstitial cystitis. Q. What types of bacteria is Waterfall D-Mannose not very effective against? A. It does not appear to be effective against Enterococcus, Streptococcus, the Proteus family, or Pseudomonas - a minority of urinary tract infection agents that you are more likely to pick up if, for example, you have recently been for an investigation in hospital, or if you are very immune compromised and have an indwelling catheter. Proteus and the Pseudomonas don't rely completely on mannose attachment, so whilst the product appears to work to some extent against Proteus Mirabilis, (but we think not against Proteus Vulgaris), and Waterfall D-Mannose seems to help prevent it from doing so much damage as normal, (from the fact that customers report that it feels better temporarily) it doesn't seem to completely get rid of it. People say of P.Mirabilis, it 'keeps coming back as soon as I ease back on the Waterfall D-Mannose '. Antibiotics, unfortunately, may be the only solution, although Proteus bacteriuria are very antibiotic resistant. That Waterfall D-Mannose works at all on these, may be because the Proteus family also has some minor mannose attachment mechanism. We think the d-mannose interferes with the attachment mechanism in the same way as it does with E.coli and Klebsiella, but because the bacteria can swarm in the mucous membrane of the bladder, and are not reliant on mannose in the same way as E.coli, Klebsiella, and Salmonella, they are harder to flush away. In practice, we get hundreds of customers every month saying it has cleared up their problem, and just a few who say it hasn't worked very well for them. When that's happened we've recommended they get their urine tested and have the results faxed to us. In these cases they have usually turned out to have a combination of Streptococcus and Enterococcus. We can't win them all, but we are working on some ideas to defeat these bacteria. Meanwhile an idea that has worked for some people, when antibiotics have repeatedly failed is our glyconutrient mix recipy. However, customer feedback tells us that Waterfall D-Mannose does seem to prevent almost all bladder infections when taken as a prophylactic. Very few people who take it long-term as a preventative measure ever get Proteus infections, Pseudomonas infections, or any other urinary infections, and that, as they say, is the proof of the pudding. You can prove that for yourself just by trying it. Q. Are the Waterfall D-Mannose tablets as effective as the powder? A. Yes. The only difference between the tablets and the powder is that the tablets have a little bit of excipient as a binding agent. And, of course, you just swallow the tablets with a drink instead of dissolving them in water. And they are just as good value. You get 50 grams of Waterfall D-Mannose in 100 tablets, for the same price as the powder. Handy for taking in public. It can be a bit embarrassing to take a bag of white powder out in a cafe... Q. Is Waterfall D-Mannose safe, even at large dose levels? A. Yes, to the very best of our knowledge, and according to all research. D-mannose is an essential glyconutrient, rather than a 'medicine'. It is in every cell in your body, and your body produces mannose naturally, just as we produce vitamins like C and D. Mannose is also in all sorts of things like blueberries, pineapple, and aloe vera. You eat it all the time in a lot of foods. You just don't eat enough of it, which is why you get UTIs. Waterfall D-Mannose (we speak only for our product, and can't vouch for others) has no known adverse effects at normal or even high dose levels. But obviously, like with any foodstuff, (Eg: chocolate) you could make yourself sick with it by eating too much. Suggested maximum dose is 50 grams a day. But you wouldn't normally need even close to that. But it's been shown to be safe at continuous very high dose levels, and most people will not need more than 6 level teaspoons a day (10 grams), even for well developed infections. From Invista.com "In humans, no adverse effects have been noted when oral doses of approximately 15 grams were administered at a time (about 10 level teaspoons). Even oral doses as extreme as 53 grams per day given over an 11-month period showed no adverse side effects. However, when excessively large amounts (35 grams per hour) of Mannose was injected intravenously continuously for 10 hours, human subjects did experience fatigue, anorexia, malaise, and massive uric acid crystalluria. " If, for some reason, you want to take such huge doses of Waterfall D-Mannose , especially over an extended period, best to discuss this with your doctor or an experienced nutritionalist. Our own experience is that if you take more than about 2 or 3 times the recommended measure of Waterfall D-Mannose, you only absorb part of it through the small intestine. The remainder passes though to the large intestine, and could cause some diarrhea, (because it will latch onto any pathogenic E.coli or Klebsiella it encounters there, and escort them out of your body). Q. Does Waterfall D-Mannose feed Candida? A. No. But it's not a treatment for Candida either. However, what we've found is that people who use Waterfall D-Mannose on a regular basis as a preventative against urine infections, don't seem to get Candida problems. This is probably because as an essential glyconutrient, Waterfall