The Knowledge Board:
Overactive Bladder
Hi I'm Belinda
I'm your community manager at The Patients Voice.
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The following key words are discussed in this blog Overactive bladder, bladder, bladder problems for, OAB, Oxybutinin |
Welcome to the latest ResBlog (online research web log) for The Patients Voice.
For this study we are interested in the impact of having Overactive Bladder (OAB) on a person’s lifestyle. The purpose of this blog is to help us frame a research project into OAB by finding out the issues which are important to people who suffer from the condition. So your contribution is vital!
An overactive bladder is when the bladder contracts suddenly without you having control, and when the bladder is not full. Overactive bladder syndrome is a common condition where no cause can be found for the repeated and uncontrolled bladder contractions. Overactive bladder syndrome is also known an 'irritable' bladder or 'detrusor instability'.
Feel very free to tell us your story. In particular we are interested in the following questions:-
Thanks very much in advance for your help. Please feel free to check back on the blog to see what others have said and perhaps contribute further thoughts.
As with all our market research projects, of which this ResBlog is one example, the responses of people who participate are anonymous. This in line with market research codes of conduct. To participate all you need to do is scroll down to the comments area, type a nickname of your choice and then put your comments into the box. To find out more about what we do both in terms of work for our clients and our patient communities and resources please feel free to explore our web site further if you have not already done so?
I look forward to reading your comments and, of course, thank you very much for your input. Finally can I ask you to bear in mind when you blog that you comments will not just be read by other bloggers and The Patients’ Voice team but also , in some cases, the clients for whom we work.
Best wishes
Belinda
PS: Please feel free to share this blog with anyone who you think might find it of interest.
S.C. | 03/07/2007 17:24:00
Hi,
I am writing in regards to the blog. Thanks for taking the time to ask. I truel hope, however, that it is anonymous as the post says.
It effects my daily life to a certain extent. I have to wear "pads" to keep from wetting my pants due to "leaky" plumbing. If I am on a long trip other than the grocery store or if I am going to be longer at the store, I have to take along an extra pad just in case I need it. In some cases, I have needed to have that extra secutiy. I don't dare to do a lot due to having a weak bladder. If I have to do something, like say swimming, I make sure I go before I go swimming, and then I have to run fast to the bathroom a few times during swimming, which really sucks, and have to be the first in the bathroom to change so I can go again. I hope and pray that nothing happens to me while I am out, as I don't want some emergency room doctor asking me why I have a pad on. How embarrassing that would be.
It doesn't really unless I go out. As I stated above. It bothers me though that everytime we do go someplace, it depends on where we go and how long we are there, as I need the bathroom quite often. Which is where the pad comes in handy too. There are some days however, that the bathroom it tooo far away and I end up having to change the pad. Sometimes I just can't get to the bathroom fast enough, just because. My husband always tells my children, "Momma has the bathroom first, she is doing the pee pee dance.." Which I do too.
It's very challenging. As I said, I hope and pray constantly that nothing happens to me, and I have to go to ER via emergency rescue or whatnot. I want and HAVE to be alert, so if my pants have to come off, I can take them off and not disclose I have to wear a "security blanket". As for treatment, I am not on any, but am beginning to get my nerve up to talk to my doctor about the problem. I want to feel human again and be able to go places and do things WITHOUT having to run to the bathroom every ten minutes, and/or not worry about having to change my pad because I had leaky plumbing. I worry about the smell of pee too. I have to keep a constant check on the pad to make sure its not going to smell like pee.
As of date, I do not take anything for this problem. I have not discussed it with my doctor. For me to discuss issues like this to my doctor or anyone, is embarrassing. The only reason I am doing this is because it said it's anonymous.
5.) Do you take your medication as prescribed by your doctor?
I take the medicine I have to for my thyroid and cholestrol and RSD and RLS. But I do not, am not on any medications for weak bladder control.
sharon mccartney | 04/07/2007 09:51:00
I suffer from urgency. As soon as i see my front door I am bursting for the loo even though I didn't need to go five minutes before. I don't seem to get the message that i want a wee until it's too late. I have tried detrusitol but it effected my eyesight and caused drowsiness, so can't take it anymore. I have tried Oxybutynine, but couldn't tolerate the side effects of that either. Now I tend to go to the Loo whenever I see one "just in case" to keep my bladder as empty as possible. Not a cure but it gives me peace of mind.
