Urgency sensation

[MyGirlsMom]

Hi all! For over the past week I have been struggling with urgency sensation. I have had this in the past, but it has been quite mild and not ever really an issue until now. A week ago today (Monday), I was so uncomfortable that I went to urgent care to see if I had a UTI. The doc said that the test was borderline, that it is a crude test and that they would send it out for culture. She prescribed antibiotics and would left me know the results in 3-5 days. (To make sure the right antibiotics were prescribed based on the culture.).

I followed up at the end of the week as my very uncomfortable symptoms somewhat subsided, but it hadn't gone away either. After several phone calls, I got the results late last night that I did not have a UTI. That the sample provided did not show that I had a UTI. I was shocked!

Now, I just don't know what to do. My friend referred my to a gynourologist that she likes and has used, but i couldn't get in there until January. I called my primary care (who was out of the office today) and left a voice message for her and her medical assistant updating them on this situation. I probably won't hear back from her until Wednesday.

I am debating whether to take Azo to see if that helps....or maybe Baclofen. Last night I only got 2-3 hours of sleep due to the significant discomfort of constant urgency sensation. .

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions. I am at a loss. I can't sleep and am so uncomfortable and distracted, but need to work tomorrow and take care of my kids and family. I am becoming exhausted do to lack of sleep. I want to take the Azo, but I am a bit nervous....not about my urine changing color, but the unknown.

Any ideas or advice would be so appreciated! Thanks for listening!

[Thinkimjob]

It sounds like it's MS-related. Feels exactly like a UTI, but it's not. I take Tofranil, which is in my case, is a very low dose antidepressant they give to bed-wetting children.

I've got an in-hand supply. Don't have to take it all the time, and it's certainly not a noticeable antidepressant.

Four tablets, everything dries up. The urge vanishes, and the ten times a night trip to the loo ends.

Cough a bit, wee (ha!) tad thirsty, but it ends sooner than a UTI and antibiotics ever did.

[J-Bo]

I take a generic version of Detrol. It helps a good deal. I still feel the urgency sometimes, but it's a lot better than it was. There are a lot of medications for this that might help. My neurologist prescribes it for me. If you can't get in to see the urologist until January, can you ask your neuro or PCP to let you try something like that?

[Tawanda]

I don't know anything about "Azo" except that the commercials say it's "natural" and you can buy it without an Rx. I tried prescription medicine, but like many others have stated, the dry throat thing is a bugger (at least you are so annoyed by the side-effects that you might forget your bladder issues)!

What about kegel excercises? I was doing them, but I got lazy and stopped. That's how I realized they were actually helping! I recently just started doing them again. I also stopped apologizing to everyone for having to go to the bathroom so often. I just go. Not my fault, why apologize?

[Temagami]

This happened to me- turned out it was a yeast infection NOT bacterial and that is why the test was negative. Can you get a referral to a urologist?

[MyGirlsMom]

Update

Thanks for the replies! You all are much better resource than the scary Dr. Google! Sounds like this is a frequent issue for us MSers.

I saw my PCP today and they did another urine test....no UTI. She also did a pelvic exam and didn't see anything remarkable. So, it is either MS or perhaps something's related to that lovely season of my life called Menopause. I will see a gynourologist in January (or sooner as I am on a wait list).

She also thought it could be a yeast infection (as someone pointed out) so I have a prescription med to take to clear that up. It also could be muscle spasms so I am trying a low dose of Baclofen tonight to see if that helps (at least that will probably make me sleep). . We talked about Detrol (which I took 14 years ago following the birth of my daughter), but ended up receiving a prescription for Flomax (yes, I know, it is really for men, but seems to work well for women too). I will try that tomorrow if the Baclofen doesn't work.

Then I just wait.

At least I have a plan...and that makes me feel like I am in control. (I like that as MS mostly makes us feel out of control. Will keep you all posted.

Thanks so much for helping me not feel so alone with this situation! I feel so blessed to have this online community and you all as friends with MS! Hugs!

[kelm10]

just another throw in

I have endometriosis. That has often caused me to feel like this. I see a gyn doc for the issues. The appointment in January is probably a great idea.

[MyGirlsMom]

Kelm, thanks for that thought. Can you have endometriosis if you are in full menopause? I couldn't get into the Gyno OBGYN until April...can you believe that? I mean I don't have a major issue but I feel for the people that due if that is what the wait times are now trending.....

[aspen]

You can try to get on a cancellation list as well. I, like Kelm, had something completely unrelated show up when the urologist was investigating retention. He told me, based on my sx (that were not really a big deal) I should have been referred at least 1.5 years earlier. My doctor assumed all my bladder symptoms were neurological.

Best wishes as you get this sorted out .

[Justsayyes]

I've been in your situation, off to the doctor sure that I had a UTI and didn't. I have had Urodynamic testing which resulted in no real treatment. Doctor said if we treat the retention, you aggravate the frequency/urgency. Treat the frequency/urgency, aggravate the retention.

Interesting that we all consider meds like Detrol and Flomax which do the opposite of each other. I have taken AZO and also a prescription that treats urinary tract pain. I would not hesitate to use either when I am uncomfortable. Sometimes that is all I need.

The other things I do that seem to help the most are to avoid things that irritate the bladder, such as caffeine, I still have some but within reason. I take magnesium supplements late evening which calms the bladder and helps with constipation. I take a mild muscle relaxer, flexeril, before bedtime that helps with nighttime frequency. I've taken D-Mannose which is a powder I've added to any drink which some claim will calm the bladder.

Right now I'm in a mess wearing a big pad at night for infrequent but annoying wetness at night. You'd think it was enough to go 3 to 5 times a night, but no, I also can unexpectedly get a flood when I least expect it. Part of this is that I cannot take the flexeril right now, and I'm stressed to the max waking up with orthopaedic pain, and that is what is triggering the bathroom visits.

My urologist told me that my troubles would come and go, and he was correct. I can go for months without trouble and then next thing you know, trouble is back!

Let us know how the Flomax works for you. I tried taking some of my dad's, lol.....I admit it. I didn't get the results I wanted, but I may not have given it enough chance.

[tellnhelen]

I'm scheduled for Botox in November..been struggling with urgency/frequency issues for more than a few years..sometimes there's urgency with no urine which is painful..so I'm going out on limb with Botox. hoping for best possible outcome which would be sleeping through the night without bed wetting...we'll see

[Justsayyes]

Let us know how you do with the botox.