Hi Glad I found this forum though not glad about the reason why I found it...
In Denmark where I live there's not such forums like you have here, so please forgive me for my English.
Short about my background and reason for signing up here.
I’m a male in my forties, I’m 42 next month to be more exact, and living in Denmark.
It started out as I had to go to the toilet more and more often, it was strange to me, as I have always had what some call a trucker bladder and could literally hold myself for hours, and then slowly that has changed to the situation now, where I have to go more and more often. Sometimes though despite feeling an urge to go, nothing comes out when I’m standing at the toilet? I also suffer from a somewhat shy bladder, as I cannot use urinals if someone stands next to me.
I usually can make it to the toilet to pee, then one day I experienced that my bladder simply released whatever was in it, straight into my pants and underwear without any other warning than a very sudden and very strong urge while I was sitting at my desk at work, I really panicked about this, here I was at work sitting in wet clothes…worrying about what others would think, if they noticed…I’m working in an office environment, Thankfully I was close to leave for home anyway and I managed to sneak out without being found out.
Since then, I have had a few more of these infrequently accidents where my bladder all of a sudden just releases after a very strong sudden urge which just happens out of the blue. It happens so infrequently – that planning for it, is close to impossible..and after revealing it to my wife, I decided to go get some of those Tena Maxi pants, they look a lot like ordinary underwear, I can get them at the local shop though my wife gives me a helping hand here, and usually it’s her who buys them for me….
To be honest, I’m having a hard time here as I am not entirely sure if I fit into the usual perception of an incontinent person when reading about others in here who have more frequent accidents (Sorry if anyone feels offended) I also have difficulty viewing me as such, sSince my accidents are so infrequently and most of the time I can make it to the toilet, but still feel I have to wear such protection for the “just in case accidents”…which happens with no warning.
I decided to go visit my doctor and I had a chat with him about my problems..he asked me to fill out a diary covering three days of liquid intake and output and have some blood and urine tests done. The tests came back and they didn’t show anything, thank god, but neither with an explanation.
According to my doctor the diary shows signs of an overactive bladder condition and to be honest I really hesitated telling him that I have had a few episodes of accidentally wetting myself but I ended up telling him. Anyway after having tried medication which was supposed to help with reducing frequency and urgency to no prevails other than I experienced some pretty annoying side effects from the medicine. My doctor had me signed up for a urodynamics study….I got the letter a few days ago, and in August I’m going to the urologist, long time to, but we are closing in for summer holidays here in Denmark.
The tests I have been informed that I’ll be undergoing are: Peeing in a special toilet, ultra sound of my bladder to see if it empties itself normally, ultrasound of my prostate through my private parts and maybe an endoscopy of my bladder and bladder neck.
To be honest I don’t look forward to the tests I have to go through, especially not after reading other peoples experiences of such tests…let alone the embarrassment of having to go through these tests and the reason for them.
From the urologists office I have been told to arrive with a full bladder and strong urge to go…that made me call them and ask for other options, as what they were asking me for, was the exact reason I’m going there in the first place, and I have no plans on arriving with either wet pants and or a wet tena pant.
Hopefully they’ll be able to figure out what is going on with me, and provide solutions for the problem. But what if they cannot find anything wrong with me, then what? What would the next step be then? I have the impression that I’ll be subjected to all the tests available…
I’m not even sure if I should wear any protection at all, when I arrive for the urodynamics tests….that might be even more humiliating wearing protection like the maxi pant even more if it's wet or damp when I arrives , and being told nothing is wrong with me after the testing or the test come out as inconclusive then I would actually feel even more embarrassed than ever…having no medical reason and still feeling the need to wear an absorbent product..
What have other people experienced from undergoing urodynamics testing? did they come up with a conclusion and a solution or not ? I’m just trying to get my head right and be prepared….
I hope to learn something about this problem I have from others and make some new friends.
jms
|