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Menopause

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Original poster

Flush / panic/ needing to go

9 replies

allnewname · 30/06/2024 16:23

Three times in the last two months this has happened. I will suddenly need a pee really really badly and there's no loo (e.g. on a bus in a traffic jam). I feel a flush all the way up my body, i go really light headed and properly panicky, it's really horrible. Luckily on all 3 occasions a solution presented itself but what if it doesn't? Does anyone have any tips (other than never straying far from a loo which I appreciate is a reality for many). I'm assuming this is menopause related, as I'm definitely peri, on HRT, and it's a relatively new thing. Thanks

OP posts:
Menopausemadness1 · 09/07/2024 11:15

Hi. I notice no one answered. You have urge incontinence. And yes it’s caused by menopause. The detrusor muscle in the bladder (a layer of muscle around the badder) becomes irritable and will without warning contract giving you seconds to react before you wet yourself. Cystitis, urine infection, anxiety and sometimes nothing at all exasebste it. After 4 times with the last time setting myself in public in front of my husband, made me eventually go to the doctor / it caused me debilitating anxiety and stress . She put me on low dose HRT and anti depressants (for the bladder not my mind, although I’ve found it useful) and it’s not happened since. See your GP x

Original poster
allnewname · 14/07/2024 08:39

Menopausemadness1 · 09/07/2024 11:15

Hi. I notice no one answered. You have urge incontinence. And yes it’s caused by menopause. The detrusor muscle in the bladder (a layer of muscle around the badder) becomes irritable and will without warning contract giving you seconds to react before you wet yourself. Cystitis, urine infection, anxiety and sometimes nothing at all exasebste it. After 4 times with the last time setting myself in public in front of my husband, made me eventually go to the doctor / it caused me debilitating anxiety and stress . She put me on low dose HRT and anti depressants (for the bladder not my mind, although I’ve found it useful) and it’s not happened since. See your GP x

Edited

Thank you for posting! I'll see the GP. Interesting that you were given antidepressants for this...
So sorry that you are experiencing this too,

OP posts:
Original poster
allnewname · 14/07/2024 08:42

Just realised you meant a bladder relaxant/ttreatment, not standard anti depressants.... sorry, a bit slow this morning!!!

OP posts:
JinglingSpringbells · 14/07/2024 08:50

@allnewname Before anyone gives you drugs for the bladder, you should try vaginal estrogen. I know you're already on HRT but 1 in 4 women use/need both.

With vaginal estrogen, the estrogen is absorbed through the vagina into the bladder and it stops it being so irritable and overactive.

The antiD that the other poster mentioned is possibly amitryptiline, which has a slightly sedative effect on bladders. There are also other drugs for over active bladder. But they are more for instances where it's not a hormonal deficiency issue.

You should try local estrogen first- give it a few weeks/months to work.

Original poster
allnewname · 14/07/2024 08:54

Thank you, will look into that.

OP posts:
jamtastic · 14/07/2024 09:15

I have the exact same thing except it's bowel related. A huge sense of panic and prickly head to toe feeling comes over me and I know I've only got a few minutes before I have an accident. It's a horrible feeling and I sympathise with you OP.

It affects almost everything I do outside the house. It's not menopause related as I have had this for a very long time and have tried many interventions - drugs, diet and therapy.

Has anyone had similar and been able to manage it successfully? Is this also a kind of urge incontinence possibly IBS?

Menopausemadness1 · 14/07/2024 09:37

JinglingSpringbells · 14/07/2024 08:50

@allnewname Before anyone gives you drugs for the bladder, you should try vaginal estrogen. I know you're already on HRT but 1 in 4 women use/need both.

With vaginal estrogen, the estrogen is absorbed through the vagina into the bladder and it stops it being so irritable and overactive.

The antiD that the other poster mentioned is possibly amitryptiline, which has a slightly sedative effect on bladders. There are also other drugs for over active bladder. But they are more for instances where it's not a hormonal deficiency issue.

You should try local estrogen first- give it a few weeks/months to work.

Edited

Yes amytriptaline. I tried vaginal estrogen but it didn’t work .

JinglingSpringbells · 14/07/2024 09:39

Menopausemadness1 · 14/07/2024 09:37

Yes amytriptaline. I tried vaginal estrogen but it didn’t work .

Show quote history

That's a shame. Sometimes it can take a few months - did you give it time?

The other thing to try can be bladder training. It's one of the 'classic' treatments for urge incontinence. There are instructions online.

Menopausemadness1 · 14/07/2024 09:43

JinglingSpringbells · 14/07/2024 09:39

That's a shame. Sometimes it can take a few months - did you give it time?

The other thing to try can be bladder training. It's one of the 'classic' treatments for urge incontinence. There are instructions online.

Show quote history

I applied the cream for 4 months before undergoing surgery for stage 3 posterior prolapse. Plus extensive physio (I live in Spain, but from the uk and previously a senior nurse - physio in Spain is intense and hands on!) … literally took the amytriptaline (only 10mg in the morning) and no issues since ☺️x

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