I'm with you, Anne. It's so frustrating! I keep finding that it's a gazillion different things that cause irritation too. Coffee, dextrose, adult beverages, what else is there? No, gluten, no this, no that. And, I'm about freakin' out because I ran out of those stupid pads again. Well. not completely. I do have some but unless they have "wings," I'm afraid to use them.

The article I just read, having to do with exercise being more effective than "treatments" had me revved up. But... I went outside to shop for a few things and had to come right back after getting one of the things on my list. I can't walk well enough and am feeling discouraged about trying to shop with my scooter and trying to carry everything on my lap. I'm tired of this stuff. Yesterday morning I was very angry about MS.... today am feeling really sad about it.

Funny that the tears started after I got back home... Had to sit immediately or else risk folding to the floor here. Can't even turn a light on until recuperating. Then, checking the weather here in Orlando, it's 97... immediately checking my home town in Western New York, it's 52 degrees and hardly any dew point or humidity today. That's when the tears began rolling. My parents are in their 80's so it seems like a very cruel time to leave town.

I'm venting today. But, guess I'm saying, I know how frustrating it can be. That's for sure. Who ever would have expected to live in the "sunny south" and end up being stranded indoors because the heat is just not tolerable. Thank you for being here. It's nice to know someone checks in now and then.♥

Yeah, it's nice to hear back from at least one friend. . .it's lonely otherwise & makes things that much more difficult to deal with.
I am still working (barely), and a couple of times a week (lately) I totally fill my pants with piss, because I can't quite make it in time. I do strongly suspect I have a bladder infection. A few months ago I chalked up my incontinence to that, so I bought some expensive over-the-counter med which seemed to do the trick.
I am not sure I can get authentic cranberries here (can you believe they use the same word for blueberries here?!). If only I were back in the Northeast (or at least stateside), cranberry products are everywhere. I can get lingonberry concéntrate in IKEA, but I'm not sure if it's the same thing. . .
Unfortunately I'm breaking out, sobbing like a baby every time I lose control of my bladder, I think because it is a trigger from back when I was a kid/teen & was a bedwetter.

And the temperature here can be awful. . .in the summer it hits 120º, so, yes, I know about being trapped inside. The two tricks I use to combat it are: as I'm going out the door, sucking on an ice pop & carrying a spray bottle of wáter with me, which works pretty well to cool off my face/neck. . .

Oh Anne, I'm sorry about what you're going through with incontinence. I order test strips online when I can find them. Our drugstores carry a box of 3 kits too. Azo is the name, I think. Sometimes it's easy to think it's just got to be UTI and then again, when I test, I find out it's just irritation most of the time. From someone on DS, I learned about D-Mannose too. She took a teaspoon in a glass of water once daily. I find it's helpful to keep track of when I should go to the restroom. Two hours would be a maximum for me. If I watch fluids closely, maybe 2.5 hours. Then again, it all depends on how a particular day is going.

I was taking Modafinil again but discovered that is the source of some real irritation for me. I felt I had to go extremely frequently. Maybe right after I just went! I think it built up in my system. Seems I'm ok having some coffee now so long as I don't take that Modafinil/Provigil. I'm about out of it now so I'm not planning on refilling. I will talk to the doctor about it this month though. Years ago, I had a script for it too since I used to doze off while driving home from work. It was awful.

Anyway, I know how difficult it is to stay "up" or "chipper" when we're going through trying to enjoy a nice life with all this extra added stuff. I decided I'm staying in today... My son is going to shop for some Mother's Day food so I'll be ready for my parents on Sunday. (noting to myself here to "start early" so I don't fizzle out half the day through.) ☺

Hope you're feeling better today. I do know about trying to work with all this stuff. Made me wish I had started eating healthier while I was working. I didn't eat horribly unhealthy though. The bread with the lunch salad, or the pasta would have me ready for sleep by mid afternoon though. Had I known how to eat better back then, my days might have been a lot easier for me. Catheterizing saved my life too though. Before that, the bladder never emptied. Hence, the double back to the restroom in 10-15 minutes. That was the cause of infection back then.

