Which meant that the weekend of my 40th birthday (which was lovely, thanks), I had to fill in another VOIDING CHART.
It was no biggie really - the nurse told me previously that it was more as a guide to frequency, rather than setting a gold standard for accuracy.
Nurse - You've basically got three options now. One: you can keep doing what you're doing now, trying to go a little bit longer when the initial urge hits, in order to try and make the volumes increase when you do 'go'.
Stevedomino - OK. So that's the 'less easy' option...
Nurse - Two: there are drugs which you can take that can support the bladder retraining process. I know you're taking Oxybutynin...
Stevedomino - Actually I stopped taking that a few months ago. One day I just forgot and I decided to keep going. Anyway, with my Rebif and Gabapentin, I tend to think that I take enough drugs. So if I can avoid taking MORE that might be best.
Nurse - OK, well that's fine. There is a third option. Have you ever heard of a TENS machine?
Stevedomino - Oh yeah, my wife had one for use during the early stages of labour.
(As an aside, I remember thinking at the time that a machine which gave me short bursts of electricity was some kind of IDEA OF HELL - I have enough trouble with pins and needles and spasms. But anyway...)
Nurse - So you know what they are and this works in just the same way. You have to use it for so many minutes a day, ideally for a period each day. And in collaboration with all the other things you're doing, it can have a positive effect on bladder control...
Stevedomino - Well, that sounds pretty interesting...
Nurse - However, you can't wear the machine in the same way your wife did. Because it needs to affect you bladder, the electrical current is transmitted via a large probe which you insert into your back passage...
[epically-long pause]
Stevedomino - Oh... So tell me about the first option again?
Actually, Steve has been thinking and he would like to try the anal probe... no, he can't get to the phone right now... no, just send it for my attention...
I hope my rampant oversharing has spread a little sunshine in your day too!
Posts
I hesitate to post this, but want to help - guess you have the option of deleting. Frequency is common in MS and can be caused by retention (not completely emptying). There's a simple test to find out if retention is the problem. It can be managed by self-cathing, which might sound overwhelming to consider; but once adapted to it, is much less invasive than 100 trips to the bathroom. I had a lot of anxiety when it became necessary for me to do this, but it has given me a great deal of control and freedom.
ReplyDeletehey - thanks a lot for the very helpful comment!
ReplyDeletei am little bit squeamish about this but if it helps... at the moment i am managing it and it's not too invasive (although family members might disagree).
it's certainly something to keep in mind - i'm glad that it's helping you!
this is increasingly an issue for me, actually. I'm not at the point where I want to do anything like this, and I'm not sure anyone would really notice the difference to my normal routine, but I know something is changing and it's just starting to play on my mind.
ReplyDeleteSelf-cath-ing sounds horrenous though!
I've already worn a path between my cube and the bathroom at work, and I've been there less than a month. It's exasperating.
ReplyDeleteI read your conversation out loud to my husband; we both had a good laugh. Thanks for oversharing!
anytime my dear, anytime!
ReplyDelete