Bladder issues

Symptoms and treatments
21

Hi

I had a massive issue with this and had very little control but self cathing has been my saviour .Like you I felt too young to be wearing pads and really self concious and uncomfortable.

I am back in control of my bladder its tricky to start with but now is second nature I really would chat to a continence nurse about giving it a shot. I dont wear pads at all now and was using the max absorbance tena ladies so result.

Ellie x

22

Hi there everyone

Intermittant self catheterisation - it completely & totally changed my life for the better. I’m now in charge, not my ******* bladder! I always keep a couple of catheters in my man-bag + nappy disposable bags to put them in afterwards. Oh yes don’t forget a radar key

Patrick

www.aid4disabled.com.

1 Like
23

Hi I saw my GP and he asked the district nurse to come and see me to assess me for incontinent pads, I was 38 yrs old. She came and just asked me some questions about my bladder problems and registered me with a company who deliver them every 8 weeks and they are free on the NHS. Wearing a pad is a lot less embarrassing than wetting yourself, ha!

Lynne xx

24

Hi there,

You’ve had lots of great advice already but just wanted to add that I use Always pads that are especially for sensitive bladders. They’re very slim like panty liners and they’re also in exactly the same kind of box as their other panty liners which helped me feel a little bit less embarassed walking about with them in my trolley!

I also self-catheterise now too, just at night to let me get a better night’s sleep - if that’s a path you end up on please don’t worry about it - it’s very straightforward - honestly

Hope that helps.

Lynn

25

Got to agree with others - my experience is that incontinence support from nurses is great and once you get past the awkward first moment then there is a lot they can help you with to make life easier. Though I have the opposite issue mainly - staying in not coming out! I have to say I know feel so much more comfortable going to the clinic about bladder stuff and would not hesitate to call on them again if things change. I guess as ever the lesson is that the fear is worse than the reality and why suffer on when there is a good chace that for a lot of these “mechanical” issues there is so muc that can be done to make things easier. So if you haven’t checked in with them Barney_Owl do consider it. Apart from anything incontience issues can all to easily become UTI issues and those are seriously unpleasant and can also cause excacerbations. Looking back I wish I had gone to the nurses with my issues much earlier instead of trying to cope alone.

26

I have had bladder problems for years, but since I was prescribed Tolterodine, sometimes called Detrusitol, the problem is so much more under control. I can tell, within an hour, if I have forgotten to take it, as I have to keep rushing to the loo and often do not make it. Try talking to your GP or MS Nurse. I have had multiple visits to the Continence Team, who are REALLY helpful and understand how sensitive the subject is to discuss. They have always been very practical in all their suggestions.

I use Tena Lights, which have star ratings about how much absorbancy you require. They are readily available at supermarkets and discretely boxed, like panty liners.

Don’t struggle alone. There is so much help out there.

Regards.

Fred. (I am female)

27

Thanks for all the advice. I have had appointment at bladder clinic going back in a few weeks. Got trial tenar pads and got a box today.

28

hi patrick_b,

its been a while n yes i took your advice, feel much better now i have spoken to my MS nurse, reassured me n now its no problem, wearing the pads that is, Thanks for your support n its briefs, lol

29

Hi, this is all quite new to me, only diagnosed 3 years ago and never really experienced bladder problems until recently.

i don’t suffer with leakage, but when i need to go, i need to go straight away (when out, if i’m at home i can hang on). it’s really embarrassing as occasionally when i’ve been out the toilets were too far away to make it. i also seem to get this when driving or whenever i have no access to a toilet. not sure if a pad would help, i seem to spend my life “going” for the last time before going anywhere!

Could this be MS related? i have now booked an appointment with my GP and i also have an appointment with my MS nurse soon as well but your thoughts would be great

Thanks

30

hi all, ive taken biotin 2 months, im going all night up to 11hrs no loo, also not wearing pads anymore. joy

1 Like
31

Have you contacted your Continence Advisor about this ?

The reason I ask is because you maybe retaining urine and prone to leakages - my opinion for what its worth is to contact your MS Nurse/Continence Advisor to suss out the problem and take it from there :slight_smile: