What to do during an attack
Some doctors recommend that you should start drinking more fluids (such as water), to
try to ‘flush out’ the bacteria. But there’s no research to show if this will help. It may be
best to avoid acidic drinks like fruit juice, and drinks that may irritate your bladder, like
coffee.
You can buy potassium citrate or sodium citrate powder, to make into drinks, at a
pharmacy.They make your urine less acidic, which can reduce the burning feeling when
you pass urine. But they won’t kill the bacteria causing your infection.
You can take paracetamol to relieve your pain. Holding a hot water bottle over your
abdomen may be comforting.
Your doctor may prescribe a three-day course of antibiotic tablets to treat your cystitis.
You’ll probably take trimethoprim (brand name Monotrim), nitrofurantoin (Furadantin),
cefalexin (Ceporex), or amoxicillin.
Which antibiotic your doctor prescribes will depend on whether bacteria where you live
have become resistant to certain antibiotics