Help with a bladder issue
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:22 am
I need some help. We all know that there can be specific issues with our bladders. However, I have found out that there are (from what I can find) three discreet conditions that you can have with your bladder from MS.
One is OAB (Over Active Bladder) which, in layman's terms, means you have to pee all the time.
Two is flaccid bladder where your bladder over fills and does not generate sufficient contractions to void.
Third is detrusor sphicter dyssynergy. This is apparently what I have and involves dis-coordination between your bladder contracting to void and the urethral sphincter opening to allow voiding.
What my symptoms have typically presented as is a strong urgency to go. When I go, I have good "pressure" and a good stream for about 3 seconds. I then "pull on myself" and generate another approx. 3 second flow and it stops. I then squeeze my bladder like I'm trying to hold it in, tap on my bladder, and then I can get a third stream. This has typically resulted in a void of approximately 4-5 oz. of urine.
This results in me peeing very frequently in the mornings (I get up anywhere from 2-4 times per night to do this too) until I get cleaned out. Not unmanageable, but a pain in the butt. I have never had a UTI. I drink my cranberry like a madman and I think this has helped.
My new problem is this: I am now able to still get my three streams, but they are now only dribbles. I end up "filling the hose" and squeezing that out about six or seven times and it's barely enough to fill a urine speciment cup. As a result of this, my incontinence has gone way up, but only when sleeping, especially if I nap.
Oxybutinin does not work since that makes me retain. Bladder stimulators do not work since I pee myself, so I think I have one option left, IC. I'm not really scared of this, but don't want to start if it will take away my ability to pee on my own in case some repair happens when I get my Tovaxin. I'm so close to the extension portion of the trial (late Nov.), but don't imagine that would be an area I could expect to regain any lost function since my bladder symtpoms have been with me for six years now.
Does anyone have any insight on how to improve this without limiting fluid intake? I'm already doing that somewhat and my constipation has gotten worse so I can't do that anymore. For as mobile as I am and as much good energy as I have, it sure feels like my bladder is way more advanced in terms of how screwed up it is compared to the rest of my symptoms.
This is new in the last week and has been constant for about that long with no change so I think this is the new status of my bladder since it has remained unchanged for a full week. There is a good article in the new MSF mag. in the Men and MS section about IC'ing and it sounds like it has really helped the guy who wrote the article. I sound like I'm talking myself into doing this, but I would love some feedback from someone who is currently IC'ing. I would like know how often you do it and how much they cost and all that kind of detail.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lew (Loobie)
One is OAB (Over Active Bladder) which, in layman's terms, means you have to pee all the time.
Two is flaccid bladder where your bladder over fills and does not generate sufficient contractions to void.
Third is detrusor sphicter dyssynergy. This is apparently what I have and involves dis-coordination between your bladder contracting to void and the urethral sphincter opening to allow voiding.
What my symptoms have typically presented as is a strong urgency to go. When I go, I have good "pressure" and a good stream for about 3 seconds. I then "pull on myself" and generate another approx. 3 second flow and it stops. I then squeeze my bladder like I'm trying to hold it in, tap on my bladder, and then I can get a third stream. This has typically resulted in a void of approximately 4-5 oz. of urine.
This results in me peeing very frequently in the mornings (I get up anywhere from 2-4 times per night to do this too) until I get cleaned out. Not unmanageable, but a pain in the butt. I have never had a UTI. I drink my cranberry like a madman and I think this has helped.
My new problem is this: I am now able to still get my three streams, but they are now only dribbles. I end up "filling the hose" and squeezing that out about six or seven times and it's barely enough to fill a urine speciment cup. As a result of this, my incontinence has gone way up, but only when sleeping, especially if I nap.
Oxybutinin does not work since that makes me retain. Bladder stimulators do not work since I pee myself, so I think I have one option left, IC. I'm not really scared of this, but don't want to start if it will take away my ability to pee on my own in case some repair happens when I get my Tovaxin. I'm so close to the extension portion of the trial (late Nov.), but don't imagine that would be an area I could expect to regain any lost function since my bladder symtpoms have been with me for six years now.
Does anyone have any insight on how to improve this without limiting fluid intake? I'm already doing that somewhat and my constipation has gotten worse so I can't do that anymore. For as mobile as I am and as much good energy as I have, it sure feels like my bladder is way more advanced in terms of how screwed up it is compared to the rest of my symptoms.
This is new in the last week and has been constant for about that long with no change so I think this is the new status of my bladder since it has remained unchanged for a full week. There is a good article in the new MSF mag. in the Men and MS section about IC'ing and it sounds like it has really helped the guy who wrote the article. I sound like I'm talking myself into doing this, but I would love some feedback from someone who is currently IC'ing. I would like know how often you do it and how much they cost and all that kind of detail.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lew (Loobie)