Bladder capacity

[TinaM]

Can anyone please tell me what a normal bladder capacity is for a middle aged woman? During waking hours and then during the night? Should it be different during these two times of the day?

What are the doctors saying? Does anyone have the facts?

[ICNDonna]

Normal bladder capacity is approximately 500 cc (about a pint). Under anesthesia a normal bladder will stretch to about double that.

Donna

[TinaM]

Hi Donna
Thanks for the information. That is what I had read on the internet. I don't know why my doctor told me today on the phone that in 2006 when she did my cystoscopy, she had suspicions I had IC because a normal bladder capacity at night is 1000 cc and mine was 600cc. I have not read this anywhere. I am just shocked that she did not tell me any such thing 2 years ago when she had done the cystoscopy and now 2 years later she has said this.

[TinaM]

On my cystoscopy report she wrote

"The patient was placed in lithotomy position. She was prepped and draped in a sterile fashion. The bladder was drained and cystourethroscopy was performed. The bladder was instilled to capacity with the water at approx. 65 cm above the pubic symphysis. After the filling was complete, the cystoscope was removed and the water was left in the bladder for 5 minutes. The bladder was then drained and the capacity was noted to be 600 cc.

Findings - .......normal appearing bladder mucosa prior to the procedure and a maximum capacity under anethesia of 600 cc."


Donna, do you think maximum capacity should have been 1000cc . Is this where I am making a mistake? But she did not tell me in person that 600 cc was too small.....that it should have been 1000 cc..........and now she tells me. Maybe this is what she meant.

[ICNDonna]

Your 600 capacity under anesthesia is pretty low. I'm assuming that you had a hydrodistention. Do you have any idea what your "awake" capacity is?

Donna

[BrittanysDance]

Donna, I dont think she had a hydro. From the sounds of the report, (I just looked at my old reports) it sounds like a cysto only and that her capacity was 600. It doesnt mention pinpoint bleeding or anything in the report, so I'd say that is capacity under cysto.

600 cc under cysto is pretty large I think :). My bladder capacity is less than 225 cc (under anesthesia) and with a hydro at best is 450-500. :( I scream in pain every time they do an in-office cysto (awake, just to peek) because they cannot get more than 50 cc's of sterile solution in me before they have to get it out.

[TinaM]

My doctor has been so poor in giving me any proper information. Now that I am learning more, I try to ask her, but still her information is scattered. I did not know for 2 years that I had a low bladder capacity. The procedure done was hydrodistention, yes, we did this as a diagnostic as well as as a healing measure. Doc told me that many people get better with hydro....... I do not wish to ever let anyone touch my bladder again, as I feel it is a very invasive procedure, so I guess I will never really know anything about my bladder.

I don't have my report in front of me today, but her findings were something like this - Included diffuse petechia throughout anterior and lateral bladder. No instrinsic ......were found anywhere.......mucosa was normal throughout.

It was that one sentence "diffuse petechia....." she has now ruled me out for having IC, however, you can see that I don't have the whole story. Now only am I finding out that maybe my bladder capacity is low. So if I don't have IC, then what is making my bladder capacity low?

I am so confused. This morning I went to a dentist and before starting dental work, he asked me if I was currently seeing a doctor for anything. I told him that I am seeing doctors for frequency/urgency and also now back pain. My back pain is really coming from lumbosacral junction (I have had this since the 80's). My recent CT mentions that there is degeneration in that area. At first I didn't know where the pain was coming from, but due to the intensity of the pain, it became clear later on that it was coming from the back spine.

Right away, my dentist said, you should tell your bladder doctor that you are having back problems, it could be the nerves to the bladder...........

Now, somethings are coming to light. I can totally relate to what the dentist said. I have never felt that there is anything wrong with the inside of my bladder as I don't find any commonality of symptoms with other IC people on this board. Mine seems to be more related to the position I sleep in, or movement.......I feel that it is my nerves leading to the bladder which is a problem.

Would anyone know which kind of doctor I should be seeing? A neurologist or an orthopedic? I am seeing a primary care on May 1st and will request him to send me to a specialist. I am also planning to do yoga and lumber strengthening exercises......I am hoping the nerve leading to the bladder will heal. Oh, please pray for me.

I don't even have a diagnosis. My frequency/urgency is lessened though, much lessened........but the pain coming from the back is killing me. I feel when the pain comes, maybe my frequency increases. But it is so tricky, I don't have time to chart everyday.....everything I eat, every time I pee.......having a busy job.....it is too much to handle. I am not good at explaining my symptoms, I have the hardest time and it must be confusing to the doctors. I am probably not too tuned into my body, how silly, but it is the truth. All I know is that I go many more times at night than in the day. And I know that by drinking coconut water, I have healed my urgency part. Although I feel a need to go, I can hold it longer. But there is something really wrong somewhere......

Thanks for reading my story and thanks with all my heart for your excellent feedback.

[Agape]

Tina, when I first went to a urologist about my symptoms, I was having lots of pressure and some frequency. As time went on, I developed severe back pain and also vulvodynia. The urologist sent me to have a urodynamics test done. I don't know the exact results, but fill I have a small capacity bladder too and perhaps always have. In any case, he them recommeded me seeing a specialist in IC. I kept telling him about my back pain and when he did a pelvic exam and pressed on my bladder, it intentsified. I also saw a primary care internist and had a x-ray done to rule out any other possible causes for my back pain. I do think it was all my bladder and the IC condition since after being on Elmiron, Elavil and Ultram, it gradually went away and I have not been troubled with back pain since.
I hope you get the answers you are seeking. That will be a relief and help with the stress etc. that is one of the causes of IC.

[snowgirl]

Donna, I dont think she had a hydro. From the sounds of the report, (I just looked at my old reports) it sounds like a cysto only and that her capacity was 600. It doesnt mention pinpoint bleeding or anything in the report, so I'd say that is capacity under cysto.

600 cc under cysto is pretty large I think :). My bladder capacity is less than 225 cc (under anesthesia) and with a hydro at best is 450-500. :( I scream in pain every time they do an in-office cysto (awake, just to peek) because they cannot get more than 50 cc's of sterile solution in me before they have to get it out.

I also think 600cc under anesthesia is a good amount- good report. I am down to 175cc under anesthesia. I was never 600cc in 20 some years 500 cc yes but not more.

[LittleRed333]

My urologist told me that 800cc with a hydro distension is considered poor.....

I have small bladder capacity as well....my urologist could only stretch my bladder to 500cc when he was hoping for at least 1200cc....

He told me my bladder is quite scarred as well...

I had my hydro distension on the 14th of this month and only had about 4 good days of symptom free IC.....but now I am back to frequency and urgency and the burning along with the some back pain....

I am currently taking Sulindac and just started on Vesicare yesterday after seeing the uro.....I hope this combination of meds will help me.....

Bless, Sharon