Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Solutions for urge incontinance?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Solutions for urge incontinance?

    What works? This makes me so sad. Hitting a very unwelcome new low. What are the options?
    It's not fatigue. It's a Superwoman hangover.

    #2
    Consult a Urologist so that they can check out your plumbing for any solvable problems and to understand what the issues are.
    Meds can be offered to relax the bladder, which may help.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by GJinUK View Post
      Consult a Urologist so that they can check out your plumbing for any solvable problems and to understand what the issues are.
      Meds can be offered to relax the bladder, which may help.
      Excellent advice and they do a very thorough exam so if you are a lady groom like it is prom-night if you know what I mean.

      What has helped me is bladder training. My urologist gently suggested that some of our experience is psychological in that if every time you see a bathroom you force yourself to go because you know any minute now you will have to pee anyway and there might not be a bathroom close your body will respond, sort of like Pavlov's dog, and when you see that restroom sign you will have to go.

      It made sense to me because I rarely ever tried to hold it because I was afraid of having an accident and I definitely went every time I saw a restroom. I haven't been in a Walmart for years without using it until recently. It really has helped me and also instilled some lost self-confidence. I was always worried, planning and inconvenienced by having to plan bathroom trips so often.

      Although my bladder contractions start at about 50mls of urine, which is about 1/2 a little Dixie cup, I can put off the urge by not running to the bathroom every time I feel the first spasm. Please note: I rarely attempt this when I am not home.

      Cutting back on coffee also helps me. Good luck!
      He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
      Anonymous

      Comment


        #4
        LOL! Thanks for the tips. Things seemed to improve for quite awhile. Maybe they will again. I'll give the uro a ring. Maybe he'll investigate further this time. He didn't the last time, just offered a med and told me it would get worse if I didn't use it. It disappeared, until now. He found a "very, very mild case," of cystitis and stopped looking after that.
        It's not fatigue. It's a Superwoman hangover.

        Comment


          #5
          I went to a physical therapist that specialized in urinary incontinence. She worked wonders.
          i rarely have an accident now....maybe once every two weeks.
          This used to happen at least once a day, and I used to use pads to help.
          Now I forget to put the pad on, and I am dry most of the time.
          I have to practice various Kegel exercises, and hen techniques to show yourself that YOU are in charge.

          Comment


            #6
            Hi

            Hi,

            I just found this Secretive symptom room and am so happy! I was diagnosed only three weeks ago and posted a big looong story about me and whats going on earlier but was too embarrassed to mention this little symptom This one started about a year ago for me when suddenly I found I had no control over my bladder, not all the time but always, ironically, at the most inappropriate times! I too get the leaking thing which is very unsettling because it just like happens with no warning. I have to do Pelvic floor exercises for month or so and if no improvement Doc says I will need to go to a Urologist. It is such a relief to hear that I am not alone with this symptom, I hated even talking to my Neurologist about it Jules A I do like my coffee so I will try cutting that out. Anything to help stop this.

            Comment


              #7
              Also, have your doctor give you a urinalysis test.
              I had one done, and it was discovered that I had a urinary tract infection.
              I was given Cipro (an antibiotic), and I improved even more!

              I just practice my kegels every time I am stopped at a stop light or watch a commercial on T.V.
              This has made me stronger.

              In my PT sessions that therapist talked about getting control when you feel the urge and try to get the "key in the door" and lose control. When you feel that urge, STOP.
              Lean against a wall. Tell yourself that "I'VE got this."
              Wait a few seconds to gain composure and control if possible. If there is a chair or bench nearby, sit on it until you get control of your bladder.
              Then calmly pull your pants down and go.

              Using these methods, I have not had to take any medication.

              I was also told that eating or drinking anything with citrus can be irritating to the bladder. No oranges.

              Comment


                #8
                Several years ago, my doctor told me to cut out caffeine, as that can contribute to the incontinence problem. I switched to decaf tea and quit drinking soda completely. My problem happens mostly at night. I wake up with the urge to "go" but because of some mobility issues, I just don't always make it to the bathroom in time. I am sorry that anyone has to deal with this, but it helps knowing I'm not alone.

                Comment


                  #9
                  I'm like you Jenn, my lack of mobility is causes me to have accidents. Lately I've been reminding myself to go hourly, wether I need to or not. It helps for daytime.

                  The morning rush is always the worse.
                  When I can laugh at my experiences, I own them and they don't own me!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    The solution to the problem urge incontinence is you need to change your behavior. You should take action to avaoid urine leakage when your bladder contracts.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I myself get worried that going too often will train my bladder to need the bathroom more often.

                      I try to hold it some when I am home, but I don't hold it too long because I worry about infection.

