Peeing!

Having just realised that I could have this problem I'm really grateful for the various replies and ideas.
My problem is mainly at night, when I need to get up at least 2-3 times. So not much sleep. Not so bad during the day.
I wrote another thread wondering if it could be due to the BP med. I take.
I used to have UTIs a lot but that's better since using estriol cream etc.
All sorts of ideas going through my mind ( you know what it's like, ?cancer etc) so off to the Dr next week.

I have a card from the Bladder and Bowel foundation saying I need to use a toilet urgently for use in shops and pubs etc. This may help with shops that only have staff toilets. I also got a radar key from them (to access disabled toilets). I was refused the use of the disabled toilets at a station before getting this so hopefully that won't happen again.

That's interesting GrandmaMoira as my Bladder Nurse said no more than 2 Litres and the Doc yesterday said between 2 Litres and 3 Litres! Yes I would rather believe specialists than a GP. I googled Linda Cardoza but couldn't find the video of her talking about it. Sorry to hear you had a prolapse. Ive had Vaginal Atrophy for over 2 years now and it was only in the summer when the OAB started. I tried to get through to the Doc yesterday that it's mostly psychological but he wasn't interested. He was only interested in my "Duplex" Kidney although he did say my bladder was ok. I must admit I didn't expect any of these problems in later life - they began when I was 57. Although like you said, I now know younger women can suffer too. I made the mistake of not using my GYNEST HRT cream last night and I've been so sore today - even after I used the cream this morning. Fed up of discomfort down below. Hope to see the Bladder Nurse again soon.

Willow500 years ago I read an article about not wanting to wee when someone was sitting in the next cubicle. It suggested putting your fingers in your ears when you went, so you couldn't hear the noise either. I thought it was a mad suggestion but tried it and from then on could happily use the facilities with anyone sitting close by.

Another solution to needing to go for a wee minutes after your first session - a nurse suggested doing the necessary then maybe clean your teeth or something else for a minute or two then going to the loo again to fully empty your bladder. She said it was quite normal to have two goes as you got older.

!

BasilCat - I was also told at the Urogynaecology clinic that we should drink a maximum of 1.5 litres/less than 2 litres daily. You can google my consultant, Professor Linda Cardoza talking about it. I would believe the specialists rather than the GP.
Until I had a prolapse, I thought these problems were for the very elderly and now I know even quite young women can have these problems, often after giving birth, and it's really common.

Well I saw the Doctor today re my bladder scan and he said it looked fine. Told him about my psychological OAB episodes and also how my urination can slow right down when I'm at home. Said the OAB episodes never happen at home and told him how it had all grown out of proportion in my mind with me being scared to go anywhere if I don't know where there are any toilets. Told him I drink about 1.5 litres a day but he said between 2 litres and 3 litres is better. Told him about the lack of feeling or urge in my bladder. Anyway over all he didnt listen to me really. He was more interested in the "Extra Bit" on my kidney and has referred me to a Urologist. He said its nothing to worry about. Said it's called a "Duplex". Wasn't expecting this.

I think most people have a similar problem. How about flushing the toilet yourself [I mean, the one you're in not the next cubicle]...that's what I do. It's a very British problem I fear. Remember camping holidays in Germany in my late teens when I realised that people in other countries didn't have a problem of that kind. However, I think the Japanese are worse than we are #ishoulddoaphdonthismethinks....

I have another issue that's also phycological - I can be desperate to go but if someone is in the next cubicle my bladder just refuses to 'let go' until they flush or the hand dryer comes on. I have even been known to just come out without using the toilet it's that bad. I also can go and 5 minutes later need to find another toilet - this happens at home as well - it's like my bladder doesn't fully empty. I now keep a couple of 'p-mates' in my bag just in case of emergencies!

It makes me wonder about the amount of water we should be drinking too Tegan. I've drank 1250ml today - it's 8.08pm now and so far I've only peed 300ml! So I will end up getting up in the night I think.

