My daughter has had problems for the last 8 months. she is now on an antibiotic but still feels like she can't empty completly. The antibiotics seem to help her more than anything else that has been tried. She went to a urologist and without checking anything they say she has IC. She took medication for 6 months and and nothing has helped her which tells me and her gynocologist that she doesn't have IC. The gynocologist did find infection when no other dr has found it. She complains alot about her Urethrea (SP) sorry. She feels like she has to urinate bad and when she goes she only has a few drops come out. She has to twist her body to go to the bathroom. Please help
Hi,
sorry your daughter is having such a bad time. I know how stressful and negative this affects her life. She needs a urodynamics tests done along with a cyst. Tests from a urologist would be advisable. Then you can start from there after the test to figure it out.
I hope this helps and let her know thousands of us have difficulty PEEING!
It is hard to deal with.
If you need someone to listen or if I could help let me know.
Good Luck!
I agree with sal50 as well. It sounds like she needs to find another Urologist who will listen this time! The fact the one she went to made a diagnosis without further testing says it all! Not ALL doctors are created equal as many of us have unfortunatly learned. Maybe her GYN can refer her to a better Urologist that will do the testing that NEEDS to be done to determine exactly what is going on.
I have a "atonic neurogenic bladder" which means it doesn't function and have been self cathing for 10 years now. My urethra is at a 90% angle which just to get the catheter in, I have to get in to a certian position on the toilet just to "open" the urethra to get it in.
I'm not in the medical profection but I do know how the bladder is supose to work from my own experience...In order for us to be able to pee our bladder has to "contract", and it has to contract hard enough for us to empty. Sometimes our bladders get stretched out to the point it cannot contract hard enough, or sometimes there is nerve damage to the bladder in which it's impossible for it to contract hard enough or like in my case does not contract at all. Nerve damage or compression on the nerve can cause the bladder not to be able to do its job. Even a seemenly unrelated issue such as a back injury can put some stress on the nerve and cause it to malfunction. My nerve damage was caused during a hysterectomy and bladder sling surgery I had at the age of 33, and it never regained function. This is a very RARE occurance.
There also can be an issue with the urethra itself causing the problems such as a "stricture" (narrowing) or even kidney stones causing a blockage of some sort. If the bladder is prolapsed (falling) which can sometimes happens due to the straining during a difficult delivery having a child, can cause a "angle" problem with the urethra, and can be corrected with bladder suspension surgery.
As you can see there are many things that can cause us problems with the bladder, BUT a competent Urologist and proper testing CAN answer the question! As "sal50" had said urodynamics testing can give you the answer, as well as a cystoscopy. Tell your daughter not to give up and not to take the answer of this last urologist she had seen, there is NO WAY he can give a diagnosis of IC without ruling out every other problem that can arise. Remember these doctors work for US, not the other way around, if your not getting the best medical care WE ALL DISERVE, it's time to move on and find a competent doctor that will LISTEN!
I wish your daughter well, and please let us know how she makes out when she finds that doctor!
Take care, and God bless.
Annette
Annette, I had nerve damage with a hysterectomy also, but thank God it wasn't permanent. I was cathed for two weeks and put on a medication that would contract my bladder, have to empty it often and don't get the regular sensation that others get, I just get that full feeling, if I don't empty it at that time it can be really painful. I was 36 when this happened to me. It's awful when you can't go!
Tamark, Have your daughter read these posts, she needs to have some tests done that are telling her something.
Hugs, Diana
I will let you know. Thank you so much for the kind words. All of your information is so helpful. She goes to the Dr. tomorrow morning at 9:30, hopefully he will listen.
Well she went back to the Dr. today. They want to do a Urodynamics test on her. Finally someone is listening to us. He did a test in the office today and after she went to the bathroom she had over 100ml of urine left in her bladder. She is only 5'1 and 100 pounds. He said he didn't think her bladder would be of normal size since she is so small. He feels like she might be retaining to much urine and now wants to do the test. He took her off of all her IC medicine (finally) and is going to do this other test to see if there is something not operating correctly in her bladder. I will keep you posted. I feel like we finally have a little hope.
You are exactly right. He wants to do a urodynamic test on her now. He did a small test on her today and after she went to the bathroom she still have over 100ml of urine left in her bladder. She has been telling them all along that she couldn't empty, but they kept telling her IC. He took her off of all the IC medicine today. (finally) I hope that this test will give us some answers. She goes on October 4th. I will let you know. Thank you so much for your help!!!! Its so good to have help out there.
Tamark,
Great to hear she is being taken seriously. The urodynamic study will get to the bottom of what is going on with her I'm sure thats fantastic. Also great to hear they are taking her off the meds for IC.
Please let us know how things go for her with the urodynamic study. It's not painful to have it done just can be embarrassing, but at this point it's more important for her to find out the cause and the fact these people who perform them are wonderful , compassionate and respect your privacy so no worries there. Just let her know she's not alone as many of us have gone through what she is going through. It sounds like she's in good hands now!
Wish her the best, and will certianly say a prayer for her.
Take care, and GOd bless.
Annette
drs,
I'm glad to hear your nerve damage wasn't permanate thats great. Is your bladder bit "sluggish" now, but as long as you empty before it gets over full your ok?
For me, as I said its been over 10 years now and at this point cathing is second nature, but I sure can remember just how daunting the thought of it was way back then. But its Do-able for sure...
Annette, my situation was a bit unique. The cathing part came later on.
When I was 35 all of a sudden I just couldn't go pee, and I know I had to go, I know my bladder was full. But at that time the problem was I had a chocolate tumor in my abdomen, I had that removed along with one ovary and my appendix. One year later I grew it back and they took out everything female organ wise, I had that surgery in the spring with many complications. It was that fall I was not getting rid of my urine and had to be cathed for two weeks and put on meds that would contract my bladder. The only time it's really painful is when I wait too long to go. Otherwise the flo is good as long as I don't have any constipation. If there is any hard stool in my colon I can't empty correctly, so I do have to make sure that doesn't happen. Does this answer your question? Diana
Tamark, So glad to hear the doctor is doing some tests, keep us posted. Diana
