I survived Urodynamics Test!

[Cardholic]

OK, it went like this...

They said I had to show up with a full bladder, or they would charge $50 and I would have to come back another day... So... I drank a bottle of water 2 hours before test like they told me to do... By the time I got there, I was in sooooooo much pain. They told me that room was still being used, so they told me to leave a sample in the bathroom... What??? I did not put myself through pain to leave a sample... I could do that any time! But, I was in so much pain, my face was red and I was sweating all over my body, so I left a sample but did not "empty". and I came out and drank more water... 20 min later, they called me in, and guess what? I had to pee again!

I think I went over 500 ml. So, apparently I have a "normal" size bladder! Maybe it's not IC? She did test the sample, I had no infection and trace amount of blood. (I had moderate blood in last 3 urine samples... maybe this urine was so diluted there was only trace, or maybe I'm getting better?)

Anyway, She put the tube in, filled up the bladder... I don't know if I filled up enough, I was still recovering from the full bladder and pain from before... But, then with the tubes still in, she told me to pee... I couldn't go.

Then she disconnected something and said she would just cath it out, and it came out at slow drips. Is that normal? So, she took out the cath and let me go to the regular toilet. She said she got what she needed, and the Dr will go over the test results with me. So, I get to wait until my office cysto next week, then I get all the results of everything... Kidney Ultrasound, cytology, NM22, Urodynamics, and office cysto... sheesh

Thanks everyone for all the support I get on this site. It's so scary not knowing what is causing my symptoms (pain and hematuria), but reading your stories, posts, etc, I don't feel so alone, and I know that so many of you have it so much worse than me, you give me courage and hope.

[2littlemonkeys]

I'm glad everything went well! Hopefully they'll be able to tell you something at your next appointment!

[humpieumpumkin]

I have to wait for a week too. Yuck. I was able to pee, but hardly. I had to read a keenex box and had to puch like crazy (I do anyways though) The nurse just about had a heart attack when she saw my pressures on voding. I though the test was moderatly painful, as I held the liquid way to long and peeing with the caths irratated me like crazy. Well were on the mend now, and hopefully we will get some answers. Keep us posted i'm curious to hear what your results are. I see my uro on web, and i'll be sure to post results.

Erika

[jen74]

One of my urogyne's I use to see wanted me to do a urodynamics study. I did not do it because I have issues when having to pee infront of anyone( I cannot) I guess I am a shy pee'er. I told the doc this and he said if I did not pee, then the study woud not be as accurate.That is why I did not do it. Also I hear the test is very expensive and I did not want to get there, not be able to pee and ruin the whole test.
My question is, what if your patterns differ from day to day? How can you possibly get a reliable reading? I went through this same thing with my motility issue with my stomach. They do a test called a gastic emptying scan. Well, there are days it can be normal, then there are times when it is very abnormal. It depends how I am feeling that particular day or how my stomach decides to act.
I am thinking I may have to try and do the urodynamics eventually, but I just dont want to get false readings since my bladder action differs on different days. Some days when I am worse and in more pain, my bladder acts worse, then when I am having my usual everyday pain(which is bad usually), I feel my bladder works better. Just curious how they can base things on a test that was performed in only 1 hour.
Jen

[Cardholic]

Jen, My test was done in a private room, and the nurse left when I peed... That didn't help me pee with the tubes in... lol. At least I had privacy.

As far as them telling about tests on "good" vs "bad" days... NO CLUE! But I was wondering about that myself... maybe someone else knows that answer?

Diane

[karen shield]

What was the test like with pain - cathater I mean

Hi,

I'm due to have urodynamics test next week, what was it like when the cathater was going in??

Thanks Karen

[icnmgrjill]

It sounds like a weird blending of tests. When I had a urodynamics, they slowly filled my empty bladder and then asked when I first felt a sensation to urinate, etc. etc. Then, they just emptied it out afterwards.

When I had a voiding cystogram, they slowly filled my bladder with solution and then asked me to pee on the table so that they could take an xray while I was on the table to make sure that reflux up into the ureters was present.

The only test I've had where they asked me to arrive with a full bladder was a sonagram. Although I will say that if I'm going to leave a urine sample, I usually drink a glass of water about 45 minutes before so that I have enough to leave a urine sample.

So... I guess I'm not really understanding what tests you actually had.

Jill

[icnmgrjill]

Karen,

If they numb your bladder with that lidocaine jelly, the catheterization should be very tolerable. The challenge is that the first few times afterwards can be uncomfortable because the urethra is tender. I just make sure that I have plenty of volume and then bite my lip and go. Dribbling it out seems to prolong the burning... so I just try to let it go!

Jill

[Sarahrose]

I sure hope its not Ic

lucky for you , your already here with support ..Everyones IC acts different.Some IC paients cannot go,some wet some cannot hold any pee and some like me my bladder over expands like a huge ballon full of air OUCH some days I have tons of blood and some days trace amounts. I have IC so bad that my bladder looks almost red only in a few small places you can see the roundness of an ulser also ouch when I came down with IC I had days of using the poddy 60 times or more and still every few days my bladder would fill with 1000 mg of pee little by little ..Stay in prayer and try not to worry the more you worry the more contractions the more pain trust me if you looked up stress in the dictonary youd see my picture..hot bath maybe to releave stress

[Krisi]

I have urodynamics done and was told to arrive on a full bladder also. But I was also told to use the restroom on their special toliet so that it could measure the amount and whatever else they measure. I hated that test though. I almost got sick because my blood vessels dialated from being poked, nerves or what not. The nurse said it was actually common. The worst part about the test was after I pee'd there and went home the first few times I went to pee I was in tears because of the pain but you just have to pee through it. I had visible blood after the procedure. I had these tests done before I had symptoms of IC. When I got IC they didn't run this test again instead I had CT and Xray and in office cysto. I had pain and hematuria too.

-Krisi

[Sarojini]

When I had my urodynamics testing, I also had a voiding cystogram the same day.

They did not specify whether I should arrive with an empty or full bladder, but I did have to go when I got there. They had me get up on the special table and urinate into this special funnel-type thing -- this was hooked up to a computer and measured urine flow, force, and volume as I peed (of course, it showed the start/stop nature of my urinations at the time).

Then they did the actual urodynamics (bladder filling with catheters in every orifice) and asked me to say when I began to have to go, when I would go if home, when I was going to burst, etc. After that, I had to urinate with the catheters still in place, which was difficult. Throughout both of these tests, they used fluoroscopy (repeated X-rays) to visualize how my bladder was behaving (that's how I know my bladder is misshapen).

I think doctors use various combinations of these tests and then lump them into the name "urodynamics." I have heard so many different descriptions of what goes on during this test on the boards!

[L. Thomas]

I have had 3 urodynamics and I have never been asked to fill my bladder before the test. I alway void before the test and they measure the amount voided and then the resiual was checked after the catheter is inserted.

After that the bladder was filled and I was asked to identify 3 urges..when I first realized that I needed to pee, when I had a strong urge and when I really really couldn't wait any longer. ( I never get to the "really really can't wait" Twice they quit putting water in at 550cc. but once they let it fill to 600 and I still didn't get to "really really"). Before I started treatment I had a residual of 300cc but after I started treatment the residual is within normal limits..125cc or less.