Incontinence & MS?

Hi everyone!

I am looking for some knowledge, experience, wisdom, and insight into something that may or may not be MS-related. During the past week or so, I have been experiencing a bit of incontinence. Sometimes the feeling comes and goes until I can get to a bathroom, other times my bladder takes over (no public humilation, YET!) and there is some evidence of a small "accident." Also, everytime I do a urine test, I'm told I have a UTC, though I do not feel any of the annoying symptoms. My OB/GYN ordered a "post-void residual" test to determine if the UTIs are caused by remaining secretions of urine, even after I've "done my business" completely. Though these events are a dichotomy, I sense they are lated as regards the impact of MS on the muscular structure.

Anyone have this problem, or know something authoritative about it? I don't want to start buying Depends!!!

 

Steph57

Steph, I "leak" :)  The urologist I've been seeing put me on Detrol and that has helped.

He tells me my bladder muscles are being affected by MS and are spasming (but I dont feel it).  Urine leaks out and I don't feel that either.  I sit a lot during the day and have had to force myself to get up and urinate more often than I might otherwise.

I also get UTI symptoms frequently, but after a few days they go away.  Doc says this is just more MS issue and not something I need to treat with an antibiotic.

 

Thanks for all the experienced info folks! I feel as thoug I am either leakin'rkeepin'! I will look into your suggestions and let you how it goes.

Piddlingly yours,

Steph57

 

Hi Steph,

I have had all the urgency, frequency, leaking problems, including having to change my clothes several times a day eventhough I was wearing a pad. Last year I was in hospital getting a pump implanted for pain & spasticity & while I was there I had daily bladder ultrasounds. Even if I had just been to the toilet I was retaining up to 400ml. After seeing a urologist & doing tests he said he did not think I had a spastic bladder but that it was very stretched and I needed to self catheterise 3 times a day.

I felt miserable about this but the moderator wrote that she used to teach kids to do it & that made me feel ashamed that I was such a coward. So I learnt how to do it & it really was not hard. It really did help a lot

After about a month I noticed that I did not seem to be retaining so much urine. At about this time I started taking urologic which is a herbal supplement to strengthen the bladder. Then I found that I was regaining more control & more sensation. (Several months earlier I had lost the urge to pee and had to do it by the clock.)

The BEST NEWS is that I no longer need to self catherise, and my bladder control is so much better its as good as it was 10 years ago. So I would really recommend seeing your urologist sooner rather than later and you might save yourself years of misery and despair.

I agree with Gretchen about the UTI's I am very acidic (which I used to think was a problem) but I have never had a UTI.

If I take vesicare which the urologist suggested I do not leak at all, ever

Good luck