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    Bladder/bowel issues

    ok...so, I experience urinary leakage occasionally(completely unknown until I see my pants or happen to feel a funy draft and notice). The fact it doesn't happen all the time has me confused. The fact I have no clue it's happening is a lot more concerning. It usually happens after i am heated up or after a brisk walk or something physical. I have had a few bowel issues as well but only a few.

    Anyone else like this? Do you have something else beside ms going on causing it?

    I am 39, dx in 2009, on Copaxone. Since my ms symptoms are what I consider fairly mild, I am wondering if anyone else has bladder/bowel probs that are worse but started out similarly?

    A lot of posts seem to be about frequent urination which I have as well but I am dealing with that.

    Thanks all!

    (i posted this somewhere else to which i know is a no-no, but having trouble navigating! lol)

    #2
    Originally posted by wildflower28_2001 View Post
    (i posted this somewhere else to which i know is a no-no, but having trouble navigating! lol)
    I took care of it for you, wildflower.

    And while I'm at it, welcome to MSWorld!

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Wildflower,

      Yes, I have experienced the leaking without noticing. Also have thought I had finished and found out otherwise when I started to wipe too soon.

      All I can think is that when this happens, my body must be numb in that area and not feeling the normal sensations.

      I have been wearing a pad every day for at least 10 years.

      These problems, as well as actual incontinence are much worse during a flare. I find they are manageable the rest of the time and I've learned to take it in stride. I take so many other meds, I just don't want to take another if I can help it. Also, I am much older than you, so care a little bit less what others might think when an accident does happen!

      Now, the bowel issue only happens during a flare, and thankfully has only happened at home. It does make me paranoid when I am in public. Worse thing that has happened in public though was uncontrollable gas - not fun.

      However, I know there are many medications and exercises that may help the bladder issue if you are interested, so please see a urologist.

      Comment


        #4
        Do your legs hurt when you have this happening? Especially the bowel incontinence? I was gonna post to ask if anyone experience bowl incontince notices it happens when their legs are especially sore?

        mostly i find out i have been incontinent of bm when i go to the toilet expecting to do normal busies but i find a mess i have to clean.
        i have noticed those times my legs have been more sore than normal.

        as far as urinary incontince, sometimes i know & sometimes i don't know. i am more careful to get to a br at the earliest urge--when it was happening without me knowing they taught me how to self cath, a urologist explained that i was having urinary retention and my bladder was not evacuating completely causing it to overflow occasionally.

        at first he direceted that i self cath myself 4x a day. which i did for about 6 months, then only as needed when i always feel like i have to go, now only a few times a month if that.

        i was really repulsed by self cathing but i do it now when this stuff starts to happen for convenience, its more convient to self cath than to apologize for any floods i created.
        xxxxxxxxxxx

        Comment


          #5
          also avoid caffeine. drink cranberry juice or take cranberry pills as urnary retention can cause uti's which in turn can cause incontince. a person can have burning with urination as a symptom of uti but a person can be asymptomatic with no burning on urination---when i was most incontinent i had a uti i was asymptomatic for uti. found out it was a uti after i fractured my ankle. they had to do pre-surgical blood and urine tests, thats when i found out i had a uti but i had been wetting my pants for months without knowing why? i was asymptomatic for uti, except for incontince. before i knew i had ms.
          xxxxxxxxxxx

          Comment


            #6
            Thanks SO much for the feedback. Seeing a uro. I hope you are all well otherwise

            Comment


              #7
              Unable to empty + other issues

              I am unable to empty my bladder completely. Even though this is post baby, it started 6 months after she was born. I though that kinda thing was suposed to get better with time. It just like locks up and I can't pee any more. This usually happens only at night. I will get up to pee, pee a little and then nothing else comes out. I can still feel the need to pee however. So I go back to sleep and wake up an hour later to pee again. I also have a delay in starting the pee and some times I have to "push" like I am having a BM to get the pee out. No UTI though. I get up 5 times + a night to pee. So I loose sleep there.

