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vesicare anyone???? overactive bladder!

5 replies

amberjane · 17/12/2011 17:11

had my bladder tested on thursday and found to be very overactive doh knew this as wet myself 5-7 times a day and go upto 20 times a day! Feel so down about this as walk to school and soaked when get back. They have told me there is no surgery for this ....is this true???
Anyway they have started me on 10mg of vesicare a day, any good or bad things anyone has to share would be grateful, so need this to work, thanks.

OP posts:
esperance · 17/12/2011 19:06

Perhaps the Overactive Bladder Forum will be useful:

cobf.websitetoolbox.com/search?searchid=15926196&sort=lastpost&order=desc

Ilovefluffysheep · 17/12/2011 19:30

There is surgery, and a number of options. However, it may be that your local PCT don't fund them, as I have got the same issue. I was diagnosed with overactive bladder, although that diagnosis changed recently to urethral stenosis. My only symptoms are frequency, like you I go around 20 times a day, although I am very fortunate not to wet myself, and generally don't have too much of an issue at night.

I presume you had the urodynamics, and from they gave you a diagnosis? They should really be booking you for a cystoscopy where they put a camera in to have a look, and often dilate your bladder as well to check its actual capacity. It could be you have something called institial (probably not spelt right!!) cystitus, which has very similar symptoms to overactive bladder. However, they need to see inside your bladder to diagnose that.

Medication is often the first step, I have tried all sorts, but not vesicare I don't believe. They may also consider bladder retraining and dietary changes, as certain foods/drinks can irritate lining of bladder.

There is medications that can be inserted via catheter into the bladder which help coat the lining and stop it from being irritated and therefore control the frequency. These didn't work for me, but often do.

Surgical options include botox injections, but as I said, not PCT's fund these. I asked for a second opinion and was sent to another area, and due to that have now been put on the waiting list for the injections. There are other options if these don't work.

I have been seeing various consultants on and off for 20 years, and have been fobbed off a lot of the time. What I have learnt this year is that if you're not happy say so, and that you have the right to ask for a second opinion, and you can also have some input into this. I googled the institute of urology in London, and on there is a list of consultants who are both private and NHS, and what there specialisms are. I chose 2 of the NHS ones, and told my consultant (who had told me there was nothing more he could do because botox wasn't funded) that I wanted to be referred on. He said I had to do this through the GP, and they were quite happy to do it through the choose and book system.

Anyway, good luck, and keep perservering, plus you never know, the medication may actually work which would be fab!

amberjane · 17/12/2011 19:54

oh wow tons of info thanks, going to re read again. Many thanks for the reply and will write down key points to ask consultant next visit in new year, thanks again xx

OP posts:
ameliagrey · 17/12/2011 22:52

The website you've been given has loads of info.

But lots of people get good improvement from modifying diet- cut out

tea
coffee
alcohol
artificial sweeteners in squash etc
coke and all fizzy drinks
possibly spicy foods like curries
acidic drinks like orange juice etc.
acidic frutis like citrus and oranges

Try this for a week at least and see if it helps. if you can, just drink bottled water or hot water with a tiny slice of lemon.

Toughasoldboots · 17/12/2011 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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