GrandmaMoira, I have Vaginal Atrophy too, as well as OAB as the result of a bad experience that impacted on me psychologically. I must admit my Bladder Nurse recently told me I should be drinking between 1.5 litres and 2 litres a day. I find that I only pee small amounts during the day and then I get up once or twice in the night to empty my bladder. I can produce 900ml to 1000ml in two visits to the bathroom during the night or early hours but nowhere near that during the day. So my daytime urination is definitely slowing down, unless I'm away from home and can't find a loo! Having said that, I can get the OAB urges even when my bladder is virtually empty! I am using GYNEST HRT cream for Vaginal Atrophy by the way. I'm 59 years old and fed up with Vaginal/Bladder problems.

Must admit I wear leggings often too Tegan.

Rosesarered, That's a different idea and something else that I'd not thought of.

Hi Nankate, Thanks for the idea. If I do that I will definitely find out how absorbent the pants/pads are, won't I. I know that feeling of wanting to go when I have just been too. I was like that for ages before my right hip replacement. Only "Good" thing was that whilst it was a real nuisance, it was never urgent as such. I just knew I wanted to go again. I know, us women have a lot to put up with don't we?!!

I find that water goes straight through me. I'm sure we don't need to drink the litres of water that we're told to drink these days.

I have vaginal atrophy and am mildy incontinent. One of the best tips from the physio was to drink less altogether. We keep being told to drink more water but in fact we should drink less and as we get older our bladder just doesn't function quite so well -similar to having stiff joints and back ache. I've found cutting down liquid makes a big difference, as well as regular oestregen cream. If I'm going out and unsure where toilets will be, I ensure I use the Ovestan cream that morning.

I prefer leggings these days as you don't have to fiddle with buttons etc. Helps a great deal with 'key in door' syndrome!

On this subject...we all need to go more when older, and don't want to worry about it when out and about.I have found that wearing quite tight fitting jeans helps a lot , and thinking about it ,the effect is pulling everything 'up' and holding you tightly.Years ago, when all women wore girdles/roll ons etc this would have had the same effect.
There are various undies out there to buy that do the same job.Strong tight knickers may be the way to go!
Obviously, if you do have a real problem you could use a pad of some kind as well.

Basilcat have you considered standing in the shower wearing your Tena Lady pants and pad and actually having a wee, waiting a few minutes then checking if they contain the wee ? Walk about a bit to see how it feels then you will know for definite that you are safe when out and about.

My problem is I go to the public loos quite normally and then need to go almost immediately and I wonder if I will get my pants down in time. The joys of aging

Sorry to read about your "Accident" Tegan. I'm sure it would have affected me for ever too. This recent experience of mine in the summer has affected me bad enough without having actually had an accident. must admit that when I go out I either wear Tena Pants or Attends pads. The pants are meant to hold 800ml of liquid! I don't think I have ever peed that much in one go but I have managed 600ml before today. That was in the early hours though. But God knows, I've been so nervous of having an accident that Ive been doubting how effective the Pants/Pads are. I was told at the bladder clinic that the pads would hold one wee. Which pads are you referring to that hold ever such a lot? Yes if I could just get my head around the fact that the pads will work, I would probably relax more. I would have been horrified if I had gone to the loo in a supermarket, only to find it closed!! Yes I bet it was an horrible few minutes. What a relief that there was a public loo nearby though. That's my problem. I can't seem to get those experiences out of my mind either, like that nightmare in town 3 months ago. That was shocking. I'm 100% sure it impacted on me psychologically. I'm glad you are loads better now. That's fabulous. Yes hopefully I will get over this fairly soon too. :-)

You WILL get there in the end . I actually had an 'accident' when I was quite young; walking back from Manchester at an age where you don't think to, say, go into a shop/café and ask to use their loo. I'm sure that affected me forever [I was about 19 I think]. What I did do was see how much liquid a pad holds and it is ever such a lot; if you know that you're wearing something that will stop any embarrassment if an accident happens it will[hopefully] make you relax more.I stopped off at a supermarket in Yorkshire the other year, knowing that there was a loo in the store; it was right at the end of the shop and, when I got there it was out of order . Thankfully there was a public loo nearby, but that was a horrible few minutes! And I can't seem to get things like that out of my mind afterwards. Still; I do seem to be loads better now [fingers crossed]. I'm sure you will be soon.

