Beyond the Symptoms | An Expert Interview Series by LUF | Live UTI Free

Can stress really trigger chronic UTI symptoms? In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, host Melissa Kramer speaks with Dr. Aparna Taylor about the connection between stress, the nervous system, inflammation, gut health, and chronic UTI symptoms.Dr. Taylor explains why stress is not just about feeling “stressed out,” but about the body perceiving a threat to survival. She breaks down how being stuck in fight, flight, or freeze can affect immune function, sleep, digestion, and healing, and why that matters so much for people living with chronic bladder symptoms.The conversation also explores why symptoms can flare during stressful moments; whether stress reduction alone can resolve an infection; how movement, mindfulness, and calming routines may support healing; and why diet and gut health can be important pieces of the bigger picture. Throughout the episode, Dr. Taylor emphasizes an individualized, sustainable approach that looks beyond the bladder alone.If you’ve ever wondered why your symptoms seem to spike when life feels overwhelming, or why one-size-fits-all advice has not worked for you, this episode offers a grounded and compassionate perspective on chronic UTI recovery.3 takeawaysWhy chronic UTI symptoms may flare during stressful moments, and how pain, inflammation, poor sleep, and nervous system overload can all add up.How gut health, food sensitivities, and inflammation may play a role in chronic illness, and why dietary changes often need to be individualized.Why recovery is often about finding a sustainable, realistic, whole-person approach rather than chasing one perfect treatment or “silver bullet.”Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

Could hidden mold exposure or fungal overgrowth be aggravating your chronic UTI symptoms, even when standard urine cultures come back “negative”? In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, host Melissa (CEO of Live UTI Free) speaks with Dr. Pamela Cipriano, a doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner in Connecticut who practices internal and functional medicine and works with patients experiencing chronic urinary tract infections, chronic bladder pain, mold toxicity, Candida overgrowth, and tick-borne illnesses.Dr. Cipriano explains why the terms mold and fungi are essentially interchangeable, how mold can affect the immune system and irritate the bladder, and why some people can live in the same environment yet one person gets very sick, and the other feels fine. You’ll also hear her approach to testing when symptoms persist, including why she uses MicroGenDX to look beyond a standard culture for what may be embedded in the bladder wall, plus how she thinks about biofilms as a “hiding place for bacteria, mold, fungus.”3 things you’ll learn in this episode:Why mold and fungi are often used interchangeably, and what “mold toxicity” / mycotoxin illness can look like, from sinus issues to “Candida outbreaks” to urinary symptoms.How Dr. Cipriano approaches chronic UTI cases when symptoms persist: MicroGenDX DNA-based testing, plus what she looks for when she suspects bladder wall infection and fungal involvement.What might make urinary symptoms flare during treatment, including inflammatory reactions, and why Dr. Cipriano puts so much weight on hydration and anti-inflammatory nutrition.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