Thanks for reminding me about the spray bottle. I used to see those with a little fan on top but haven't seem those in the past few years. YOu've reminded me to watch for them again though. ☺

Do you use a catheter too? Like I said, I don't think I could them prescribed to me here. . .

Yes, I do, Anne. What a racket it is too. Yikes. The big medical corporations who make them have the doctors believing that you use one and throw it out immediately. That's just wrong!! If I did that, I would use way more than are even permitted on my insurance. My original urologist told me that you can use one and rinse it out. It's not a sterile process, it's a clean one. My GP did not agree with that. Anyway, I'm living proof that a few extras on hand are good enough. I have plenty on hand but I use them sparingly. Every now and then I change one out but not nearly as recommended by the companies who make $$ off the insurance companies here. I just can't be party to abusing the system like that. I've had a bad couple of days here - the heat just tires and depresses me to no end. Trying to keep the air on and remember to exercise when I can.☺

I don't know what your take is on cannabis, but I have noticed that if I use a little before bed, not only do I sleep more soundly, but I suspect I empty my bladder more thoroughly (the quantity I pee after is much more). Whenever I see my MS specialist, I'll ask about catheters, but am pretty sure they aren't an option.

Have you seen a urologist at all, Anne? Perhaps the idea of catheter is just not in the MS specialist's repertoire? My urologist scanned my bladder, revealing that after my attempt to empty, there were still 12 oz or so. When only going a tiny amount at a time, that's why he prescribed the catheter. Perhaps a scan would would be helpful to see what's going on with you. Frustrating trying to get answers, isn't it?

Oh yeah, did the tests a few years ago. Def don't empty completely. The doc who injects my inner thighs with Botox ordered the test. I just think they must not do the catheter thing here (the nurse very happily prescribed me the diapers. . .) A tip: cannabis helps relax the bladder. If I use a bit before sleep I really empty well (I just feel like I shouldn't use it the evening I need to work the next morning.)

That's very interesting, Anne. I haven't tried cannabis but I'm sure my doctor would prescribe it for me. I think I'll see if swimming more frequently will help out. My neuro appointment is next week.

Hmm, it seems to me if the nurse will happily prescribe diapers, they are definitely aware that this is a chronic issue. There's a multitude of information on the idea that a bladder that doesn't empty leads to chronic UTI. Would another opinion help? I think I'd start calling around to see if a urologist could help?

hugs ladies. i have this issue too, not bladder : ( it is so difficult - wardrobe rebuild for certain - of course, if i hadn't already needed to life stop, this finished it for me. i'm trying to figure it out. i am thought hugging you. i am here.

i get myself in a better frame of mind but i lose it easily. it is good to able to talk to people who understand. thank you for being here xxx

i think i didn't realise how down i was about all this right now

Yeah, it seems that sometimes we get so used to putting up with changes, we don't often realize just how much they bother us. A good cry is therapeutic sometimes. I usually find this out when I when a funny movie, or a heart-wrenching drama. The over the top laughter or the unstoppable tears are a give away. It's good to let it out rather than hold it all in. ☺

Sorry you are having incontinence issues. I use the Always long length pads, they help with trickles but not if I have to go~then it's a flood. I am like you, I make sure I can get to a bathroom every 2 hours. I actually went to a physical therapist that tried to help me strengthen my pelvic floor muscles and I had marked improvement within a month of sessions. It was basically kegals but she inserted an electronic probe to measure my strength. No need to go through this procedure just make a concentrated effort to 1x a day lay on your back, relax and do kegals. I may still have urgency issues but total loss of bladder has not happened yet this year. It's been awhile since I have had total loss of bladder control.
It is really too bad so many people have stopped coming to this site. I only have a smartphone and it is harder to navigate the site so I stop by less often. I do think often of all the people I met on this site and learned so much from.

Thank you for sharing how the kegals have helped. It's encouraging and I'll be sure to add them to my exercises. Yes, it's a shame that the "smart" phones are not as easy to use as we would hope. I love my laptop computer. I have a large type monitor hooked up to it, and a real keyboard. I can't deal with the small stuff, lol. So nice to hear from you on here. Thanks again for the encouragement!