              I did have some incontinence awhile back. One, I was out picking up an Rx at CVS, that day my balance was so off I could not walk with out the shopping cart infront of me. I had a hard time getting around with out something to push. I considered buying a cane at the Pharmacy for $10, but thought, "No that's silly". That same day, any time I inhaled deeply, I'd pee a little. Also, I peed a little when ever I got the urge to pee. This came in waves, so I was constinatly leaking pee. I also bought some poise pads just in case this was a permant thing.

              Alas, the leakiness and balance issues restored. But that day I called my GP to make an appointment because I couldn't take it anymore. I'd been having balance issues, but brushed them off. The bladder thing was the smoking gun. Saw a neuro, had MRI, still waitting.

              Comment


                #8
                I'm in a similar boat to wildflower...during my first episode last summer, frequent/urgent urination and nocturia were some of my first symptoms. It went away a few months later like all the rest.

                Then in December when it all started back up again, those were again symptoms but this time I've got leaking to add to the mix. It's embarrassing, and I also don't realize when it's happening. It's not stress-related...it just happens.

                Nothing makes me feel older than cruisin' the Depends aisle at Wally World, but if I don't buy pads then I smell like a nursing home. I can't even bring myself to go out on dates anymore.

                Comment


                  #9
                  I too have urinary/bowel problems. I'm actually going to a urologist to check it out. I leak a little in both areas- but not all the time. It's strange and embarassing.
                  ~seeuinct (Connecticut)
                  Dx the first time: 10/25/11
                  Avonex 1/12-10/12
                  Revaluation of Dx 10/12
                  Rediagnosis 7/14

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Get screened for bladder cancer

                    Okay, so what's a male doing discussing female issues?
                    Well, since my dear wife Pammy had suffered with MS for over 37 years - she passed away last November from bladder cancer, would venture to say that my input may be useful. Firstly, taking cranberry juice/pills is an utter waste of money! Why? Simply because it doesn't stay in the system long enough to be beneficial. Also, I would stress the importance of testing for bladder cancer. Why? Imagine my shock/horror of being told that this caused my Pammy's death - 30 minuites AFTER she died? Of all the tests/scans/xrays that were performed none of her doctors had this simple test done - I'm still as mad as hell!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Leakage issues

                      Ladies! I fully understand your feelings on the "leakage" issue. I recall the first time my wife and I were making love and she pee'd on me! She cried, and cried, and was absolutely inconsolable! Fortunately, I had educated myself regarding her "leakage" issues to the point where I would fill our bathtub then share a bubble bath with her while the bedsheets were laundered. You can just imagine the looks I got when going to work the next day smelling like a daisy - it was worth it! More importantly, when a similar event happened I would treat it with a loving joke that made her both laugh and provide her with peace of mind - it never became an issue!
                      For you single ladies; if you meet the man of your dreams then my (manly) advice is to be totally honest - tell him EVERYTHING! It will either intimidate him to the point of ending the relationship or, make him that much more in love with you!
                      That said, do not lose faith in the Lord! Just ask Him to send you the man of your dreams then .................. wait!
                      That's what my Pammy did (she told me), and in spite of all my bad points we shared 37 years together!
                      Since I hate the word "Widower," tell anyone who asks that my dear wife and I are tempoarily "separated" - she, in heaven, with me waiting for the Lord to take me to join her on our very own star.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Dear Pammyshubby,

                        I am so sorry for the (temporary) loss of your wife. I can feel a lot of love in your posts.
                        Your story about the sheets & bath brought a smile to my face.
                        It's the little things in life that mean the most.

