Any Overactive Bladder sufferers out there?

[buggerthebotox]

I've had OAB since I had dd, 15 years ago. I am prescribed Regurin, which helps a bit but I don't always take them.

Yesterday I went to the Doc for a new prescription and she suggested I should "train" my bladder instead. I'm happy to give this a try.

Is there anyone out there who has this pesky condition who has successfully retrained their bladder?

I've just been referred to a urologist for possibly having this. Can I ask how your symptoms present and how you've coped for so long? It's been a month for me and I'm fed up, up twice in the night to pee and constantly thinking about needing to go to the loo. Does medication work? Is it only ever a temporary fix?

At the moment it's a bit better. I mainly cope by not drinking. Coffee sets it off, as does Diet Coke, and citric stuff. It's the unpredictability that bothers me most.

I can't do anything spontaneous like coffee with a friend, or a glass of wine, without planning ahead. The thought of traffic jams fills me with dread!

I can actually last for quite a long time, but the urge is very strong. When I actually pee, there's not very much liquid.

Regurin works a bit, but gives me dry mouth. It only works when you're taking it.

I've been without Regurin for a while, which made the Doc think I was coping with it, and suggested bladder training instead.

Apparently it's neurological, and you can "reset" the signals. It's not always possible to time yourself though.

I've never been referred. I think I may go private now. I've had it 15 years!

I get up at night about 50% of the time. The doc seems to think that if I'm not peeing as much, that's ok. It's not ok; I'm only coping because I'm not drinking. That's not good, ffs!

It's a pita.

I have this since menopause. Hate it so much. Obsessed with knowing where nearest loo is. On a bus journey practically had a nervous breakdown. Even during a wedding ceremony all l could think about was the loo. The hairdressers is a nightmare as when the water comes on l panic . Coffee is the worst. You have my sympathy but l have no cure.

yes and if I am stressed or worried it gets worse. Sometimes at night I end up getting up for a wee up to 10 times before I drop off. Sometimes when I am out, I have a wee and before I even unlock the cubicle door feel anxious and have to have another one. I do get ibs as well but definitely I have an anxious bladder. Told my GP who said loads of people have it and he didn't seem worried or suggest anything.

by the way am in 40s now but recall having this since at least 11.

Doing a bit of online research I saw something suggesting a low dose anti depressant can help. Anyone heard that?

I've had this since I was a child and I'm almost 40. It's worse at night sometimes at night I get up 5 or 6 times. Dr has suggested I retrain my bladder but if i even slightly feel like I need to go I can't get back to sleep.

Sympathies to fellow sufferers. I wish someone would take it seriously! I can't imagine how many are suffering in silence.

Not heard of low-dose antidepressants as a treatment. Interesting!

I've been on low dose anti depressants didn't make any difference. I've just had a wee I'm now in bed but feel like I need to go again.

Bloody hell ineed. Have you seen the doc? Are you being taken seriously?

I had this for as long as I can remember, it randomly went away after the birth of DC a few weeks ago. All's I've done differently is lots of kegels. I think for me it did have a mental component too, as once I felt the urge to go I'd fixate and have to go.

Mine appears to be commected to my IBS - less ibs less weeing

Do get referred it is important - also get your B12 checked as it can affect the bladder

(damn my cure-all of Vit D doesn't seem to have any affect on the bladder)

Interesting thoughts.

How much do you all pee when you go? No matter how desperate I get, I very rarely do a decent pee. Sometimes it's barely a second's worth.

Can't remember when I had a long, fulfilling pee.

Ah I have this! I went to the doctor about it fairly recently after suffering in silence for years, and they suggested....well, nothing. Suggested I referred myself for talking therapy, but that because I don't actually wet myself, there's 'clearly nothing wrong'.

I don't wet myself because I dehydrate myself and trickle in the loo every 10 minutes!

I had something called Ditropan (to train my bladder)
My overactive bladder was caused by me having water infections over and over and over again. My bladder had "forgotton" how to work properly.

I went to the doctors as I felt like I had an infection and ws told I didn't, the symptoms were the same. I went on holiday (on a cruise) and a masseuse told me I had an overactive bladder. I told the doctor this and she was really interested and put me on Ditropan.

It worked for me (was on it for about 5 months), not sure its the same with you but may be worth asking about.

To add, the masseuse was massaging my feet and diagnosed me!

