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51

All things bladder related / Re: COMPLEXITIES OF MANAGEMENT

« Last post by Glades on June 23, 2010, 06:19:47 PM »

Do sympathise with your problem Gagamama, I have similar      Mine seem to have been triggered by cystitis and kidney infections.  Have had some stress incontinence since the menopause years but the over active bladder is more recent.  Cystitis and kidney infections were definitely brought on after I stopped taking HRT and gradually 'dried out' down below.   Although have to admit to total ignorance of vaginal atrophy until quite recent times.   I am now using a oestrogen pessaries but to some extent think it's a bit late as the irritable bladder problem seems well established.

Am very dubious of the TVT op which I have been offered, as although it seems pretty good for stress incontinence it does not help over active bladder and may make my risk of cystitis worse.   Am currently using an Athena Pelvic Toner but so far no real progress although still keeping it going on a daily basis.  Haven't tried any of the medications although have read about Duloxetine and Vesicare.   It is such a very intimate problem and can make life so difficult.

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All things bladder related / Re: COMPLEXITIES OF MANAGEMENT

« Last post by Gagamama on June 14, 2010, 04:53:36 PM »

Thanks donjackw for your thoughts.  I left out some things in my post because  the whole history would take too long! I have had a Femetone stimulator for many years now but found that, although it worked, it would only do so if I used it every day. It does have the possibility of quite strong stimulation - or feels like it anyway! Unfortunately that caused me other problems (which I don't want to go into here as it would take forever - trust that neither I nor the continence specialist I saw could see a way around it) so I could only tolerate it about once a week. Not enough to stop the problems from growing -  sadly.
As for the measuring...I'm doing it for now because it really focuses the mind! But if I have to continually re-train, yes I probably will drop the measuring part.
I do intend to ask the gynae at my next visit about an oestrogen cream. I take HRT at moment as I had hysterectomy (endometriosis) some 21 years ago and although kept my cervix showed all the symptoms of early menopause - and have a history of osteoporosis in my family.
Too many other issues getting in the way of simple solutions I fear! hence, eventually considering surgery (TVT) for the stress incontinence though it's a risk because that can apparently over stimulative the over-active bladder bit. In defence of my gynae, he was reluctant to operate if we could sort out something that would work.
Interstitial Cystitis  - haven't a clue. Away to look it up now!

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All things bladder related / Re: COMPLEXITIES OF MANAGEMENT

« Last post by donjackw on June 06, 2010, 08:45:18 PM »

Hi Gagamama, I was a registered nurse and worked for three years for urologic surgeons.  I get really annoyed when I remember how all they could think of was surgery.  I read your post twice and had a couple thoughts. Yes, bladder re-training makes sense - but seems to me you could just try to lengthen the time between visits without all the measuring.  Just a thought.  Another is Estrace (estradiol) cream to strengthen the urethral opening and all the tissue in that area.  Another is do you have a cystocele (bladder prolapse) as that would be something I do know a lot about - having one myself.  And  one other thought is I use an electrical stimulation unit to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles.  Mine is by Biostim (on internet - one site without prescription I've found) I got my first with a prescription and insurance paid for it, but now much cheaper.  This unit is a neuro-muscular stimulator and a tens unit combined - about the size of a large pack of cigarettes.  It has three pre-programmed modes for incontinence, one for stress, one for urge and I can't remember the other.  Many physical therapists use this modality with their much larger stim machines.

Have you seen a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor issues?

Hope any of this helps

One last thought - I'm assuming you don't have Interstitial Cystitis - if so, they have a super website.

54

Forum and Website News / A NOTE FOR GUEST VIEWERS

« Last post by Gagamama on May 30, 2010, 03:44:35 PM »

I have noticed that we are getting quite a lot of "reads" of the posts but few new members joining. 'Course it's early days yet but I would like to say to all those who read what we are talking about, please don't be shy with us. The sister site Menopause Matters has been of fantastic help to lots of women precisely because there are so many threads of discussion going on. I thought, when I first joined that forum that I would never find anyone who was experiencing what I was experiencing: then I discovered dozens of posts that had all the same problems. realising you are not the only one is so empowering. It gave me the courage to keep persisting with my GP.
It would be great if Bladder Matters developed in the same way.

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All things bladder related / Re: Vagifem

« Last post by Gagamama on May 30, 2010, 03:38:55 PM »

 Ienjoylife said "I do get migraines, about 3 a year, and after 10 days on the Vagifem, I got a persistent headache which didn't respond to Paracetamol or Iboprufen, so I stopped the Vagifem. It does warn that a side effect could be migraines; the headache then did go away. I'm intending to now just use the Vagifem just twice a week. Put one in this morning, and the headache is back, but I'll persist and see if it settles down."

I was kind of worried about migraines especially as I am on oral HRT anyway: but you don't say whether you have ever taken anything migraine-specific like the Triptans to ease the headaches. I'd be interested to know if those still work. As you say, life without endless UTIs and the chance of a sex life would be great!

