Urine Retention

[Liande]

Hi all,

About a week ago I started to have a slow flow of urine when going to the toilet sometimes, and on some occasions it would also take a while to get going. It didn’t happen on every trip to the toilet but probably did happen once a day. I put it down to being pregnancy related, despite not having experienced it in my previous two.

I’m 13 weeks pregnant, had my 12 week scan on Thursday which went well thankfully. However, the 1.5 pints of water that I had to drink beforehand pushed my bladder too far and I went in to total urine retention. I ended up in A and E and had to have my bladder drained by catheter. I was referred up to Obs and Gynae ward due to the pregnancy, but they ruled it not pregnancy related and dishcharged me with a flip flow catheter yesterday as I still couldn’t pass urine. I’m due to have it taken out on Monday if I can pass urine again then.

Has this happened to anyone else? I’m feeling utterly miserable and uncomfortable xx

I had a couple weeks when I was around 12 weeks pregnant when I had a slow flow and then on a few occasions I was unable to go for a wee at all despite desperately needing one. Luckily for me, I was able to eventually pass urine after a couple of hours but I'd have to try different positions which helped. After a bit of research I found out that because I had a retroverted uterus when my bladder became full it would make it difficult to empty. Once my uterus moved forwards around 14 weeks everything was fine and I've not had any more problems. I really hope things sort themselves out for you too, I found it incredibly stressful when it happened to me and I ended up going to the loo all the time as I was paranoid that my bladder would get too full! Xxx

Sorry to hear you’ve been through this too - it’s awful isn’t it! Thank you so much for your reply. How did you know your uterus was retroverted? Did a doctor confirm it too?

If I can pass urine on Monday I will be so paranoid about it happening again and I think I will be going to the toilet all the time too to prevent a full bladder. It feels like it will be really restricting my lifestyle

I've managed to wee in all my 3 pregnancies although sometimes it's a bit slower or I have to go back to fully empty but after my first 2 babies (3rd not due until June) I had a catheter fitted. First baby it was in for nearly a week as I couldn't wee then with 2nd I had to ask for it putting in as couldn't wee but felt like I was gonna burst had it in 24 hours then I thank god managed to wee. I am petrified it will happen again with this baby. No one has ever been able to explain why this happens other than maybe my bladder goes in to some kind of shock from suddenly having the weight of baby lifted off and the trauma of pushing a baby out

I found out my uterus was retroverted when we went for a 10 week private scan. No one has mentioned it at nhs scans but apparently it moves forward as the pregnancy develops.
It might be worth asking the midwife about it. My experience was that it's not that common as some midwives I spoke to about it didn't know about it. I found more info from googling it and MN! Hope it sorts itself out for you too. X

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/3782717-13-weeks-pregnant-and-struggling-to-wee-when-bladder-is-full

This might be useful for you even if its just to know other people have had similar problems! Hope everything goes ok for you and the catheter can come out today. X