Bladder Control

[mgb29]

I have been having bladder problems for about 3 years. When I first went to the dr. I had an UTI but that was cleared with medicine, but I still had the problems so he just kept me on the medicine which didn't work. So finally after a year of being on Macrodantin (sp.) and seeing this dr. I went to another dr. and he said I had scar tissue blocking my uretha. So I had surgery and he removed it. Well during surgery he did a few tests, not sure of there names. And he said I had an OAB. So needless to say almost a year after that I am trying my 3rd different medicine and still know luck. I have tryed Vesicare, Sanctura, and now on Enablex. I asked the dr. last time I went if I might have IC and he said no, if I had that I would be in lots of pain. Well ok so I don't have much pain but I do have a little.

Anyways my symptoms are almost constent urge to urinate, always feeling like I am leaking if I try to hold it and lots of pressure in my stomach. I spend most of my days in the bathroom and it drives me crazy. We use to go on trips and now I don't want to do anything cause I always have to find the bathroom. Sometimes it seems as like the more I walk the more I pee. I don't know. I have read some posts on here so I know I am not the only person with this problem, but for almost 3 years I thought I was just going crazy and maybe it was all in my head. But I know it is not.

If anyone has found anything that works for this or can help any at all please let me know. Living like this is driving me crazy and causing lots of depression

[pinnkmoose]

I couldnt have put it better myself, i feel the same way. I started having the problem over sixth months ago now and so far I havnt found anything that works but i have started on some new meds today. I get really low aswell, i used to go on random drives and walks with my boyfriend but now I dont feel like I can do any of that. Even a simple trip into town to go shopping is very stressful.
Please don't feel like you are alone, cause there are alot of people on here that are going through the same thing and we can support each other.
I get bad days or weeks when i feel like I'm not the person I used to be and cry (alot), i think everyone with this problem gets that. But I really try to get on with things and tell myself over and over that i wont always be like this and i will get better somehow. I try to enjoy the things that i can and make the most of them, like watching a movie with my mates or having a meal with my boyfriend.
Sometimes it gets too much and i get very upset like you do, but its important to try and pick yourself back up. I hope the doctors find a way to help you.
I wish you all the best,

[Suzie-Q]

I have just read your post. I can see how exasperated you feel, because you have squashed a lot of information into your post, but I am finding it difficult to understand some of it. Anyway, at the risk of sounding simplistic, I'll suggest something to you which was my problem. I am presuming you are a female which would fit your having had a prolapse of the vagina/womb/muscles, either caused through childbirth, gaining/losing weight, age or lack of exercise. The pressure of the descending internal organs on the bladder causes the desire to wee more frequently than is really needed, and the inability to "hold on". A complication to this can be caused by NOT drinking enough water or other fluids (being fearful of having to wee too often!) and thus starving the body of fluid (dehydration also occurs) but in particular this leads to the urine being very acidic and strong and thus causing urinary tract infections.
I went to the National Continence Foundation at St. George's Hospital in Kew, Victoria (but there are others in other states/cities) and found absolutely fabulous assistance from very caring and qulified nurses who were discreet, sympathetic and understanding and THEY SOLVED MY PROBLEM just by special exercises for the pelvic floor, which I still continue to do to this day (at a reduced level). My husband also had his problem (worse then mine and caused for different reasons), virtually solved also, again simply by understanding the problem and performing similar pelvic floor exercises.
If your problem is really medical and not perhaps physical my story may not help you, but it might help others. Your life will change I can assure you if this is the problem. (I went shopping with my daughter soon after and "held on" for 6 hours, whereas she had to find the conveniences!)
GOOD LUCK
Suzie-Q

[mgb29]

Thank you for your insight on my problem. I understand that part of my problem is from childbearing, but I have been having this problem for 3 years now and I have tried the exercises which I have been told are called kegal and they don't really seem to help. Also my youngest child is 7 so I really don't understand why it happened 4 years after he was born.
I have been doing a lot of research on this and I have come to believe that I do have an overactive bladder and its cause is probably because of many factors, for example childbearing at a young age, weight, small bladder, and UTIs. I also have lots of anixety so I don't think this helps my problem. I have been considering having acupunture done to see if that helps. I read somewhere that someone had it done and it did help, so I figure it is worth a shot.
I understand you are just trying to help, but really I have tried everything you suggest. I drink water and lots of it and all it does is make me go more and I have tried the kegal exercises and they don't seem to help at all. I am also on my 3rd different medicine and it isn't working either. I have had surgery to open up my urthea (sp.) and strech my bladder. I am still in hopes that I will find something that will cure or at least help my problem, but I am not holding my breath.