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All things bladder related / Re: Vagifem

« Last post by Ienjoylife on May 19, 2010, 11:38:46 AM »

I wondered if anyone had any comments on Vagifem.  I am 64 and have recently been prescirbed Vagifem.  I had several Bladder infections this year and last year.  Always wanting to go to the toilet.  My Doctor prescribed Vagifem for me 6 weeks ago, and after inserting 3 of the applications over 3 nights, I started to feel better.  I have to go back in another 6 weeks, but hope that I am not taken off Vagifem. I now realise how bad I had been feeling.  Passing water probably up to 9 times from waking at 7am to Noon.

Anyone else taking Vagifem ??

Dear Sandypiper
After reading the 'Menopause Matters' website about dry vagina, cystitis & Vagifem, and having had, as you have, repeated bladder infections and cystitis (I think) - the surgery seem utterly bored by post menopausal irinary problems - I asked my GP to prescribe Vagifem.
I've been on it for about 9 days now and the cystitis is finally subsiding - Allelujah! - and though I've been avoiding sex (another subject!), which always seems to make the cystitis/UTIs worse,  the one time we had sex the v.unpleasant initial pain I've had for several years was absent - Allelujah!.
I just thought I'd write about what I've found about the prescribing of Vagifem:
 The initial dose is one a day for 2 weeks, then just twice a week indefinitely, because menopause problems don't just go away, with an annual review with a health professional.
So far I do recommend it.

Postscript:
I do get migraines, about 3 a year, and after 10 days on the Vagifem, I got a persistent headache which didn't respond to Paracetamol or Iboprufen, so I stopped the Vagifem. It does warn that a side effect could be migraines; the headache then did go away. I'm intending to now just use the Vagifem just twice a week. Put one in this morning, and the headache is back, but I'll persist and see if it settles down. Not having the Cystitis or intercourse pain is worth a lot.

57

General Discussion / Re: Thank you

« Last post by Gagamama on May 17, 2010, 06:48:27 AM »

Hello Tricia

Well you have to tell us how you're doing too  But I agree with you that we need to be honest with each other if it's going to be helpful. There must be thousands of others out there who are feeling just as isolated and frustrated and probably (let's face it) also feeling dirty and smelly....There's no rationalisation about this...even if one knows that one is keeping clean, using odour absorbing pads etc. etc...I bet I'm not the only one who fears it's obvious to other people. Let's hope they find this website soon - better for all of us.
I get so annoyed that my life is ruled by my bladder
However, as I hinted in a post I made earlier on the Bladder related topic, obsessing can work both ways and I am trying (so hard) to relax and ignore small leakages while I concentrate on managing the big ones.
Pretty miserable position though.

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All things bladder related / Re: Vagifem

« Last post by Gagamama on May 17, 2010, 06:41:40 AM »

HELLO

Is Vagifem this vaginal oestrogen cream I have heard about? Sounds very interesting so I shall ask my GP and gynaecologist about it.

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All things bladder related / COMPLEXITIES OF MANAGEMENT

« Last post by Gagamama on May 17, 2010, 06:37:53 AM »

Hi

I note we are, as yet, few so I thought I would post some thoughts:

It would appear (I have sought professional help - at last!") that I have stress incontinence and over-active bladder problems.  The former have been developing slowly over many years but started - so it seemed - after I had a hysterectomy. I put it down to the fact that the other organs in my abdomen shifted about a bit now there was a big empty space and this put pressure on the muscles. Otherwise it was just the usual post childbirth stretching that comes home to roost many years later.
The over-active bit started only with  the menopause and did improve a little bit at first with  HRT, when I was on a high dose. Unfortunately the higher dose HRT triggered more migraines and after a decade I came off it and later went back at a much smaller level.
Not even my gynaecologist is entirely sure about how much of each problem is contributing to the overall one which is very frustrating as it means we have to do a trial and error thing.
We tried the medication (Regurin - Trospium Chloride) but that gave me SUCH a dry mouth I could hardly speak - not ideal for a singer! My Gynae' - who is otherwise quite sensitive for a man - felt it was okay to tell me that he had heard a FEMALE gynae' tell a conference that women have a hobson's choice: wet mouth or wet knickers. Not very helpful or encouraging.
I have some faith that bladder retraining through the measuring and timing  (there's information in the links elsewhere I notice) method may eventually show some improvement, though it does seem obsessive to have a jug in the bathroom and be recording everything: some of my friends think this is counter productive because it makes me more aware of my bladder, obsessing about it and thus creating anxiety. But those friends are lucky enough not to have bladder problems!
If anyone  has any additional thoughts they'll be very welcome.

60

All things bladder related / Vagifem

« Last post by Sandypiper on May 16, 2010, 06:51:28 PM »

I wondered if anyone had any comments on Vagifem.  I am 64 and have recently been prescirbed Vagifem.  I had several Bladder infections this year and last year.  Always wanting to go to the toilet.  My Doctor prescribed Vagifem for me 6 weeks ago, and after inserting 3 of the applications over 3 nights, I started to feel better.  I have to go back in another 6 weeks, but hope that I am not taken off Vagifem. I now realise how bad I had been feeling.  Passing water probably up to 9 times from waking at 7am to Noon.

Anyone else taking Vagifem ??