Having a Urodynamic study tomorrow!!!

[stac7_8]

I had my appt with the Uro today and he was a bit taken back by the bruising that I have on my lower body...my legs. He said that he was going to check into that part. He also said that he would check into the hair loss situation.

I was frank with him and told him I did not like being a guinie pig (sp?) He suggested a Urodynamic Study and said we could do it tomorrow at 8:30. He explained to me that the cath would be very small and that he was going to see how much I could hold basically. He said he was also going to put something in my rear end. Now I'm not that happy with that one but I guess if it is needed I will do it. He also said that this will give him a better understanding as to what is going on and he believes that he can treat me better with this procedure.

Ok we all know there is going to be the "BUT" FACTOR. I'm supposed to go and see my son this weekend, it is a almost 4 hour drive and then we go to a baseball game that he has. But I have something planned for every weekend already so I guess it is do or don't. If I don't do it......I truly don't know when I will. If I do go ahead and do it tomorrow....I'm just nervous about my trip u know.

Oh well.....this is the question that I have. If you have had this done, how did u do? Painful, it was ok, No pain Just trying to get a feel

Is it TRULY necessary? The way he explained it to me, makes me think Yes, but he is also considering doing a Hydro and to me if we go that way can't he find all this out then when I don't have to go threw any pain? Well awake anyway!!

Thanks ahead of time ladies

[littlemyrn]

I had the urodynamics test done. It was very helpful for my uro to see what my bladder does and how much I can hold awake. Because of that test she put me on Valium 5 mg. night to help with the ache of contracting. I will not lie to you. I was crying after the test. In my uro's office you do the test and they take the results right to her, she hugged me, gave me scripts of pain meds and valium and told me to go home and soak in Baking Soda Warm Bath and crawl into bed. I swear that is exactly what I did. I wish I would have had someone drive me so I could have taken meds after test. Don't take anything before or it may mess up your results.

I also have vulvadynia so that was part of the problem. I had already been dx'd with IC in 2004 and this was done last year.

Everyone is so different, you may be totally fine afterwards. Good Luck and am sorry if my response freaked you out, but I believe in being honest. It is a useful test and I don't regret having it, just wish I was more informed going in. Good Luck...

[jen74]

What happens if you cannot take any type of pain meds? I have not yet had the urodynamics study done, but likely will eventually. I am concerned because I cannot take pain meds at all as they REALLY make me sick to my stomach and mess up my digestive tract and also cause me urine retention. Is this test really very painful? Also, if your symptoms are irradic, like mine are, how will you get a reliable test result? I mean what if you do the test on a good day, then it will be normal, or if you happen to have a bad day, it will be abnormal. I dont trust alot of these "function" tests. I have severe motility issues of the stomach. Well there is a "function "test they do called a gastric emptying scan. My gastro doctor said he did the test himself just to see, and it showed he had gastroparesis, which he does not. He said it all depends on how your body is acting that day. Also, he said that sometimes just the stress and munipulation of these tests can cause an abnormal result.
Any opinions on this? I will likely end up doing this test one of these days, and I just wanted your opinions. I mean I dont want to waste my money on a test that is not reliable really. Thanks for any replies.
Jen

[L. Thomas]

Remember, Pain is relative..in respect to the pain you have had in the past. I have had 3 urodynamics testing. None were done for IC. They were in relation to pelvic prolapse problems. Since you have had a cysto I think you will find that this is not as uncomfortable because they use a smaller catheter.

The will have you empty your bladder and will measure the amount of urine. Then they will insert the catheter and will measure the residual. The "probe" for your bottom will be inserted just barely insdie. Actually you will feel it "hanging out" a little. It is not painful. Sort of felt like 2 small stones.

They will fill your bladder with a sterile solution and you will be asked to tell them when you first have the urge to go.

They will give you some sort of instruction for the next "measure", once I was told when I felt like I needed to look for a bathroom.

The next "measure" is the point when you yell "STOP I CAN'T HOLD ANY MORE". (that's the one I never get to..they stop putting the solution in when it is slightly more than the maximum capacity for a normal bladder.)

The test takes about 45 minutes. When I have had the test he always does a cysto last. He has a computer monitor connected to the catheter and he always explains what he is seeing and shows me the different parts of my bladder. The first urodynamics was before pelvic reconstruction and IC was not there. The second didn't show IC, but the third IC was obvious. The inside of my bladder looked like a blood shot eye...that's the IC.

I don't think that it matters if you are having a good day or a bad day as far as what they see. I would think it would make a difference in the pain you might have during the test.

The test results include a lot of information about flow, nerve function etc.

I was concerned with the first one because I didn't know anyone that had had one. Just pm if you have any questions.

Good luck, but I don't think you will need it. Share your apprehensions with your doc.

My urogyne always numbs the opening with lidocaine gel. If you are concerned ask your doc if he will numb it.

[littlemyrn]

I think for me the painful part is that my pain is not so much when my bladder fills but when it empties and putting a large amount of solution in and then sitting on the special potty, caused my spasy bladder to go crazy. I have so much scar tissue on my bladder that mainly believed to be caused by constant contractions that they said it looked like a 70 year old bladder and I was 40 at the time, gotta luv that.

[stac7_8]

Well thanks for the replies ladies. I was in a BAD flare last friday and I canc the appointment. I didn't want anymore problems that day or weekend.

I'm going to be RS with the doc office I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Thanks again!!

[jen74]

I think you made the right choice. It is better to wait until you are feeling more up to it, why add fuel to the fire, right? I hope you get to feeling better real soon.
Jen