Chronic urine retention

[Thewhingingdefective]

For a few weeks I haven't been able to fully empty my bladder. It doesn't hurt at all, I just end up sitting on the toilet for ages trying to make dribbles of wee come out after the main wee. I think I am finished and then have to do another dribble.

Can I do anything about it or am I stuck with it? I am 35 and have four children. I assume pregnancy as weakened things down there, or could there be another cause?

Has weakened! Oops.

Chronic urine retention is very serious, and causes a lot of damage to your renal system. If that's what you have, you should see a doctor ASAP. I had it, and had to have my bladder manually emptied while they investigated the cause.

If it's just no pressure to your urine, though, so you pee little dribbles, it may well be a weakened bladder. They have exercises and devices for strengthening the bladder that can relieve this type of problem.

I feel for you, both cases utterly suck.

Oh, I meant to say - I'm not being mean suggesting it's not chronic urine retention. It's just my experience (and knowledge from my urologist) that the retention causes great pain, so if you don't have that, it's likely to just be a lack of strength rather than retention.

Hi,

Are your bowels ok? Constipation can lead to incomplete emptying of bladder. Are you on any medication, new medication, or altered dosage of medication? Any signs of a urine infection?

Chronic retention of urine not necessarily painful, the bladder capacity can gradually creep up, sometimes people can have well over a litre in their bladder and not know anything is amiss.

Your GP should be able to arrange referral to a continence clinic once the most likely causes are ruled out. The continence clinic will be able to look further into the cause and refer on if needed, treat the problem, or teach you how to manage it.

Long term management of incomplete emptying may include double voiding ( going back for a second go, like you are currently doing), use of a bladder stimulator (vibrating device pressed on tummy over bladder to encourage emptying), and intermittent self catheterisation to retrain bladder to empty fully.

Thanks for replying.

I'm not constipated, but have had a lot more wind than normal, which I had put down to increasing the amount of vegetables in my diet.

As I said, I have no pain when I wee and I don't feel overly full/bursting to go, but I can tell that I haven't emptied my bladder and have to rock my pelvis slightly and 'push' the urine out forcibly, rather than just relaxing the muscle and letting it flow!

I will definitely keep an eye on it another week or so and perhaps speak to the GP. At the moment it is just a mild annoyance more than anything else, but enough for me to notice it.

Sorry, I forgot to say I am on no meds at all and don't have a UTI.