lace | 04/07/2007 09:55:00
I had an overactive bladder after having radiation treatment for cancer of the cervix and a hysterectomy. My bladder control became less and less until it became terrible. I was offered a bladder lift but this operation was stopped when the surgeon put his thumb through my bladder.He said it was very thin and impossible to do anything with. After another couple of years of struggling I was given a Urostomy. It was concave and gave me problems but at least it was better. It lasted for 14 years when it had stenosis and I had a new stoma two years ago which works really really well and is great. Unfortunately I have also lost control of my bowel movements. 4 years ago I was given an artifical sphincter due to no muscle control. It works apart from with dairreah which I have on a regular basis. for me I can see a colostomy further down the road as my only hope. Currently I go to the toilet on average 10-12 times a day and dirty myself several times a week. I am constantly worried about eating out as it normally after eating that I immediately have problems. I have had several surgies to remove adhesions and I know that I have a shortened bowel and it is very badly damaged by radiation treatment. I am just coming off hormone tablets now that I am 50. I have an overactive thryoid and take tablets for that and also an anti spasmodic to keep my bowels under control. I eat loperamide almost like smarties to try to keep my stools under control
Belfast Dave | 04/07/2007 10:21:00
I am a 54 year old male and suffer from something like this though it hasn't been diagnosed as OAB. If I am going out for a walk I always try to go to the toilet before I go out and have frequently been 'caught short' and been desparately looking for a handy loo or nearby 'private tree or bush!! Often on returning as I approach home the need to 'go' increases dramatically and I am unlocking the front door and dashing to the toilet as quickly as possible. At work it is annoying to be in a meeting and have to excuse oneself more often than others. At home isn't a problem as I just go more often than my wife. I think some particular foods or drinks may aggrivate the problem but I haven't any concrete evidence of this yet. My doctor has check for prostate problems and has given an all clear. He hasn't mentioned OAB as a possibility so I'm not on any treatment or medication for weak bladder.
nanzacandy | 04/07/2007 10:40:00
My bladder problems seem to rule everything I do. I have MS so it's not like I can "run" to the toilet. I am not on any medication for it as I am taking tablets for my heart after a heart attack and also tablets for the pain of MS. I use incontinence pads which I receive free from the local health authority. Started years ago with mini, then midi, now large. Sometimes I can go into the kitchen, suddenly "need" and don't make it to the bathroom which is only 6 feet away. I feel very restricted where I can travel to. I only go to a supermarket where I know there is a toilet. If I travel anywhere further afield I stop at any garage or cafe so I can use the facilities. Trying to arrange a holiday is a nightmare, I usually stay not too far away so that I know all the toilets which are available. I have family I can stay with on holiday but would be impossible and embarrassing with another4 people all vying for the bathroom. I get annoyed when I wet myself in front of my husband never mind anyone else. When the neighbours see me going out with my bag (not a nice small handbag) they must think I carry my worldly goods in it but just packets of pads - oh to be like "normal people".
Jan | 04/07/2007 10:44:00
I have urgency problems since having a number of bladder operations and it affects my life a lot. I need to wear nappies 24/7 and catheterise at least 3 times a day and do bladder washouts. My bowels are also affected and I get a lot of pain and sometimes leakage. My continence nurse got me to try anal plugs but I couldn't get on with them. I am severely incontinent and will have to put up with this :-(
J Mills | 04/07/2007 11:50:00
Have slightly weak bladder problems in that I dont seem to empty out completely and therefore need to go again fairly quickly. If I need to go and am having to hold for various reasons then I am spurting by the time I can get to a loo. I am not on any medication although I did see my doctor about the problem. I went for physiotherapy and although the exercises help, it is not a cure. I still need pads if I am going anywhere.
Sheila Atkins | 04/07/2007 12:07:00
I have 'leaked' since having my last baby over 36 years ago. At first it wasn't a problem - only when I laughed, coughed or sneezed and then not too badly. It has got worse over the last few years to the extent that I need to wear a pad all the time. I can cope with this. What I find hard to cope with is the 'urgency problem'. I suddenly find I need to go the loo and cannot control the bladder. When I do go there is nothing there. I am getting up the courage to go to my doctor. I find this is starting to affect my lifestyle. I enjoy walking but now do not have the confidence to walk far in case I get caught out, especially in places where this no loo. I have been told that drinking too many cups of tea (a weakiness of mine I must admit) exagerates the problem as tea is a diuretic. At the moment I am not on medication.
K.G.B | 04/07/2007 12:24:00
1.) How does OAB affect your daily life? In many ways. I can't plan anything unless I know that a toilet will be convenient and, although I constantly wear pads, I dread the idea of not being able to change the minute my bladder fails! 2.) How does OAB affect your family/lifestyle? Only in the way I need to be near changing/toilet facilities. My husband and I have managed to see the humour in the situations that arise because of my bladder weakness, and try to take steps that will mitigate the impact this has on our lives. 3.) How challenging is living with OAB and taking the treatment? I do not take any medication for this problem, as I am on so much medication for other problems, that the doctor and I decided we'd try other ways of controlling the problem. This involves being careful of my liquid intake, especailly in the evening time, or if I am going out of the house. I am particularly careful to refrain from any drink that has caffiene/tannin in, as these can act as a natural diuretic. My specialist has given me a series of pelvic floor exercises, that are supposed to build up the strength in the muscles controlling bladder functions, but it is of limited use, hence the need to wear pads all the time. 4.) Tell me about your medication for OAB? I am not on medication, as I stated before, as I wish to try more 'natural' ways of controlling the problem. 5.) Do you take your medication as prescribed by your doctor? No, as none is prescribed, but I do the exercises given to me every day, and the control of my liquid intake helps somewhat.
