www.incontinentsupport.org

Neurogenic bladder covers a very large field of bladder and or bowel problems.
My urologist also refers to my incontinence as being Neurogenic mine is caused by Autonomic Neuropathy. Autonomic neuropathy destroys the nerves either going to the brain or from the brain thus no control. In my case at first I just had no control when the bladder got full it emptied. As time went on it turned around and would not emptied and kept filling. This is not good as it can back urine into the kidneys causing lodes of problems so now I use an indwelling catheter.

Spasms of the bladder with this kind of diagnose is very command there are many medications that can be used to treat it I am on Ditropan for me it works.
Some seem to have trouble with some of these meds I don’t.

DDS

I find it interesting you having dead spots on your legs. That is exactly how things started with me. My right leg my wife and I were at the mall walking then all of a sudden I got this tremendous pain in my leg like a rubber band being snapped it took me off my feet and onto the ground.
I now have dead spots all over my body and pretty much numb from the waist to my feet but with a lot of pain. I take some heavy narcotics they help but not completely.

2lyle

2lyle,

My "dead spots" are on the upper front parts of my legs and my buttocks. Some areas are more dead than others. My upper left leg is the worst. If I spend a great deal of time on my feet the pain surrounding the dead areas just burn with pain. I discussed this with my doctor this morning and she said this is "probably" due to the muscles surrounding the dead area compensating for the muscles with no feeling. The areas without feeling began to show up within a week or two after my accident which scared the begeebees out of me. This was the same time frame that I lost control of my bladder which also freaked me out. At the time I was more scared about the loss of feeling in my legs thinking I might never walk again. At the time walking was a challenge due to the intense pain I had but the pain eventually subsided but the incontinence got worse. My back felt as if it could not support my body. I went through lots of neurological and urological tests as well as a couple MRI's. Final diagnosis was that I suffered permanent nerve damage. A few years ago I thought the dead areas were spreading but was assured that they were not. I am grateful that I am able to walk and be active. It took me many years to accept the incontinence but I learned to deal with it to the point managing it has become another part of my daily routine. I'm lucky to be alive and walking and I'm thankful for it daily. Things could have been so much worse. This forum has been a great support.

My doctor's appointment went well this morning. She never really brought up my incontinence. We spent most of the appointment discussing my higher than average blood pressure and my cronic sinus problems. Those we can control.

DDS

The places you are numb sounds exactly like mine except it is my right leg that is the worse. My incontinence started before my legs went numb but when they finally did go numb things went from bad to worse.
I also have a lot of pain surrounding the numbness spots on both legs and it is funny the numbness spots are in the same places on both legs.
Mine has been spreading and over the years I become numb from my waist to my feet
I can still walk and do everything I did before it all happened but I do use a wheelchair both manual and power for long outings like when we go to Disney World.

2lyle

I too have neuropthy and a neurogenic bladder. My leg muscle on the right leg is 3"smaller than my left. Also my left foot is cocked. Nerves are nothing to mess with!
I can't feel the urine coming out and I don't feel the urine in my bladder. I go to a University Teaching Urology office. All the Doctors are students supervised by a MD. I have the same Urologist and then I get another one. So far I'm on my second DR. I know he had to work to find out why I had to pee all the time. I told him about my neuropthy and he finally figured it out. I go back to him in two weeks. Since I am holding urine so long I think I will be using a foley.

Diaperdan

The type of neuropathy i have is CIDP.

Being diagnosed with neuropathy is usually found by an EMG EEG study.
Nerve damage to the bladder is found by CMG EMG Urology test and part of this test is an urodynamic test.
In my case I was found with a flaccid bladder with sever retention I have an under active bladder.
Like you I hold way to much urine like 1200 to 1500ml. The first time I was cathed the nurse filed the first bag with 1500ml she changed bags and proceeded to fill the second one total was over 2000ml.
Finding if you have neuropathy an EMG EEG test will tell the doctor if the nerves are functioning correctly or damage.

With your back problems that alone can show symptoms of neuropathy without being neuropathy.

Most neuropathies are Peripheral Neuropathy which starts in the feet and hands and travels up usually equal on each side of the body. There is painful nerve like a red hot needel shoved in your leg and Neurontin is the pain med used the most. But here again my neuropathy started in my upper leg but I did have the pain.

Going to a Foley catheter should not be taken lightly I know I been using them for almost two years and they have their problems also and some can be very serious.