Urinary incontinence?

Hi folks--

I've been very busy at school this semester, so although I haven't posted
much at all, I have been *lurking* on the newsgroup regularly.

My sudden hot flashes late in the summer went away as suddenly as they
arrived--I had them for about two months, and they haven't been an issue at
all since the beginning of October, I think.

However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under for
three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
for the bathroom recently. Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in time.

I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA) anyway
next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up the
appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if I
did, I'd never leave the bathroom!

Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
Kotex at the drugstore from now on?

BTW, I'm 51, and I'd say I've been at least perimenopausal (truly irregular
periods) for about the last year.

Jean in VA

"Jean S. Barto" <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in message
news:C18531CE.1D8E8%jsbarto1@cox.net...
> Hi folks--
>
> I've been very busy at school this semester, so although I haven't posted
> much at all, I have been *lurking* on the newsgroup regularly.
>
> My sudden hot flashes late in the summer went away as suddenly as they
> arrived--I had them for about two months, and they haven't been an issue
> at
> all since the beginning of October, I think.
>
> However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
> operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under
> for
> three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
> go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
> for the bathroom recently.

I had a couple of years in peri of the "I have to go & I have to go right
*now*!" deal. I never got to the dribbling bit, but I had to go fairly
often, besides immediately. At one point I was getting up 5x per night to
pee. It eventually went away on its own - as spontaneously as it had
appeared. Then it would reappear now & again in peri for shorter durations,
but in post-meno this lovely (ha!) feature has disappeared for me.

I remember reading about this having to go _right now_ deal here on asm
several years ago - others had also experienced it. So... good luck! It
may - like many/most other peri symptoms - go away all on its own.

Cathy



Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
> drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
> some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
> house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in
> time.
>
> I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA)
> anyway
> next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up
> the
> appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
> don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
> and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if
> I
> did, I'd never leave the bathroom!
>
> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?
>
> BTW, I'm 51, and I'd say I've been at least perimenopausal (truly
> irregular
> periods) for about the last year.
>
> Jean in VA
>
>
>
>

Jean S. Barto wrote:

> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?

Have you tried doing Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic
floor muscles? Here's a link:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003975.htm

FurPaw

--
Better dead than Red.

To reply, unleash the dog.

In article <C18531CE.1D8E8%jsbarto1@cox.net>,
"Jean S. Barto" <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote:

> Hi folks--
>
> I've been very busy at school this semester, so although I haven't posted
> much at all, I have been *lurking* on the newsgroup regularly.
>
> My sudden hot flashes late in the summer went away as suddenly as they
> arrived--I had them for about two months, and they haven't been an issue at
> all since the beginning of October, I think.
>
> However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
> operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under for
> three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
> go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
> for the bathroom recently. Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
> drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
> some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
> house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in time.
>
> I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA) anyway
> next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up the
> appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
> don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
> and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if I
> did, I'd never leave the bathroom!
>
> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?

Do you do your kegels?

Priscilla

Jean S. Barto <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote:

> However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
> operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under for
> three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
> go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
> for the bathroom recently. Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
> drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
> some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
> house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in time.

Stress incontinence. You may want to consider a different type of
exercise or just making sure you pee before you run. (You're a candidate
for the recent claim that vigorously rubbing the back of your calf will
dampen the urge to urinate long enough to get to the bathroom.)

As for cause, it could also just be that time of life, but even so, it
isn't necessarily a permanent thing. Many women report that after
they're done with the hormonal yo-yo of menopause, they become continent
again.

> I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA) anyway
> next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up the
> appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
> don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
> and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if I
> did, I'd never leave the bathroom!

No rush, but certainly something to bring up when you see the NP. Ask
about kegel exercises.

> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?

You could do that as a temporary measure, but I'd try to do something to
prevent needing Depends. You do not want to become dependent upon
diapers farther down the line. Thrush, rashes, UTIs, not being able to
wear what you want, embarrassed about leaking or smelling. No, you don't
want that.

Others have mentioned kegel exercises. Good advice.

--
Keera in Norway * Think big. Shrink to fit.
http://home.online.no/~kafox/

Jean S. Barto wrote:

> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?

[sigh.] I know this will *not* be a popular solution, but the
incontinence thing really affects me sometimes. Really, really, really
.... and there's not a whole lot in life that's more embarrassing. When
it does start up, I start taking soy-based estrogen tablets [like
Estroven] .... 1 a day, which is not the full package-recommended dose,
until things get better, and they do get better]. Then Iay off them
until the incontinence thing creeps up on me again, which is sometimes
a matter of months. This *works* for me. I can handle all the other
peri-related crap, but this one thing is just so freaking embarrassing
that I'm willing to risk the additional estrogen.
For what it's worth, when my Irish setter Bridget went entirely
incontinent years and years ago, a vet saved her life [because I was
seriously considering putting her down] by recommending a combination
of estrogen and OTC diet pills [phenylproponolomine], and she didn't
have that problem again for the rest of her long life. Other vets had
told me she was senile or just too old. This vet told me that this was
a common problem among spayed bitches because the lack of estrogen in
their systems made their urinary system lose "tone".
Jerri

<Jerri.LaPoint@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1163952698.117351.273280@m73g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com...
> Jean S. Barto wrote:
>
>> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
>> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?
>
> [sigh.] I know this will *not* be a popular solution, but the
> incontinence thing really affects me sometimes. Really, really, really
> ... and there's not a whole lot in life that's more embarrassing. When
> it does start up, I start taking soy-based estrogen tablets [like
> Estroven] .... 1 a day, which is not the full package-recommended dose,
> until things get better, and they do get better]. Then Iay off them
> until the incontinence thing creeps up on me again, which is sometimes
> a matter of months. This *works* for me. I can handle all the other
> peri-related crap, but this one thing is just so freaking embarrassing
> that I'm willing to risk the additional estrogen.
> For what it's worth, when my Irish setter Bridget went entirely
> incontinent years and years ago, a vet saved her life [because I was
> seriously considering putting her down] by recommending a combination
> of estrogen and OTC diet pills [phenylproponolomine], and she didn't
> have that problem again for the rest of her long life. Other vets had
> told me she was senile or just too old. This vet told me that this was
> a common problem among spayed bitches because the lack of estrogen in
> their systems made their urinary system lose "tone".
> Jerri



All these answers tell me there's a *really* strong link between the
continence thing and the hormone thing, so i may be wrong about this....

