Bladder Training

[newone]

Is anyone familiar with bladder training and its effectiveness? My GP put me on vesicare which has helped but I'm concerned if there are side effects and am also wondering how long one can stay on this medication. Frequency has decreased somewhat (although lately I am still up a few times during the night) and I am now able to get to the bathroom in time most times. However, I am now constipated some days, which is a side effect of the med (and MS). I'm also concerned what effect this has on the future.

[Abby2006]

I don't know anything about bladder training. I was on Detrol for awhile to help with bladder issues nd then it got to expensive so now take a product called 'Go Less'

Abby

[Gabriella7]

Bladder Training?

Newone, Can you explain what you mean by "bladder training"? I have tried all the meds to slow down the bladder and found the side effects to be worse than the frequency. I've had MS/MG for over 30 years so my situation might be different than yours. Finally when I could not reach the bathroom before having an accident I depend on Depends.

I have researched all the possible treatments but have not heard of bladder training.

Gabriella

[Barque]

I had that issue for a while but it went away on it's own.

I did do the "Stop and go" technique which helped quite a bit and drank lots more water. It seems the more concentrated the urine the more irritating it is to the actual bladder.

I don't know of any med that doesn't have side effects, some so bad it makes people stop taking it.

[Frog42]

I googled 'bladder training' and this is what I found: Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[newone]

I was changing my clothes a few times every day. (I won't describe what was happening during the night.) I literally had no control. I saw something on "bladder training" that is very similar to the link mentioned above; HOWEVER, I don't know if someone with MS could actually accomplish it.
I did always try to void every hour while awake but I still had accidents.

[Gabriella7]

Bladder Issues

Newone, I think this technique is something you could try but if you are already having several accidents where you have to change clothes you might have progressed to the point that this would not help you. Have you consulted with a urologist about the problem. Have you had any testing done on the problem. A urologist can do "urodynamic testing" to see how the MS is affecting your bladder.

I know there are multiple problems associated with MS and I have the "failure to store" after so many years. I just gave up on changing my clothes and started buying Depend underwear. They are not cheap but I get them at Costco, Sams or the internet but it is better than the alternative which is wetting oneself.

I just noticed you are writing in the past tense. Are you still having problems. Also you might have a UTI that needs treating.

Gabriella

[agate]

I've tried Ornade, Ditropan, Detrol, and Vesicare and gave up on them because they made my mouth impossibly dry. Vesicare was slightly less of a problem than the others though.

I think you can take Vesicare as long as you need to.

I found that the amount of benefit I was getting from Vesicare didn't outweigh the problems with mouth dryness.

The link that Vicky (Frog42) gave has some good advice in it, I think.

[Gabriella7]

Bladder Issues

Barque, If you can still do the "stop and go" then you still have control over your bladder. The bladder retraining might be beneficial if a person only has stress incontinence or urge incontinence and not MS. MS actually affects the nerves which tell the bladder when to go or not go. After a number of years of MS these signals do not work normally anymore. Then you are incontinent and you can't control your bladder.

Gabriella

[agate]

There are many bladder issues that might or might not be connected to MS--residual urine retention, incontinence, urgency, frequency, and the list goes on.

The aim of course is to prevent accidents and to prevent UTIs.

With the situation being as complicated as it is, it would be helpful to have urodynamic testing and to try out any methods that just might work, including exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, recommended medicines, changing the fluid intake and anything else a doctor you respect suggests.

The situation is even more complicated when you consider that your bladder is changing all the time, and what works for you for a while may stop working later on. Or what doesn't work for you at one time may work at some other time.

You just have to keep on tinkering.

[Barque]

I had heard about women in the middle east that were thrown out by their husbands because they "dribbled" all over the place. Now, here's the thing, it was or is the rough and frequent sex that rendered these women incontinent, their ureters were damaged also from childbirth. A doctor over there perfected some type of simple surgical procedure that stopped thhe problem. Do a search, maybe this might be of help to you reguardless of the cause.

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

This might be him.

[Abby2006]

i always thought bladder issues was just part of the MS thing.

This stuff does help (it does me

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Abby

[Gabriella7]

Doctor Rating Site

Barque, The site you sent us to was a doctor rating site. Can you post the information concerning the simple surgery he does. Then we could locate a doctor in our area to consult. I don't believe any of us are going to travel to Lebanon to have a surgical procedure done when our problem is caused by the MS and not the situation you described. I don't know your gender but MS affects males differently than females.

Abby, You are correct that bladder problems are part of MS. I have consulted with a urologist, a urogynecologist as well as a gynecologist about my bladder problems caused by MS. I was told that the only surgery for incontinence for a person with progressive MS is the suprapubic route with an indwelling catheter. Botox is contraindicated as it causes retention of urine and one would have to self catherize. The retention of urine would lead to more infections.

Surgery is not the answer in most cases but I don't know what is the answer except to use Depends for the accidents.

Gabriella

[Barque]

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

You can do a search. Just type in " Incontinence, female, MS "

[Gabriella7]

Site Search

I searched for "Incontinence, Female, MS" and the answer I got was that it "Ignored MS". The site is not for women with incontinence due to MS. It is a site for women in menopause but it does not address the problems that MS causes.

Gabriella