D-Mannose could help boost the immune system, and by preventing reinfection, prevents you having to take antibiotics again, which are a known cause of Candida overgrowth. Incidentally, if you have thrush, there is an old fashioned way of dealing with the problem with a 5% solution of clear vinegar. That's one spoonful of vinegar to 19 of sterile water/ food jelly. This was the simplified basis of a now defunct product called Aci-Gel®. Seems to work well, by all reports. Obviously best to see your doctor though to make sure you know what you are dealing with. Q. What's a good way to determine what I need as a maintenance/prophylactic dose? Our suggestion: if when you take your first dose or two of Waterfall D-Mannose, you find that your urine is smelly or cloudy - that is a fairly obvious sign that there could be E.coli attached to your bladder, and you should use treatment level until at least you finish one pack. If instead your urine is clear and not smelly, you are probably safe just to take one spoonful a day as a maintenance dose. If despite the maintenance you feel something starting, immediately take a heaped teaspoonful, and 1 hour later take another. 99 times out of 100 that will prevent it from flaring up into a full blown infection. However, the fact that it started would be enough to indicate that you should thereafter increase your maintenance dose. On the other hand, if you are taking, say, three level teaspoonsful a day, and you remain free of cystitis for a month or so, it's probably safe to cut down to two a day, and if that keeps you clear, you could then cut down to one a day, and so on. It's not 'one size fits all'. It's what you need for your own particular symptoms and case history. Q. Is Waterfall D-Mannose safe for babies and pregnant mothers? A. To the very best of our knowledge, Waterfall D-Mannose is safe for everyone - and also won't harm the unborn child. In fact d-mannose is essential for normal development of the unborn child and a lack of it can cause problems. It is involved in so many fundamental cell actions that any deficiency of this one saccharide can lead to a host of physical problems. Q. What if I get some adverse symptoms despite what you say? A. At normal, or even five times normal dose levels, the product can't possibly be causing adverse side effects, except for (at high dose levels) some loosening of the bowels. But if you think it is, stop taking it. Remember that it's very easy to get mixed up about what is causing the problem. If you have a kidney infection, for example, you can feel very ill, and get a fever. Antibiotics cause a wide variety of side effects, many of them quite nasty. Those symptoms may still happen when you are taking the product, until enough of the bacteria has been flushed away to allow your body to recover. Q. Can I take Waterfall D-Mannose along with antibiotics, or is there not much point? A. There are no known drug interactions with Waterfall D-Mannose, so although of course you should always ask your doctor before taking ANY alternative remedy alongside a prescription drug, it should be perfectly safe to take the product alongside antibiotics, and there is a good reason for doing so. Antibiotics work by killing bacteria by, for example, poisoning them with fluorine. When the bacteria are killed, they may already be attached to your bladder or urinary tract. They are attached bio-molecularly mainly to the mannose receptors on the surface of your tissue cells. They can't let go when they are dead, because the mannose attachment is strong, and they have this bio-molecular bond, so they stay there, gradually rotting. However, your body tries to absorb them, and gradually covers them with the skin of your bladder, and its mucous membrane. This can cause longer term problems, such as interstitial cystitis, where you get the pain without there being live bacteria present. Waterfall D-Mannose, however, seems to provide a strong bio-molecular 'magnet' that attracts these dead fragmented cells and fimbria, helping to clean out the bladder, removing the problem at source. Q. How can I prevent bladder infections after sex? You may not necessarily be getting reinfected - E.coli can 'hibernate' in the bladder, atttached to, or embedded in, the bladder wall, and be shaken loose during sex. However, take the obvious precautions such as being clean before sex, but do not take this to the point of obsession. Persistant scrubbing and use of perfumed or powerful cleansers can damage the delicate skin around the genital area, particularly for women, and actually make you more prone to infections. Skin is best at resisting infection when it is thick and unbroken, rather than rubbed raw... However, any thing else, like fingers, for example, that will be in contact with you should be sterile. Get a good antibacterial wash for hands, and ensure that the cleanliness is maintained all the way through. So touching that door handle after scrubbing is out. Touching that alarm clock is out. It may also be time to remind your partner that there are other things besides penetrative sex. Most people who get repeated infections find that some change of sexual habits is necessary to prevent having to constantly fight infections. You may also have to avoid oral sex, since the mouth is a harbour for E.coli, and even after a mouthwash, the bug quickly gets back into the mouth through the nose and sinuses. See also Relationship Affected by Cystitis? Stay focused. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you can relax because you have not had an infection for months. If you are prone to cystitis infections, you can't take the chance of being spontaneous, even if you have Waterfall D-Mannose in the cupboard. Just make sure you've taken it. It should be as routine as using a condom or taking the pill, but we agree that it's very annoying to put off sex for an hour whilst you are waiting to let the D-mannose gain its protective effect, so why not ensure that foreplay lasts at least that hour? That should also give you time to get ready... cystitis can be caused by lack of lubrication. Then we suggest: Take a teaspoon of Waterfall D-Mannose in a small glass of fuit juice or tea one hour before sex, and immediately afterwards. If you prefer, you can take it dry. It melts instantly in the mouth, and is not unpleasant. If you forget to take it before sex, you may wake up to find that you have a raging infection that causes you considerable discomfort until you can flush it away. Ensure that you have a strong immune system by taking echinachia (1 month on, 1 week off), garlic, and antioxidant vitamins. Avoid immune-damaging chemicals, food preservatives, deodorants, colourings, strong coffee, alcohol, red meat, prepackaged foods, and antibiotics. Eat plenty of raw fruit and vegetables. Drink water that brocolli is cooked in (old Indian remedy). Although Waterfall D-Mannose should in our experience quickly help you get rid of any E.coli based infection, avoid contamination during sex by making sure your partner is as clean as you are. You may also have to restrict what you do during sex, to prevent cross-contamination. You may find that certain sexual positions are more likely to cause cystitis for you. Keep a log of what you did before symptoms appeared. WIthin a few episodes, the causes may become apparant. For example, some women have discovered that cunnilingus gives them cystitis. The mouth and nose are full of bacteria. You might want to have a look at using Xylotene as a pre-sex mouthwash. Don't forget... If you go on a trip, take Waterfall D-Mannose with you. Some people carry a small sachet or pill-box of Waterfall D-Mannose at all times. Cystitis, like conception, can happen when you are standing in a bus queue. It is not always going to happen at a convenient time or place. You may be reinfected by the same bug because it has been quietly living behind a protected bio-film in your bladder. Waterfall D-Mannose can't stop that happening, but it can flush it away when it happens before it can do any damage. You might also want to read a bit about traditional herbal ways to assist the bladder. What's the first sign of an infection? It’s hard to say definitively what your first sign of infection is likely to be. For some people it’s when the urine feels hot, or is smelly. For some it is stinging in the urethra during or after urinating. For others, it is a particular sharp pain down low, or on one side leading from the hip bone to urethra. For others it is frequent urination or cramping when the bladder is full. For others it is a dull ache above the hip on either or both sides... You just have to watch out for any symptom and learn to recognise it. That becomes easier over time, if you are prone to recurrent attacks. This is unlikely if you take Waterfall D-Mannose as a prophylactic. Q. Will Waterfall D-Mannose stop me from becoming pregnant? A. Sperm attaches to eggs primarily in the same way that E.coli attaches to body cells - mainly using mannose receptors. So Waterfall D-Mannose can surround sperm and stop them from sticking to eggs. This is a temporary effect, and disappears about 4 hours after your last dose of Waterfall D-Mannose . There is ongoing research on using D-Mannose as a natural contraceptive, perhaps with slow release implants. However, the research is too sketchy for us to make specific claims yet, and it seems unlikely to be something that will work, as so much (90%) of the d-mannose you take is passed through the kidneys within around one hour of taking it. Still, if you are trying to get pregnant, it's probably best to avoid taking d-mannose around sex, unless it is more important to you not to get a UTI. See relevant article Q. Can the product be used on animals? A. Yes, we often supply to vets for cats, dogs, and horses, and it works for animals just as it does for humans. The effect is dose related, so you have to give Waterfall D-Mannose proportionally according to weight, with a level teaspoonful being the normal adult human dose. Q. Do you always have large quantities of Waterfall D-Mannose in stock? A. Yes. Q. When will you send out my order? A. Today. By free first class post, Special Delivery, or Courier, depending on your order. We match the delivery to your needs. You can order special delivery up to 5:20pm, Monday to Thursday. Not much point in ordering Special Delivery at on Sat. or Sun. because they may not reach you until Tuesday. For same day free dispatch by First Class Post, we take orders up to 6.30pm. (But phone us if you make an order after 6pm to ensure that we've seen it, or it may not go until the next day. We'll take it directly to the sorting office.) Q. I am a satisfied user of your product. Do you do any special offers. If you've bought our product you will know that we give existing customers access to reduced prices and special offers. For example, currently buy 4, get one free, or buy 3 and get a sample pack of our new Xylotene product. Also, you can save money by ordering more packs at the same time. If you buy 10 or more at the same time you are getting the product at close to half price. Q. Your advice on the amount to take differs from other advice I've heard. Why is that? A. We have discovered that the effect of using the product is both dose related, and related to the severity of symptoms and the level of infection, and to how long the infection has been present. Some people need more, some less. Our information was written by ourselves, based on our own experiences, and on the experiences of our customers, so it is the best advice we can give, and is independent of what others may suggest. We believe nothing beats first hand experience. If you want to discuss your own particular case or dosage with us, please call, (but please read this website first, as we are inundated with calls), and remember, your doctor is your medical advisor - we can just give you some alternative suggestions based on our experience. Q. I have been told that recurring UTI's can have an underlying cause of Candida in the gut ? do you have knowledge of that ? A. Candida can cause UTIs, where the urinary tract is infected with the fungus. It's a less common cause. It's more likely that the UTIs and the resultant antibiotics you've taken, have been a cause of the candida flare up. Q. Are UTIs contagious? Not in the classical sense of contagion, but it is slightly more complicated than that. Although bladder infections and UTIs themselves are not contagious, it is possible to pass the E.coli back and forth between partners, thus triggering a bladder infection. For example, many women get a bladder infection after cunnilingus (sorry). Mouths can harbour E.coli. Others get it after vigorous sex, but not after gentle sex. In this case, it is less likely to be a new infection coming from ourside the body, than to be from bacteria that are already there in your bladder. (One reason why it is a good idea to take Waterfall D-Mannose an hour before having sex. It seems as if the closeness of the female urinary tract to the vagina, makes it possible for dormant E.coli (or similar bacteria) present in the urinary tract or bladder to be 'stimulated' into reproductive action, or shaken loose during sex, triggering an episode of cystitis. Q. Is there always a trigger cause for cystitis? Probably, but you'll often not be able to find the trigger cause. This is because E.coli lives naturally in the human body, and so your infection may not have come from outside your body at all. In other words, there may be nobody to blame. Sometimes, and for reasons we can't always pin down, the E.coli gets into your urinary tract - normally a sterile place. Once there, unless it is rapidly flushed away, it clings to your cell walls, and given the right circumstances, begins to multiply, damaging the membranes by causing a great deal of inflammation. Q. Does my lifestyle affect my propensity for cystitis? Obviously, if you can afford to order Waterfall D-Mannose, you can greatly reduce, or even eliminate your propensity for cystitis. In this sense, therefore, it is clear that you are in a better position than someone living a lifestyle that does not allow them the luxury of Waterfall D-Mannose. There is also a relationship between what you drink and eat, and your propensity for infection. A healthy immune system is very much related to diet. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables stimulates a healthy immune system. Stodgy prepackaged foods can damage it. Red meat is especially damaging to the immune system, since many animals are fed hormones and antibiotics to stimulate weight gain, and most meats contain bacteria that your immune system has to continually fight. It is also clear that we should all drink plenty of fresh clean water,and cut down on coffee, tea, and alcohol. And then there is sex. Stay clean, stay safe. Make a note of your triggers, and then don't do them, if they can be avoided. You might have to say no to some things. Anal sex is a known major trigger. Q. I have used antibiotics but with a short term success. I have had various urine tests and am interested to learn from your site that E Coli can get masked from showing up on a test. I don't know if the test looks for E Coli. The litmus tests show trace blood in the urine sometimes. I have had my kidneys checked and they are fine. How can one tell if the UTI is due to E Coli ? A. It can be tested by your doctor. However, these tests are expensive. Doctors are more likely to simply verify the presence of the infection, and whether it is gram positive or negative. E.coli is gram negative, but a gram negative infection need not be E.coli, although 90+% of them are. Basically, if it is E.coli, there is a very good chance that Waterfall D-Mannose will work for you, and that is a good test - if it doesn't work, it is almost certainly not E.coli (or Klebsiella). Try to keep an alkaline bladder. Don't take cranberry or orange, and if you take more than 100 - 150 mg of vitamin C, most