Apologies for the anon post but im a bit embarrassed by this issue.
Have had MS for a few years but in recent months I have been having issues with my bladder. I am finding that I’m increasingly finding the desperate urge to pee come on me all of a sudden and I need to get to a toilet relatively quickly.
I ended up wetting myself in the car on day because I thought I could hold it for half an hour until I go home…very embarrassing.
I am seeing my neuro soon but am worried about what the conversation/exam will lead to.
If I complain of bladder problems with neuro - will i have to get my kit off for an examination. Im terrified at the thought of having to use a catheter.
Any words of advise guys?
I think he would refer you (or via your GP) to a urologist rather than examine you. Even the urologist would probably refer you for testsoverseen by a nurse and even then you might not need to take your kit off unless it is for urodynamic tests, in which the best case scenario you get a pretty nurse stick a tube up your bum and down your willy - but no doubt they’ll be ever so polite and leave the room whilst you relieve yourself. Probably you’d be treated first with tablets that dampen bladder contractions and that may do the trick. If not, you may need to wear a pad too - not your wife’s as they will be too narrow on which to balance your tackle. Sainsburys sell Tena for Men. If it is a large leak then these wont be good enough and you’ll need a larger pad - there are hour glass shaped ones but you might have to order them from a chemist as I’ve never seen them in a supermarket. Alternatively, a brief like Depends. A catheter may be a matter of choice and convenience. If you end up with regular heavy leaks you may be eligible to get free pads but not much choice over type - refer to Continence nurse, or may be you’d opt for a Catheter. There is also the possible option of Botox injections. Some of these options are mediated by how susceptible you are to UTIs.
hey…mr Bowen I do like your no non sense approach…couldn’t have put it better…try not to worry your neuro drf needs to know about this bladder issue and a proper asses is needed…maybe meds can help and an in dwelling catheter is not the only option if it cones to that…intermittent sfekf catheterisation is another option. yor neuro will be familiar with your problem…so don’t hold back as us a sto closer to getting help for ths. x
See your GP - and get checked out - he probably will refer you to a urologists. Hopefully, they will try you out on anti-spasm meds for bladder control. l don’t know your age - but if over 40 - if might be wise to get your prostate checked as well. What ever the specialist - and nurses do to you will not be anything like as embarrassing as ‘peeing’ yourself in front of people. Carry a plastic bottle in the car for emergencies. This is not the end of the world - something can be done to help restore your bladder control.
LDN is brilliant at giving back control of bladder functions.
F.
You can also order pads in bulk from amazon - they come in a plain box so no one knows what is being delivered. A godsend.
Hi
I have never got my kit off for an examination.
See you gp to get referal to continence nurse. They may see you all home. They will probably do a bladder scan to see if you empty your bladder. Its gel on bladder then scanned like a pregnancy scanner. Painless & not intrusive.
They prescribed me pads for the cost of a prescription. I got a few months supply at small cost.
This has now progressed to persiteen (external catheter) due to urgency. They are a godsend.
They fit like a condon and have a hole in the end the fits on a tube to a bag that ties to your leg. Very discreet & easy to apply / empty. Again supplied via prescription.
I got onto these by calling peristeen & tehy liased with gp. Defo a life changer to me. I use them at night to get a good nights sleep & then when out and nowhere near a loo.
PM me if you need more info.
Neil
Ask the Doc for a script for Conveens
Well, two things are important to remember.
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ms is invisible, a physical examination of your penis will not reveal anything about your bladder control.
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You have to decide which is worse, talking to doctors about your problem or continuing to wet yourself and probably smelling of old urine the longer you ignore it.
I can’t speak for everyone with ms, but i think it’s fair to say quite a lot of us have this problem to varying degrees, it’s not your fault, you aren’t doing anything wrong so don’t be embarrased.
Hello,
I had similar problems and spent several years in a state of denial.
Go to an MS nurse, if you have access to one. They will do the necessary tests and come up with a solution.
Sounds like Intermittent Self Catheterisation - initially frightening but once you are used to it its OK. There are all sorts of catheters available and should be available on a free prescription. LDN helps (not expensive), reduces the urgency for a pee so more time to find a toile or what ever is handy
There are a selection of drugs that help control sphincter muscles of bladder.
Remember that the MS nurse have seen this sort of thing before, people like you, Most of them discuss it without making you feel embarrased.
Good ludk and don’t worry,
Patrick
Hi
Good job for asking - I struggled with incontinence for ages, thinking there wasn’t much that could be done other than occasionally wetting myself. I wish I’d asked about it earlier as there’s a few different options, all of them mentioned here already.
My personal recommendation is for the the sheath & leg bag combination that Neil described. The ones I use are called Conveen - put it into google and you’ll find out more. As well as the small bags that strap to your leg, you can get larger ones with a longer tube for use during the night.
Ask to be referred to a urologist and they’ll be able to set you up.
Dan