Aa
Bladder issues
I am embarrised (SP) to be discussing this but I need help.
My neuro asked if I had any issues with my bladder and I said NO!!! After looking into MS a bit more as he suspects MS I realise that I may have issues with bladder but I have just put it down to an age thing (42).
Just by coincidence I recently had a ultrasound of the bladder , full and then on emptying. They told me I had left some urine in the bladder. Not a lot but some. I had emptied it as much as I could.
I realised then that this is happening a lot lately because after I go to the toilet, on standing up and moving around I have been releasing the last of it down my leg. I have no control over this happening. I have tried to sit longer and try to squeeze it all out . Sometimes it works.sometimes not. It is definately a recent thing. Also I usually have to go 2 or 3 times a night and lately when I wake , I dont feel the need to go???? I have gone back to sleep not going cos tired, But yesturday i thought I must need to go, I always do. So up I got and by the time I was on the toilet , sure enough I did feel the need to go.
Also I have experienced times of starting to go and not being able to . Usually with squeezing and waiting I can go a bit more but have needed to go again a short while after as I obviously didnt go properly.
I have neglected to talk about this with the neuro , from embarisment, and I have just thought its normal for my age. Now Im not so sure.
Is this something you should talk about with the neuro???? My husband is the only one who knows about this.
Oh and just a side note.......sneezing can make me go a little as well. But as i've had children I know this is usual.
Any thoughts on this please.
Mistylee
My neuro asked if I had any issues with my bladder and I said NO!!! After looking into MS a bit more as he suspects MS I realise that I may have issues with bladder but I have just put it down to an age thing (42).
Just by coincidence I recently had a ultrasound of the bladder , full and then on emptying. They told me I had left some urine in the bladder. Not a lot but some. I had emptied it as much as I could.
I realised then that this is happening a lot lately because after I go to the toilet, on standing up and moving around I have been releasing the last of it down my leg. I have no control over this happening. I have tried to sit longer and try to squeeze it all out . Sometimes it works.sometimes not. It is definately a recent thing. Also I usually have to go 2 or 3 times a night and lately when I wake , I dont feel the need to go???? I have gone back to sleep not going cos tired, But yesturday i thought I must need to go, I always do. So up I got and by the time I was on the toilet , sure enough I did feel the need to go.
Also I have experienced times of starting to go and not being able to . Usually with squeezing and waiting I can go a bit more but have needed to go again a short while after as I obviously didnt go properly.
I have neglected to talk about this with the neuro , from embarisment, and I have just thought its normal for my age. Now Im not so sure.
Is this something you should talk about with the neuro???? My husband is the only one who knows about this.
Oh and just a side note.......sneezing can make me go a little as well. But as i've had children I know this is usual.
Any thoughts on this please.
Mistylee
Please don't be embarrassed MistyLee, Bladder issues are very common in MS patients as well as women who have had multiple births. Some Dr.'s also may view it as a challenge and try and solve it.
I am 38 and have had tons of urological tests, and finally after diagnosis chalked it up to neurogenic bladder. What's embarrassing for me is that I am only 38 and feel like I have the bladder or a 90 year old. I have constant urgency issues, as well as nighttime incontinence so please don't be embarrassed, and remember Dr's can only diagnose and treat problems if you tell them.
Stay Well!
~Scottie
I am 38 and have had tons of urological tests, and finally after diagnosis chalked it up to neurogenic bladder. What's embarrassing for me is that I am only 38 and feel like I have the bladder or a 90 year old. I have constant urgency issues, as well as nighttime incontinence so please don't be embarrassed, and remember Dr's can only diagnose and treat problems if you tell them.
Stay Well!
~Scottie
My urologist is a good looking man too... haha but he is nice and listens well
I don't have a clear MS diagnosis.
I have the hesitancy /retention issues (have not had any difficulty for 6 weeks now though!) and he decided to skip the urogynamics testing too. I am having a cystoscopy in a few weeks ( which I'm a little unsure of).
If he doesn't find anything (he doesn't think he will) then he's sticking by the nerve damage cause, could be damage from a virus, or if my Spine MRI shoes anything we go from there.
try not to be embarrassed, they have heard it all before literally.
I don't have a clear MS diagnosis.
I have the hesitancy /retention issues (have not had any difficulty for 6 weeks now though!) and he decided to skip the urogynamics testing too. I am having a cystoscopy in a few weeks ( which I'm a little unsure of).
If he doesn't find anything (he doesn't think he will) then he's sticking by the nerve damage cause, could be damage from a virus, or if my Spine MRI shoes anything we go from there.
try not to be embarrassed, they have heard it all before literally.
Mistylee,
If it help you any, my neuro is young enough to be my son! They are doctors - they don't think of our bodies and our functions in any abnormal way. Its all part of the treatment and once you do this talk with him you will be surprised how much easier it gets.
Just wait until he wants to question your s ex life - that will eventually happen too if you end up dx'd with MS. :-)
Honesty is the only way to build this doctor/patient relationship if you want it to work.
good luck and we'll wait to hear the next report.
be well,
Lulu
If it help you any, my neuro is young enough to be my son! They are doctors - they don't think of our bodies and our functions in any abnormal way. Its all part of the treatment and once you do this talk with him you will be surprised how much easier it gets.
Just wait until he wants to question your s ex life - that will eventually happen too if you end up dx'd with MS. :-)
Honesty is the only way to build this doctor/patient relationship if you want it to work.
good luck and we'll wait to hear the next report.
be well,
Lulu
Well I have an appt with the neuro on Monday. So I;m gonna discuss this with him. Argh!!! Not looking forward to it at all.
