Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group
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Thats right, that is the actual name of my bladder issues. I thought the urologist was having me on but he wasnt.
I had tests done that are called "urodynamics" & I presume they are offered in other countries, maybe different ways though.
I know a lot have bladder issues so I will outline what I had done to get the results & each person would be differnt of course.
To start with I needed a full bladder & had to sit on a controlled toilet (measures the amount of urine & was laso connected to a computer). I had to try to empty my bladder which I thought I did. The computer showed immediately that I strain to start with & then it comes in bursts.
I then got on the bed & the nurse set up a catheter & the Dr did other checks (of anus & front), straight away said I have a lazy sphincter (which is why I have bowel leakage & lack of control).
They drained the bladder through the catheter & found I still had 350ml in the bladder, should be 0-50ml so not emptying properly.
Then they had me cough, hold my breath stick my thumb in my mouth & blow out. This was both in the horizontal & vertical position. Very weird to have the bed move from one to the other.
I was allowed to start emptying my bladder, they had been inserting fluid thogugh a tube, & then he asked me to stop part way. NOT going to happen, it just kept leaking continually & I couldnt stop it.
The tests took well over 1 hour & they were very thorough.
Afterwards I saw the dr who is a urology physician which is different to the urology dr. The main difference is he does all the tests to find out what is wrong, what is wouking & what isnt etc. He then sende the results with all the xrays to the urology Dr if need further investigations.
It turns out most people have either an underactive or overactive bladder & I have both. Typical of me. Mine is overactive in that it goes when it wants to & I cant control it, underactive in that it doesnt void/empty fully.
He has given me some medications to help hopefully & when I can get the continence nurse out I have to learn to self cathetise, not looking forward to that but if it stops/eases the "accidents" I will be happy.
I will be refferred to the urologist & may need to have a cystoscopy procedure which allows them to check the baldder further in, sometimes under local or general anaesthetic. Just a wait & see now.
I did have to wait to see the urology physician to start with, then wait a couple of months for the tests. It is always the way to wait through the public health here, but worth it to get results. Not happy with catheter idea but glad that the issues has been investigated & found.
Thought I would put it all down before I forgot as then others that may be having issues can get ideas of what can be done.
Cheers,
I had tests done that are called "urodynamics" & I presume they are offered in other countries, maybe different ways though.
I know a lot have bladder issues so I will outline what I had done to get the results & each person would be differnt of course.
To start with I needed a full bladder & had to sit on a controlled toilet (measures the amount of urine & was laso connected to a computer). I had to try to empty my bladder which I thought I did. The computer showed immediately that I strain to start with & then it comes in bursts.
I then got on the bed & the nurse set up a catheter & the Dr did other checks (of anus & front), straight away said I have a lazy sphincter (which is why I have bowel leakage & lack of control).
They drained the bladder through the catheter & found I still had 350ml in the bladder, should be 0-50ml so not emptying properly.
Then they had me cough, hold my breath stick my thumb in my mouth & blow out. This was both in the horizontal & vertical position. Very weird to have the bed move from one to the other.
I was allowed to start emptying my bladder, they had been inserting fluid thogugh a tube, & then he asked me to stop part way. NOT going to happen, it just kept leaking continually & I couldnt stop it.
The tests took well over 1 hour & they were very thorough.
Afterwards I saw the dr who is a urology physician which is different to the urology dr. The main difference is he does all the tests to find out what is wrong, what is wouking & what isnt etc. He then sende the results with all the xrays to the urology Dr if need further investigations.
It turns out most people have either an underactive or overactive bladder & I have both. Typical of me. Mine is overactive in that it goes when it wants to & I cant control it, underactive in that it doesnt void/empty fully.
He has given me some medications to help hopefully & when I can get the continence nurse out I have to learn to self cathetise, not looking forward to that but if it stops/eases the "accidents" I will be happy.
I will be refferred to the urologist & may need to have a cystoscopy procedure which allows them to check the baldder further in, sometimes under local or general anaesthetic. Just a wait & see now.
I did have to wait to see the urology physician to start with, then wait a couple of months for the tests. It is always the way to wait through the public health here, but worth it to get results. Not happy with catheter idea but glad that the issues has been investigated & found.
Thought I would put it all down before I forgot as then others that may be having issues can get ideas of what can be done.
Cheers,
So I didn't disrobe, I just left. The nurse went to tell the urologist and the urologist caught up with me as I exited the waiting room. I just told him this is wrong and I don't have insurance so I'll wait until I have insurance....I was never SO didn't didn't have insurance than I was that day! :)
When I got disability & on gov insurance I never went back---I hope it never evolves into a situation where I need a urologist.....ewhen he told me my bladder was overflowing from bladder retention, he had the walking foley catheter removed that had been placed in when I was dioagnoseed....It was very traumtic to get a diagnosed in the ER, spend the night in ICU under observation and leave with a indwelling walking foley catheter and a new chrronic serious disease when the day before I thought I was healthy?
A weak late he removed the foley if I promised to self cath myself 4x a day..well that was a much better option than wearing an indwelling foley catheter. So I learned to self cath.
I was schedule for the urodynamic testing, went for it and walked out.
I'm RR so my problem cleared up---and they overshot their treatmenbt largley because I was uninsured. If I had been insured I believe I would have stayed in the hospital until they new what the situation was, instead the just put a indwellin foley in me and sent me on my way,,,,,,DON'T ANYONE EVER THINK THE INSURED AND THE UNINSURED ARE TREATED THE SAME WAY IN THE GOOD OLD USA.
I am still slightly horrified that they sent me home like that. It didn't kill me as they knew it wouldn't but an insured person would not have been treated the same way. AND the only evil I had done to be uninsured was to have lost my job during a mass layoff in the biggest recession since the great depression. I'm still a litle(a lot) PO'd when I think about it. It'll probably take a few hours for me to get un-Po'd again.
I told them I coudnt make it from dressing room to their controlled toilet & they were fine with me leaving the pants/pad on till I got to the loo then threw them out as had spare with me (luckily).
I had been told ages ago I probably had retention issues but were not sure as I have already had a bladder operation in 2005 to fix a leak then which was what they call a "tap not stopping" problem. Usually caused by childbirth in my case by hysterectomy young & numerous stomach/abdo operations.
I am glad I got it tested properly so I do know what is actually wrong not a "guess".
Obviously our public health system in Australia is a lot different to yours. I had the tests at another campus of the public hospital where they are set up specifically for this test. We do have to wait for treatment, I had waited a few months to see the urology physician & then 2 months for the tests. Will see him in a couple of months by which time he hopes I will catetering ok.
I am worried about how I am going to balance, get my hands to co-ordinate & get the tube in, but guess will wait till shown. Will be glad not to have to wear the pants with pad in (2200ml) which is a lot & still soaking them too.
Thank you so much for sharing such a traumatic experience too.
Hugs
havent had a bm 3 days either & thats taking laxatives.