                      I don't know if there is a happy-medium.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        caffiene very definatel y is a culprit, it irritates the bladder. I love my coffee but i had the opposite effect to pavlovs dog- i quickly noted that if i had more than one cup of mild coffee per day i would have dreadful bladder spasms even when i tokk the medication i had been prescibed. i have a permanent catheter now and i ge bladder spasm that give me a really strong urge to want to pee even though the catheer is draining well- i no longer enjoy my coffee when i get that feeling aferwoods

                        it is worth seeing the urologist agaiin. when i frst went my urologist just took a histroy off me, did an ultrsound before and after peeing to see how well i was emptying and i was emptying OK so she put me on ditropan thinking that the bladder was over active- it worked for a hile but i graduall go worening sever urge incontinence - i was frustrating because i would just about ge o the bathroom but when i stood to transfer from wheelchair to toilet, i would lose the lot!

                        so when i went back she then did the much more thorough assessment called urodynamic studies. she csn see if theproblem is bladder spasms or psphincter muscle over activity etc- there is more than one thing that can gowrong an although to us the effect is the same, different treatment may help. bladder traing will not alway help.

                        if they do see that pelvic floor training will help, there are some great tools that can help ( believe it or not ou can buy vaginal weights that help- one seet has a long thin exten that you can see move in a ce r tain way when you are doing he excercise well. others work like a tens machine. but the ests howed these would no wok for me .

                        those studies are rather invasive bu well worth it as it really allowed m uroogist to be able to identify the specific mechanims of th eproblem rather than mehaving o try a few difernt treqtments trial and error style

                        ** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

                        Comment


                          #13
                          CaroleL,

                          It would wear me out trying to go to the bathroom every hour. I was getting worn out going every 2 hours. I also have a lot of mobility issues.

                          I finally went to a urologist last year, after having multiple uti's in a year, two of them giving me sepsis. One time the sepsis gave me a heart infection, another time I became delirious.

                          After having all the tests done, the urologist confirmed I have a neurogenic bladder (no kidding). Once in a great while I will retain, but normally I have urge-incontinence. Even though I go a lot, enough was being left behind to give me uti's.

                          Anyways, I now self-cath and it helps keep me dry. It took about a month for me to learn how to do it, but I am so glad I didn't give up. I keep a pretty strict schedule to go to the bathroom every 3 hours. I cath to completely empty after I go or just self-cath if I don't end up needing to go.

                          Thank goodness I finally found a way to get some control over this. It may sound like a difficult thing to do, but it really isn't a big deal after you are over the learning curve and know how to do it. I only wish I learned a long time ago, it would have made life so much easier.
                          Kimba

                          “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

                          Comment


                            #14
                            kimba. i am glad you have found some relief. Isn't funny how the idea of having to use a catheter can be so scary/repugnant that we put up with quite difficult situations to avoid the idea of using a catheter.

                            I know i certainly did anyway! i really did not want to have to think about the idea of self cathing or having an indwelling cath but in actual fact it has actual been the best choice i made in a while.

                            as has been described here, when you have mobility problems, that frequent trip to the bathroom and transfers from a wheelchair i(for those of us who are now chair dependent) can be exhausting and eventually i had a major fear of embarrassing myself out in public if i had an accident. i was also hesitant about having the urodynamic testing too and while it is not something i would want to have to do repeatedly, it was far less intimidating or embarrassing than i had thought. the urologist and the nurse were very considerate. It was a little more challenging for me than some as they use a tilting x-ray table that goes from a lying position to standing and is also rather high and i am a knee level amputee as well as having MS that has affected my other leg -so while i can transfer i have major issues with trying to remain upright for more than moments- they were so considerate and helpful that there was no embarrassment at all ( most health facilities require they use a lifting team if they have to deal with non weight bearing patients and do not use a lifter- that would have meant a rather larger audience but they did not they worked with me and what i could manage safely and later the tests to fit while still getting hat they needed)

                            anyway, for me it showed neurogenic bladder. the only real options were self cathing or permanent indwelling catheter and since i have signifincant mobility issues the permanent catheter was the best, after a few months i changed to an SP catheter. I still get baldder spasms at times but basicaly i am far better with the catheter than without- there is no more of that uncertainty of where i will get to the bathroom in time or not! even the spasm have been helpful- sometimes they occur for no reason but mostly there is a reason for them so it becomes a warning system. it may be as simple as having the tube accidently kinked in clothing (perhaps after a transfer) to other issues such as a warning i need to go to the bathroom for my bowels ( i have little control there too so this is very helpful)

                            the only thing is that i get a bit peeved about having to try to find the money for supplies all the time as i am on a disability support pension and the costs for medical supplies can add up quickly but that is a relatively minor issue

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Thank you

                              Thank you all for posting your ideas! I have just recently started having problems and did not know what to do. i will call and make an appointment with an Urologist.

                              Again thank you so much!!

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X