Saturday, April 26, 2008 JD asks

Q: My achey breakey bladder - coping suggestions?

First thank you for your web site and others like it. It is very helpful in

coping and educating myself by knowing there are others and hearing

their experiences. A bit of background and then my question.

Background:

I've been seeing a uro for about 3+ years after my urges/leaks started

getting worse. I'm male, active, and in my 40s, which I feel makes coping

harder as I don't fall into the MS/CP/IC, SCI, age, or gender categories. So

I feel the outsider-looking-in on support groups and networking; it doesn't

seem possible that's why sites like yours is helpful.

My questions:

1. On days (not all) when my incontinence is at its worst, my bladder is a constant

ache or a weight I can feel. My question is this a concern (I'll bring up with my uro on

my next visit) and if someone has any coping suggestions, I would appreciate you

passing them on..

2. Sometimes my bladder and pelvic floor muscles experience a sudden bearing down

(straining-like) episodes- kind of hard to describe. This generally happens on a bad

wetting days and after using the toilet for BMs (thankfully I can control) - it has me

racing back into the toilet with fear of soiling. I want to know if there steps that I do

to minimize or prevent this?

Answers (3)

Notify me when there are new answers

Jasmine Schmidt

5/ 9/08 4:48pm

I'm afraid I can't think of any very helpful or specific advise, but you may want to talk to your doctor about the possibility of going to a pelvic-floor physical therapy specialist (your doctor will need to prescribe physical therapy and recommend someone who works with the pelvic floor) - this may help you gain some control over the pelvic floor muscles and the problems you mentioned in your second question. Best of luck!

4/26/08 11:46pm

My bladder is running my life........ Due to leaking and sometimes gross incontinence, and urine retention, I have to be ready to run to the bathroom at any given time and moment. My bladder function changes from episode to episode and is different on a daily bases. I have terrible nerve damage from a radicial hysterectomy I had 17 years ago. Sometimes I have urge to go but can not make it to the bathroom on time. Recently, I walked off an airplane and started peeing and soaked myself down to my knees. There was no warning this was going to happen.

So, if there is anyone out there peeing on themselves in public YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

I am with you.