Over active Bladder

Who has it, what works and what doesn't...

I'm tired of not sleeping, I'm tired of accidents.

I'm also afraid of side effects so am hesitant to add any drugs to my regime.

Help the Lady with her legs triple crossed. I hate that I'm only 50 and wear a diaper if a drive will be ove r an hour long. That isn't a "50 is the new 30" criteria!!!!!!

don't ask me how i know this......

Vesicare, either 5mg or 10mg works well.

Cleveland Clinic's urology dept. has some excellent docs that are very helpful for complex cases.

If not, family doc probably can help out. Some diagnostics may need to be done by a urologist to check out for things.

Good luck!

Thanks, Marc. I have a feeling my GP will prescribe it if I ask. Should I have tests run? What would we be looking for?

Also, thanks for the PM that was sent to me. Sounds like a good, natural method.

The neuro keeps saying how important sleep is to controlling my pain levels. Yet even with a sleeping pill (lunesta) I'm getting up 4-5 times a night to potty. I fall right back asleep, but jiminey, that can't be a good, restful sleep.

para,

there are a few classes of meds that can help....and of course, a few tests the docs can run.

they can do a lot of very unfun, downright painful tests measuring flow, the bladder itself (cystoscopy) and all the plumbing. ouch. ouch. ouch.

however, one of the easiest and no pain tests is to do a bladder sonogram. they can also check retention pretty easily with sono.

good luck!

Okay, I'll ask my GP about it. It's 5:00am and I just made my fourth trip of the night. I'm waving the little white flag! ( that's as close as I can come in emoticom world.)

I hope they find something for you. Bad enough with migraines upsetting sleep without all night peeing.

My friend whom I am trying to visit has Parkinson's.
She has the bladder problem, it is a common symptom, she tells me.
They have given her something and it does help.
She still gets up, but only once or twice at worst.

Good luck.
Pen

Have you looked into Botox for your incontinence?
Yes, you heard me: good old Botox of wrinkle and migraine fame. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Apparently when injected into the bladder it can cure incontinence for up to 6 months.

Check out these links:


http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/06June/Pages/Botoxandweakbladders.aspx
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2327-botox-cure-for-urinary-incontinence.html


Love

P.

At 62 I have a similar problem, don't wear diapers yet though! When I take my dog for a walk, I often have to keep it fairly short because I always seem to need the loo even if I've used it before I go out. I used to be able to go for such long walks, but that has come to an end. Most nights I get up once or twice too. It sucks getting old!

My brother had this problem for years when he was a boy. At first my parents just thought that he was bad at potty training, but when he still couldn't hold it, they got him to a urologist, who diagnosed him with a weak bladder. The doctor put him on ditropan, which is ironic because a few years ago I saw so many commercials for ditropan XL. But I'm assuming that the generic just means taking it twice a day instead of once or something like that. But it helped my brother. He did sometimes wet the bed, and he did take adult diapers to camp with him, just so he wouldn't be embarrassed if he did wet the bed at camp, but eventually either he grew a stronger bladder, or the drugs did some good, or something because he doesn't have the problem any longer.

I had bladder spasms after having a golf-ball-size kidney stone surgically removed from one of my kidneys 26 years ago. One of the meds they used was ditropan like Vicki described (there were others, but I don't remember what they were). Oh, what a blessing. I can't tell you how uncomfortable those spasms were. I had problems for a few years after that, but now everything seems to be back to normal (thank goodness).

I encourage you to see a urologist There are so many things they can do to help end needless suffering with this. It is so worth getting it evaluated and treated.

Please take care.

I want to reiterate going to the doctor.

I started having problems in my late 30s. I had had some leakage for years due to child birth. When I was 42 my family dr decided my fibroids were large enough I "might want to do something about them". The gynos had a much different opinion. They were freaking huge and my bladder was falling because of them.

I had surgery to repair everything and not to scare you but it turned out that "biggest fibroid we have ever seen" was not benign and I had a rare cancer.

They lifted my bladder back up and I had to do some retraining and things are MUCH better.

Go see a doctor and make sure there is not a physical issue, please. And, take a medicine if it will fix the problem otherwise.

Yikes! I had my bladder " repaired" once about fifteen years ago. The lift lasted less than a year and was extremely painful, so I've put off getting it checked out. Plus, I think you all can relate that I'm tired of Drs and appt and meds.

But I also shouldn't be the ostrich which I have been doing. Really? if I ignore it won't go away?

Thanks for the private messages also about the Kegel exercises. Years ago I tried pessaries with no success but Kegels sound like it would be effective.

If my repair was painful I did not notice. Could have something to do with being cut from hip bone to hip bone and the 22 staples in my abdomen, though. I got a lot of pain meds initially becuase THEY wanted me doped.

I still say get checked out and see a urologist. A gyno/uro would be best for another surgery.

Yes, I have lovely incision scars on my abdomen. On the other hand I have lovely rolls to cover them up. I knew there was a reason for my tummy flab!! So I wouldn't be self concious about my scars!

If you can get to Cleveland Clinic, there's an excellent urologist there that specializes in this area.

Good to know, Porsche. Cleveland is very doable for me.

I love this forum!!!

Para,

sent you a PM.

Thanks, got it.