of the excess goes straight into your urine, helping any E.coli that are there to thrive. They rapidly mutate to thrive in acidic conditions, but find alkaline conditions harder to cope with. You might also find it beneficial to take Echinachia two weeks on, and two weeks off. You need to help your own immune system to kick in. If you do decide to take Waterfall D-Mannose , it will probably be useful for you to read the following: http://www.waterfall-d-mannose.com/cystitis-treatment-method.htm Q. Waterfall D-Mannose seems to work brilliantly during the day, but my infection is flaring up at night again. What should I do? A. This usually only happens to people who are treating an acute infection. One solution is to take a double or triple dose of the product just before bedtime, to prevent recolonisation of the bladder with E.coli during the night. You can top it up if you get up for the toilet during the night. If that doesn't work, for the first day or two of using the product to treat an acute infection, you may need to set the alarm clock to allow you to take one or two doses during the night. Then, you'd have just as much Waterfall D-Mannose in your system during the night as during the day, so the problem would not arise. Q. Can I start having sex again as soon as I feel relief by using the product? A. Best to wait until you are sure that the infection is completely gone. It can take 4 or 5 days to completely flush away an acute infection, even if you feel better after the first dose. Q. What other benefits could there be from taking Waterfall D-Mannose ? A. This summarises a lot of the research we have read elsewhere. This is just to show you that the product can have other beneficial effects, rather than as a positive guideline. Source: http://www.innvista.com (Site contains misleading information about amount of d-mannose that passes into the urine, (based, we think on research on Mussels, of all things... which have very different kidneys to us) but the below information may be helpful in indicating some important ways that your body uses mannose. Also, we are not sure about the claims that mannose helps joints at ordinary dose levels, because of our own experiences. As for the anti-cancer claims below - remember that the quote is not ours, and that the tumour reduction has only shown to be effective in clinically controlled trials in animals. Also, it wasn't Waterfall D-Mannose and so may have been synthesised mannose rather than natural; the dose levels used were much higher than normallly used for UTIs and bladder infections, and we do not sell the product for anti-cancer purposes. See your doctor if you suspect cancer!) Mannose prompts anti-inflammatory activity and tissue regeneration. It appears to have an active role in the activation of macrophages, whose function it is to clean up debris which can cause inflammation. In fact, macrophages have at least four different receptors that bind Mannose implying that the sugar is vital for the proper function of these garbage collectors. Further evidence for its anti-inflammatory abilities is based on studies involved in wound healing. Mannose stimulates fibroblasts to make more collagen and proteoglycans, which means that healing is speeded up, pain is lessened, and skin integrity returns to normal faster. Mannose also works to correct over-active neutrophils (T cells) that cause misguided inflammation. Researchers in Australia have confirmed this action. Evidentally, Mannose displaces certain enzymes required for T cells to flow into various areas such as the joints, liver tissue, kidneys, and even central nervous system areas, thereby acting as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. Mannose, Galactose, Fucose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid are all involved in reversing Failure to thrive (FFT) syndromes. Failure to thrive and cachexia (general ill health and malnutrition) are also seen in adults with AIDS and cancer. It appears that a direct cause of FTT symptoms in children is the failure of glycoproteins to transport sugar, something that can actually start in the placenta. This malfunction of glucose transporters (glycoproteins) can also occur in the blood-brain barrier and muscle cells of the developing infant, inevitably producing a host of undesirable symptoms. Research has shown that supplementation with glyconutrients resulted in significantly improved conditions. Apparently, it takes the combination of essential sugars to correct the problem and not just a supplementation of one sugar or of one nutrient. Mannose is found in all cell membranes, thereby affecting every organ and system of the body. It is also another essential sugar that can be found in the photoreceptor layer of the retina, thus playing an important role in vision. It also has been shown that supplementation of Mannose can be used in conjunction with other therapies for the management of diabetic cataracts. Based on studies to date, Mannose has the ability to preserve membrane metabolites which have a protective effect in the lens. Since Mannose is found in distribution sites of the brain and nerve structures, it is assumed that it plays an important role in nerve physiology. Mannose is capable of activating insulin-like growth factor receptors, implying it can be beneficial for diabetics. Mannose, like