I have urinary retention. I absolutely cannot empty my badder a lot of the time. I take bathanocol 5 times a day in order to pee. This problem is not as common as the urinary frequency and accidents. I finally told my urologist that I'm staying up half the night trying to empty my bladder, so I can go to sleep. He's going to do some tests. Then probably fit me with a pubic catheter.
Because of my frequency I would have a permanentl surgically put in pubic catheter. Not straight Catheters. It's right above the pelvic bone. It's less apt to get as many infections as the type that goes through the urethra.
I only have urinary retention when I'm tired 😫 I've one had to go tol A&E because I couldn't empty my bladder one night, and when the nurse put a cath in, I had a LOT of urine come out 😳 so, I got left with an indwelling cath for a week or 2 before I was seen by a urinary nurse. She took that cath out and gave me a box of one-time use ones so I could self-catheterise myself. I managed to get out of that relapse and can now pee even when I'm tired or have woken up during the night! 🙌
I’ve been thinking about the self cath thing for awhile now, a little fearful that I can’t learn to do it right. I did have a bladder surgery many years ago as well. I had cysts & ulcers in the bladder (interstial cystitus). At the time they put me on a $200 monthly med that was quickly trying to make me bald as well as other side effects. I went off of the med & started treating with a special food diet (very limited). It had worked for years but now…. Nope, I can’t seem to control or change the bladder issues.
Hello Brenda. All of a sudden, at least ten years ago, I was unable to urinate. I went to a clinic where I was set up with a Foley catheter. Then about two days later, a nurse came and didn't show me how to use an in-out catheter. That's right, didn't show me. I figured it out on my own and have been using catheters several times daily ever since. A lot of sites claim to show women how to self-cath but for some reason they don't give a detailed image of the female bottom. I gradually became competent on my own and have no trouble now😊. In all that time I've had one UTI only. Best wishes to others who have this issue.
This is the I have heard of any urinary problems from Anyone except my older brother. Jim passed away years ago , of Progressive MS. No one would believe how had he struggled to beat it. He's also my Hero.