Has anyone ever tried...

[CoriCab]

Has anyone here ever tried overactive bladder medications? I'm 19 and I seem to have mild symptoms, mainly just urgency. My doctor suggested that I try an overactive bladder medication and heparin treatments twice a week because it would work faster than Elmiron and that it would manage my symptoms better. I was just wondering if anyone else had tried this or knew anyone that had. Thanks!
Cori

[soccermom32]

I did the heparin treatments twice a week in the beginning for months and that helped a lot.

Mid-treatment he gave me an overactive bladder medicine and it caused me to have retention and SEVERE abdominal cramping. It was AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sally939]

I like my OAB med. But it took trial and error with those. I tried 4 types and the fourth one has helped me. We are all different

[born2swim]

Hi. I am 24 and I was put on OAB meds for 4 months because my only symptom was urgency (and frequency followed). The meds not only didn't help, but they gave me retention and they dried out my eyes so badly that I developed sores under my eyelids and had to take steroid drops to heal them (I was using replacement tears, but that wasn't enough to protect my eyes). So... it is worth a shot at OAB meds because some people get help from it. I was not one of them...

Good luck!

[traceann]

I used to use Ditropan for my spasms and it worked great. Didn't personally help me with frequency though. I used to take 5mg 3x's a day, it really made a difference in how I felt!! ;)

[theclownster]

Hi there! I have used OAB meds during my entire treatment process. They have helped me tremendously. There was some trial and error to find the one I like best and the one that works the best. I currently take Ditropan XL 15 mg at night. I realized that my worst time of day was at night and even thought the Ditropan XL is an extended release form of the medication, it just seems to help me better if I take it at night. I have used all different dosages of Ditropan XL. I used it at 5mg a day, 10 mg a day, 15 mg a day, 20 mg a day and 30 mg a day. As a whole 15 mg seems to work best for me.

Also, I do not take Elmiron at all. I tried to twice, but had a bad reaction to it - it caused all my symptoms to get worse and I was completely miserable.

So, some meds work for some people, while with others they don't. Best wishes as you find the treatment that will work best for you.

Good luck and feel better soon!
Jennifer

[mary124]

For the last 17 years or so I have used different OAB meds -- but they never did help me. Earlier this year one of my doctors put me on Vesicare 5mg to take at night. The difference -- instead of getting up 5-6 times a night- I'm now getting up 1 maybe 2 times; don't really know how much during the day, but most times I feel like a "normal" person unless I'm flaring from something that I ate or drank.

[Claredale]

I tried several and known of them worked. They actually caused me more problems. Retention and definitely messes with my eyes. My aunt does have OAB and she uses the Ditripan patch and Flomax. For the most part, it really helps her.

Tracey

[CoriCab]

So the Vesicare helps you, Mary? Thats what I'm on, once a day in the morning. Its only been a few days and my doctor says it can take a few weeks to kick in, but I'm hopeful!

[mary124]

CoriCab: The difference is like day and night! Within 2 weeks I could tell the difference. I know for a few people it might take a few weeks, so, yes, give it some time, before giving up. Good luck.

[Taramc]

it was also day and night for me.

I was in my 3rd week of the infection and hadn't slept in 4 nights due to severe urethral spasms and relentless urgency. The only way to sleep at all was to cram a towel between my legs and drug myself until I passed out. This was before I got to a urologist, before I learned about diet, before everything.

My primary care doctor gave me Enablex 15mg the day he gave up on me and referred me to a urologist. The next day I was in the ER because the urologist wouldn't see me for two weeks. And as I sat there crying and begging for a urologist, I noticed something... I was starting to feel a little better!

I was able to sleep at least 4 hours at a time from then on. But I totally HATE the side effects! I have to spray 'Oasis' in my mouth before every traffic report I do or my mouth dries up and I sound like (as my coworker put it) I'm on coke! Also my hands are terribly dry and I'm constantly carrying aruond ice or lotion or whatever. Still I don't care... I sleep at night now. GOOD LUCK!

Oh and I reduced my dosage to 7.5mg/day when things calmed down a bit. I hope to get off the stuff in a few months when things calm down more.