My problem isn't physical either Bluebell. Well not much anyway. I had an hip replacement in April that "Damaged" my nerves (I think so anyway) and left me with not much sensation in my bladder. Also I wasn't weeing much during the day. It was probably the hottest day of the year when I drank loads more than usual, only a couple of days after the Doc told me to drink more too. I was hoping the sensation would come back to my bladder. It didn't. Instead, I got a dreadful shock and awful pain in my bladder (Yes it registers when things are an emergency!) and had what felt like a 300 mile walk to the toilet. Felt sick. Was terrified and shaking. How I got to the ladies without wetting myself I've no idea but it was the walk from hell. Well I think it's impacted on me psychologically because since then, whenever I leave the house, I have to know there will be toilets where I am going and if there aren't, I'm getting into a panic and feeling the OAB sensations again, though not as bad as that first time. But enough to impact on my day to day living all the same. So I've had a Bladder Scan just to make sure nothing is wrong - still got to see Doc about that. Also I saw the Bladder Nurse the other day. Thankfully she can see the problem is psychological too as it never happens at home or when I am near to public toilets, in a coffee shop or something. So she agrees that anxiety medication is a good idea and also I'm off for CBT next week too. Whilst I'm glad the nurse said everything is normal, even when I told her I'd only produced 200ml of urine between 1.40pm and 9pm the other day, I still can't stop overthinking the problem. It's getting on my nerves. And whilst I'm overthinking it and anxious about it, I'm going to keep on getting the OAB feelings. However, as I said a few minutes ago, when I am home and fretting about it, I find me urination slows down. Like the other day. Only 200ml. Then I worry that I'm "Retaining" but nurse said I'm not. I find that I can empty my bladder as normal in the early hours. Like yesterday I only produced about 500ml all day but I got up twice in the night/early hours and one visit to bathroom resulted in 400ml urine whilst the other time it was 500ml! I panic thinking that I retain, if only temporarily, and that I will damage my bladder. But again the nurse said I won't. Anyway I hope to see the Doctor soon and along with the anxiety medication, and the CBT, I hope I can get over this as soon as possible. Been like this since 2nd May. Had Vaginal Atrophy for almost 2 years before that. Fed up with Vaginal/Bladder/ anxiety problems!

Thanks Tegan and Jess I might give it another go I know it s a pychological thing and a lot of docs don't like things that aren't black and whites The hypnotherapist was a fully qualified one a NHS doctor a very nice one this time ( however I saw in the local paper just this week that he had killed himself, it wasn't through my inability to being hypnotised though as that was donkeys years ago ) I know its all connectedI to worrying and getting anxious but it's really hard to retrain myself after all this time I just think all the years of infections left me very bladder conscious and on the alert and I believe sincerely that I ve trained myself to needing the loo I also find I can make what seems like enormous amounts of wee when worried, I can go and 15 / 20 minutes later pass as much water again I wonder where it all comes from. On a good day I can easily go 3 hours maybe 4 without needing it so I know it not a physical problem

Oh Bluebell you poor thing. That doctor sounds like an unsympathetic so and so.
As you say, there is nothing wrong with your bladder if you can go all night without weeing. Your symptoms sound like they are to do with tension and anxiety during the day. Bladders are plumbed into our emotions! And they can also learn - as they do during potty training.
In my experience hypnotherapists vary a great deal. I saw one who was hopeless and another - a qualified hypnotherapist, not someone who had done just a short course - and he was brilliant. Gave me a CD to go away and practice with. (this was not about bladder by the way - but just that it might be worth another try, if you can find the right person).

Oh heck; you really do need help . It's such a mix up of physical and psychological problems isn't it. I found that having a shee wee in the car last time we travelled meant that I wasn't worrying about hitting a traffic jam so my stomach didn't tense up.If only doctors realised how a comment like that can affect you for the whole of your life. You somehow need to go back to square one and start again. There must be lots of people with similar problems because of the signs that are in the toilets at motorway service stations.