My irritable bladder…..I may have found the culprit!

Wonder how many of you have undiagnosed Lichen Sclerosus. The not talked about auto immune complaint? I itch like mad when it flares, almost always leads to urinary infection. Some with it have interstitchial cystitis too. Need to keep moisturised,I usually use Aveeno, and also can require a steroid cream.

I understand tomatoes and potatoes are of the nightshade family, I wonder if this has any bearing on things?

NotAGran55

I think my GP would disagree with you Georgesgran

GPs know nothing about nutrition. Tomatoes are from the nightshade family and well known for causing inflammation.

Would decaffeinated coffee be an irritant to the bladder?

I’ve had trouble with my bladder for years, was told to give up caffeine, alcohol and anything spicy. It helped for a couple of years but I now have to have Botox injected into my bladder every 18 months. Having it done in 2 weeks time as I’m back to needing to pee a couple of times every hour.
Hope you find something to ease your visits to the bathroom. x

Had endless problems & was eventually given Myrbetriq 25 mg
It’s been a miracle,so far.Understand what your going through,definitely an allergy,good luck.

Having had 10 surgeries to my pelvic floor, over 10 years, I was having troubles ... one of the investigations (and I don't recommend it!) was a 'Tilt Table Test', usually done with people with heart issues, but is also used for people with bladder issues. They make you evacuate the bladder, then insert a catheter to remove any remaining. They then use the same catheter to insert a measured amount of fluid, which they keep increasing until it is 'painful' and beyond the 'laughing' stage! They then tilt the table until you are upright, and ask you to HOLD ON as long as you can! You can manage for a little while, then the pain gets too much and you just have to let it go, or as I shouted, 'get the bucket'! Anyway, turns out I have an unstable bladder and my bladder can only hold 395mls, whereas the average bladder usually holds 500mls plus.

Roll on a further 10 years and I am finding that I need to go very regularly (although I drink a lot for other medical reasons, although stop at 6pm other than for taking my medication) and I am waking often during the night. But, I just cannot hold it and can't get to the loo in time! Partly because my mobility is poor so running is out of the question, partly because everything down there is obviously altered, and also as soon as I stand up, because I have a massive abdominal hernia, my guts literally bounce on my bladder!. I have a downstairs loo, but it is a macerator type, and in the last 6 months it definitely sounds as though it is about to fail, and I have had to 'bail it out' a number of times - not an easy task for me! The cost to get anyone out to even cross the threshold is £119.40 (probably more now?) which would have been a months food money, (as the DWP were paying me wrongly all winter) so that was a non-starter. Asked for help from SS. The OT eventually comes out, the toilet played a blinder and groaned beautifully, so she suggests that (as I can't access my bathroom) that she gets me a stairlift! I can't wait for a lift to come, I would be peeing all the way up the ruddy mechanism! Asked her for a plastic or disposable bed pan thing just in case it did fail so that I could pop it on the loo and wouldn't be hovering over a bucket and carers could empty it, and she said "we don't do those" but offered me a commode to put in the kitchen!! Well I am not an OT, just a nurse, but what on earth goes beneath said commode, my mop bucket?? She rang my GP who told her what I told her, but nothing's happened .... and I am still bailing.

Anyway, my GP has given me a medication called BETMIGA, which has helped no end, I still wake up, but am nowhere near as desperate to go as I was, and can generally make the trip to the loo.

Regarding UTI's my mum had them regularly - touch wood she hasn't had one in around 18 months since she has been having a small glass of cranberry juice per day, so that's worth a try if anyone struggles with that. Cranberry extract is also available in a tablet form if you don't like the juice, lots on Amazon certainly.

Doctors are now waking up to the possibility that some UTIs can become chronic/embedded. Treatment sometimes involves long term antibiotics but Hiprex is very effective and can be combined with a topical cream e.g. Ovestin.
As others have said, giving up or cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and acidic foods helps.

