Urinary retention problems solution (aka 'can't pee') - long

[Guest guest]

I haven't seen this problem posted a lot on this board, but I wanted

to let people know what I've found.

I have a 10cm and two 5cm fibroids. I found out in August and decided

to 'wait and see' and also take vitamins and herbs to see what I could

do. My symptoms (reason I went to see the doctor) were urinary

retention (if I waited too long to pee, I couldn't go at all or had to

push really hard to go) and long and painful periods. Menstrual

cramps were pretty bad the first day of my period and my period went

from 5 days long (a few years ago) to 10+ days with the first two days

having me at home with changing a super tampon AND a maxi pad every

1-2 hours. It was ridiculous! Unfortunately for me I thought the

periods were just a result of having had 2 children in the last few

years, what actually sent me to the doctor was this inability to

urinate in the morning and sometimes even at night.

I started taking a multi-vitamin and mineral pill (Women's Choice)

with herbs (vitex) that had large levels of vitamin B Complex and also

Magnesium/Calcium/Zinc, all of which I'd read were good for menstrual

problems. I also took Milk Thistle (helps repair the liver) and EPO

(evening primrose oil) which were both recommended to me. About 2

months later my periods were (still are) normal again 3-5 days long

and no cramps. So that part is somewhat solved. I also started

exercising every day. I've felt pretty good over all.

As for the urination problems, that has not gone away and has actually

gotten worse. I've tried the obvious things, not drinking anything

after 7pm, getting up every 2-3 hours to pee so that my bladder didn't

get too full (in fact until recently I had to set my alarm every hour

to get up), and just sitting and waiting (I have waited up to 2 hours

at times, average was 20-30 minutes). Just after Thanksgiving I ended

up in the ER being catheterized after 18 hours of not being able to

pee. It was extremely painful, I was awake all night trying the night

before (did the warm baths, exercise, even stood on my head and did

Yoga) but nothing worked. I spent 3 hours in the ER (mostly in the

restroom hoping at some point I'd just go). The second time I went to

the ER was just a few weeks ago. It was 4am and I was in pain, so off

I went. The next day I saw my doctor(s) - three of them - and got

self-catheter kits. I thought this would solve the problem, at least

I didn't have to fear ER visits. I have had to use them a couple of

times, it is not fun, it hurts, but it's better than the ER.

My solution now works well and I wanted to share it. I found an

article on the internet about a woman with fibroids and urinary

retention, it showed a picture of her fibroids and a diagram of where

they were pushing on the bladder and cervix. It showed how the cervix

was actually what was blocking the ureter when the bladder got

large/full. My thought was that since my biggest problems were during

ovulation (when the cervix drops), that that was probably what was

happening with me. So the next time I had the problem, I reached in

and pushed my cervix up myself and had no problems peeing. Since

then I have been doing this every time I had a problem starting to

urinate, I just push the cervix back up and go no problem. I also now

sleep all night long and get up in the morning without fear of an ER

visit. On the few mornings when I just can't reach high enough to get

the cervix I've used a tampon to push it up out of the way and that

works fine also.

It's a great solution for me, so I thought I'd share.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristan,

I too reach in and push my cervix back....sometimes I have to keep it

pressed in while I pee...peeing on my fingers but beats going to the

ER. When I told the doctor I figured out what to do..he laughed and

said a lot of women would have ended up in the ER. I have been taking

the Vitex for 18 months now....and I don't have that problem

anymore...at all...have no problems peeing for almost a year now.

Lettie

[Guest guest]

Please (ok pretty please)....post the link you're referring to.

Thanks!

>I found an article on the internet about a woman with fibroids and urinary

> retention, it showed a picture of her fibroids and a diagram of

>where they were pushing on the bladder and cervix. It showed how the

>cervix was actually what was blocking the ureter when the bladder got

>large/full.

[Guest guest]

No problem, the picture is here:

http://www.jultrasoundmed.org/cgi/content/full/21/10/1165/F2

The site doesn't say a whole lot (mostly medical stuff) about how and

why, but when I saw the picture it made sense to be because it only

happens to me when I ovulate or just before my period. At least I can

sleep all night now, that is a HUGE relief!

a (Ohio)

> Please (ok pretty please)....post the link you're referring to.