tracey | 04/07/2007 12:47:00
I had problems with my bladder for four years before I found out what was actaully wrong, I thought incontenance at 33 it just doesn't happen until you're really old if then. But it got to the stage when a simple shopping trip was planned to the last detail and on whether that particular store's toilets were clean. As for long journeys or visits well, I don't go to the cinema anymore, and some days i get so frustrated with the pads it was bad enough a week a month! But now I am trying my hardest not to let it rule my life, and enjoy each day as it comes, sore or not!
baz | 04/07/2007 12:58:00
I can go for a long time without wanting a wee, but as soon as I am in sight of home, or a public loo, I lose all control. It must be in the mind because I have found that if I meet someone that I know the urge can dissappear until they have gone away, and then it comes back again. In my local town most toilets have been closed so I am unable to go shopping much. I carry a bottle in my car and just hope that nobody is watching when I need to use it.
Maria | 04/07/2007 13:14:00
I have had OAB since I was very young and couldn't go anywhere without knowing where te toilets were in advance. I find it very embarassing, people do notice and my mother couldn't believe why I was apparently 'obsessed' with toilets. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia since 2000 but had problems for at least 15 years. In 2002 I used the loo as usual, cam downstairs and just flooded, it was awful and extremely distressing. i went to the doctors and had 1 year of bladder testing which showed absolutely nothing wrong with my bladder. I had been taking Oxybutinin XL. 1 a day and then the specialist said I didn't need it anymore as there was obviously nothing wrong with me. It was disasterous and now my GP has kept me on it. I don't seem to have the problem all the time, it comes and goes. I think it was from the time I had complete numbness for 2 months from waist to the top of my legs, this was an awful time for me and although the numbness has gone I think my bladder has been quite badly affected. I am convinced it is to do with the body not sending correct messages to the brain or quick enough and also muscle contractions as I also suffer spasms. I have 2 daughters and it is hard for them to accept this as I am so young and going out still means loo hunting half the time. The town where I live has none at all one end of town. I am disabled and when I go to use disabled toilets they are usually also for mothers/nappy changing and they are usually in there a long time so getting into a loo is difficult. If other loos are being cleaned it also means able-bodied people are queuing and they never ask if I need to go first. What I find difficult is, is that people only think of disability as what they can see too, and don't consider OAB a disability in itself and expect everyone to be able to hold on like them. Also there is the extra cost in pads etc... I have even had to take a change of clothes out with me in case, especially underwear.
Jean h | 04/07/2007 14:08:00
when I had a hysterectomy in 1995 they also did a pelvic floor op which for a few years worked ok. Then 2001 i had cancer in my leg bone and had chemo and now im an above the knee amputee i am mostley in a wheelchair i find over the past 5 years whenever i go out i always go the toilet on leaving and then plan which supermarket or motorway place has the best disabled toilets and head for those on route. I also wear a pad and that gives me comfort, but like so many it is a panic to get to the loo before its too late. Then when i get to my destination everyone gets out of the way for me to get to the toilet. Its a pain but you just have to deal with it the best you can.
m e mackert | 04/07/2007 14:14:00
i do have to wear a pad when away from home or at home if i have a cold and likely to cough or sneeze. it is very embarrassing constantly running to the loo when with friends.
i hjaven t yet had the courage to talk to the doctor about it. i understand there is a minor procedure that is available privately that deals with it but i don t have access to the information.
Valerie Egan | 04/07/2007 15:42:00
The only time I experience an overactive bladder is if I have an epilepsy seizure of which I get no warning, ten I become incontinent. The rest of the time it works by the temperature of the weather, eg if hot I will not pass water for 8 hours or more, but if 0 or below then I will be able to pass with ease.
Anna Wood | 04/07/2007 16:20:00
I got cystitis and ignored it.. Well, I did go to the chemist and get something that would help.. but it got worse and worse and in the end affected me so badly that one morning I couldnt empty my bladder.. I went to the local hospital who then catheterised me and sent me home with a bag. That was terrible. I went back after two weeks and no better so went home with the bag again. Another three weeks and no better..couldnt go unaided. They said they would arrange a test for me in a few weeks and said that till then would have to manage with a bag.
After eight weeks of this I went to my doctor who was horrified that I had been left this way and she arranged for the test to take place within days. The catheter was removed and joy of joys I was ok.... but since then have not had the control I had before. Now, if I feel the need to go I have to go straight away or I have an accident. I have accidents several times a day.
I have to be very careful now if I know I am going out. I dont have anything to drink for an hour before and even then am on tenterhooks till I get there and know I am safe. If I go away for a weekend I take several extra changes of clothes just in case of accidents. I have a job where it is not possible for me to go when I want to. Life is very stressful. I have now had an appointment to go to the clinic at the hospital to see what they can do for me. I am just hoping and praying that they can do something to help me.
marion | 04/07/2007 16:27:00
i have suffered with this problem now for 10 years i am 58. it affects my life drastically. if i am going to go shopping i have to have mapped out were all the loos are just in case.long trips are a bind especially when you have to stop at every motorway service station for a wee break. any drink has to be thought out carefully, whether it is when i am out or at night. i try not to drink too much after 7pm as i would be up every 2 hours going to the loo at night. it has spoiled my social life. 2 years ago i had a bladder repair and i was given some tablets to take which was supposed to coat the bladder and stop the urge of wanting to go to the loo. none of it has worked and i am still seeing the surgeon for more embarassing tests. i do not take the tablets any more as they were not working and i couldnt stand the constant dry mouth.
sneezing, laughing, running, squatting down all cause leakage. i also suffer with ibs which can cause leakage of the bowel.
so life is not too happy for me but i soldier on.
jackie | 04/07/2007 21:53:00
hi have read everyones stories and its like listening to a recording of my OAB problems , its me down to a t (or a p) I have suffered with bladder problems for over 30yrs now first it was a weak bladder had a bladder repair on that tightening of muscles in them days it was a big operation like an hysterectomy that lasted about 12 yrs then it went again so this time it was another big op, a bladder sling again it was great was "dry" for another 12/13 yrs , then it started again I put upwith cos couldnt face another big op bur had to give in as I couldnt do anyrhing without leaking and surprisingly which I dont think anyone else mentrioned but our sex life went down the pan I mean how can you relax not knowing if you were going to leak on your partner. so no more sex then its back to docs and surprise surprise the op now was a simple TVT overnight or same day stay but unfortunatley for me in the space of 2 years |I had 5 of these resulting in 2 prolapses also and have had the last one taken out and now its worse at nighttime for me as I must get up 5/6 times a night and wet the floor at least 3 times as I dont always get there intime even tho bathroom is ljust next door . I dont take medication I wear pads during the day dont go where I dont know where the loo is , so it does interfere with my life but no more ops till its necessary , at the moment I will put up with it but I know I will have to go and have another op sooner or later , but for now as you say life goes on
helen | 04/07/2007 21:55:00
i am 48 years old and have bladder problems for a couple years now which ahve been getting progressively worse. I now have to wear night time towels constantly. I hate having to go out all day shopping etc as it isnt always easy to get to a toilet so then end up feeling dirty. I have spoke to my doctor as I am starting to let it rule my life. i wont go on holiday now as I dont wnt to have to wear trousers etc, She advised me to go to my physio therapy department so hopefully this will be the start of some help.
susanxx | 04/07/2007 23:29:00
I am 52yo and have suffered with an OAB for well over 10 years. I don't bother with pads as I find them obnoxious, have you ever smelt a tena pad straight out of the packet? It stinks, so I just do my best but once I realise I need the loo, boy do I need one fast. I suffer leakage in the night when I need to go during the night, the toilet is only 10 feet from my bed but I rarely make it without dribbling. I have to go to the toilet immediately before I take the dog out otherwise I wouldn't get very far. I avoid liquids if I know I will not be able to get to the loo due to travelling etc.. I don't bother with medication as I am unhappy with the side effects. I've tried doing the pelvic floor excercises and stopping my wee in mid flow but all I seem to do is make my wee come out faster, I'm definately doing something wrong!
Judith | 05/07/2007 00:43:00
I'm 54 yrs ol;d and have had an overactive bladder for over thirty years. I had a really bad birth of my son and it crushed the base of my spine and pulled the muscles that hold the bladder. This was intensely painful but there wasn't anything to be done. After a couple of weeks it affected my kidneys, I got nephrytis, which mad my bladder super sensitive. It has never really stopped being sensitive. I've had tablets but unfortunatley they reacted with other medicvation I was on so had to come off them. I always have to go to the toilet before leaving the house and will only go where there are toilets available. Its liveable with at the moment but I've just been diagnosed diabetic, so I assume this will increase the need for a toilet. Though it hasn't (Touch wood) at the moment. I use Tena mini pads which are extremely effective, just nor very "sexy" so my libido has taken a plunge downwards, I just hope it recovers soon.
Stewart | 05/07/2007 09:09:00
I suffered from bladder incontinence all my life caused by a Nurogenic bladder tried pads, catheters, drugs and 2 bouts of surgery to enlarge my bladder (Clam-Cystoplasy) nothing worked. When my kidneys became damaged i had a Urostomy and my bladder removed to protect my kidneys from futher damage, however i still lost my left kidney a year later because of my bladder..
Julie Bassett | 05/07/2007 09:11:00
I wear tena ladies all the time. My doctor hasn't given me any medication for it, says I have to keep doing the pelvic floor exercises. Been told stress has a lot to do with it too.
Veronica | 05/07/2007 09:48:00
My bladder is constantly 'dribbling', only slightly, but it is 'dribbing'. I have to wear pads all the time. I am 65 years old now and this has been going on for about ten years or more. I did have an op where the whole area was pulled up and I was fine for about 4 years but now this constant 'dribbling'. I have fibromyalgia and think it may be due to that but I am afraid I have to put up with it for the rest of my life. I sometimes feel smelly and unclean. I am really fed up with it but can't tell my doc.
