Bladder and bowel probs - doctor's appointment?

[ScarletFaced]

Name changed for this because I am too embarrassed!

For about the last 2 weeks I've been having big issues with bladder and bowel control. I haven't experienced this previously and at first I thought maybe I had a stomach upset, but I don't actually feel that it is.

I don't get any warning when I need to "go", have to dash to the toilet and sometimes haven't been able to make it in time.

Very occasionally I don't feel properly till it happens - like this morning, I didn't feel the urge until it was already happening

I was kind of putting up with it till I realised I've been getting up in the night 5+ times to go, constantly having to run to the loo at work, etc. And it is getting me down.

Is it silly to book a doctor's appointment for this? The next one I can get is in 4 weeks anyway, so it will probably have stopped by then!

Is there something I can do? I'm so embarrassed and I feel like I can't tell anyone!

@QueenStromba

Great news about the uninterrupted sleep! People who haven't lived it just don't understand how wearing constantly having to go to the loo is. I've never heard of desmopressin doing that and I was quite active for some time on a Facebook group for people with diabetes insipidus (and so are pretty much all on desmopressin). It's much more likely to be a progression of whatever's causing the general incontinence I'm afraid so do mention it to your doctors.

Desmopressin is a synthetic version of anti diuretic hormone. The natural hormone serves some other purposes but the synthetic one only binds to receptors in the kidneys that tell the kidneys to conserve water by concentrating the urine. Theoretically the only side effects you should see would be to do with having too much water in your system from drinking too much while on it. People in the DI group do report other possible side effects but I think they're mainly due to the disease process that caused the DI*. Anyway, no need for you to worry about that as I think it's unlikely that you have it unless you've been quietly suffering from excessive urination (volume wise) for a long time and your bladder has become overstretched. How much do you drink on average per day (water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, alcohol etc)?

*DI is mostly caused by damage to the pituitary so we're more likely to have problems with our other pituitary hormones like sex linked hormones and the hormones that control the thyroid and adrenal glands. Plus the pituitary damage is often caused by undiagnosed autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

I think that my drinking is pretty average - a couple of green teas or coffees, usually a herbal tea in the evening, plus a glass of water/sometimes juice with meals and probably usually getting through a bottle and a half of water a day (500ml bottles). It doesn't really seem excessive - maybe if anything too little!

I'm so pleased that I slept through. It makes such a difference!

The random wee with no urge thing happened again (after breakfast). Again, got up, felt this sort of "twitch" and got completely soaked. I'd had tea and a bit of juice so I wonder if it was that. It's very tempting to stop drinking but I guess that's really not a good idea!!

Thank goodness I can work from home today. Although I am back in the office, generally speaking, so I need to find some ways of dealing with it better!

@peridito

OP I do feel for you .I've just popped on to say do look after your skin down there and make sure to use some kind of barrier cream to protect .Prevention better than cure and all that ,

Yeah, have been concerned about that a bit and have been using E45 since my skin was getting a bit red. Hopefully it will be okay and thank you for suggesting!

Yeah, that doesn't sound like an excessive amount of fluid intake. It would probably be wise to try and cut out the caffeine though as it's a bladder irritant. If you're worried about caffeine withdrawal then you can try this method for quitting.

betterhumans.pub/how-to-painlessly-kick-a-caffeine-addiction-in-5-days-56a0be1b72f4

Good thought! I actually always have decaf coffee but the green tea is quite high in caffeine, I think, and I could easy switch it to something else. Thank you!

Like you say, it is impossible to imagine how tiring and annoying this is until you experience it It felt so amazing not to keep waking up last night!

Oh you poor thing OP . I think you need to use something with greater protective qualities than E45,although I'm sure that E45 will soothe and moisturise .

Cavilon is good ,might need to get from a chemist .Or Vaseline would also help .

I bet you wish were suffering from more prosaic ,a broken leg for instance .

Have got vaseline at home, so I can try that as a starting point - good thought, thank you!

Today hasn't been a particularly good day. Have spent so much of it running to the toilet or cleaning up after "accidents" that I've not really achieved anything else. And I feel really grotty, exhausted and achey. Blehh.

Google rehydration solution recipes ,if you're body is busy getting rid of a lot of liquid it can effect your electrolyte balance which makes you feel grotty .

Maybe the loss of control is making stuff pass through you more rapidly than normal .?I'm uncertain about this theory of mine ( smile) but the rehydration stuff won't hurt you .I'm just desperately trying to think of things that might help a little .

As someone who has had problems with their bladder for over 17 years I have one tip. It’s one that if u look at the IC bladder problem. It is not just liquid that can interfere with your bladder. Food also can have a huge effect on it as well. When my bladder problems started it took me years to figure out ( no doctor told me ) that what I was eating was more of a problem than the liquid.
Have a look at the IC diet. That will tell you the foods to avoid.

