how is pfd diagnosed

[moemullah]

hello all. how is this condition diagnose. is it pelvic exam or osme sort of urinary retention.

[allmart]

I was just diagnosed officially a week ago with PFD when I went to see a new uro and his nurse practitioner. I had mentioned it to my prior uro and he blew me off. I have retention problems, when they cathed me for my potassium test, I had just peed in the lobby bathroom and I drained another 100+cc's of urine. Then, when I went to my old uro thinking I was either mid hell flare or had an infection, they cathed me for my urine sample because they didn't feel my sample was good enough. I had barely been able to squeeze out enough to test and then I overflowed one of the sample cups and she estimated at least 150 cc's of urine drained that time. I have a history of having problems starting my urine flow and having to force that and BM's. The nurse practitioner who diagnosed my PFD only did a minor exam on me. She placed her fingers on my urethra and checked for pain, etc and felt for tenderness in different areas down there. Then she made me cough while she examined me vaginally. Next, she made me do a kegel exercise and hold it as long as I could while her fingers were still inserted. She then prescibed physical therapy for PFD with a therapist who specializes in it. I start therapy on Tuesday.

[allmart]

I forgot to mention, they also use the urodynamics test for the diagnosis, but mine isn't scheduled until Feb 27th.

[heelsguy]

I did Urodynamics also....though I was not diagnosed with PFD per se, a year later I am doing PFD Therapy because my Urologist believes it will help loosen muscles that are tight. I function in terms of parts working correctly, but still have urgency fairly soon after urinating. The therapy seems to be helping me, though I have only had 4 sessions. The Urodynamics test is an odd one I must say. Good luck.

[allmart]

I just wanted to give you all an update since I just returned from my first session of PFD physical therapy. The therapist told me that my pelvic floor is a mess. She pushed on various points of my body while I was standing up, then had me lay down with a pillow under the knees. During the internal exam, she pressed in different places looking for trigger points. She said I had a LOT of trigger points. Then she had me squeeze and release a number of times to see how much I could relax into the perineal area. Apparently I never fully relax and she thinks this is where the majority of my pain is coming from. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions you would like to ask privately. I'm past all modesty and very open, so don't be embarassed to ask anything.