www.incontinentsupport.org

I'm sorry to hear your urologist is a jerk, my urologist saved my life after a botched surgery. After he saved me, and dealing with the aftermath I'm totally incontinent. He tested me to make sure I didn't have anything else going on inside my body and has let me deal with it how I want to. Remember its your body and we have to deal with it not him or her. My wife and I have set a plan for us to deal with my issues. I have great doctor now, if you don't like them move on and find a doctor that will help you physically and mentally.

Can, I had the exact same thing happen to me with the first urologist I saw. Almost word for word, though I don't have urge incontinence like you do. I have urinary frequency 15-25+ times per day. And leakage after every time. I was mortified and fired him shortly thereafter. What an asshole......

I'm incontinent (incon) due to spinal cord nerve damage at L5/S1 of the spine, (incomplete paraplegic), and since all of my health care is provided by the Veterans Affairs (VA), once a year the VA sends me to a VA hospital in another state that specializes in spinal cord injuries known as a Spinal Cord Injury Center. I undergo several tests, and evaluations during a week long stay to include an apt with the staff urologist that only sees vets with spinal cord injuries. As such, this urologist sees plenty of patients that are incon, so each time I seen a staff urologist I have always received the same batteries of tests to include the urodynamics test just to make sure things are stable and remain status-quo since I am urge bladder, and bowel incontinent. On more than one occasion the staff urologists has offered a colostomy, and the use of a urine drain bag if that would make life any easier. At present, the use of a diaper makes the most sense to me compared to the alternative. Unlike other stories I've read in this support group, the general philosophy of the doc's I see seem to be on track that I should use whatever works best for me. Each year the urologist continues to recommend the use of diapers, but if I should ever become bedridden, then the colostomy, and urinary drain bag might be considered, but I don't see the likelihood of that happening anytime soon, if it ever happens at all.

My doctor just told me to "manage however I saw fit," but left it up to me to figure it out what that meant. I guess it was better than some got, but not by much. To be honest, it was this group that helped me to figure things out better than the doctor ever bothered to attempt.

_________________
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius

Nothing

Just tried palming me off with drugs and cant even be botherd to hear about the dammed side effects.

Wont even help with with supply of pads, though I hear the NHS ones are rubbish anyway.

I've had way too many urologists in the past 20 years. My first advice was "it will go away on its own", and my last advice was "it's too soon for another sphincterotomy surgery and you need to wait a few more months". I've probably heard every other piece of "advice" out there too. If you can think about it for urinary problems, then I've probably been told it.

Yea a lot of the advice was, Hay try this drug.. The first urologist I went to was from India was appalled that I was using Diapers. At the time I was just 15 and he felt that it was just a bladder infection or something. At that point I had been to my ref. Dr. for over a month waiting to get a meeting with the Uro. I ended up with more tests than I care to remember over the next three years and after the tenth medication made me so angry and near invincible that I put my fist through a four pain window and split a tree with the same fist I was done. I was finally 18 and told the Dr. to pound sand when It came to the meds. At 23 I had my last Dr. visit were my bed wetting was brought up because I was staying in the hospital over night after getting an infection in my colon from jumping off a bridge.

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Capture the good times
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Figured I weigh in.

I was a total wreck when I went to my GP and confessed that I have some incontinence problems. I have been in denial for twenty years. Largely because I couldn't bring myself to let my "little secret" out to anyone. After hemming and hawing I spilled it out.
The first word out of his mouth was "UROLOGIST". Before I went to the GP I made the mistake of reading up on the incontinence health specialists. EEEKKK! Being Bi Polar, the "Cure" sent me over the edge. Bi Polar managed well requires meds. The meds are tailored for daily life. If a stressor (like telling a doctor about the incontinence you're having trouble dealing with) arises, it sets off the Manic side of BP. It manifests itself in these situations as severe anxiety. Like I said I was a wreck.

The GP I have is really a decent. caring person. I think he realized he had just launched me into melt down mode with the standard "UROLOGIST" diagnosis. He immediately back pedaled. I think he was in no mans land at this point and didn't quite know what to say. After a few moments of awkward silence by us both, he cautiously offered that there are meds that might help. I think we both saw this as a way out of a bad situation.

As we both seemed to find some common ground, he suggested blood work to check for kidney problems and urinalysis to check for blood. I felt this was reasonable and we proceeded. The tests came back that all was well and he prescribed Oxybutynin with my agreement.

The whole incontinence issue isn't over by any means with him I suspect. I'm expecting the "DRE" next visit as I haven't had one in 30 years. I think my doc realized that visit wasn't a good time for us to get intimate There is a possibility that a DRE will show a problem. I'm really hoping not. The approach that we seem to be on now suits me perfectly. I need time to process the humiliating uncomfortable tests that urology brings. If gradual and careful steps reveal a dangerous situation, then I'll go thru the urology battery. But quite frankly, for me diapers are a MUCH less stressful way to deal with the issue.

Ted, you are very lucky to have a compassionate and caring GP who is sensitive to your other issues as well as the incontinence. The urological tests that you may have to undergo are not fun, but they are not as bad as you may imagine. I too am one who worries about medical procedures and tests, but I have consistently found that the reality was not as bad as I imagined.

Ted,

I definitely understand.... I was petrified by the tests the VA urologists did but doing it beats having medical issues sneak up on you. And for the most part, you only have to do it once. Then comes the onslaught of pills, hoping and praying that one would work. It gets better though, I promise.

_________________
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius