The last three years I have been experiencing a very odd thing with my bladder, and I think it is severely distended. The thing is, I must drink liters and liters (I drink roughly 4 gallons of fluid/day) in order to feel the slightest urge to urinate. I have visited my urologist twice in the past and he really was of no help as he told me to just push it out every hour or so and that I should just try to lower my fluid intake. I did, and kept a voiding log that indicated that my input/output was relatively balanced except for the fact that my weight would fluctuate nearly 5 pounds per day given if I could void or not. But I just kept telling him that there was no urge until I drank between 5-8 pounds of water. Having seen nothing wrong on my kidney ultrasound, I was basically told to live with it and change my lifestyle. Getting no answer, I tried to significantly to lower fluid intake but ended up gaining nearly 10 pounds due to excess fluids that feel "stuck". Now, the emotional effects are unbearable: especially the fact that I consistently look like I am pregnant with a basketball, and that I have to drink so much I nearly throw up. And of course, it is taking a major toll on my overall outlook on life.
At this point, I am begging to try self-catheterization. I just want to know if I need to mention or demand it when I visit the uro this month because this is truly unbearable, and there aren't too many people who understand or believe that this is a real problem.
Could catheterization be an effective treatment for this problem? It just isn't normal.
My urologist said (in an offhand way during one of my first appointments with her) that failure to have any urge to urinate could be sign of nerve damage. Maybe you need to consult a different urologist or find a urogynecologist who would take a fresh look at your condition.
Are you a paraplegic? where did you hear of self cath? I would for sure see another urologist because either you aren't telling the whole story or there is something seriously wrong. Even Paraplegics learn how to make themselves urinate.
No, I am not a parapalegic. However, I have had irregular cycles and I have not had a period in three years. My doctors (physician/endocrinologist/respitory/urologist) are puzzled because I am releasing all the correct hormones. Another thing, when I was a baby, I came down with Fibrosing Alveolitis of Unknown Ideology and lost a little over 1/3 of my lungs.
Althought I'm healthy now, I think there is something that's just not fitting the puzzle. I did read too that after the bladder becomes so distended, some nerve damage is lost. That's when I began reading about trying to self-cath ever couple of hours or so to keep the bladder empty. It also said try to keep it under 300 ml. at all times.
I am going to my family physician this afternoon, and we're laying it all on the table. I am so frustrated with my urologist, that I just want to plead to try the self-cath thing. I am sure that sounds absolutely ridiculous, and I am sorry if it does. I just need to know if anyone thinks that the self-cath thing might help me regain some tone so I can drink like a normal person once again? Again, it's the most frustrating thing when you never get that urge.
Forgot to mention, I currently have a UTI (no painful symptoms though). This is my fourth UTI in the past two years.
Last edited by greenlikeabean; 01-13-2009 at 11:08 AM.
Help with Overdistended Bladder! 
