Personal question for the ladies..

To: all the ladies...

Do you gals who have the tingling/ numbness down there also have urinary frequency, stress incontinance, and a feeling of being to relaxed down there? My MS specialist referred me to a urologist but said the stress incontinance and feeling looser down there is common in women because of our anatomy and babies so he doesn't think it's MS related.....HOWEVER, I just turned 32 and have never had babies!

[Deb61]

Hi!  To answer your question--yes, yes, and yes!  It's also very weird when you only have half of the area down there with feeling and half without.  Yes, it can and does happen in MS according to my neuro.  He had another patient with the same symptom (numbness).  

As far as the stress incontinence goes . . . I have had babies before (and one was almost 9 pounds), so in the past I contributed the incontinance to stress incontinence because that is what my GYN said it was.  However, I have had trouble even when I don't sneeze, cough, or do anything now that would provide the "stress" in the stress incontinence.  I also have trouble with bowel incontinence as well.  So for me, I think it's the MS.

It wouldn't hurt for you to see a urologist (or a GYN) to rule out the stress incontinence.  It's really hard to know what could be causing the problem because like your doctor said, a lot of women have problems with this common complaint.  However, tingling/numbness down there is not that common of a complaint.  Especially, (I don't know if you have this) if you have it only on one side.  

[Lulu54]

You may want to read up on the differences in continence  - usually stress incontinence is not MS related but URGE incontinence normally is.  I am still shocked that your MS specialist would say that bladder problems are not connected to MS when the experts say upwards of 80% of us suffer from these problems.


If you google ms bladder problems you will find lots of informaiton on the web.

here's a good start at the NMSS site

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/symptoms/bladder-dysfunction/index.aspx

Tingling/numbness/pain is also fairly common and sexual disfunction is also a common MS problem.

Yes, feeling loose from childbirth and how we are built  is a common excuse from doctors as to why women have these problems with their bladder (and bowels) but its not necessarily a problem you have to live with .  

Check out the health pages written by Quix on the bladder traininng if you want her take.

my best,
Lulu

[ShadowsSister]

OH THIS MADE ME MAD !!! I am not feeling very trusting towards Doctors at the moment, but this was not right...
I have news for this Dr. He/She must have had a difficult time with anatomy classes.. I don't think men with these problems who have MS would agree with him that this is a problem "women have because of childbirth... Hello I  don't think men give birth at least not that I am aware of...
Please get a second opinion... Lulu said it just right...
Like I said I don't feel so good right now towards Doctors, But I do know there are some very good ones out there and even they can have an off day... I learned a very good lesson, that is to never trust any doctor to the point where you stop questioning them when it comes to your care and sense of well being. We have to be in charge of our care..Please to seek a second opinion and let us know how you are doing...
{{{~!~}}}

[Udkas]

Hi there,

Tingling and numbness and now burning is far my biggest problem at the moment, so you are not alone!! And yes it is down there!

I have spoken to my neurologist about it and he assured me that it is a symptom of MS and TM ( I am diagnosed with TM).

As for the bladder it goes with the territory and is a very common prob with MS/TM,  I have suffered from urge incontinence, real bad urgency but at the moment I feel the other way that I have more hesitancy or the feeling of not emptying properly.  

Both my GP and my Neuro and the 2nd GP i consulted have all said that my numbness and bladder issues are to do with my TM.

I have not seen my Neurologist for the latest round of burning probs that I am not certain that it is all neurological.

Do you do pelvic floor exercises?  Read the health pages on this site because Quix has written a fantastic section on bladder issues that are common with MS.

Hope you get some relief, I am taking Gabapentin (neurontin) but still having some problems at the moment.

Cheers,
Udkas.

[Military_Wifey]

Thanks so much for sharing and for giving the reference sites. Like I said, I have never had kids so I don't know why he would think it should be normal but I am seeing a urologist at the end of this month. It has even happened during sex a few times, so I am extremely anxious to resolve it. Didn't seem to bother my husband but it was so embarrassing for me.... I have the urgency/frequency too but since the MS specialist put me on Ditropan for it it has lessoned. It worked so well I had to wait and wait and push to go! He backed down the dosage and I am leveling out. :-)  I do the pelvic floor excercises daily for the last 8 or so years but that doesn't seem to be helping so I am curious to see what the urologist comes up with. I also suffer from frequent kidney stones but can never catch one for them to figure out it's cause. Pesky little buggers! Thanks for the input gals!!