[Suzie-Q]

Thank you for taking the time to further explain your difficulty. In regard to "part of the problem being childbirth" I can only say that my prolapse did not present itself until about 15 years after I had my children; brought on partly I believe by putting on considerable weight and not getting much exercise. I have not heard the term "kegal" for the exercises you were given; they have always been referred to as Pelvic Floor Exercises by my specialist, physiotherapist and GP. As I and my husband were helped I am sure there is help there for you, you just need to find the right one. Maybe going to someone entirely NEW with no referrals, etc. from previous doctors, you may find one which has a different viewpoint and different diagnosis. I hope so.
Suzie-Q

[mgb29]

Thank you. I hope I figure out something as well cause it is very frustrating. I am currently attending college and there is a lot of time that I have to get up in the middle of class and it is embarrissing.
I have decided to try Magnesium, I heard it could help. I figured with it being a vitiam that it couldn't hurt anything. I am willing to try anything at this point that I have not. The doctor I go to is a specialst and I really don't know who else to go to cause there are a bunch of doctors in his office that do the same thing. And he is the 2nd doctor I have went to for this.
Thank you for listening I appreicate it a lot.

[Beckygal]

I hear you about the constant urge it sucks cause you can't hardly think aabout anything else...did you just wake up withthe UTI that never went away? That is what happened to me, I just woke up one am after being normal and thought I had a UTI---symptoms said so...after 3 antio- I found that none helped me! Went on a ski-trip and it was terrible!!!! Still I just want to feel normal!

I understand where you are coming from I do not have any pain with mine either.

[mgb29]

Ya having the constent urge is very frustrating. I really don't know if I just woke up one morning with a UTI or not. I just remember having to go a lot and people around me tell me to go see a dr. so I did. There he told me I had a UTI and he put me on antibodics. I had never had a UTI before and I didn't even know I did then. The dr. said I had had it for a while and that I had scar tissue. And needless to say he kept me on the medicine for a year and when I was just just getting worse I decided to go to a different dr. That is when I went to my family dr. and she recommended me to another dr. and I have had surgery to remove the scar tissue and other things and diagnosed me with an overactive bladder. I have now tried 3 different medicines for an overactive bladder and no relief. I just called my dr. back today and they want me to have a bladder study. They are suppose to call me back tomorrow to set up an appointment to do that, so I will keep everyone updated. Hopefully it will tell something more and maybe fix me for good. :)

[bluesky]

I've got the same story. I'm 35 and at the start of April I was sure I had a UTI but it came back negative. I've had blood tests and urinalysis and an ultrasound of my pelvis to make sure that it wasn't fibroids pushing on my bladder and it all came back normal. It is irritating during the day, but my nights suck!- I get up to pee between 7-9 times a night. I've been on vesicare 10mg for 2 weeks. It gives me headaches but the doctor says I should still give it more time to work. I'm on a non-acidic IC diet. No fruit, coffee, alcohol, chocolate. I'm wondering if you have gotten any relief yet. Has anything helped decrease the feeling like you need to pee? this sucks

[mgb29]

I wish I could say I have gotten some relief from somewhere, but I haven't. I just had a urodynamic (bladder) study done and all it showed is that I have an overactive bladder. The dr. put me on oxytrol it is a patch that you put on and change only twice a week. I am suppose to give it 3 weeks to see if it is going to work. Friday will be only a week and so far I am not really any different. I am starting to wonder if there is more to this and maybe something else is causing it. I don't know if this applies to you, but I think I might also have IBS, not sure I have been thinking about going to the my regular dr and asking, my urologist couldn't answer that question. I read somewhere that constipation can effect your bladder. I will keep you updated. I know this is very frustrating I just wish something would work. You would think there would be some kind of treatment out there.