Hes a rather attractive looking man which makes it even worse!!! lol!!
Mistylee
Hes a rather attractive looking man which makes it even worse!!! lol!!
Mistylee
I still haven't told my neuro about my bladder issues, because I'm not sure if they are really issues or just due to childbirth. I'm only 32 and I feel just like you do at times...I go 1-2 times a night sometimes only a couple of hours after the lat time and I don't drink anything 2-3 hours before bed otherwise I'm up all night. I have to go a lot more, but I just attributed it to having a baby less than 2 years ago and my pelvic floor being shot.
I still am not sure what is considered too frequent and an issue that the doc should know about. I have never had a UTI, so I'm lucky in that regard I guess.
I still am not sure what is considered too frequent and an issue that the doc should know about. I have never had a UTI, so I'm lucky in that regard I guess.
Yup, same here - frequent, incomplete, weakness so when I squat or cough I leak... not a pretty thing, especially when you're only 38.
You are definitely not alone! I also having trouble starting, emptying fully and holding it in when I sneeze. No kids for me though. I always thought it was just a weak muscle problem but now I'm thinking it's related to my MS (I'm recently diagnosed).
Just a note of caution here - the pressing on your abdomen to assist with urination is a technique that must be done right. If you do it incorrectly, you can force the urine back up into the kidneys and possibly cause damage. A good PT or urogyno can discuss this with you.
-L
-L
Hi ML,
I had to smile when I read you post because that was me a bit over year ago. My neuro. on first meeting, asked about bladder issues. I was much too embarassed to even discuss them, assuming like you it was my age. But I was 54 at the time, a bit older than you!
Anyway, the very next day I sent him a fax, confessing that I had not been truthful and yes, I have bladder problems. I figure he already knew, because of the placement of my lesions.
We have to be totally honest with our health care providers if they are going to be expected to help us. You will have plenty of opportunities to revisit this topic with your neurologist, so please be straight forward with him.
Now, for your bladder. I would strongly urge you to find a urogynecologist in your area to work with. You need to be checked for a UTI, then perhaps a few studies to determine the nature of your problem.
My urogyno skipped the urodynamic test, she figures it is definitely a neurogenic bladder from the other symptoms. Hesitancy, frequency, urgency and retention are all problems I experience regularly. Its a real mixed bag of misbehaving.
She also prescribed intermittent self-catherization for me and my neuro encourages me to be diligent about it. Both doctors say it is something I will probably always need to do.
I did PT training this summer for my bladder. That was quite a bit of help, trying to reteach my bladder to behave. I will never be perfect probably but at least for now it is bearable.
Quix wrote several health pages on this topic, and I would encourage you to read these over to familiarize yourself with how this all works - our body functions and the physcial therapy/doctor treatment.
be well,
Lulu
I had to smile when I read you post because that was me a bit over year ago. My neuro. on first meeting, asked about bladder issues. I was much too embarassed to even discuss them, assuming like you it was my age. But I was 54 at the time, a bit older than you!
Anyway, the very next day I sent him a fax, confessing that I had not been truthful and yes, I have bladder problems. I figure he already knew, because of the placement of my lesions.
We have to be totally honest with our health care providers if they are going to be expected to help us. You will have plenty of opportunities to revisit this topic with your neurologist, so please be straight forward with him.
Now, for your bladder. I would strongly urge you to find a urogynecologist in your area to work with. You need to be checked for a UTI, then perhaps a few studies to determine the nature of your problem.
My urogyno skipped the urodynamic test, she figures it is definitely a neurogenic bladder from the other symptoms. Hesitancy, frequency, urgency and retention are all problems I experience regularly. Its a real mixed bag of misbehaving.
She also prescribed intermittent self-catherization for me and my neuro encourages me to be diligent about it. Both doctors say it is something I will probably always need to do.
I did PT training this summer for my bladder. That was quite a bit of help, trying to reteach my bladder to behave. I will never be perfect probably but at least for now it is bearable.
Quix wrote several health pages on this topic, and I would encourage you to read these over to familiarize yourself with how this all works - our body functions and the physcial therapy/doctor treatment.
be well,
Lulu
Please don't be embarrased. We all have problems with our MS it just depends on where this monster strikes. Re: your reported problems, I have read that when you try to urinate, the best thing to do is go as normal, then press your arms around the lower part of your belly - pressing in and then down and this should help. Also another tip, when you finish your first attempt at normal urination, just stand up for a few seconds and then try again. I hope this helps you and remember we are all here to try to help one another. Take care.
I could have written your post it sounds so much like my bladder problems. What you describe is not normal. I had a Urodynamic study done a number of years ago after my GP discovered (during a pap smear) that my bladder was full even though I had told her that I just emptied it. This caused her to order an MRI of my brain which showed some lesions. The urodynamic study showed that i have a neurogenic bladder.
Bladder function issues are common with MS. Sometime my bladder seems to work, sometime it does not. My urologist said the best explanation for that kind of bladder dysfunction is indeed MS.
I have also been catherized post void for residual urine and was told anything over 100 cc is not normal and that really is not alot of urine.
Definitely talk to your Dr about this and dont be embarrassed. MS is difficult to diagnose and that is one more clue that might be helpful.
Best wishes to you!
Karen
Bladder function issues are common with MS. Sometime my bladder seems to work, sometime it does not. My urologist said the best explanation for that kind of bladder dysfunction is indeed MS.
I have also been catherized post void for residual urine and was told anything over 100 cc is not normal and that really is not alot of urine.
Definitely talk to your Dr about this and dont be embarrassed. MS is difficult to diagnose and that is one more clue that might be helpful.
Best wishes to you!
Karen
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