DD (13) wetting herself

[AnnaFiveTowns]

My Dd has had a few accidents where she has wet herself. This started last easter; at school one day she just wet herself. She said that she didn't feel any urge to go, it just happened out of the blue. She was distraught, as you can imagine. We thought that it was just a one off thing but it's happened 5 times since then although not at school, thank God. On every occasion she has had no desire to go, it's just happened. It's not just a little dribble, it's a full wee. I'm so worried that this will happen again when she's at school. We've been to the continence clinic and the nurse said it was due to caffeine as she'd drunk coke on a few of the occasions when it happened. But the last two times it's happened when she hasn't had any coke or other caffeine. I'm trying to get another appointment at the clinic but there's a waiting list. I've bought her some tena lady pads but when she wore them.they gave her cystitis; I know when I wear sanitary pads they give me cystitis too so I can understand why she doesn't want to wear them. Shes been tested for uti s and is apparently clear. I could understand it if she was desperate to go but didn't quite make it, but these "accidents" seem to be completely random, almost like spasms of the bladder. I've googled but can't really find anything. It's strange that it's just started to happen. Does anyone have any experience of this? I'm so worried about when she goes back to school.

I had what the specialist called an irritable bladder when I was a young adult . I had had it since teenage years but never said anything. The dr prescribed some tablets (sorry can’t remember what they were called) and things got much better.

Did you feel the urge to go or did it just happen suddenly. There is medication, I believe, but I'm not sure how effective it is and it has quite severe side-effects. I just haven't ever come across this happening before but then I guess it's not something people talk about much.

Test for waterworks infection.
Aggressively treat any constipation.
Make sure she is drinking enough (concentrated urine irritates the bladder, making it more likely to spasm).
And I mean really enough - couple of litres per day.
Ban not just caffeine but fizzy drinks, citrus juices, and blackcurrant.
No bubble bath/fancy hygiene products.
Only consider oxybutynin (most common anti bladder spasm if still happening).
www.eric.org.uk/info-on-bowel-and-bladder-problems

Thank you for the link. We've done pretty much all.those recommended things so it looks like she'll have to try the medication. 😞 I just feel so sad for her...

Just a thought, but a girl I used to know had this happen and it was eventually discovered to be related to endometriosis affecting her bladder. It’s rare and took her ages to get to the bottom of it. It might be worth noting down when it happens in terms of her cycle to see if there’s any connection, or if she hasn’t any period problems seeing about the pill to see if it has a knock on affect.

Have they ruled out things like seizures?

She hasn't started her periods yet but I did wonder if it might be linked to hormones as she is at that age now and it seems strange that it's just started happening.

The nurse didn't mention seizures of any kind. I'm not sure what you mean by this?

It’s definitely worth noting it on a calendar and seeing if there’s a cyclical pattern: her hormones will be kicking in before she actually starts her period. I had a few years of endometriosis symptoms before I actually started my periods: my consultant said that they have found endometrial deposits in very young children before (which is partly what has thrown doubt on the theories of what causes it!). Obviously I’m not saying it’s endo related, but if it’s hormone related it might show a pattern, especially it if coincides with any other hormone type symptoms that you note.

Ok thank you. I keep a note of when it happens but so far I can see no real pattern.

Could it be something other than caffeine in the drinks? My DD is younger but has accidents if she has fruit squash and I myself get diarrhoea if I have something with sorbitol in. Since the sugar tax has come in, sweeteners are suddenly in all sorts of unexpected things.

Not trying to scare you but one of the earliest symptoms of my elder neice’s severe endometriosis was wetting the bed.

I'd say it's an early pre-menstrual sign of endometriosis and would push to see a paediatric gynaecologist.