Join host Melissa from Live UTI Free as she speaks with Dr. Maria Uloko, a board-certified urologist and founder of VUVLAi. about how misdiagnosis and knowledge gaps in medicine are impacting people with chronic UTI symptoms and vulvar pain. Dr. Uloko shares groundbreaking insights from her research, including how 88% of patients she saw for chronic UTIs were actually suffering from hormone-related inflammation. Together, they unpack the myths surrounding post-sex UTIs, explore the overlooked role of testosterone in vulvar health, and discuss why education and advocacy are the keys to transforming outcomes.3 Key Takeaways:Your UTI might not be a UTI – Dr. Uloko suggests that most “chronic UTIs” are actually lower urinary tract symptoms caused by hormonal or vulvar inflammation, something many clinicians don’t even evaluate.Post-sex UTIs are not inevitable – Pain or UTI-like symptoms after sex are often due to vestibulodynia (inflammation of the vestibule) and pelvic floor dysfunction, not infection. These conditions are treatable.Hormones matter more than you’ve been told – Estrogen and testosterone are essential to vulvar and bladder health. Many medications (like oral contraceptives) unintentionally disrupt this balance and may lead to misdiagnosed symptoms.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, host Melissa Kramer welcomes Dr. Henry Schreiber, instructor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, to explore the fascinating link between our gut microbiome, bladder health, and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Dr. Schreiber specialises in understanding UTIs as a whole‑body problem (not just a bladder infection), and he shares insights on how the gut may serve as a reservoir for UTI‑causing bacteria, how inflammation and nervous system signalling in the bladder contribute to persistent symptoms, and why we need better diagnostics and treatments. If you have recurrent UTIs (RUTIs) or pelvic/urinary symptoms, want to better understand the science, or are a healthcare professional seeking a research‑grounded discussion, this episode offers information to help you feel more empowered. Three Key Takeaways:Dr. Schreiber explains how the gut microbiome can influence bladder health, more than just one “bad bug”; it’s about bacterial diversity, immune education, and metabolite production (e.g., butyrate‑producing bacteria being lower in people with recurrent UTIs).He emphasises that UTIs (especially recurrent) often reflect a whole‑body issue, not just a bladder infection: a lowered neuronal threshold in the bladder, immune system dysregulation, and a “reservoir” in the gut (or nearby) may all contribute to repeated episodes.He speaks directly to patients: Yes, the neurological and mood symptoms many people with UTIs experience are real (not “just anxiety”), and while many treatments are under development, self‑advocacy and understanding your own biology matter because “biology is just weird” and there’s no one‑size‑fits‑all.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

Join host Melissa from Live UTI Free as she speaks with Dr. Indira Mysorekar, a pioneer in urinary tract infection research whose lab uncovered how Escherichia coli can hide in reservoirs within the bladder and then re‑emerge to trigger recurrent UTIs. Together, they explore how bladder health differs between people assigned female at birth and those assigned male, how menopause and chronic inflammation increase UTI risk, and what the future of diagnostics and care might look like. Whether you’re battling recurrent UTIs, living with chronic urinary symptoms, or just want to understand the science behind bladder‑health issues, this episode offers insight, support, and actionable ideas grounded in research.3 Key TakeawaysDr. Mysorekar explains that in many recurrent UTI cases, bacteria aren’t simply coming and going; they may persist hidden within bladder tissue in what she calls “quiescent intracellular reservoirs,” then re‑emerge to cause symptoms.Chronic bladder inflammation (even in the absence of a classic culture‑positive infection) can damage the bladder’s barrier cells, turning “normal” urine into an irritant and priming the bladder for future infection.The “female bladder” (people with female anatomy) is biologically distinct (and under‑researched) compared to the male bladder; menopause and hormone changes significantly raise the risk of recurrent UTIs, so care needs to look beyond “take antibiotics and go home.”Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, host Melissa Kramer talks with Professor Chris Harding, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Professor of Urology at Newcastle University.They explore the VESPER clinical trial, a landmark study for people with recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) who haven’t improved with first-line prevention. Together, they discuss how bladder instillations work at home, why this trial focuses on real-world symptoms rather than lab culture results, who can participate, and how the findings could inform future care guidelines across the UK.Key TakeawaysThree prevention options tested side by side. The VESPER trial compares daily oral antibiotics, bladder-administered gentamicin, and GAG-layer replacement therapy, designed to strengthen the bladder’s natural protective coating.Targeted treatment results in fewer whole-body side effects. Delivering medicine straight into the bladder keeps it where it’s needed most. In earlier studies, gentamicin wasn’t detected in the bloodstream, suggesting a low risk of systemic side effects.Measuring what matters most. Instead of relying on unreliable culture tests, success is defined by symptoms and treatment outcomes, reflecting how people actually experience UTIs in daily life.If you or someone you support meets the criteria and is in the UK, discuss a referral specifically for the VESPER trial with your GP.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