...but when jean said:

"However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had
since an operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve
damage and was under for three hours) is really becoming troublesome."

....I couldn't help but think this sudden onset after a surgical procedure
sounds *to me* like they tore the sphincter muscle during catheterization,
and a tiny microsurgery stitch is called for.

But i'm no expert!


--
pax
ruth


--
Save trees AND money! Buy used books!
http://stores.ebay.com/Noir-and-More-Books-and-Trains
(remove fspam to reply)

When I was 30 I had dribbling when I coughed. It seems when I had my last
child (of 3) at the age of 24 , he came down the canal to fast and did some
damage(he was born in an hour from the very first twinge) Anyways...my
urethra was hanging in my vaginal canal...so they did surgery to repair my
vaginal ceiling and to put the urethra back where it was supposed to
be...stopped the dribbles. However since you are peri-menopause it may be a
hormone thingy that is causing it. It is a good thing you are going to the
Dr about this. I think you can wait for your appointment...unless you start
feeling like you might be getting a UTI. Pads are a good thing for the
dribbles
"Jean S. Barto" <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in message
news:C18531CE.1D8E8%jsbarto1@cox.net...
> Hi folks--
>
> I've been very busy at school this semester, so although I haven't posted
> much at all, I have been *lurking* on the newsgroup regularly.
>
> My sudden hot flashes late in the summer went away as suddenly as they
> arrived--I had them for about two months, and they haven't been an issue
> at
> all since the beginning of October, I think.
>
> However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
> operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under
> for
> three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
> go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
> for the bathroom recently. Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
> drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
> some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
> house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in
> time.
>
> I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA)
> anyway
> next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up
> the
> appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
> don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
> and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if
> I
> did, I'd never leave the bathroom!
>
> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?
>
> BTW, I'm 51, and I'd say I've been at least perimenopausal (truly
> irregular
> periods) for about the last year.
>
> Jean in VA
>
>
>
>

Thanks for all the posts about this. Hopefully it's nothing really serious,
but I don't know how I'll ever have time to have surgery for it, if that's
needed. I've never had children, so maybe my pelvic floor muscles are
simply losing their tone due to the hormonal shift. A tear to my urinary
sphincter muscle is also plausible, since I know I had a catheter inserted
during and after my elbow surgery back three years ago.

I'm very glad I have six days off for Thanksgiving break--no classes till
next Monday--but, of course, I have plenty of schoolwork to do--two school
tests, and a Biology GRE that I'm not ready for, the week after Turkey Day.
My Gyn appointment isn't until December 20th, so unless something more
pressing comes up between now and then, I'll wait till the appointment to
mention the incontinence issues.

Jean in VA


On 11/20/06 12:37 AM, in article
Iab8h.1055$sf5.954@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.ne t, "jacquie"
<happikat@nospam.net> wrote:

> When I was 30 I had dribbling when I coughed. It seems when I had my last
> child (of 3) at the age of 24 , he came down the canal to fast and did some
> damage(he was born in an hour from the very first twinge) Anyways...my
> urethra was hanging in my vaginal canal...so they did surgery to repair my
> vaginal ceiling and to put the urethra back where it was supposed to
> be...stopped the dribbles. However since you are peri-menopause it may be a
> hormone thingy that is causing it. It is a good thing you are going to the
> Dr about this. I think you can wait for your appointment...unless you start
> feeling like you might be getting a UTI. Pads are a good thing for the
> dribbles
> "Jean S. Barto" <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:C18531CE.1D8E8%jsbarto1@cox.net...
>> Hi folks--
>>
>> I've been very busy at school this semester, so although I haven't posted
>> much at all, I have been *lurking* on the newsgroup regularly.
>>
>> My sudden hot flashes late in the summer went away as suddenly as they
>> arrived--I had them for about two months, and they haven't been an issue
>> at
>> all since the beginning of October, I think.
>>
>> However, I've found that the minor urinary incontinence I've had since an
>> operation three years ago (dislocated elbow w/nerve damage and was under
>> for
>> three hours) is really becoming troublesome. When I have to go, I have to
>> go "now," and I've dribbled myself a number of times when I've had to bolt
>> for the bathroom recently. Drinking less fluid is not an option--I don't
>> drink enough as it is, and I also run three times a week--and, of course,
>> some of these "dribble episodes" occur after my runs--I'm bolting into the
>> house, leaving the front door open, and barely make it to the potty in
>> time.
>>
>> I'm seeing the OBGYN (actually, a nurse practitioner at my local VA)
>> anyway
>> next month for a regular checkup, but is this something I should move up
>> the
>> appointment for? I have a tendency to get UTI's from time to time, but I
>> don't have one now. I take cranberry pills daily to keep my urine acidic,
>> and try to drink enough fluids. That said, I still don't drink enough--if
>> I
>> did, I'd never leave the bathroom!
>>
>> Any suggestions, folks? Or, will I simply be buying Depends instead of
>> Kotex at the drugstore from now on?
>>
>> BTW, I'm 51, and I'd say I've been at least perimenopausal (truly
>> irregular
>> periods) for about the last year.
>>
>> Jean in VA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>