Where the heck is the middle ground?!

[newbie but goodie]

My PCP says I am dehydrated and I had to be on 8 weeks of Abx recently for a persistent UTI. He keeps telling me to up my water intake. I am up to a gallon a day now which may not sound like a lot but I CANNOT STOP going to the bathroom!

My mouth is dry almost immediately after drinking 16 oz (the size of the cup that I use) so I just keep drinking away and spending my whole life in the bathroom. I cant go to the park, cant sit in a 90 minute class without using the bathroom, cant sleep through the night without getting up a couple times.

My PCP took me off oxybutinyn during my UTI infection- he thought it was exacerbating it. I am back on now for some relief but have found none!! I am also afraid that it will contribute to another UTI. Besides the 8 week long one, I have had 3 others in the past 12 months.

I cant figure out whether to drink more and "go" more or just restrict fluids to be able to relax outside of the bathroom.

I also cant figure out how to feel relief from what I think are bladder spasms. I am leaking too which is worsened by the increased fluid intake.

I have been feeling SO GOOD the last 6 months and this is really dragging me down. I am beginning to become depressed as I wonder what kind of man would ever look at me and think "well gee, that is exactly the kind of woman I want- 30 pounds over weight, pees herself, too tired to do anything after work, skin is a wreck from meds, etc. Seriously though, I can deal with a lot but I am really having trouble with this one. Anyone have any experience with bladder issues? Any advice?

[kelm10]

uroligist

Have you seen an urologist.

Retention is common with MS, bladder meds, and infection.

The urologist can do bladder scans and a voiding test to see how your ms bladder truely is.

The medication you are taking for the bladder may not be working. You may need a different one. Or a higher dose one.

But, ultimately the large amount of fluids is best, unless the rest of your body cannot handle it.

Good luck

[SNOOPY]

Hi newbie but goodie,

My mouth is dry almost immediately after drinking 16 oz (the size of the cup that I use) so I just keep drinking away and spending my whole life in the bathroom.

Dry mouth is when a lack of saliva is produced. There can be different causes, one being medication(s).
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dry-mouth/HA00034

If you are producing saliva then more than likely it is not dry mouth. You might try Biotene products, they are specifically for dry mouth.

If you haven't mentioned your dry mouth to your PCP then you may want to.

If you are producing saliva but it feels like your mouth is dry It could be a sensory symptom due to MS . Yes, as someone who has had this symptom a couple times I can tell you it does happen. I even tried Biotene and it did not help

I cant figure out whether to drink more and "go" more or just restrict fluids to be able to relax outside of the bathroom.

I would strongly suggest against restricting fluids.
Insufficient fluid intake can increase your risk for UTIs.

I started having chronic UTIs at the age of 4 and spent a good part of my childhood seeing Urologist and taking medication.

By the time I hit my early teens I thought I knew it all
I had a UTI, was on medication and didn't want the pain that came from urinating.

In my infinite teen wisdom I decided to cut way back on my fluid intake to just a few sips here and there. I learned very quickly that was a really bad idea. I still had the urge to urinate but, all that was coming out was pus and was even a bit more painful...lesson learned

I agree with Kelm, see a Urologist if you haven't already.

As for a middle ground for fluid intake: I am guessing it depends on the person. I have found 80 -100oz of water a day works best for me.

Take care

[newbie but goodie]

So I think you are right about the dry mouth, Snoopy. I have been drinking a minimum of 120 oz of water (and nothing else) a day for about a month or more and my mouth still feels dry! I took a careful look in the mirror and realized that my mouth is no way dry. My lips are moist and so is my tongue. I mentioned this to my PC and will let my neuro know when I go in next month.

I swear, if it's not one weird sensation, it's another! I don't know why I am still surprised at the weird things MS can make me feel. The other day I felt water dripping down my leg- 3 guesses as to what I had thought happened! Luckily it was a neurological fake-out and not wet pants.