Rosara
04-24-2004, 09:52 AM
I'm a 17 year old female, and for as long as I can remember I've had problems with my bladder. I've never been diagnosed with anything, or even spoken to an M.D. about it, but I can't seem to escape the problems I have with it.
First of all, I always have to go to the bathroom. I saw a commercial last night telling me that urinating more than 8 times within 24 hours is abnormal, and I couldn't believe it because there are days were I sometimes have to go to the bathroom more and 8 times in just one hour! It interferes with every aspect of my life, including sleep- some nights I have to get up every five or ten minutes to use the bathroom- school, social activities, and pretty much everything I do. I can barely even manage to spend time with friends, because I usually wind up spending more time in the bathroom than anything else.
When I get the urge to go, it's usually extremely painful. It feels like all of the muscles in my abdomen are clenching themselves into a ball, and it always burns. Going to the bathroom is painful, too, and sometimes it's even difficult to actually go. Sometimes I have to sit there for several minutes before anything will come out, and the whole time my stomach and all of the other parts involved with urinating are in excruciating pain. And every time I have to go it's an "emergency." Having to hold it in hurts so bad that it almost makes me cry.
I drink a lot of liquids, and I used to think that was the problem, so I tried going a few days without drinking anything but a little water every few hours, but I still had to go to the bathroom just as much and it still kept me up all night.
I've tried talking to my mother about it, but she always says I'm just "nervous" or that I "drink too much caffeine." I've tried to make it clear to her that the troubles this causes me extends beyond that, but she doesn't seem very open to the idea that I might have a problem.
I don't know if I just have an overactive bladder, or if this is just the way I am. Sometimes it seems like I almost talk myself into having to go to the bathroom. In the moments that I actually don't have to, all I do is anticipate the next time I'll get the urge to go, so maybe I'm just brining it on myself.
I'm not sure how to get help for it, or how to change it, but I know that I can't live a normal life like this and that my life shouldn't have to revolve around the next time I have to go to the bathroom. I just don't know what to do. :(
First of all, I always have to go to the bathroom. I saw a commercial last night telling me that urinating more than 8 times within 24 hours is abnormal, and I couldn't believe it because there are days were I sometimes have to go to the bathroom more and 8 times in just one hour! It interferes with every aspect of my life, including sleep- some nights I have to get up every five or ten minutes to use the bathroom- school, social activities, and pretty much everything I do. I can barely even manage to spend time with friends, because I usually wind up spending more time in the bathroom than anything else.
When I get the urge to go, it's usually extremely painful. It feels like all of the muscles in my abdomen are clenching themselves into a ball, and it always burns. Going to the bathroom is painful, too, and sometimes it's even difficult to actually go. Sometimes I have to sit there for several minutes before anything will come out, and the whole time my stomach and all of the other parts involved with urinating are in excruciating pain. And every time I have to go it's an "emergency." Having to hold it in hurts so bad that it almost makes me cry.
I drink a lot of liquids, and I used to think that was the problem, so I tried going a few days without drinking anything but a little water every few hours, but I still had to go to the bathroom just as much and it still kept me up all night.
I've tried talking to my mother about it, but she always says I'm just "nervous" or that I "drink too much caffeine." I've tried to make it clear to her that the troubles this causes me extends beyond that, but she doesn't seem very open to the idea that I might have a problem.
I don't know if I just have an overactive bladder, or if this is just the way I am. Sometimes it seems like I almost talk myself into having to go to the bathroom. In the moments that I actually don't have to, all I do is anticipate the next time I'll get the urge to go, so maybe I'm just brining it on myself.
I'm not sure how to get help for it, or how to change it, but I know that I can't live a normal life like this and that my life shouldn't have to revolve around the next time I have to go to the bathroom. I just don't know what to do. :(