Peter K | 05/07/2007 10:20:00
Greetings,
I am a 59 year old male and have suffered with bladder problems since 1998 which started by having to go frequently to urinate, it would be painful if I did not go straight away, this got worse over the years to the point that if I did not go straight away I would get excruciating pain and would start to leak.
I have been diagnosed with a bladder neck restriction which limits the flow of urine but also I have retention and I also leak still.
I would be lost if I did not have the urinary aids that I now use. I need to wear pads at home because of the leakage if I am unable to go to the toilet straight away, I use a urinary sheath to be able to be mobile and go out, this obviously has changed my life, no longer am I worried about going anywhere, I just have to make sure when I go out the leg bag is empty before my departure. I have to use ISC to catheterise myself morning and night to empty my bladder completely as it will not by itself.
I have been offered a Bladder neck incision (BNI) on more than one occasion and one consultant refused to see me and discharged me because I refused this operation. The operation could increase my flow and possibly some of the pain but I am concerned that it would increase the continence issue leading to further leakage on a larger scale, it would also cause potency problems of which I do not want.
So, I manage as best I can, the sheath and leg bag, the pads and the catheters manage my problem until such time the doctors can come up with suitable treatment.
Lez | 05/07/2007 11:06:00
I have to go to the toilet quite a lot during the morning. I have already been 4 times this morning between 6.30 and 11 am. I always have to go before I go out, even if I had gone only 10 minutes earlier. When I go out, I like to know that there are toilets nearby, even though lots of times I don't use them. I suffer badly with leakage when I get a cold, because every time I cough or sneeze it just comes out. I have to wear Tena pads now when I get a cold.
caryl | 05/07/2007 11:37:00
I have had problems with my bladder for a number of years now i was told it was partly due to having MS sometimes when i need to go to the toilet i have already started to wet myself, sometimes when i get up from a chair to go i cannot make it , i cannot hold my water and if i have a cup of tea i can go to the toilel up to 10 times in the space of an hour with not much coming out my bladder is overactive but does not release much when i do go its like weeing an egg cup full , on long journeys i do use pads and i take pads out with me but feel the pads in wales are so big i think people can see them i do have medication but it leaves me with a very dry mouth i have had a few bladder tests in the hospital my bladder also retains urine and it can smell very strong .
I have to change my clothes more than once a day on a number of occasions because of the leaks from my bladder.
Jak57 | 05/07/2007 14:54:00
Hi there,
Yes, it's a right pain (excuse the pun) although mine is caused by a different problem, right the truth of the matter is I have quite a number of problems including being disabled with mobility, Why, I had 29yr of being battered sexually abused and mentally, I wasn't aware of the problem in the bladder at first I'd got my divorce I moved away then started to have a lot of problems (due to stress) It came to light when I was having to go to the loo every half hour which didn't make for a good sleep lol. my Doctor had a look she in turn aranged for me to have a consultation with a gyni (sorry about the spellings) He in turn said there was a huge gap in my pelvic floor of which I don't have, he said I really needed a repair, but said that I needed to lose a lot of weight to enable it to work, so he said if I can hold a ring in there to act in a little way by closing the gap somewhat anyway the prolaps ring worked this is going back to2001 I couldn't lose weight, so I'm stuck with that I havee had an increase on the size of it.
The problems encountered where do I start???? the main problem is constipation of which I had when younger but it was made worst by all the pills I'm on (I always say that if the kids HAD to have to take them there'd be no drug adicts) at times it got so bad I had been away to the Eden Project I was away for 5 days in all and did I pay for it big stiyle I hade eventually go and get 4 gliseriyn supposatrys put up my rectum in approx one and a half hours the massive plug was expelled, so it has stopped me going away for longer than a max of two nights and I'm unable to have a sexual relationship (as if I wouldI wouldn't want to risk having the samerlar type of marriage that would make me a mouse again) it took me 3 years to get rid of him and sixteen thousand pounds lighter which now I consider to be money well spent it was hard though, I have to wear pads Tena mini extra this is because I leak a lot and sometimes spert out thats because with me disabled I have to get my ballance before going to loo, fortunatly my doctors have managed to get me to an incontinace nurse and she said I had to have three packs of twenty pads, I wear them night and day it's a laugh really beacourse I had always looked forward to not buying and using things like tappax etc. and what do I get I'm wearing more than I was lol
Sorry I'm getting too carried away, when I was asked as you all were to go with a blog I thought I wouldn't say the things I have here as I said soz, please do not feel sorry for me I'm not writing this for that I think maybe I possibly inadvertantly help someone who like me is being battered, They don't change these guys they are more screwed up and need to domanate you please don't let it get out of hand I would hate for somone to end up like me, good grief I'm writing a book lol stopping now honest olo
Jackie Harvey
Lorraine | 05/07/2007 15:22:00
I have suffered since the age of 20, at first I thought it was just one of those things, but I found myself making excuses not to go places, (unless I knew for sure were all the toilets were on route) people would comment on the number of times I used the loo which made the situation ever worse, then finally a Doctor sent me to see a urologist, who was my saviour, at last someone who believed me, anyway once I had the bladder strength test he prescrbed oxybutinin, which was like a miracle, I have since been prescibed oxybutnin XL LiraelXL as it is now know, I won't pretend I am any were near having an exceptionally strong bladder, but it has given me more confidence, I still have odd days when I seem to use the loo more often but otherwise my life is much improved. Cannot praise my specialist enough, apologies for any bad spelling
suzanne melanson | 05/07/2007 21:45:00
i am a 50 y.o woman with having a oab now for 3 or 4 years. i have to make sure their is a bathroom anywhere i go. i have had accidents numerously cause i cant get to a bathroom. sometimes the meds dont even help me. i wish i had never developed this cause it limits me whereever i go or do. i am up and down all night long.
