Sian, 71, has suffered with reoccurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) since she was 18.
“I feel ill with the infections, they’re painful, uncomfortable and it makes my mood feel low.”
She said it affected day-to-day life, sometimes having to cancel plans and stay at home.
“When I was employed I had regular sick leave as some days I was too weak to attend. When I have a UTI, I know I’m hopeless, I can’t do anything.”
She said she tried to keep healthy, and self-medicate with cranberry juice and vitamins but often needing medication is unavoidable.
Sian said needing to return to the doctors for additional prescriptions because antibiotics have not worked had happened “too many times”.
“It’s so stressful, you have to go through the process of getting through to the GP, and then have more antibiotics to take until it goes. It really is a bind for us woman who suffer this way.”
She has taken part in medical research “as she wants to make a difference and to avoid others suffering”.
She feels it is important to speak up to avoid the topic being a taboo or feeling like a stigma.
