retention

[babydkj]

I had a cysto/hydro a month ago. I don't have pain, just urgency and frequency. But since the cystoscopy I've also been retaining urine and I really have to "push" to get it out. At the same time I have the urgency though, so I can't get comfortable. This is worse than just the urgency/frequency. At least then I could pee easily enough and "buy" myself 10-15 minutes of relief (enough time for me to fall asleep). Has anyone else had this problem of retention? Was it brought on by the cystoscopy? Did it go away?

Totally unrelated: I started Elavil last night. I posted about that on the antidepressant message board.

[Tweety69]

Hi :)

Retention after a hydrodistension appears to be a very common problem. I had this procedure in May of this year and experienced this 'new' problem along with severe pain for some weeks afterwards. Even now, my flow rate can be very slow, and I feel that I need to strain a little to pass urine at times. This can be very uncomfortable when you have a full/irritated bladder and you just want to pass water quickly. There are a number of posts in this forum relating to this problem along with helpful suggestions and advice form other sufferers on how to relieve this.

You also say that you've just started taking elavil. I'd just like to advise you that this drug can also cause urinary retention problems for some. My GP refused to prescribe it to me immediately after the hydro, when my problems were bad. I have now been taking elavil for about 6 weeks and I think the combination of both treatments is helping me a little. Since you have just started this drug, there is unlikely to be any marked effect at this stage of treatment, but please be aware that this could cause you additional retention problems. You should speak to your doctor for advice if you have any concerns about this.

Take care, Tweety :bunny:

[ICNDonna]

Straining can make a retention problem worse. There are medications that can help relax those muscles so you can urinate more easily --- I definitely think you should check with your doctor. And please --- don't strain. It could be that straining is what has made the problem last so long. It's not unusual to have difficulty urinating after a hydrodistention, but the problem usually goes away within a few days.

Donna

[mags]

I had a cysto/hydro a month ago. I don't have pain, just urgency and frequency. But since the cystoscopy I've also been retaining urine and I really have to "push" to get it out. At the same time I have the urgency though, so I can't get comfortable. This is worse than just the urgency/frequency. At least then I could pee easily enough and "buy" myself 10-15 minutes of relief (enough time for me to fall asleep). Has anyone else had this problem of retention? Was it brought on by the cystoscopy? Did it go away?

Totally unrelated: I started Elavil last night. I posted about that on the antidepressant message board.


Actually, Elavil caused me to retain urine. I started at 25 mg, but i am going to go down to 10mg and try that. It may not be the elavil that did that to you, but you might pay attention when you take it, because that's what did it to me.

[tigger_gal]

(((hugs)) I know how you feel retention is horrible, there were so many meds that made me retain.. detrol, detrol la, ditropan, and ditropan xl.. and several more...
after a hydro you can retain, I did.. hope you find relief and soon.
BRat

[babydkj]

well it can't be the elavil, because i've been retaining since my hydro a month ago and i just started elavil less than 48 hours ago, but i will keep in mind that elavil might end up causing the same problem for me.

about the straining...okay, i should probably be more clear, i won't have health insurance for the next couple months, so talking to my doctor about this isn't an option because of the insurance situation. so that leaves me with the ICN board. anyway, i know you're saying don't strain, but if i don't strain then i can't pee and i'm too uncomfortable to do anything else when this is the situation, and i'm starting my new job on monday.

how do people go to all of these dr appointments during the day and still work a day job? it's the worst irony here: we have to work full time in order to have access to affordable health care, but if we really need all that health care, how can we possibly work full time? this is a serious question. what do people do (besides marrying someone with good health care)?

[patricia1]

babydkj some people have had problems with retention after doing the cysto. And I know you said you dont have health insurance, I was in the same place until I got my Medicare from SSD. But could you call the dr on the phone who did the cysto and ask him about the retention and see if he cant call you some medicine in to help relax your bladder. Maybe a muscle relaxant or something. And I also know that you said straining is the only way that you can go, but it really is not good for you to do that. It can make things alot worse for you in the long run. I am sorry I hope you find answers soon.

[mags]

Patricia is right straining does make things worse. I speak from experience.

[Cheries]

I can definately relate to your problem. I resorted to straining for a few years and have ended up with pelvic floor muscle dysfuntion. Not sure if it is entirely related but I think so. Here is a trick that has helped me. (Not sure if anyone else has to do this or not...but here goes :) When I developed this same problem I found that when I would stand up after going I still felt like I had to urinate, so I figured...why not just stand up to begin with? This seems to help me when I am feeling retention. Sometimes I have to try different positions to get comfortable. I have even had to pee in a cup! There is actually a funny story with this one as I came out of a public restroom one time in a state of major retention (after a huge coke before I knew what I had) and asked my husband to get me a "cup!" He had no idea what I meant, and being from another country thought I said, "Get me a cop!" Now, that would have been funny! Yes, your officer...just having a little peeing difficulty :) Fortunately we figured out the miscommunication in time!

[~*~Christine~*~]

You've already gotten some great advice so I'll just add my 2 cents :)

I have the same problem, but it didn't come from any cystoscopy. At night, I agree, it's hard to go to sleep since as soon as I'm about to doze off I feel uncomfortable and need to pee again.
I find the best way to relieve retention is to massage the urethra, while sitting on the toilet, and than try to pee. You might get some pee on your fingers/hands but it does help
If that fails you can go to a health care center and get catherters to drain out the urin

Another thing I'll add is that a lot of times the bladder is just really flared so it feels like you got to go but there is really nothing there, that's the most irritaing feeling :cussing: