I understand your frustration. I have the opposite issue, which is equally delicate. I have constipation, bad!! It's been 5 or 6 days since I had a bm. I don't ususally feel uncortable thru out, but when I do have one, they're very painful!!! I hate taking laxatives, but I'm going to start doing that cuz this is getting old real quick!

This topic is so sad, I personally have issues I am 36 yrs old but for the past 5 yrs I have had an issue with this, It comes and goes it is not constant though. I have had my bladder give out on me in school and in resterants, I have had issues with my bowel also, this is so concerning that someone your age has this problem. I am sorry! I deal with it several ways- I try to always go to the bathroom, even when I dont have to-(my bladder stopped telling me when to go). I also do what I can to drink less when I am out. I have not seen a urologist for my issues but my doctor is testing me right now, since my bladder and kidneys are healthy, Take care of you. HUGZ!!

In the episode that diagnosed me, they had me use a walking foley catheter. The nurse refused to remove it until I promised to self cath myself. I'm still upset thinking about that scene, 4 years later! Self cathing was distasteful. I only needed to do it routinely for about a year, but I was new to MS, I didn't understand the RR nature. It wasn't for forever, now it's only intermittent when uncomfortable.

I was very resistant to doing it at first. But I was attending school, out in public, and I didn't like the embaressment. If I cathed, I didn't have a flood, a normal pad was good enough. You might want to get training in self cathing. At least I felt some control in public.

Maybe that helps. Nothing can be done about being unable to control body with MS...but maybe controlling embarassment will help.

I'm so glad someone else has brought this subject up. I can TOTALLY relate to your problem. I actually have both bowel and bladder dysfunction. I can't hold either of them. If the urge comes, LOOK OUT and MAKE WAY! I did find a "miracle" solution for the bladder. I don't leak (I know this sounds terrible), but I also can't hold it. I would highly recommend Poise Ultra pads, and they sell them at Sam's Club too. I don't like to actually use them, but it did come in handy when I was stuck in traffic (for example). They hold a lot! Try them at home first, so you can see what I mean and see how much they hold. I still don't have any clue what to do for the bowels, and that is quite embarrassing! I'm up for any suggestions for this! I don't even know what doctor can help, or how that's even fixed. I've just become more of a home body, as I never know what's going to happen and when! Good luck, and you are not alone!!

Well, I used to have problems with constipation & bladder function, but I've pretty well gotten them beat. For bladder & take low dose naltrexone & glyconutrients. To halt constipation, I have prune juice with a tbsp. of ground flax in it. Follow it up with tsp of flax oil & then a hot cup of tea. Works every time for me.

Well, I used to have problems with constipation & bladder function, but I've pretty well gotten them beat. For bladder & take low dose naltrexone & glyconutrients. To halt constipation, I have prune juice with a tbsp. of ground flax in it. Follow it up with tsp of flax oil & then a hot cup of tea. Works every time for me.

I know where every bathroom in every store in town is, I carry a Poise pad in my purse (say that 3 times fast...), I pee before I leave the house for work and pee again when I get there 15 minutes later, and I sent a sympathy card when Mr. Whipple passed away. Guess you could say this is one of my main issues.

I either pee too much & have to "rush" (what is rushing for an MS person with a walker? OR have to map out the bathrooms of anywhere I travel to or OH BOY) OR can't empty my bladder fully! It stinks! Not literally, but you get the picture!

I'm 33 & it has been this way for years. I also have Epilepsy caused by the MS & the MS can cause bladder issues & so can the Epilepsy/seizures.

I can get urgency to pee with certain seizure types & also with the MS I can also loose control of my bladder with the seizures & the MS...YAY ME! HA! I know, not that funny, but it's kind of a sad-funny joke...like, laugh, so you don't cry!

"Keep your chin up, so you don't fall over!"...That's like kinda my motto for the most part! I still fall over, but at least this way, my heart, for the most part, stays strong through all this daily crap & it doesn't weaken my spirit!

So, my friend...you are not alone on this issue!

Take care,
Stay sane!

P.S...YES! There could (& has been MANY times over) a whole separate post about "NUMBER 2 IN THE BATHROOM" & I'd be all on my stomach issues on that one...

FUN TIMES INDEED! HA!...NOT!

P.P.S...here is a "Pee-Trick"...

It's what I have named the "Double-Void"...

1) Pee
2)Stand up...(lets the excess pee flow down to the vaginal opening)
3) Pee again (Your 2nd pee)
4) Wipe, flush...

***WAIT A FEW SECONDS...IF NEED BE...REPEAT PROCESS AGAIN AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED!***

It's called the "Double-Void" cause most times it works to just (sit, stand, sit) once...but there have been days where I have been repeating the process many times over in one sitting cause my bladder won't empty completely!

I hope this both made sense & helped! :-)

Take care,
Stay sane!

Oh yeah, I hear you. I have started carrying a kit in my purse...fresh underwear, pads and toilet paper. I have not made it to the bathroom in time on a few occasions and the WORST was when I ...umm...errr well shit myself and got into the bathroom to try and clean up and recover what little dignity I had left only to find there was no toilet paper. Now what? Anyway, sorry to be crude but it tought me to be prepared. Bladder issues, poise pads really are helpfull.
take care

I too have been down the road you have, but am an older woman. Believe me, at any age this is a horrible deal to be dealt.

At first my urologist thought I was leaking so much because my uterus was pressing on my bladder, so the urologist recommended a bladder lift. I went through that surgery and it did not make any difference. The doctor found blood in my urine, and then found out I had kidney stones and that could have been causing the problem. So, I had the stones removed, still have the problem of incontinence.

Throughout the period of time I was being tested and treated for these things, I have experienced the problem of always having to go, to having the feeling that I have to go, and no being able to go. The urologist has finally just said that my problems are because of my MS, that my bladder has a mind of it's own now. Great.

I have tried Poise and Tena pads. Tena are a bit more expensive, but I like them better. They have a nicer covering on them then the cottony Poise.

I haven't been Dx yet but I too get this , been having this problem for years now and the use of a normal pad does help some. there are times I don't realize I have to go and other times I think I have to go and can't and there are other times were my bladder feels full and its painful. there are other times where if i cough or sneeze I will "leak" I find this so embaressing. I have had this on mind all day and other symptom that I have , the one that I find is embarssing to talk about as well. was upset earlier today and have been wanting to talk to others that might those same symptoms as me - hugs , take care

Have the opposite problem. Had the full feeling but couldn't go. One of my very first symptoms: when I was 12-13 I started having a hard time peeing. Slowly but surely it got worse and worse so I finally was so frustrated that I learned to self cath. That was so much freedom. I finally felt better with an empty bladder. My only problem is I get a UTI (urinary tract infection) once in a while. I take a cath supply in my purse so I can go anywhere.

Turns out my friends with the incontinence problem also used the self cath because it emptied their bladder and freed them up for more time outside. So self cath is really easy once you learn. Just make sure you lubricate the cath. The nurse forgot to tell me that.

I also have the constipation and I have the worse case in the world but I have learned how to manage it with nightly lactulose and lots of veggies and roughage.

To the lady earlier who had what I used to have - use stool softeners. They help a lot if you can still go but they are too hard. I was told by my neuro that us MSers take the fluid away from our stools and they need more help. Only a suggestion. He said that stool softeners aren't addictive.

I hear ya, sista! Mine is urge incontinence, I sometimes get no warning so I wear Tena pads too - I like them better than the store brand or the Depends.
As for the constipation, I used to eat two of three prunes in the evening and would go in the morning. I take magnesium which has improved my walking, and it works as a stool softener which is a nice side effect.