spasms

  I have an undiagnosed neuromuscular disease similar to ms but
  tests say its not ms.  Any way about 3 years ago i started
  experiencing severe urgency, frequency, burning and pressure
  where my bladder is. Since I am pretty much house bound my
  regular doctor tried many different antibiotics thinking it was
  reoccuring uti.  Well it kept coming back so i had to go to a
  urologist.  All he did was cath me for a sterile sample.  He
  found no infection but he said while cathing he felt my bladder
  spasming, squeezing and releasing.  He said this is common in
  muscle diseases.  Have you heard of this?  I have been on
  Ditropan 5mg 4X a day. Was using it 3 X a day and for about a
  year, been using 4X.  Every once in awhile i get "breakthrough"
  symptoms with the urgency, frequency, and i can feel my bladder
  like "spasming".  Is it normal to "breakthrough" once in awhile?
  Since I have a muscle disease are my chances of being on Ditropan
  for life great?  I am only 29.  Any possible risks being on this?  
  Is there any other med I could try?  Even something natural, like
  herbs? Is there a possibility I could become immune to this drug
  therefore makeing it useless to me? --thanks so much-----Cherie
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Dear Cherie,
You are dealing with a lot! And asking good questions, too.
It is hard to talk about prognosis or natural history of disease when the diagnosis Is not clear. That said, let me make some general comments.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the neurological system, not the nervous system. It often shows itself by its effects on the muscles. One can get uncontrollable bladder spasms. These can often be treated with medications such as Ditropan (oxybutinin) which have direct effects on smooth muscle contraction and upon the transmission of nerve impulses. Some other drugs that may be effective are: Probanthine, hycosamine, flavoxate. That your dose requires modification from time to time is not unusual as the disease that you have may change over time, either getting somewhat better or somewhat worse (as may MS). That you would become