Re: bladder sling?

[Guest guest]

Lynn,

Is there any chance that cathing at timed intervals could alleviate the

incontinence you have now? Maybe that extra " umph " of emptying would help.

(and avoid surgery).

I think another option you could discuss with your MD is putting in putting

in an ostomy through your navel to cath through (the name of the procedure

escapes me now). If she thinks it is highly likely that you will be unable

to void on your own after surgery, then you may want to look into it. The

ostomy will decrease your risk of infection and they can close the other end

so you don't leak. Just a thought if your MD thinks the liklihood is high

you would have to cath anyway. Swapping one surgery for another, this one

decreases risk of infection later with cathing, Makes it a snap to cath

ifyou lose function. Just a thought.

I haven't had a sling, so I can't comment on that. But as far as cathing, I

cath full time. I couldn't pee on my own if I wanted to (unless I let my

bladder fill way too much, eventually it will stop and release what's in it

when it gets too full and can't hold anymore). But I would rather cath and

be continent than not cath and deal with incontienence. As far as dating

goes, unless I have a rather astute date or someone that is used to being

around para's, most think para's pee on their own anyway. I just excuse

myself to the restroom cath and return. No one knows how I go unless I

share it with them. Incontinence can be a problem - who wants a date with

wet drawers or a diaper (their impression). But, if that is their

impression or level of maturity, then you don't want them. Dealing with the

issues of TCS are lifelong. If they fix your incontinence now, there is no

way to know you won't have problems later. I think the right guy/girl is

out there who can deal with medical issues, its just matter of finding

them.

I wish you all the best.

Jenn

>

> My urologist is wanting to do a bladder sling on me to help with

> incontinence. We tried collagen injections and that worked like a

> miracle for 1 week and then slowly went right back to the way it was

> before. I am quite active and I play volleyball 2 nights a week. I am

> also a single mom newly back in the dating scene. I find dating with

> bladder control problems to be a major issue for me. Has anyone had

> success with collagen? And/or has anyone had this sling done? I have

> not heard much mentioned on this list about what works for bladder

> issues other than self cath. Right now I do not cath, but the urologist

> said that there is a good chance if she does the sling and it stops the

> leakage, I may have to cath because I may loose the ability to go on my

> own. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

>

> Lynn

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Lyn

The sling has been suggested to me also - I have an appt. next week with a new

uro and will tell more after.

However, I did want to let you know that the year before I was diagnosed with

Lipomeningocele, I had bladder surgery due to incontinence (I was 34). They

didn't do a sling, instead the pulled it up, and pulled it up further than the

normal person has for their bladder position (they cut the muscle and reattach).

After this surgery, while I didn't start self-cathing, I should have. I could

not empty my bladder and for nine months, the only thing I was able to do was

empty the over-flow. It was a horrible time for me. Once I started

self-cathing though, I finally felt relief - it's horrible to not be able to

empty your bladder and have only over-flow come out.

Because the nerves to my bladder weren't working correctly and my bladder was

lower than it should have been, for years I experienced incontinence. Because

they assumed my incontinence had absolutely no nerve problem involvement, I

wasn't warned that once the brought the bladder " up " with the tuck, that my

bladder may not work.

However, even though my bladder is now prolapsed again, I would take cathing

over incontinence anyday and plan to have a bladder sling done next summer so

the incontinence will stop again (over-flow incontinence).

Kathy

bladder sling?

My urologist is wanting to do a bladder sling on me to help with

incontinence. We tried collagen injections and that worked like a

miracle for 1 week and then slowly went right back to the way it was

before. I am quite active and I play volleyball 2 nights a week. I am

also a single mom newly back in the dating scene. I find dating with

bladder control problems to be a major issue for me. Has anyone had

success with collagen? And/or has anyone had this sling done? I have

not heard much mentioned on this list about what works for bladder

issues other than self cath. Right now I do not cath, but the urologist

said that there is a good chance if she does the sling and it stops the

leakage, I may have to cath because I may loose the ability to go on my

own. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Lynn

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

I have a dumb question. What is over-flow incontinence? I thought

over-flow incontinence was when you couldn't go and then once your bladder

got full to the point it can't hold anymore, it released whatever amount it

felt (usually quite a bit, but not emptying the bladder completely, leaving

maybe 100-150cc residual. Like half the amount of a normal persons full

bladder. But when you are having overflow incontinence - or what I think of

as overflow incontinence - your " full " volumes are far larger than what is

healthy or normal). I guess what confused me is that if you are cathing,

how are you getting overflow incontinence? The only time I get overflow

incontinence is when I get really lazy or wait way too long and by then I

pretty much know what is going to happen, it is just a matter of when the

dam is going to break and release. It always does unless I get to the

bathroom. But its nothing I don't know is going to happen. I may not be

able to predict it exactly, but pretty close. But like I said, with the

cathing, the only time it happens is when I don't do it. Am I calling

overflow incontinence something different from you? I guess that is why I

am confused how overflow incontinence could happen with someone who caths

unless they don't do it and let their bladder fill and fill and fill (not

that I haven't been guilty of it a few times myself -- thinking, " oh, I can

hold on just a few more minutes while I do x. " and I don't finish x before I

realize that oh oh oh -- I " m not going to make it, better get to the ba ---

and by then its too late. I don't let things go that far when I'm out. only

at home and lazy and doing something). Anyway, maybe we are just calling it

by different words or maybe I am thinking the same thing as you but just

can't picture how a cath-er could have the problem.

I'll quit babbling now and wait for you to explain to me. I hope you're

having a good weekend.

Jenn

>

>

>

> However, even though my bladder is now prolapsed again, I would take

> cathing over incontinence anyday and plan to have a bladder sling done next

> summer so the incontinence will stop again (over-flow incontinence).

>

> Kathy

>

>