Botox: What Happens Afterwards?

[arkitekton ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close arkitekton]

I'm a 54 year old man due to undergo botox injections into my bladder 9/21/2011. I am desperate to try this treatment, but have been unable to get even a basic explanation from my urologist.

Further, he and his assistant neglected to tell me that it's not unusual for someone who has undergone the botox injection to be unable to urinate for as long as a month afterwards. This meant I might have undergone the procedure, been released from the hospital, and arrived home unable to urinate, with all the consequences of that inability.

It was only through reading threads on this site that I discovered how essential it was to learn in advance of the procedure to self-catheterize. What I'm wondering now, eight days before I'm due to have the injections performed in hospital is, what else my urologist has failed to tell me?

Is a cystoscopy always performed with the Botox injections?
What is the day following the Botox injections like--is it extremely painful and difficult to urinate, even assuming urination is possible?
How often do patients have to return to hospital?

If anyone can tell me what I might expect, I'd greatly appreciate it. My urologist is simply unable to be clear. He's the sort of fellow who talks too quickly, is far too technical, and is unable to respond to simple requests to slow down or speak clearly.

[momw/ic ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close momw/ic]

I can tell you what my experience was. I had botox injections done twice about a year apart. Then my insurance quit covering the procedure so I haven't had it done since. Each time I got about 8-9 months of symptom decrease to a manageable place. As a woman our recoveries may be somewhat different but maybe my story will help. The first time I did as you said and was sent home to recover only to be literally screaming in pain after waking up a few hours later. My hubby called the doc at home and he told me to go to ER and he would call ahead and tell them what to do. I was catheterized and sent home with an indwelling catheter for about 3 days. After that time I was able to pee fine and after about a week I was no longer having post op type pain. The second time I had the doc send me home with the indwelling catheter and my recovery went much faster.

Each time he injected the botox into various areas in my bladder and in the bladder neck and urethra as well. If I could I would have continued having them done. Hope this helps! Good luck with your procedure and I help it really helps you.

[arkitekton ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close arkitekton]

Thanks, mom w/ic

I appreciate your letting me know. I'm sorry I haven't posted a reply sooner than this. My life has been turned upside down in the last month.

The aftermath of my botox injections has been about a week of things getting worse, almost continual penile pain and irritation, perhaps because of the cystoscopy that's a part of the procedure. Since then, no change from the symptoms I felt beforehand.

Do you know whether a second set of injections can help when the first set doesn't? My doc said he put three injections into my back bladder wall, which he said was overmuscled, and one injection into the neck of my urethra.

[Leslieann0605 ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leslieann0605]

How are you doing now? Have things settled down at all?

[vanilla ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close vanilla]

Yes, please let us know how you are feeling.

[saturn62sher ICN Member Find all posts View Profile Close saturn62sher]

For the gentleman with the botox injections

Hey there, good luck with a recovery from your procedures. I know you must have been in a lot of pain to even consider having such an invasive, complicated treatment. I don't know anything about this specific treatment, but I do know that I'm not impressed with your urologist. I wish you the best recovery and I hope your symptoms will just disappear. They can, you know.
Whatever is causing the problem can be self-corrected at any time. It's proven by "good days" and "bad days". There's just some chemical or imbalance that goes out of whack. I had a remission from I.C. for nine months without doing anything at all except avoiding certain foods and drink, and discontinuing a prescription that became an irritant, and I'm not so sure that's why I went into remission. It's baffling.