Odd frequency symptoms

[genahy]

Hello all. This is my first post here. I don't know if I have IC or not, but this is a bladder issue and I figured you all might know what's going on.

My problem started about three months ago. This is kind of embarrassing to admit but I was having constipation and I had to strain A LOT for about a week and a half. After that, I noticed I was peeing a lot, like sometimes holding it in a half hour was hard. It has gotten a lot better since then, and for a few weeks I actually felt like it was gone, but now it is flaring up again, and I am having frequency issues. In the morning I am fine, but once I start going to the bathroom a few times, especially if I've had a few bowel movements, the urinary frequency starts again. And yet there are times of the day I am fine and can hold it in 3-4 hours. It's very frustrating. One doc said it was overactive bladder. Another said it was temporary muscle spasms that will heal on their own. I don't know who to believe.

I have no bladder pain--just a mild pain/strain feeling in my urethra from having strained that much. Kinda feels like a pinched muscle, but pain is really almost nothing, almost gone. Much more concerned about frequency.

A side note: I took two tests for a UTI and they both came up clear.

Have an appointment with a urologist coming up, but I am getting so disgusted with doctors lately. They all have different opinions, can't seem to get a consensus. And so many of them have been mean, quacks or both.

[ICNDonna]

It's never a good idea to strain for a bowel movement or to urinate. I think it's good that you will be seeing a urologist. I can't even guess what might be going on with you. It's possible that what you have is IC, but it could also be other problems. You might want to give the IC diet a try while you wait for your appointment.

Sending healing thoughts,
Donna

[earthlady]

You might ask your dr. when you see him about possible pelvic floor spasms and dysfunction. Some uros don't really bother with the pelvic floor stuff, and some do. I was sent for testing and was found to be having severe pelvic floor spasms. Who would have guessed? The pelvic floor therapy I had really helped. Mine were so bad there was no way they were going away on their own without help from a therapist. Apparently the spasms can effect bladder and bowel urges, and frequency. Just a thought. It's all so interconnected down there. I know the feeling of getting different opinions from different doctors. It gets really frustrating- and that's an understatement.

[genahy]

Thanks

I appreciate everyone's input. Just a few followup questions: How do you get someone to work with you on pelvic floor exercises? Is this a physical therapist we are talking about? Do they know a lot about muscle spasms, you think?

I was also thinking of asking my doctor for a bladder spasm medicine like Detrol. Have any of you had luck with that or are the side effects too scary to contemplate? I'm especially fearful of urine retention or heart beat racing.

Again, thanks in advance.

[sailawaygrl]

Pelvic floor therapy is done by a physical therapist, not all PTs will do this type of therapy though. Sometimes it can take a bit of searching for one. If you live in a larger area it shouldn't be too hard to find one. They will most likely require a referral from your Dr before starting therapy.

Detrol and the other meds can be very helpful for spasms and frequency issues. Sometimes you may have to try a few before you find one that works best for you. There is a risk of retention (not being able to start urinating) so be careful and watch for that, if it ever happens to you where you feel you cannot urinate NEVER push to do so, you will cause yourself a lot more problems. It doesn't always happen but it is something you should be aware of.

Many people have great success with PT. One other note on PT, most insurance policies will limit the number of visits you can have per year, so be sure and check with your policy. That way you can let your PT know and you can set up sessions with that in mind.

Sandra

[earthlady]

My pelvic pt works with IC patients most of the time. She is really familiar with this type of condition and has had special training for pelvic floor dysfunction also. They are hard to find sometimes right now, but I have a feeling we will be seeing more of them as this type of therapy seems to becoming more popular with uro/gynos. A pelvic pain clinic in your area may have more info for you about this in your area. You can also call different gynos or uro/gynos to see if they ever assess for this problem.

[Engtch29]

Told something similar...

I feel that I've strained my floor by:

1. Riding and pounding my back and bottom, dumbly, up and down on a jet-ski for an hour

2. Lifting heavy boxes during our move this same summer

The only diagnosis that I've had after a uro-dynamics test and internal vaginal exam (gut-feeling from doc) was that my muscles are super tense and are most likely causing my urination frequency/urgency/sensation problems.

I'm due to go to PT, but I was told and tried OAB meds and they deal with another type of spasm. Instead, I'm on muscle relaxers with a heating pad for now.

Good luck!