-Dee

[SickMomma_PDX]

I don't have an answer for you, but I was SO glad to see you post. I think I'm needing to find a new/better neuro, because when I complained of tingling Down There, her only question for me was whether I have herpes. Well, no, I don't as far as I know, and if I did, wouldn't that be a more localized tingling than essentially my entire vulva back toward and including my butt? Sigh.

I was trying to get up the nerve to ask if anyone else here had that kind of symptom, and clearly I'm not alone. :-)

For urinary stuff, my problem is mostly with feeling like I need to go all the time. I don't think I fully empty my bladder, but I don't know. I try to do what I learned during pregnancy, which is to pee and pause and then push to pee again a couple times. It usually gets a little more urine out of my system, which will allow me to go longer than 30-60 minutes between bathroom visits, which is crucial at night.

Good luck!

[Military_Wifey]

Oh that's horrible at night! You never get good rest when you constantly have to get up to pee! I was so happy after the Ditropan. I am now only waking 2x's a night! I was afraid to post but I saw someone a few days ago posted about similar issues so I got brave and posted.  :-)  It's nice to know we aren't alone! The people on this forum are amazing friends who will always help or comfort or both! Thanks again gals!

-Dee

[Lulu54]

Obviously we can't say this enough around here - we can talk about anything here, that is the best part of this forum.  Don't feel alone with any of your symptoms or thoughts - someone else here probably has the same.

Now for the bladder-   I strongly feel every last one of you should be seeing a urologist.  Yes, we like our GP's and PCP's, but their knowledge is limited.  A specialist is called for ----- you do not want to have problems that eventually involve your kidneys.  Insufficient voiding or straining can cause urine to back up into the kidneys.  If it is tainted with an infection, that spreads the germs upward.  I could go on, but I'm sure you all get the picture.  

Please, if you have problems with UTI's, urgency, hesitancy, leakage - whatever - Go to a urologist and start treatment.  

You may have to try a variety of approaches - medicines, physical therapy, intermitent self-catherization - before you find something that works.  I'm still at it since December looking for the right combo but I feel like this is something too important to give up on if I can fight it.  

be well,
Lulu

[ShadowsSister]

HI DEE,
I HAVE SUFFERED WITH THE ELECTICAL SHOCKS FOR OVER TEN YEARS NOW, I ALSO USE DITROPAN, (NOT MUCH HELP). I HAVE A SUBER-PUBIC CATH AND TAKE 2 LASIX TWICE A DAY JUST TO GET SOME FLOW.
THE LINNNG OF MY BLADDER IS FLAKING OFF WHICH HURTS TO THE POINT TEARS WHEN SPASMS FOURCE THE URIN OUT THE NORMAL WAY, THERES ALOT OF BLEEDING AND CLOTS.. GIVING BIRTH WAS SO MUCH EASIER.

WHEN ALL OF THIS STARTED MY(SO CALLED) MS SPECIALIST SAID THERE WAS NO WAY MY BLADDER AND BOWEL PROBLEMS WERE RELATED TO THE MS. THIS WAS AROUD 20 YEARS AGO. IT BREAKS MY HEART AND MAKES ME SO ANGRY.. THAT THERE ARE STILL DOCTOR AROUND SAYING & BELIEVING THIS CRAPOLA...  DO I SOUND TICK OFF, YOU HAVE NO IDEA

WE ALL NEED HONEST ANSWERS FROM OUR DOCTORS AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW OK JUST SAY SO
DEE, SWEETIE WE ARE ALL HERE FOR YOU. I HOPE IT HELPS A LITTLE BIT TO KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
I HOPE YOUR HUSBAND IS WELL & SAFE, PLEASE LET HIM KNOW I AM GOING TO BE KEEPING HIM & YOU IN MY DAILY PRAYERS..
{{{~!~}}} HUGS ON THE WINDS FROM ME TO YOU

[charmed6418]

Yes you can! MS is related to urinary incontinence, I just saw a urologist 3 weeks ago about my urgency to go. But I don't feel the numbness and tingling down there. I feel that only in my arms, back, hands and legs. I'm 28 with no kids either. So yes, indefinitely its MS related.

[Military_Wifey]

Thanks again for responding and being so supportive. Doctors (specialist or otherwise) are a blessing and a curse it seems!  :-)

-Dee