I think i've posted this before a while back, and I know i've read things similar to this .... but i just have to vent before I loose what little mind i have left ...

it began about a week ago.... it's the darned feeling like you have to keep urinating! It's not really a FULL BLADDER feeling, .. not really ..... (maybe a little) .... it's more like this feeling of CONSTANTLY having to urinate, then, when you do go, it's just tiny bit .... so i end up trying to outsmart this thing, and sit there for long periods of time, say about 20 minutes or so,...becasue it feels like I want to push something out (which i've posted about before), while at the same time, feeling this sensation of urine almost coming down the urethra again, so, I sit there and wait, and sure enough, here comes a little more .... it doesn't sting, burn, bleed, ... none of the usual UTI symptoms ... i don't have any fever either. .... now, i know you don't necessarily have to have those symptoms to have a UTI ....but I think most women do...i've had a few of them myself, and USUALLY iv'e had some burning or stinging in the urethra .... not now. NOw, this particular feeling, i've actually been through before, and it usually stops when i get my period. ..... i read about cystitis, and it does SORT OF seem like that, but not completley. Once i leave the bathroom, I make it back as far as my living room, and presto....i feel like i have to go again! This is horrible, and creates such anxiety! So, you go back to the bathroom, and here we go again,....same old thing, usually just a little comes out, but you still have that pressure feeling, like you want to push something out! This is when you feel like screaming with utter frustration!


well, i feel slightly better after getting all this out ..... i only hope i can sleep tonight, because this does not allow you to sleep! I've had to take a benedryl or xanax to even fall asleep! The funny thing is, that this afternoon, after taking the xanax, i became tired (which is normal), so I laid down to rest........but i wanted to lay on my stomach, and i noticed, that after doing that for a while, it felt better!!!! What the heck? But, i can feel it starting to creep back again tonight.

Does anyone else ever get anyting like this? Thanks ladies.

Have you been to the doc for a culture? As someone with an unruly bladder myself, it can be hard to tell the difference between and infection and irritation. I would suggest you insist they culture the sample--most primary docs are so quick to give antibiotics at the first urinary symptoms which can end up just making the problem worse. But if it is an infection, antibiotics might be a quick and easy solution...

I made the rounds of uro and gyns this spring for what I thought at first was a UTI--had to go all the time, including all night, felt raw and irritated "down there." They did urine cultures and I did have some kind of bacteria but antibiotics were not a complete fix. GYN also thought I had low estrogen which can make you more prone to urinary and bladder infections and can have all kinds of vaginal and urinary symptoms as there are so many estrogen receptors in both bladder and vagina. I am on low dose bcps and vaginal cream and my symptoms are for sure better but not perfect yet...

I know how horrible it is to be kept awake by this--I couldn't relax which makes the problem worse.

I would be interested to hear others reactions too as I think this is a too common problem for peris........

After being thrown into menopause a bit prematurely by the loss of ovarian function, I noticed the same signs you are having. More than likely, low estrogen is causing the frequency you are experiencing. I had it too and still do although it is improved by the use of estrace vaginal cream or some estriol vaginal cream. The bladder will thin and the smooth muscle tone can change if estrogen levels decline and stay low. Just my opinion, but I would rule out any other causes for the frequency and pressure you are experiencing. Also, talk to your doctor about adding some vaginal estrogen cream to see if that helps.

It sounds like interstitial cystitis hon. Very common as women get older. Usually it does not show up as an infection in cultures so antibiotics do not always help with this. I would still get the doc to have a boo and see what he/she thinks but....I get this often lately. It is very annoying!! They put my mother on Flomax for similar symptoms and it has helped immensely. However this is a controversial method as Flomax is actually for prostrate issues in men.....but they have discovered that it helps women as well. Talk to your doctor and hope you feel better soon!

I too have this and it comes and goes. Be sure and get the "all clear" from your doc with UA/Culture. I take cranberry capsules. Hang in there, Kathleent

Ditto, to that mydarling!!

I actually have no idea why......and I know it is not UTI.......comes and goes.......

Other lovelies on here have good ideas.......

Sorry, just wanted to let you know that you are not alone......

Take care,

Michah

YES YES AND YES Darling.

I had gotten rid of it for a long time I thought and as soon as I started skipping periods, wham its back with a vengance and I hate it to.

This is what I first try and avoid to help.
No Sodas
No coffee
Cut down on sugar stuff

This is what I find that helps.
I take faithfully Cranactin by Solaray helps with the flow
I make a tea from Uva ursi, cornsilk and cranberry you can find it at health food stores and what I do is put a bag of each in a nice big cup and then take out the bags because you can use them at least 2 or three times.

Drink water and I drink cranberry juice with crushed ice.

I use REPLENS then alternate with REFRESH to balance the area
I rub either Calendula ointment or Wild yam salve from moonmaid botanicals after every pee.
Now its really important to rub it up there real good, carefully but all along the walls.

Hylands sells these lovely little pellets you can google it once is called I believe vaginitis and the other bladder irratation.

I try to wear only cotton undies and loose clothing right now to not be rubbing against that area.

I sure hope this helps.

Last time I had a bout actually a few years back the docs couldnt find any UTI or serious problem then just wanted to throw an HRT cream at it and I said no way my mom and her sister died of ovarian cancer and my sister now has battled stomach cancer so it scares me to use those things.

So I am in the fight right now but seems to be getting a lil better each day, then out of the blue it wants to backtrack, grrrr.

I have called in the navy, army , airmen, and marines, LOL So I suppose its now time to call in scotland yard, LOL

Be well take care

Tinksaloon

OH WOW! thank you all for replying! Well,....it's good to know i'm not alone with this junk! See, I don't really think it's a UTI.... it just doesn't seem like it .... sure it could be..but, i don't think so. But anyway, yeah, this seems SLIGHTLY better AT THIS MOMENT, but that means nothing......bec. in a few minutes, that can change. Yes, i have noticed with me too, that once my periods started becoming irregular, skipping, etc.......there it was again! I am familiar with the teas, and the cream an all ...... ok, so, off I go to the health food store again .... hey, i'm just glad this stuff is there! I don't know which symptom is worse anymore......every one of them is so debilitating! I am sorry about your mother, and aunt and even your sister! Yes, my mother also died of ovarian cancer .... I know what you are feeling.

ok ladies............i am ticked off! Yes, I think i'll call in Scotland yard myself! ..lol .... and here's another thing...while I'm at it................ok, i've been noticing today, that my lower abdomen, say............above the hair line, kind of across almost to each hip on the side (but not really quite that far over), feels so tender, "sore", whatever....i can't think of a word that would aptly describe it ... but i notice it. I notice that when i got to bend over if i'm sitting in a chair, it feels "sore", or tender.....what the heck is that? I stood up, and kind of pressed gently in on my bladder area, ;but no pain or soreness.....so it's coming from another source.....maybe intestines? OH I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!!!!!


I'm am just glad i have this site, and all of you!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!

I experience the same feeling of having "to go" in the same manner, but not so severe. I too have had my share of UTI and I understand how miserable you are. I have found that drinking cranberry juice helps to prevent and I also just started taking supplement that is cranberry extract in pill form. I feel safe in saying that it must be doing something, for I have not felt that way for a couple of weeks now. Just make sure that doctor is doing all he or she can do. A lot of times I feel an increase in having to urinate just before starting my period, to a point that I barely make it the bathroom and yes I didn't make it either. I have to admit, that wearing a panty liner or thin pad has become my life style, which is a life saver at times, but a pain on the other hand. I feel for you, and yes others do suffer from that as well, hang in there. Keep in touch..............Belinda

So interesting to read everyone's comments. I feel so much better that I have lots of company. I would just add to mydarling that while you wait/debate going to the doctor you can buy urine test kits from the drugstore that can give you a sense if you have WBC or bacteria in your urine. I also buy those vaginal test strips too which can at least rule out symptoms being a vaginal bacteria overgrowth based on ph.


Interesting a lot of you are finding success with cranberry. If the problem is inflammation and irritation rather than bacterial, I read the cranberry's acid can irrritate the bladder? I am taking Desert Harvest aloe vera capsules which were developed for bladder inflammation. Jury is still out on whether they help.

I feel like I'm becoming an amateur urologist .

Hi,
Yes, I have the problem too - but only after intimacy (sex) . Every culture shows negative. So the GYN did a bladder culture test - guess what... the bladder was having spasms during the test. The spasm(s) is what created the urgency to run to the toilet every 1/2 hr.

Interesting huh !! So for me the solution is ...after sex, urinate immediatly (kills most bacteria right away). Take one antibiotic pill as a preventive (prescription Dr. gave me). Only have one cup of coffee instead of two or three in the a.m. - drink some cranberry juice for 2 days. And so far *fingers crossed*, it has worked well. Maybe for a day or two, the urgency is there, but then it goes away on it's own.

Also, knowing that it's spasms, not an infection has helped immensely.

Hi ladies............

once again, thank you for replying! I've taken CranActin many times, and I ran out, and stupidly didn't buy more! UGH! I just kept forgetting..lol...so, tomorrow, off i go to the health food store for more! Yes, that is a very good product, and as long as you keep taking it, it works. I also should buy some plain old cranberry juice as well.
This whole darn bladder thing is lousy! I am sitting here now, with it. It went away for a short time, but it's back.
It comes and goes. Sugar N' Spice,,,,you mentioned bladder spasms....so, how do they know that? there is a test? oh boy, I'm NOT good with things like that.....what KIND of test?!!! But, that is a good point, and actually now that you mention it, i do remember reading that once, somewhere. Yes, bladder spasms. hhhhmmmmmmmmmm.................... that could be it as well i guess. Oh boy...well if it was an infection, i'd know by NOW! I try to drink a lot of water, but that can start it up all over again, isn't that weird?! I wonder why.

well,......... I just popped a benadryl so I can even fall asleep. .... this feeling of needing to "go" is insane, and it keeps me awake! Darn......this is worse than when i was pregnant!!!!!

ok...........brain fog strikes again.......i forgot to mention, that when I take xanax, it pretty much stops .... not altogether, but to a large degree, it releives it ..... so, when you're talking spasms....then maybe that is what it is, since the xanax helps....because it would relax those muscles!

Oh MyDarling, you are a wise woman ...your putting all the pieces together. Looking for the bottom (no pun intended ) of the problem.

When my GYN checked inside to see if there was an infection, including a urine cultrure. She used a little probe, similiar to a catheter to reach the bladder...and there it is ....spasms hitting the probe. And yes, it was done in the office - wide awake - it took about 1 min. At least I understand why I have the urgency feeling.

I think it happens to alot of women going thru peri. and post . It's quite frustrating.