I read somewhere it's advisable to remove tomato skin, for people with digestive issues

My doctor told me, when I wanted to stop using Vagifem, that I should continue with it as it helped to prevent bladder infections in older ladies.

I have to use Vagifem as I have a ring pessary fitted…. and my bladder is perfect …. who knew it was that wonderful!

Youngatheart51

I don't have a problem keep getting up during the night, my problem is the evening whilst watching TV. Some evenings I'm like a yoyo & does tend to start after tea & I do tend to eat a lot of baby plum tomatoes. I'll have to see if cutting them out makes a difference. Bit gutting if do as I absolutely love baby plums. Quite often go to the fridge & grab a handful as a healthy snack.

Don’t ever keep them in the fridge!
The flavour is much better if kept at room temperature and they last longer.

I take an anti histamine it works

Zetacatty

NotAGran55

I think my GP would disagree with you Georgesgran

GPs know nothing about nutrition. Tomatoes are from the nightshade family and well known for causing inflammation.

What have tomatoes got to do with my post about GPs prescribing Vagifem?

This is a very helpful thread. I find that coffee irritates me and after reading this I will now try to monitor my foods. I also take Amlodopine, at night, but read this can increase heart rate.
Nitrofuratoin is an awful medication. I was very susceptible to UTI's and had Nitrofurantoin prescribed several times over a short period of time, I was later diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia and was told this may have been a contributing factor although there is no proof.
I am now recovering well but still get the occasional UTI but find if I keep hydrated this really helps and I will never take Nitrofurantoin again.

Well, I never have to get up in the night, but wee a lot during the day despite not drinking an awful lot of water.

The way I am going there will be nothing left that I can eat!

No, it is for bladder problems too

Can I ask what kind of ring pessary you use ?

Please don't jump in to take anything without consulting your Gp- i just googled the vagifem some of you are recommending- its part of the HRT group that cannot be taken on warfarin. In fact theres so many stuff you cannot take or have on warfarin its ridiculous! Even herbal remedies or grapefruit/cranberry juice and many medicines.

Flakesdayout

This is a very helpful thread. I find that coffee irritates me and after reading this I will now try to monitor my foods. I also take Amlodopine, at night, but read this can increase heart rate.
Nitrofuratoin is an awful medication. I was very susceptible to UTI's and had Nitrofurantoin prescribed several times over a short period of time, I was later diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia and was told this may have been a contributing factor although there is no proof.
I am now recovering well but still get the occasional UTI but find if I keep hydrated this really helps and I will never take Nitrofurantoin again.

Nitrofuratoin is an awful medication
I was prescribed it once as the nurse diagnosed a UTI and agree it has dreadful side effects. After 3 days I rang the surgery and asked for a change of medication and was airily told the lab result had come back negative.

I also take Amlodopine, at night, but read this can increase heart rate I didn't know that!

Kittylester , I agree with you 100%. Vagifem has transformed my life and my bladder !! I was constantly wanting a wee! Walking became difficult, each step I took was like someone bouncing on my bladder . I was sleeping badly due to my many trips to the bathroom. When out and about I was constantly wondering where the nearest loo was. Sounds dramatic, but it really was spoiling the quality of my life! Nothing I did helped , my GP prescribed Vagifem - WOW !!! What a change magic indeed. Worth thinking about Sago- good luck.

Grandmac
I’m with you - wearing socks to bed! So cozy, so comforting. Sleep like a baby.

I occasionally have (frequent) urinating need throughout the night. After reading this thread I am going to start keeping a diary of what I’ve eaten that day.

Process of elimination may help me find the culprit. Otherwise I’m fairly good with bladder and digestive history at my age.
ZZZZZ…
USA Gundy

After my stroke I find I’m getting up three+ times throughout the night I was prescribed a tablet which relaxes my bladder thus helping me to control it better
My nightly sojourns are now greatly reduced. Good luck all ye who have bladder problems get off and see your gp for advice

Vagifem does help with continence. I use a pessary every couple of days.