Incomplete bladder emptying

[eatingasatsuma]

Posting here as the general health board is very quiet.

I'm mid thirties and had problems with frequent urination for over a year. Scans and procedures have found no problems or reason for this whatsoever. Everything is "working as it should" but still residual urine is remaining, around 100mls. Therefore resulting in frequency as my bladder is never empty.

Has anyone else has this please? Anything helped?

I've had pelvic physio (No problems found). Not overactive bladder. Urologists and physio can find no reason whatsoever.

I have the same problem, but I'm 31 weeks pregnant. It jas been an issue for a long time, however, and I don't know the cause either.

I suffer from stress incontinence, so if I cough, sneeze or laugh it's game over, even if I've had a wee in the last minute!

The only way I've found to improve things a bit is after you've emptied your bladder, stay on the toilet for a couple of minutes. Very often, my body feels like it needs to go again, and I find there was more in my bladder which didn't fully empty the first time!

Sorry I can't be more help but that's as far as I've got for now!

I have this but I have quite a serious bladder prolapse from giving birth. I’ve had pelvic floor physio and was given lots of tips on how to cope. She recommended rocking on the toilet to help my bladder empty fully and flexing my pelvic muscles every day. I’d like to say it’s helped but I still really struggle especially in the mornings. Driving over speed bumps or sneezing is very uncomfortable. One of the things that’s helped me is avoiding fizzy drinks and making sure I know where the nearest toilet is when I’m not at home!

Thanks both. Its so frustrating! My body feels like it's finished, then within 20 minutes I need to go again. I can hold it for hours, but it's just the fact of needing the toilet all day because it never gets fully emptied!! Very very frustrating.

Try leaning forward when you wee, or squat to wee like you would if you were having to take a wee behind a bush.

Are you drinking a lot of liquids?

One tip is to double void as it’s called. Finish your wee, then wait 2-3 mins while sitting on the toilet for another emptying reflex. You should manage to empty some more out that way. App it can help “train” your bladder to more effectively contract down.

I do the opposite and sit back once I’m done; usually works to fully empty my bladder

Oh also have your feet up on a stool, or wee in the shower. I was advised that by the physio after some surgery years ago when my bladder function wasn’t great.

I’ve had this issue for years too! Only realized when I had to have a million ultrasounds for IVF and they always pointed out my bladder was still really full after voiding. Im a nurse so I’m used to having a full bladder!

As above, the only thing that helps a bit is double voiding. According to a womens health physio I saw once, it’s better to avoid voiding frequently and to hold on as long as possible. Also to never have a huge drink at once, to always sip so the bladder fills up steadily.

Have you tried standing up when you think you have finished, have a jiggle round & try again? That is what my continence nurse told me to do.

Thanks everyone. I've tried a lot of these things but I'll give them all another try.

I drink the recommended 1.5-2ltrs per day. Decaf drinks, no fizzy drinks, very limited alcohol (as in maybe a few glasses every other weekend). Keep my bowels in check, not constipated.

I try to hold on as long as I can. I try to get to three hours if not four, but it's miserable needing the toilet all day. I've been doing this for a while, my urologist said my bladder will readjust but it hasn't yet. Plus it's not overactive, so I must be missing the point. Surely I need my bladder to fully empty, not get used to being fuller. If anything, the more full it is, the less it seems to want to empty.

I have the same problem, I'm early 40s.

For example I will pee before bed, and then have to pee every half hour till around 2am and am then desperate to pee again by 6am. I am beyond exhausted.

I'm also finding I wet myself more often now, sneezing, coughing, jumping etc.

Sorry you're experiencing this.

Strangely enough mine seems to settle into the evenings and it's fine overnight unless my DDs wake up.

Evenings are the worst for me. During the day I am distracted and busy so I dont go as much.

But lying in the dark with that tickly feeling in my bladder is impossible to ignore.

I weirdly also get restless legs if I need to pee which according to Dr Google is definitely a "thing"

I've only had this since covid was around which makes me wonder if it's a long covid symptom.

I used to get a lot of UTIs and was told that I probably have a slightly tilted bladder. The nurse suggested that I tilt from one side to the other on the loo when I think I've finished and see if any more urine comes out. It does.

There's another thing that helps me. It sounds a bit odd and I can't remember how I figured it out, but there are times when I know I need to go but nothing comes out right away. I've found that running a finger gently over my tail bone prompts a pee response and generally more comes out too. I think it must be some evolutionary left-over, but it works for me.

Thank you, Cranes. I'll give that a try.

You can actually insert a catheter and remove once the urine drained before going to bed. This reduces the residual so stops night waking.

Thank you. My urologist did suggest this but as I'm so young and I can sleep through the night we agreed it isn't the best option for me.

Have they checked you for a prolapse? I had this and they found my uterine prolapse was pushing on my bladder and causing a little pocket in the bladder that never emptied. I did have lots of scans etc which never found anything. I saw several urogynacologists check me but only the last one spotted this issue. You have my sympathy. It's horrible. Mine resolved on its own when my pelvic organs naturally shifted in to a different position.

As others have suggested I've found leaning forward (lifting my bum off the toilet seat) gets more urine out.

@SallyWD yes the womens pelvic physio checked for this and said everything's okay!

This did cross my mind at one point which is why I paid the private physio to check as the GP said the same but I wasn't sure.

Thank you. I've tried the leaning forward but not bum fully off the seat. I'll add that to my list of things to try

Double voiding and also wee then pull your pelvic floor (like squeezing) for the count of 10 and then wee again.

I have this and I've been diagnosed with detruser under activity.

I do self catheterization 2x a day, it's really quick, a really small tube, pop it in (MUCH easier than you think it would be), drain the excess urine, then put it in the bin.