SHIRLEY | 05/07/2007 22:28:00
I have had problems with my bladder for 30 yrs plus.Had many operations to try to rectify the problem....i earmarked all the loos in the town when i was going out .Plus like many i wore a pad to feel safe.Did not drink when i knew i was going out in the day.Did not dare go out for a drink in the evening.
i have now got artiritis of the knees . which make me slow down and not able to run to the loo. i have many ,many times wet my pants, plus stood outside my front door wetting myself.
my doctor reccommened oxybutnin... but i did not find it helpful........ that was 5yrs ago.
With my disability i found i was now constantly wet . even in the house from my living room to the toilet.
I mentioned it to my doctor yet again . that i was fed up with the problem.plus it was making me a recluse. And i am sure there must be something that i can take for it.
Hegave meTOLTERODINE TARTRATE 4MG.
AND WOW!!! SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF TAKING THEM I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM . Now i can go out with confidence that i will not wet my pants . Plus i can now wear white trousers ..... something i have not done in many years. I have not even had to wear a pad... So this saves me money l.o.l
I told my sister to get some as she had a simular problem. And she rang on the second day of taking them to say she was able to wear her panties all day with out changing them.... So down to one pair from 6 to 7 a day. She is over the moon.
So all you ladies that are spending your money on Tena and the likes. go to your doctor and ask for the tabs i have mentioned .. you will be reborn.............. i certain am. i now have a life and can dress with confidence.Knowing i will not have a wet
[well drenched in my case] gusset.
Oh and i have even started dating again l.o.l
You do not have to suffer the embarressment of a weak bladder....
There is a life now with a new tablet that to me is worth all the money in the world .I now have my dignity back.
Go for it ladies.dont put up with it, there is an answer . Wish i had found it years ago.
Shirley
Gill Barnes | 06/07/2007 09:45:00
I have suffered with OAB for more than 15 years now and it haS completly taken over my life and that of my family.It all started after having a hysterectomy the doctor thought he had damaged my bladder at the time,but made out afterwards he had not.I have had numerous operations including many cystoscopys and bladder stretches.I have extreme pain with Oab as well as urgency and leakage and over the years it has got more and more disabilitating and restricted everything that I do.I have tried many types of medication including oxybutin and putting heperin directly into my bladder.Then around 9 years ago I had a operation called a clam ileocystaplasty basically all that meant was I had part of my bowel attached to my bladder to make it bigger.The down side of that op was that I then had mucus being made in my bladder and to get that out I had to self catheterise several times daily,but I was still stuck with the severe pain so I have been on morphine for many years now,which is not good.Anyway just before xmas last my consultant said I needed to go home and think about having a complete diversion of my bladder although he could not guarantee that it would take away the pain but there is a chance it might.After thinking about this for a long time I decided it was a chance I would have to take,so in april this year I went into hospital and had a bladder diversion which is not reversible.I am up to yet hoping that it is still early days as at present I am still suffering with the pain so still on the morphine.Although I now have a stoma bag it has stopped the urgency the leakage and the getting up at least 6 times a night I hope and pray the pain will go.
Sue | 06/07/2007 11:05:00
my bladder problems started after a hysterectomy (1999) I constantly leak - I suffer urgency, and it's impossible for me to sleep through the night without getting up at least twicve, no matter how little I drink in the evening - doesn't really impact family life - as I constantly wear pads, and change as and when necessary - no medication, dr has told me since the op that it will pass.. what a laugh - still waiting - no pain jsut annoyance and the constant discomfort of feeling wet.
Vix | 06/07/2007 11:37:00
I had a hysterectomy at 38 and then another couple of small ops about 5yrs later for endiometriosis and by around 3 years after that I started to leak. At first it was just when I had a bad cold with a cough which I kind of accepted although I had to wear pads. But then after another bout, it didn't stop and I would leak just walking down the street. I found I HAD to go to the loo at least once an hour so all activities had to be planned around that timing. But I would still leak, even if I had been to the loo 5 minutes before. As I had a good relationship with my gynacologist I went to see him as I felt it was ridiculous to be suffering like this at such a relatively young age and especially as I hadn't had children. Of course the wheels of the NHS grind very slowly and referal to getting a sort of flow test took 9 months. The test didn't show any problems and they wanted me to try some tablets - I don't remember the name - but they made me feel quite unwell and has no effect although I subsequently discovered I hadn't been given the very specific information about doing bladder training along with them! At this point I put my foot down and insisted they do something about it as I wasn't prepared to wear a nappy for the rest of my life. I was then given a tvt type operation which was nothing short of miraculous and all the leaking stopped. Once I'd then trained my bladder to last more than 1 hour, the urges stopped as well. The only remaining niggle is that now, when I do get the urge to go, I really have only a very short time to respond as my ability to 'hold on' has been serverely reduced. I have my fingers crossed that this tvt will last a very long time. If it does start to fail then I won't hesitate to go back to the doctors - to hell with embarrssment.