I already take a trazadone tablet at night which is a type of anti depressant but I take it in order to help me sleep. I still have an issue though with peeing - on a good night I'll have a pee and then get in bed then get up 5 minutes later for a second one - sometimes I do really need to go that soon but it is also habit - that would be a good night - on a bad night that cycle repeats maybe up to 10 times. Still have to get up in the night at least once, sometimes twice. Luckily I don't live with my DP otherwise god knows what would happen also he snores dreadfully so what with my loo trips and his snoring no one would get any rest! If I stay over with him, we do separate rooms to sleep and have a cuddle in the morning and if we go away we do a cottage or villa - no way could we share a hotel room.

Makes me cross that Dr's don't take this serious, and just suggest it is something you can live with. It is hell.

Bladder training is usually the first thing they suggest. There are quite a few different medications now, there wasn't a few years ago. I tried the low dose anti depressant thing and it didn't work.

There are some medications that can be delivered straight to the bladder that can help.

You should be given urodynamic testing as this tells them exactly how the bladder is performing.

I have overactive bladder, suffered since a child. Have tried all the above, nothing worked. Unfortunately after that treatments get ever more invasive. I ended up having my bladder out 2 years ago after exhausting every other option. Best thing ever!

Intistitial (not spelt right, sorry!) cystitis is often misdiagnosed as overactive bladder, so worth reading up about that too.

I seem to watch TV programmes of people leaving the house spontaneously, or being at a festival, or a long car journey (whatever) and wonder how the bloody hell they cope. I want to shout 'don't you need a wee?!?'

I haven't been diagnosed with an overactive bladder but I identify with everything on this thread!

I had hospital tests done as a 14 year old (scan, filling my bladder up with water etc etc) then was just basically told to go away and wait longer between toilet trips. I'm 37 now and it's worse than ever.

I can't go longer than an hour without being desperate for a wee (even if I haven't had anything to drink for hours). Alcohol and caffeine have me on the loo pretty much every 15/20 mins so I can't really drink either of them when out and about.

It's really debilitating.

I have been suffering for about 15 years. I was referred to urology about 13/14 years ago and they diagnosed OAB. They gave me bladder retraining exercises and Oxybutinin but it didn't work and I just gave up and put up with it again for years until last year when I went back again.

It's got to the point where it really is affecting my life. I am up 3/4 times a night for the loo and can't go any where without panicking about the toilet especially if I am at an event where I might not be leave to find a loo like a wedding/funeral service. I have to come home from trips out cos there is no where to go to the toilet.

This time I was referred to physio which hasn't sorted the problem. I was given advice on what things to avoid like caffeine, blackcurrant, alcohol etc... and techniques to make sure I empty my bladder properly. I was told I didn't need to do pelvic floor exercises cos I can hold it in but was advised on retraining again.

Was prescribed Oxybutinin again by docs as nurse in physio couldn't prescribe. I had side effects and was then given Betmiga which gave me thrush so stopped taking that. The doc did say that they could refer me to urology again but haven't got round to going back to the docs cos other health problems that have taken my attention away. I am only 39 and haven't had kids and am getting to the end of my tether particularly as it is affecting my sleep.

It affects my sleep too crinkle. If I don't drink anything after 6pm I only get up once, but if I drink anything in the evening I'll be up three times.

Jenny I am the same as you. Have been told pretty much that training my bladder is the way to go but I am not convinced. I had to do a bladder diary and was going 9/10 times a day which the nurse told me was in the normal range which I think is bollocks. I feel the urge to go within an hour of the last time and sometimes I feel like I haven't quite emptied my bladder. I could have gone more than 9/10 times a day but was trying to hold between trips to the loo.

Alcohol is awful. Like you every 20 mins will need the loo. Even if I try and restrict my fluid intake it doesn't seem to make much difference.

I agree it is very debilitating andf people don't take it seriously.

I have this too, caused by the birth of my daughter 3 years ago. I have had urodynamic testing, pelvic floor appointments and I recently had a prolapse operation. The pelvic floor intervention helped a little, I've seen no improvements from my operation.

Initially I spent weeks wearing an adult 'nappy' or a catheter :(
It gets worse when I'm hormonal and if I have a cup of coffee before drinking any water, that irritates it.

Things that have helped are taking solifeniacin (although I have cut down my dosage because of the side effects), drinking more water and trying to hold on as long as possible (whilst sitting down, standing up is harder). It has got a little easier but I know that if I stopped taking my meds I would probably be incontinent.