Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fucking fed up of my bladder

66 replies

LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 03:00

On holiday, lying awake with an irritable bladder AGAIN. On the loo every half hour.

It's not a uti - I'm now such an expert I can mostly tell the difference. But something has bothered me again.

I'm so sick of this. I lost most of my 20s to UTIs and IC. Then things got much better after pregnancy and birth.

Now I'm in my 40s and presumably due to hormones it's back to square one.

It makes me actually hate being away from home.

Young kids will be up by 6am and I've had 1 hour of sleep so far. Fuck it all.

OP posts:
PoopedAndScooped · 15/08/2024 03:04

Have you seen a specialist this time round?

I have parsons cocktails and they help alot

namechangeforthisi · 15/08/2024 03:06

I had this for about three years. I eventually figured out it was an electrolyte imbalance. I ended up putting on weight (eating more when I was too thin before) and changing to drinking juice and mineral water, and it's went away

Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 03:22

namechangeforthisi · 15/08/2024 03:06

I had this for about three years. I eventually figured out it was an electrolyte imbalance. I ended up putting on weight (eating more when I was too thin before) and changing to drinking juice and mineral water, and it's went away

This is interesting... It was definitely triggered by UTIs the first time but I guess worth exploring

OP posts:
Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 03:23

PoopedAndScooped · 15/08/2024 03:04

Have you seen a specialist this time round?

I have parsons cocktails and they help alot

No, not yet. But I'm seeing gynaecologist later this month about fibroids and I'm going to mention it then.

OP posts:
Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 03:24

@PoopedAndScooped what are parson's cocktails?

OP posts:
namechangeforthisi · 15/08/2024 03:27

I hope you can get to the bottom of it. I know it's maddening having to pee every half an hour all day

montelbano · 15/08/2024 04:07

LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 03:23

No, not yet. But I'm seeing gynaecologist later this month about fibroids and I'm going to mention it then.

Show quote history

Possibly the fibroids are pressing on your bladder.

I had a massive ovarian cyst with only minor symptoms one of which was 'little leaks'. The scan showed my bladder flat as a pancake!

Droolylabradors · 15/08/2024 04:11

Hi OP i hope you have also started using estriol (oestrogen) cream. Slather it on your vulva and stick some up your vagina, it thickens the wall of your bladder/vagina and will reduce need to pee, plus can help some women who get too many UTIs.

It's not HRT, the hormone stays local.

Droolylabradors · 15/08/2024 04:12

Also, I use it daily, some GPs say twice a week, my consultant has me on it daily and generous amounts.

blubberball · 15/08/2024 04:19

I have this. I think that I might as well just move in and live on the toilet some days. I'm going to get myself tested for type 2 diabetes. My dad has it

Threerobins · 15/08/2024 04:52

I had this, I went for physiotherapy and I bought vaginal weights from Amazon, both were very helpful. I've also lost some weight which I think has helped.

XMissPlacedX · 15/08/2024 04:58

Same here op, I'm sat up on holiday needing a wee every half an hour and I know it's because I'm away from home and not a UTI. I'm reading mumsnet to try to take my mind off it and get my bladder to relax. It's bloody awful isn't it 😞

Greategret · 15/08/2024 05:58

Mine reacts if I eat or drink a lot of acidic food including too much coffee. Water and bland miky drinks plus antacids help amazingly. If I feel twinges are starting I take Prelief which is an antacid specially for bladder problems but the indigestion ones would work too. I had a lot of UTIs in my twenties and it seemed to sensitise me to acidic food.

TroysMammy · 15/08/2024 05:59

As soon as I see a toilet it's a dance getting on it quick enough. My brain says "toilet" my bladder just says "go".

juicelooseabootthishoose · 15/08/2024 06:13

I recently saw a women's health physio who helped me retrain my bladder and work on frequency and urgency and leaks. And its been life changing. Best money i have ever spent!

Its amazing how much bad advice we get given. As little girls we get forced to have a wee before we leave the house to empty our bladder when we don't need to. And thats where it and the misinformation all starts to go wrong.

It was actually fascinating

WomanFromTheNorth · 15/08/2024 06:13

I think it's probably an embedded, chronic infection that flares up when you are on holiday due to the heat and getting dehydrated, irritation from swimming pool/ sitting about in a wet swimsuit, drinking more alcohol maybe? I always get flare ups when I go on holiday.

Look at Dr Catriona Anderson's talks (radio4 ) on the Internet. She talks about biofilm that the bacteria hides in. The whole concept of IC had been dismissed by many experts; they believe its bacteria. There is also a drug, Hipprex, that many women have found useful as a preventative measure. I haven't had much joy with it but many women have. And it's available over the counter. Again if you look upt Dr Anderson she talks about the new use of this drug that had very few side effects.

Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 14:50

Droolylabradors · 15/08/2024 04:11

Hi OP i hope you have also started using estriol (oestrogen) cream. Slather it on your vulva and stick some up your vagina, it thickens the wall of your bladder/vagina and will reduce need to pee, plus can help some women who get too many UTIs.

It's not HRT, the hormone stays local.

I had this in my 20s but haven't been represcribed it lately. I will ask the gynae.
Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 14:51

blubberball · 15/08/2024 04:19

I have this. I think that I might as well just move in and live on the toilet some days. I'm going to get myself tested for type 2 diabetes. My dad has it

I have an hba1c every year due to previous gestational diabetes... luckily no signs so far but must remembered to get checked for 2024

OP posts:
Droolylabradors · 15/08/2024 14:51

LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 14:50

I had this in my 20s but haven't been represcribed it lately. I will ask the gynae.
Thank you.

Show quote history

Oh yes do. My gynae told my GP I needed unlimited tubes so it isn't rationed which was v helpful!

Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 14:52

Greategret · 15/08/2024 05:58

Mine reacts if I eat or drink a lot of acidic food including too much coffee. Water and bland miky drinks plus antacids help amazingly. If I feel twinges are starting I take Prelief which is an antacid specially for bladder problems but the indigestion ones would work too. I had a lot of UTIs in my twenties and it seemed to sensitise me to acidic food.

Same. I definitely had too many coffees yesterday ... 🫠

OP posts:
Original poster
LostittoBostik · 15/08/2024 14:53

WomanFromTheNorth · 15/08/2024 06:13

I think it's probably an embedded, chronic infection that flares up when you are on holiday due to the heat and getting dehydrated, irritation from swimming pool/ sitting about in a wet swimsuit, drinking more alcohol maybe? I always get flare ups when I go on holiday.

Look at Dr Catriona Anderson's talks (radio4 ) on the Internet. She talks about biofilm that the bacteria hides in. The whole concept of IC had been dismissed by many experts; they believe its bacteria. There is also a drug, Hipprex, that many women have found useful as a preventative measure. I haven't had much joy with it but many women have. And it's available over the counter. Again if you look upt Dr Anderson she talks about the new use of this drug that had very few side effects.

No it's not... not this time. I've had this before and was on antibiotics for six months and it did eventually clear.

This time it's irritability post uti. So fucking annoying.

OP posts:
Knittedfairies2 · 15/08/2024 14:54

Do you drink decaffeinated coffee? Caffeine can irritate the bladder.

ilovesushi · 15/08/2024 14:55

You have my sympathy. I suffer from UTIs on and off and recognise your symptoms. I don't drink alcohol any more. I take daily vitamins and d-mannose and I don't push myself - if I am tired or run down I rest.

butterfly0404 · 15/08/2024 14:58

Do you drink wine ? Really irritates the bladder for some people, me Included. Have you tried taking Mannose-D tablets ?