Teresa | 06/07/2007 11:44:00
I can not remember a time when I did'nt have bladder problems. At school I had to run for the loo many times a day and had difficulty convincing the teachers I was not just trying to get out of lessons. At that age I had very few accidents as I pressume my muscles were stronger and more able to "hang on". After I had my two children the problem worsened and has gradually gotten worse as time has gone on. I have on many occasions approached my Dr's about this and they always start with the same thing "bring us a sample and we will check for infection" well it must be the longest lasting infection on earth because I am nearly 43 and have had it for at least 35 years. On my last visit It was suggested that I could go home and pee into a jug for 24 hours for something, but I dont have time to grab a jug before I wet myself. Even if I kept it in the loo (which I do not fancy doing as others use it too) its not guaranteed I would be able to get to it in time. I now wear big ugly pants to accomodate the big ugly pads that I am convinced smell. My sex life has become virtually non-existant as I can not bear for my partner to touch me whilst I am wearing the pads. I constantly wear black trousers and long tops to disguise that fact. I hate going to the supermarket as I know by the time I get to the checkout I will be sopping wet. Even if I leave my partner at the checkout whilst I run to the loo when I get back I still dance around and wet myself anyway. I do not go out socially anymore unless I have to, I cant even take the dog out to out favourite park anymore as I always need the loo when I am miles away from it. The embarassment I feel when I lose control makes me feel physically sick and I am totally ashamed of myself. I get in the bath more times than I eat a hot meal these days and I am grumpy and grouchy with my partner and my two kids (16 and 18) I feel like a non entity with this problem, I have not worked for 7 years due to helping to care for family members and now I need to return to work I am petrified to even attempt to find a job whilst wetting myself all the time, who would want me. I hate this.
Betty | 06/07/2007 12:08:00
I have suffered from weak bladder problems for as long as I can remember. I am now 63 years old. I wear Tena lady pads constantly and would not dare go without them. The constant dampnes is so irritating. I am an expert at the cross legged jig. As a youngster I had frequent urinary infections, my mother hated the doctors so as a result didn't take me as often as she should have. As a result I have a scarred right kidney. I have to be careful I don't get chills and colds. It is like a cache 22 I need to be consttantly around toilets. If I do go for walks in the country I make sure there are plenty of trees I can go behind. It isn't so bad if I am with my husband as he can act as look-out. The most embarrassing thing is if I cannot get to the toilet quick enough and my full bladder is emptied into the pad. I always carry a spare pair of knickers and a plastic bag so I have a change of underwear. I do pelvic floor exercises but they don't help much. I am trying to avoid having a bladder repair, anyway my frequenct isn't as bad as some people I know. Nevertheless I am still embarrassed about the inconvenience of having to wear these pads constantly. In the same vein I thank God I am a 'Tena Lady'. My family life isn't affected too badly as I seem to accept that this is part and parcel of me and my life. I had a hysterectomy 22 years ago. My IBS has settled down since I changed my diet, but a full bowel still affects my bladder. I have done 24 hour urine samples and the result came back as No Abnormalities Discovered. I was told not to drink any fluids an hour and a half before going to bed and then to double void before going to bed, this entails passing urine and then half an hour later pass urine again. It worked for a while but the more I worried about it, the worse the problem got. I make sure I change my Tena pad frequently and I wash my bits every time I void. This controls the smell of stale urine. The National Health Service is in such a state that my condition is not serious enough to treat so I will just put up with the inconvenience. I must admit I would love to have the freedom from the worry of embarrassment of incontinence but until there is a clinic that does have a female urologist then I will suffer in silence. I am not making myself a martyr to my bladder but I am a retired nurse and do know what these treatments entail and how embarrassing they are.
D | 06/07/2007 13:26:00
Its a standing joke with my partner & son,we were on holiday playing football on the beach I fell over & started laughing & lost control of my bladder.I know the saying 'i laughed so much i wet myself ' is seen as funy but its not i'm scared to laugh or sneeze or cough or anything.I had a chest infection & went through about 50 washes!! I have to think before every situation if i have to drive i go toilet & even if its only a 15 minute trip I'm running to the house holding my bladder.I have tried all the pelvic floor exercise but I would love to try the pelvic floor strengthener thingy but don't know where to go for it?
kate | 06/07/2007 23:55:00
Hi,
The sufferer in my family is my daughter, now 14, who was diagnosed when she was 3.