I am so pleased to hear that the medics got on the case and covered all bases. I hope that you will get some feedback today. They are clearly looking at a neurological problem - if it is MS, it is worth remembering that things have moved on since the cellist Jaqueline du Pre, and there is a lot of good care to be had now.

If you can buy some 'slimmer' pads from the chemist. I had a kidney infection the day before I had to drive home that included about 4 hours of motorway driving. I bought a packet of Tena and tested them by pouring a litre of liquid quickly into them, I was amazed they held it all.

I'm sorry that things haven't really improved since much yet @ScarletFaced. I know you said that you can work from home, but maybe you need to call in sick and just rest as much as you can?

Hopefully you'll hear from the hospital soon and with some answers and hopefully a treatment plan

Aww, thank you for all the suggestions I got a call from the hospital just after 5 and they have asked me to come back in on Thursday for some further assessment in the neurology department. They also said that I can see a continence nurse while I am there, so I'm hoping they will have some ideas too.

They didn't tell me any more on the phone and I didn't ask. In a way I'm a bit worried about knowing, but it will probably feel better once things are a bit clearer.

I will look into the IC diet and might be worth trying the rehydration sachets, just in case I am getting a bit dehydrated. This funny weather is kind of giving me a dry mouth anyway. I'm supposed to be in the office tomorrow but I am thinking I'll either ask if I can work from home or take the day off. I'm feeling out of sorts and nervous about having an accident on public transport, although I have to find a way of getting past that!

I think you are too ill to be working. You are managing symptoms and going to medical appointments.

Agree either time off or work from home.

You don’t need to be a hero here. You need to focus on your health.

I just sent my manager an email asking if I can work from home for the rest of the week - explaining that I have appointments and I'm managing symptoms. Didn't say anything more but I hope she'll understand! She is actually very lovely and usually very reasonable about things, I just feel a bit guilty because we are two team members down at the moment (having just recruited and waiting for new starters). On the other hand, we've just come out of a busy period and things will now be quieter till September so... I hope it will work out.

I don't honestly feel not up to work, but I'm not feeling amazing either. My bladder seems to have taken on a mind of its own and keeps going into kind of spasms (I can't think how else to describe). It's not exactly painful but it isn't a very pleasant sensation,!

I do feel for you, @ScarletFaced, and I hope you get useful and reassuring info soon.

A few years ago, I had pertussis, which made me cough so hard, I constantly wet myself. There was absolutely no stopping it. I couldn't leave the house.

My lovely sons went to Boots for me, and came back with the kind of Tena that are virtually adult nappies. So much better than pads. Nothing escapes!

I wore them to work as a lecturer for a while, and never had to worry.

www.amazon.co.uk/Tena-Pants-Super-Medium-pack/dp/B01M32Z16G?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Good to know - they must have been great, I can't imagine you would want to lecture without feeling fairly confident!

I actually work in a uni too (though not as a lecturer) and September is always a bit crazy, so I'm hoping very much that I'll at least know what I'm dealing with by then.

I wouldnt go into the office at this point. I think you need to do as a pp has said and try out some pads to give you some confidence that you can safely get on public transport. Why put yourself through that extra distress right now?

Good luck for Thursday

Just to prepare you - the continence often do a vaginal examination at the first visit - it took me by surprise, so it might be good to be prepared.

Thanks for the warning! I wrote to my manager and must have caught her checking emails because she wrote back and said I could take the rest of the week off if I needed. I am planning to work from home tomorrow, take Thursday off for the appointments and then see how things are for Friday.

Today hasn't been a great day. It's getting me down a bit and I'm feeling a bit tired and worn out with everything. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Thanks for all the support

It sounds like your physical sensation was worse today? That you stopped even feeling the urge to go and just 'released' your bladder?

I would be tempted to call back tomorrow and just ask if this rapid onset can wait for Thursdays appointment. To be clear I'm no medical professional but you've gone from poor bladder control to even worse sensation?

Just a thought

@AntiSocialDistancer

It sounds like your physical sensation was worse today? That you stopped even feeling the urge to go and just 'released' your bladder?

I would be tempted to call back tomorrow and just ask if this rapid onset can wait for Thursdays appointment. To be clear I'm no medical professional but you've gone from poor bladder control to even worse sensation?

Just a thought

Yes, it did feel a bit worse. It wasn't that I didn't feel it at all - it was more like it just sort of "twitched" or spasmed and the wee started coming out, rather than feeling a sudden urge before. That has happened before but not so many times as today! It wasn't painful or anything though, so I don't know if it merits a call. I don't want to be annoyingly making a fuss!

(sorry tmi by the way!)