In this episode, host Melissa Kramer speaks with Amanda Burkardt and Dr. Mayukh Das from Phiogen, a biotechnology company developing bacteriophage (phage) therapeutics for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). They describe how their novel approach utilizes targeted viruses to eliminate UTI-causing bacteria, without harming the microbiome. You’ll hear how Phiogen’s science tackles the most challenging cases, including chronic and antibiotic-resistant UTIs, and why they’re inviting patients to help shape the future clinical trial that Phiogen will be running.If you’ve ever wondered whether phage therapy could be a solution for your chronic UTI, especially if you’ve struggled with negative cultures, biofilms, or treatment resistance, this episode is for you.🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How phage therapy works, and why it’s different from antibioticsWhy recurrent UTI patients, especially those with antibiotic resistance or biofilms, may benefit most from phage therapyWhat’s happening behind the scenes to bring an “off-the-shelf” phage treatment to clinical trialsThe current limitations (e.g., E. coli-only focus) and plans for expanding phage therapy accessHow YOU can shape the upcoming clinical trial by joining the patient surveyWant to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, Melissa speaks with Dr. Lindsay Burnett, a physician-scientist in urogynecology, about the complex relationship between pelvic floor disorders, the urinary microbiome, and recurrent UTI symptoms.Dr. Burnett draws from her clinical and research experience to unpack the often misunderstood differences between acute, recurrent, and chronic UTIs. She also explains how urinary symptoms can be influenced by prolapse, incontinence, urethral sensitivity, and even gut health.This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating chronic UTI symptoms, especially those who’ve felt dismissed or misdiagnosed. Dr. Burnett offers a patient-centered approach rooted in science and lived experience, addressing the fundamental questions patients ask but rarely get answered.Key Takeaways:UTI testing and diagnosis are broken, but evolving. Standard urine cultures often miss key pathogens, yet they remain the most widely used method. Dr. Burnett explains why this happens and what newer options (like expanded cultures or catheterized samples) can reveal.Pelvic floor disorders can directly impact UTI risk. Conditions like prolapse or poor bladder emptying may not cause infections on their own, but they create an environment that makes UTIs more likely and are often overlooked.Care must be collaborative when the evidence is unclear. When guidelines don’t reflect patient experiences, clinicians and patients need to “walk into the unknown together,” exploring options like intravesical antibiotics, pelvic floor physical therapy, and trial-and-error treatments based on symptom patterns.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

In this episode of the LUF podcast, host Melissa Kramer sits down with Dr. Nick Parkinson, Scientific Director at the UK-based Systems Biology Laboratory. Driven by a personal experience with his young daughter’s recurring, culture-negative UTIs, Dr. Parkinson’s team developed a groundbreaking DNA‑based test that bypasses traditional culture and PCR methods. Using nanopore sequencing, they analyze urine and vaginal samples directly, identifying bacteria, yeasts, viruses, plasmids, and phages with precision and speed. Standard UTI tests often miss infections entirely. Dr. Nick Parkinson shares how his team used nanopore DNA sequencing to detect hidden bacteria, including rare strains like Tinnitignum charliei, that culture and PCR can’t find. This advanced method reveals not just what's present, but how each strain behaves and resists treatment. He also explains why testing both urine and vaginal samples is crucial for uncovering hidden reservoirs that may be causing recurrent UTIs.What You’ll Learn from This EpisodeWhat limits current UTI tests like culture and PCR, and how nanopore sequencing overcomes them.Why matching the strain, not just the species, matters for understanding how UTI bugs behave and resist treatment.How this tool may reshape both diagnosis and treatment planning, including antibiotic guidance and recognition of underexplored conditions like overgrowth syndromes.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.

Guest host Jess Price, Patient Involvement Advisor at Live UTI Free, sits down with naturopathic doctor Carley Akehurst to unpack a powerful new resource for chronic UTI patients: the My UTI History Form.As a chronic UTI patient herself, Jess brings the lived experience perspective to this conversation, asking the questions many patients wish they had the confidence or clarity to ask in the clinic. Together, she and Dr. Akehurst explore how this patient-developed form can transform clinical conversations, reduce the emotional weight of sharing your story over and over, and help you advocate for the care you deserve.🔗 Download the form and explore more tools at liveutifree.com🎧 What You’ll Learn:How to use the My UTI History Form to streamline and strengthen communication with your clinician.Why listing your treatment goals can shift the dynamic of your care in empowering ways.Practical ways to approach a new clinician with your prepared form, without feeling dismissed or overwhelmed.Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.