We have all the usual inconvenience of finding toilets when we are out and I have often been seen galloping through town centres with small child in tow to find the nearest toilet but our biggest problem arose when she started secondary school - bullying!!
In the first 2 or 3 days she had small leaks because she couldn't find the toilets or they were locked so the name calling started.
Three years on it is as bad as ever even though she doesn't have accidents now.
Things have got so bad we are in the process of changing schools so she can do her GCSE's without missing lessons because she is so upset.
Child - size pads would have been a godsend. Manufacturers please note.
The other problem has been night - times. She wears Dri - Nites which are great but she hasn't been able to go to friends for sleepovers and is often asked awkward questions about this.
We haven't really found a solution to these problems, we are just hoping she will be able to manage this condition better as she gets older.
A Very Tattered Mum,
Kate
sheltie49 | 07/07/2007 09:30:00
I have OAB as part and parcel of MS and it impacts on daily life as I catheterise 3 times a day. Any trips out are preceded by catheterisation, putting on of a continence pad, and making sure I know where toilets are situated at and on the way to my destination. However whilst at home I do not use pads, as I dislike them, and quite often don't always make it to the toilet - which really infuriates me - some days it happens a lot, others are OK.
It is not a problem with family life at present as my partner is working abroad, but I have not even told him I have this problem! It is not something I really want to be public knowledge or even family knowledge. In fact I can't recall telling anyone in my family about it even though it has been a problem for years. It was worse when I was working and had a lot of stairs to get up to reach the toilet since I was slow at climbing stairs. I avoid going on trips out to new places as I don't know where toilets are, and no longer go on long drives to visit family for the same reason.
I take 8mg of slow release Detrusitol per day which helps a lot along with the catheters but some days lack of sensation caused by MS makes life more challenging as then I am not even aware that I am passing urine until it is too late.
I find I dress in colours to disguise any mishaps and obviously the shape/bulk of pads
It is a major problem for me if I feel the urge to pass urine whilst in company and I cannot get to the toilet, even the fact a pad is in place to contain it does not make me feel comfortable that the act is taking place.
Lynda | 08/07/2007 17:34:00
My bladder is very intermittent. Sometimes its seems very controlable. Then later i just about make the loo in time. No obvious reason. If travelling cannot leave without going at least couple of times to try and make sure i will last.
Even driving occasionally trying desperately to find next pitstop. Dreading thought of a queue. As i know unlikely to be able to hold much longer. Pads are a must always.
Not taking any medication.
Ian clarke | 09/07/2007 02:18:00
In my case, although I have not had an official confirmation, I find that my need is generally more likely to be of a night. I was told that this was due to my having developed stage2 diabetes, however, I also have a heart condition for which I take various medications. I am supposed to take a diuretic, however, just recently, I have run out of these tablets, yet, I continue to have to pass water, especially once I have woken during the night. It seems that, once I have emptied my bladder, before I can get back to slepp, I have to go again. It is very irritating and annoying and I often find that I am very tired throughout the next day. Unfortunately, it is often something that seems to happen night after night.
Liz McKinnon | 09/07/2007 15:06:00
My problem is when I laugh or sneeze I pass urine and have to wear pads all the time. I also have to go to the loo as soon as I feel the urge as can not control my bladder very well.
Ann Bishop | 11/07/2007 13:51:00
I have had an overactive bladder for nearly forty years, being "caught short" on numerous occasions. I have seen a urologist and had videos of my bladder being filled and emptied, and just told that I never empty it properly. At last I have a GP who realises that I have urge incontinence and not stress incontinence. He was very understanding and put me on Vesicare. From the first day it improved and I can almost forget about it. I'm now saving a fortune on incontinece pads, not to mention the embarassment! I just wear one if I am going out for a long day, to be on the safe side, but rarely is it needed. I have told friends about Vesicare and cannot understand why their GPs have never suggested it, as it has worked for them too.
Cherry Momsen | 12/07/2007 10:56:00
I have to go to the loo all the time. I have had to use pads this co-incided with going through the menopause so just when I thought I would not have to use sanitary protection anymore then this started + to make it worse I never ever used pads always tampax. I hate wearing pads. I am nervous to take any form of medication. I was recommended pumkin seed oil capsules which I have been taking for 6 months and pelvic floor exercises. I have noticed a significant improvement.
lorraine | 11/08/2007 19:11:00
hi their ive been suffering with this problem for a long time now i thought i would never have to ware a pad again after having my hestrectomy well how wrong i was it all started around 02/03it was just a dribble thats how i started off then as time was going on it got more and more doctor sent me to see the contanance nurse so she had to give me an internal but she just uses her finger you dont get the metal thing put inside you so that was a relive by doing that she found out that i had a prolapse musle which means my mussel inside keepted falling down so i had to start doing certan exercises and it went on from their iam now under a phicyotheripist for it and iam glad to say that all that time has helped me as i got to the stag where id have accidents all the time so i did stop going out so much even throgh the night it was bad i woke up meaney a time sooken and id feel very very embarrest at these times but iam glad to say that tit is a lot lot better but i do still have to wear a pad probably for the rest of my life.
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