Bladder @ Night

[IceStein]

I've got an embarrassing problem.

I've got bladder difficulties all the time with urgency. I've got it under control during the day. However, i'm having significant bladder control difficulties at night, on occasion. I've tried to adjust my fluid intake. Even with only doing 6 oz. at dinner 4 hours before bed and ensuring I go before getting into bed. I'm losing full control and waking up soaked in the middle of the night....I've got 2 kids who just got out of diapers; I don't want to have to buy them again for ME.

I'm going for some urology testing next month to better determine the BEST medication. However, the one that I'm current using is not working well anymore.

About once every two weeks, I don't wake up in time. What medications are others using? Currently, I'm dong tamsulosin.

Also, what else can I do? This is still relatively new to me. Should I consider pads or cauterization every evening. I'm 36 so I'm not really motivated for either of these....but washing sheets that regularly is amazingly annoying.

[rdmc]

Sorry you're having problems with nighttime bladder issues...bummer for sure.

First, ask your doc about the med you're taking, tamsulosin. It's brand name is Flomax. It was a med originally prescribed for men with prostate problems, to help relax the urethra and sphincter and make it easier to urinate. That med. IMHO, and I'm no doctor could be relaxing your urethra to the point you're having the nighttime incontinence.

Not to get too graphic, but I used to take that med, it was given to me to help keep my bladder from retaining and make it easier to urinate. It worked well. Until a few years later when I noticed more leaking and the urogynecologist said to try going off the Flomax/tamulosin. Voila...that had been most of the problem.

Now as to the nighttime wet bed issue. Don't go out and buy the Depends underwear just let. Since this has been intermittent, get a plan, but follow through with the plan every night because, with MS, you do never know when something like this might happen. I'm very heat sensitive, and I found out the hard way (picture outlet center shopping in the middle of summer in Florida with my husband and son) one of my symptoms that flares when I get hot is I lose bladder control, so now I plan.

As to the nighttime accidents, first get a mattress cover that's water proof. They have nice quilted ones now, and it won't feel like you're sleeping on plastic. Next buy a smaller water proof pad. Before you go to bed, put that water proof pad, under where your "wet zone" would be if you lost control of your bladder. When I've done this, I also put a towel on top of that to absorb wetness. You might also want to wear a Poise or Tena Long Pad, to add extra coverage the area also.

So you have the mattress pad (which means no leakage onto the mattress)...the smaller waterproof pad plus towel, which means no leakage onto the sheet, and your longer bladder control pad which means no leakage onto you. Sounds complicated but it's not. Embarassing that you have to resort to this like some elderly person, a little bit, but at least you've saved the need for and expense of overnight bladder control underwear.

Hope you find a plan that works for you.

[rdmc]

oops, didn't realize I was in the men's room. Oh well the problem is the same whether male or female.

[betterthanexpected]

urinal?

have you tried sleeping with a urinal. for a time i would urinate when my muscles were relaxed i would get up--my muscles would tense to move then i wouldn't urinate--so i got a"female" urinal, i could go when i was relaxed..

[Mamabug]

Not sure if this would help cuz it's a different problem. For fx issues, in addition to drinking no pop (specifically pop, makes it worse), I take a magnesium calcium supplement morning and evening.

~faith