I apologize for my sarcasm over the word ‘sterile’ it was uncalled for!!
Trudy is right in what she says, urine is only sterile in the bladder (unless there is a urinary infection, in which case it isn’t sterile then either, obviously).
However, many people have claimed to have drunk urine (other people’s as well as their own) and they have come to no harm. And I thought I had a problem!!
I know some people are very worried about this subject, but I think they are worrying unnecessarily. I recall a very unpleasant and extremely embarrassing incident that occurred when I was nursing. We had a patient on the ward in isolation, who was very ill. He had abscesses in various places internally and the infection was also in his urine. He was not responding to any antibiotics, and although a young man, previously in good health, his situation was becoming very concerning. It was quite an effort to enter his room because of the smell. On one occasion I helped him out of bed and he was using a bottle. His hands were shaking. The flow of urine caught the edge of the bottle and I ended up being spayed in the face. Alas, my mouth was open at the time because I was talking to him. I felt a desperate need to wash my mouth out with carbolic, but due to the man’s extreme weakness, and equally extreme embarrassment, I had to help him and ignore my own panic. I made a joke of the incident and it was too late to do anything much afterwards, any ‘damage‘ was done. However, I didn’t even develop a sore throat.
A few years ago, I was alarmed by a notice in the toilets at my doctor’s surgery. It was a list explaining why we need to wash our hands. The final sentence stated that doing so could ‘even save your life‘. I felt this was alarmist and extreme. I read the notice a few months after watching Professor Salkovskis’ documentary, where he and a patient went ‘toilet dipping‘. When I saw my GP, I mentioned both the therapy and the warning notice and commented on the conflicting messages. My GP screwed his face up at the therapy, but went on to say although he wouldn’t do it, it was not that dangerous. His comment on the notice was that it was never intended for the likes of me! He summed up by saying both were extreme and over the top.
I personally would not be prepared to face Edna Foa’s exposure therapy for those with contamination fears of germs, faeces etc. I don’t have her book to hand, so I am unsure how long she advocates not washing one’s hands, but I think unless you live alone it’s unacceptable (I wouldn‘t do it even then, but it‘s up to the individual!). David Veale doesn’t seem to take his therapy that far and he does state when it is necessary to wash our hands. However, Edna Foa stresses not to wash, even after using the toilet (she says ‘bathroom’, I believe, but we know what she means!). She suggests wearing gloves to clean our teeth so that water doesn’t come in contact with our hands even then. I believe she permits a brief shower on the second or third day of therapy, but, apart from that, no washing of hands!
Jonathan Grayson, has therapy sessions at the OCFoundation conferences, where he encourages people to touch toilet seats and then eat with their ’dirty’ hands. Another of his favourites is encouraging us to chew gum that one of his colleagues has had in his mouth first. Actually, I’d prefer the toilet seat! Actually, thinking about it more deeply, I would prefer the gallows!
Whether we approve of this therapy or not, Edna Foa and Jonathan Grayson are highly regarded professionals in America, who, given the culture in their country of suing for the slightest thing, would not be risking bankruptcy, which would be the case if their patients were dropping like flies (or even developing stomach bugs)! Even our NHS would put a stop to Professor Salkovskis and his therapy, if people were suing after becoming ill. Unpalatable it might all sound, but it must be relatively safe.