                        God Bless You
                        Jodi
                        "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude". Maya Angelou

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Pammyshubby View Post
                          Ladies! I fully understand your feelings on the "leakage" issue. I recall the first time my wife and I were making love and she pee'd on me! She cried, and cried, and was absolutely inconsolable! Fortunately, I had educated myself regarding her "leakage" issues to the point where I would fill our bathtub then share a bubble bath with her while the bedsheets were laundered. You can just imagine the looks I got when going to work the next day smelling like a daisy - it was worth it! More importantly, when a similar event happened I would treat it with a loving joke that made her both laugh and provide her with peace of mind - it never became an issue!
                          For you single ladies; if you meet the man of your dreams then my (manly) advice is to be totally honest - tell him EVERYTHING! It will either intimidate him to the point of ending the relationship or, make him that much more in love with you!
                          That said, do not lose faith in the Lord! Just ask Him to send you the man of your dreams then .................. wait!
                          That's what my Pammy did (she told me), and in spite of all my bad points we shared 37 years together!
                          Since I hate the word "Widower," tell anyone who asks that my dear wife and I are tempoarily "separated" - she, in heaven, with me waiting for the Lord to take me to join her on our very own star.
                          Thanks for sharing, Pammyshubby

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I have had trouble getting started urinating, especially in the morning. But I found that if I just drank a lot of water and some caffeine, I could kickstart my bladder on those mornings. Well my neuro wanted me to go see a uro, so I went. She discovered that I wasn't emptying my bladder. I had no idea. I did not have frequent urination. I didn't feel the need to pee anymore after I peed.

                            So now, I have to cath at night just to make sure. She also put me on a med to strengthen bladder muscle, but I went off of it. It made me feel like I had to pee all the time! I hated it!
                            Melody
                            Diagnosed 1/28/10

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Embarrassing bowel issues

                              I have been watching to see if anyone has experienced similar episodes...at the risk of offending some, I'll share..but warning, one must have a sense of humor to read on....

                              I have had episodes of time (exacerbations? Flares?) where my lower bowel will work like a conveyer belt - a deliberate evacuation of the bowel regardless of content. No cramping. No diarrhea. No advance notice. No diet changes. No stress issues. No correlation with any environment or situation.

                              There have been times it occurs as soon as I awaken. Other times with no forewarning. I get extremely nauseous and exhausted after the event. A GI specialist referred me to MS specialist because his work up showed no explanation.

                              HOWEVER, in spite of all efforts, it has forced me to do my duty in very public places much to my "horror"!! The worst experience was at the largest rally ever held on the Washington, D.C Mall where there were over 100,000 people!!

                              The program was finished and people in droves were exiting the area. The public buildings were closed, public restrooms were so far away, and who can run through masses of people!

                              I was alone as my husband had began scouting for a restroom. As they say, "invention & creativity is the product of necessity".... I saw a lonely blue spruce pine...I edged up to the lower boughs...surveying if I was "lost in the sea of people" I noticed I was definitely the focus of a picnicking family.

                              I kept thinking they would find other points of interest eventually, but for some reason - it may have the deer in the headlights" look I had - it may have been the pain or urgency written all over my face as I was crossing my legs - OR..it may have been the societal warning to be vigilant about suspicious people- who knows, but they kept an eye on me.

                              Finally, I had no choice...draped a coat over the branches, stepped in under the boughs and did my duty as dignified as I could being grateful for my rural upbringing!

                              There were hundreds and hundreds of people passing.. Embarrassment turned to relief...at some point one simply has to dismiss vanity. My husband found me by the flying "emblem" of my jacket blowing in the wind and surmised the situation.

                              I have taken the time to share this experience since there is not an audience who can fully appreciate the story unless you have lived with a disease that will control when it wants to...and it is our job to live with it...adapt, and yes, improvise when necessary.

                              Even with my many memory issues, I will never forget that moment in its entirity...my real regret is for the poor homeless person who arrived that night to his familiar shelter to learn it had been violated...in a big way!!

                              On a serious note, has anyone had that kind of bowel experience. I now know it is related to "flare" like episodes.

                              Thank for your patience...have not been able to share that with anyone..feel like I am in a group session. What a relief!!

                              Comment

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