My fellow chronic illness comrades, UTI (urinary tract infection) and heatstroke season is fast upon us.
As an Intersex woman and therefore a chronic UTI recipient (and someone who absolutely HATES summer), here's what I've learned:
-Vaginal moisturizer is not the same as lubricant. Lubricant won't help against UTIs or pain or chafing; it isn't absorbed into the skin.
-Water just isn't enough for a lot of us and it's very hard to drink enough. Electrolytes are good, but a combination of water and electrolytes is better. You can also "eat your water." Watermelon, green pepper, celery, oranges (& variations of oranges lol), berries, peaches, the list goes on. Vegetables and fruits last you way longer if canned, or frozen. Smoothies are a good option.
-If you don't have air conditioning at home or it doesn't seem to help enough, those large box fans can be put in the window during the cool morning, facing out of the window to pull the cool air in and push the hot air out. Idk how it works, but it does. Physics and shit.
-If you can avoid wearing multiple layers around your pelvis, do. Unscented deodorant on the inner thighs can help for thigh-chafing instead of under-skirt shorts, but can be sweat off. You'll want to be able to re-apply it if you use the deodorant method. You can also cut tights/nylons into shorts, which are way more breathable than solid fabric... depending on the tights.
-You'll probably need to change a pad or tampon more often in hot weather. Going through 2 a day is recommended for other seasons, so for hot weather I'd say up to 3. I don't know much about diapers in terms of adults who need them, but I'd guess the same or even more often since it covers a lot more of your body. Even if it's dry, change it -- there's still sweat and bacteria and moisture accumulating.
-If you have trouble showering every 1-2 days, I swear by water-based baby wipes (especially for body areas that get damp/sweaty).
-If you haven't pooped in 3 days... enema. I'm not kidding. Constipation will dehydrate you even faster than not drinking water. In the U.S., Fleet makes very gentle, easy-to-use enemas that you can pick up OTC (over the counter) at pretty much any pharmacy. Just don't ever do more than one enema on the same day (unless directed by a doctor) because it'll dehydrate you and break down the healthy mucus in your digestive system. I hated enemas at first, but now they're like second nature and such a huge relief.
-Cranberry juice is indeed a lot cheaper than those oily UTI tablets, but I can't personally attest to its effectiveness lol (I'm not saying cranberry juice doesn't work, but if it doesn't, I recommend over-the-counter UTI meds)
-Seriously don't hold in your pee very long omg
-Taking care of yourself is fucking hard, especially when you have to do extra. Anything kind/generous you can do for yourself during these seasons that people might call "unhealthy," like eating ice cream or whatever, is gonna be 1000x healthier for you than being miserable.
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