another essential sugar (Glucosamine), is also crucial for joint protection, especially in cases of rheumatoid arthritis. When lab animals received mannans (polymers of Mannose), inflammation flare-ups were prevented. It is well known that genetic mutations in, or the lack of, mannose-binding proteins can predispose a person to the disease; but, by adding glyconutrients to the diet, such miscommunication between immune cells is corrected. Mannose has also been proven to reduce tumor growth and increase survival rates of cancerous animals. It appears that the sugar stimulates macrophages which secret interferons. These, in turn, activate natural killer cells involved in the elimination of cancer cells. Mannose has also been used to depress the rate of growth of other tumor cells in cultures. When scientists added Mannose and Glucosamine into the drinking water of mice with tumor cells, their survival rate increased while the tumors decreased. Some studies concluded that Mannose and Fucose appeared to be the most effective sugars when it came to slowing the growth of cancer cells. Mannose acts as an antibacterial agent. Bacteria have lectins on their surfaces that bind to host cells, resulting in infection. However, Mannose competes with the bacterial lectins, occupying sites that would normally bind to host cell Mannose receptors, thus preventing attachment and thwarting possible infection. Mannose has proven to be particularly effective against Salmonella and E.coli. [Add Klebsiella - John and Anna]. Mannose also has antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal properties." [It doesn't cure thrush - John and Anna]. Q. Could a Cystoscopic examination be useful for me? 1. It really depends on why you need the examination done. In the normal course of a day it can be difficult for urologists to properly sterilise the cystoscope before using it, because of time pressures and limitations of the sterilising fluids they can safely use. If having a cystoscopy therefore it may be important to be the first patient of the day to avoid possible cross contamination from the bacteria affecting others that the cystoscope has been used on, unless you know the urologist has extra sets of equipment to use while previously used equipment is being sterilised. It is worth noting that unless any mucous residues from previous patients are carefully cleaned off before the equipment is submersed in the sterilising fluid, bacteria may remain alive in the equipment even after 'sterilisation'. This is a risk factor - the bacteria affecting patients undergoing cystoscopies are often multi-antibiotic resistant. 2. There is a small risk of tissue damage during the insertion and removal of the scope - this is more often the case with men than with women. 3. The procedure can be painful - it is possible to have an anesthetic used. For men, this may be the most painful thing they have ever experienced. 4. The benefit to having a cystoscopy done is that the urologist can examine the bladder to ensure that nothing other than infection is wrong with the bladder. If you are sure that what you have been suffering from is just straightforward infection, (antibiotics or Waterfall D-Mannose gets rid of it), the procedure may be pointless. Often the only 'result' you will get is that the urologist says, "Yes, your bladder does look inflamed. You are right - you have cystitis." On the other hand, if you've had this problem for years, whether originally of bacterial origin or not, your bladder may have 'Hunners Ulcers' or other results of long-term damage. The procedure in this case will allow the urologist to assess your bladder for possible treatments such as bladder instillations, stretches, and surgical interventions. You will have to assess the success or failure rate of any suggested procedure. Best to see it on paper rather than taking a vague advice that it is 'often fairly successful' or something. Whilst some procedures are necessary, others are optional, and you may find that some procedures are likely to have only short-term benefits that are more than offset by the pain and disruption of having the procedure done. Other surgical procedures can cause long term serious problems if the procedure fails, or can leave you feeling worse than before the procedure. There is rarely such a thing as a permanent surgical cure for the bladder problems. However, surgery can often at least alleviate the condition temporarily. 5. Remember that most urologists are well intentioned professional and dedicated doctors. But you are in charge of your body and you don't need to have anything done to it that you don't want to have done. Unless you have an accident that physically damages you, or a virulent cancer, there is probably not going to be an urgent need to do anything before you've had a chance to explore alternatives. Q. I have other questions I'd like to ask. A. Please explore the rest of this website. We are overloaded with phone calls, but if your question is not answered on this site, you are welcome to call us on +44 (0)1904-340916. Always ask your doctor before changing a treatment regime. You know we just give advice based on our experience, and it's no substitute for a thorough investigation by a competent and caring doctor, if you can find one.
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