Caffeine and incontinence

[hbananas]

I had been not drinking any coffee at all during the time I'm trying to do the recommendation behavior modifications recommended by my urogynecologist--timed voids, urge suppression, etc.  This morning I had a cup since it's the weekend and I'm not at work.  Several hours later I had a urinary accident.  Since it only takes an hour or so for liquids to reach the bladder, I'm hoping really hard it wasn't the coffee to blame.  Things I have read say it really takes 3 cups a day to cause incontinence.

Meanwhile, the timed voiding is not successful.  I think it's actually worse, because I look at the clock and think oh, I only have to hold out for 5 more minutes.  Then the bladder says "nu-uh, NOW"   It's really hard to go on a schedule at work, since every time I leave or return to my desk I log in and out of my computer, and that activity is part of a report I turn in with time sheets.  I don't want to have to explain it.

[hbananas]

I had coffee yesterday and no problems, so I'm going to stick with one cup a day, no more.

Once an hour works great.  It's when I try to up it to 75 min or even 90 I run into trouble.  And, I forget to go at all when I'm in the middle of something interesting.  I'll keep giving it the old college try until my next appointment with the urogyno in October.

She also had me back off the Miralax and start over on the constipation treatment.  I'm taking Citrucel fiber (because psyllium is terrible to me) and after two weeks I'm going to add Colace to the mix, because it's not working.  Then if that doesn't work, go back to the Miralax.  Or all three.

[Lulu54]

Caffeine is an irritant to the bladder.  And the idea that our kidneys process liquid to our bladder in an hour is pretty much wrong, according to both my neuro and my uro.  It can take up to several hours.  Think about your evening pattern - if we processed liquids in an hour why do we wake up in the middle of the night having to go???  Would we have eliminated all that liquid in the time before sleep?

Clcoking in and out to go is sure another pressure for you.  I handle working and this problem by going every 60-90 minutes and not waiting for the surprise urge to sneak up on me.  

I know too well what you mean when you say thinking about it can make it worse.  I've tried to stop thinking about it and juststicking to a regular schedule.  I know, that is easier said than done.

Keep working at the training. It may still work for you.
Lulu