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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:59 am 
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Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 3:45 pm
Posts: 1943
Location: North Carolina - Raleigh area
Well, today it is my turn for a first visit to a urologist. I am nervous about the visit as I see many others have been before me, although I doubt that much will take place today as this essentially is a consultation with testing to follow.

Part of my anxiety is due to the fact that my urinary incontinence has been inconsistent and varies markedly, and unpredictably, from light to severe. I can be doing o.k., and able to pee in the toilet, then my bladder will go on "autopilot" and spasm, involuntarily peeing small amounts every 6 to 15 minutes. My primary care physician, an internist, doubted that a precise diagnosis could be made as I have so much pelvic trauma and nerve damage from an old accident, plus some spinal trauma. I worry that I will be having a "dry" period and that the urologist will not take me seriously.

From what I have read here, it seems that many of the usual medications have some serious or at least uncomfortable side effects. I already take so much medication that it concerns me. Nonetheless, others here encouraged me to proceed with the appointment to rule out the possibility of a more serious underlying medical problem. For that, I thank you. :D

Another source of anxiety is that over the past 1 1/2 years I have become significantly more likely to have an urge or even to pee or involuntarily begin peeing whenever there is running water nearby. I began noticing this as I was brushing my teeth, washing the dishes, or in the shower. I do not see how this can have a physical cause, so is it emotional or psychological?

The urinary incontinence has not changed my life as much as might be expected as I already was wearing diapers for bowel incontinence. In fact, as I use premium diapers it really has not increased the number of diapers I use that much.

Another concern is that, as I already wear diapers 24/7, can there be so-called "diaper dependency?" I have been unable to find published medical studies on the subject but concur that it is a generally recognized phenomenon.

--John


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:25 am 
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:15 am
Posts: 292
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Good luck with the appointment.

One thing to keep in mind is that the people on forums like this are not a representative sample of people who try the drugs that are prescribed for incontinence. We are the people for whom the drugs do not work as advertised. The people for whom the drugs do work rarely hang around on forums like this one because their incontinence is either gone completely or so much improved that it's no longer the kind of problem that motivates people to participate in incontinence forums.

Also wetting as almost a reflex response to touching or even hearing running water is one of the most common symptoms of urge incontinence. Other common triggers are getting up after sitting or lying down for more than a few minutes, approaching the door to your house, or approaching a bathroom door. These symptoms may be partly psychological, but they are common and very real.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 11:08 am 
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Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:11 pm
Posts: 216
Location: England
Hope it goes well. Good luck.

4wheeldave.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 12:53 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:29 pm
Posts: 850
Hi, JD,

My thoughts are with you today - I hope you get some answers and have as little discomfort as possible in the ongoing process.

My HMO has an incontinence page on its website. It addresses the phenomenon of having an urge/accident when one sees, hears or touches running water, and also when one approaches the door to his/her home. I don't have a problem with seeing or touching running water, but I have extreme sensitivity to hearing it, including rain outside my bedroom window falling on the grass below, and hitting the metal patio furniture a few feet away.

Wetters


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 1:28 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 3:45 pm
Posts: 1943
Location: North Carolina - Raleigh area
Inconimiss, thanks for reminding me that the active participants on this forum are not a true cross-section of the incontinent population. I have to keep that in mind.

Inconimiss and wetters, I have to admit that this reaction to hearing or touching water has me fascinated. It appears to be more common than I realized. I think I mentioned elsewhere that one of my doctor's offices had a wall covered with a running waterfall display and very noisy! You know what happened there! Does this mean that my wife should let me get out of helping with the dishes? :lol:

Today's initial visit was a success. Urologist seemed highly competent, asked the right questions, and inspired confidence. Due to all of my pelvic and back trauma he suspects an underlying physical cause for at least some of my symptoms. Today he did the Mother of All Rectal exams. :oops: Although my primary care physicians have performed the usual test and knew that I was concerned about the prostate, they came up with nothing. This urologist not only felt the prostate, he pressed down on it several times - hard! OMG the pain and burning sensation! He said that although it was not noticeably swollen obviously it is sensitive and inflamed. He prescribed Cipro and some other meds and I am scheduled for the endoscopic exam in two weeks so he can inspect for internal physical trauma or abnormalities. Then he will decide about the other urological tests. I'll go back and read the old messages about that test.

Side comment - when his nurse went to check for retained urine after voiding, it turned out that she had never seen a onesie! :roll: I think I shocked her a little bit. She also seemed a little confused about my wearing a taped diaper rather than a pull-up. That really surprised me. She is fairly young, so she may be new to the practice.

--John


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 3:39 pm 
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Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:45 am
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I was glad to read that you are off to a good start with your new urologist. And, yes, at least for males whose urologists insist on doing vigorous exams, prostate/rectal exams can be both embarrassing and painful. Good luck and keep us informed.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 3:54 pm 
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JD, I'm so sorry about the "Mother of All Rectal exams"! I'm glad that you think he's promising, though.

I remember your telling us about the waterfall wall. When I went to the water dept. last month, their water fountain on the wall was turned off! I wonder if that was the result of bill payers complaining about it, and whether the complaints referenced perceived waste, or "something else."

Wetters


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 4:02 pm 
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Location: Oklahoma
Glad to hear the visit was a success JD. I once had one of those rectal exams long time ago and it felt like the doc was pushing his finger through my prostate.


Inconinmiss I could swear you were describing my symptoms.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:23 pm 
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As one who recently took the plunge also, I am glad it went well John. I know I went in for the same thing, ruling out anything serious. The advice they gave was what I expected to hear and the drugs they pushed were the ones I expected them to push. When those did nothing I told my urologist I am fine with maintaining as is.

Regarding the onesie, I was too embarrassed to wear my normal gear of plastic pants, dry24, and support bodystocking so I whenever I go to a medical professional I wear a tena slip maxi. The nurses did not comment on it to me. The only comment my urologist gave me was his surprise that I used so many "incontinence briefs" when I asked him to write a letter in case of an audit, but given the severity of my OAB he did say he understood.

The "key in lock" syndrome is common for sufferers of urge incontinence and the list of "triggers" is immense.

I know Inconimiss is right in the population sample regarding those "helped" by drugs/behavior/etc. After all, they say 80% of incontinent folks can see their conditions improved or cured entirely. But given that 40% of women and 30% of men suffer, I suspect many just don't know how to seek help, which this forum provides in abundance :D Still, I remember reading the %'s of changes possible in the drugs and saw that the majority seemed to only work for 20% of those taking them, and then, even if they did, those 20% were also very likely to have the side affects. Mybertiq did nothing for me and Vesicare seemed to give me headaches. I think the true "helper" is behavior therapy if that can work.

I am hopeful that they can at least rule everything else out of danger for you, John, and put your mind at ease.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:39 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2015 9:13 am
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Glad the visit went well


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