January 19, 2018
Amy’s Story with Overactive Bladder
What would it be like to live with overactive bladder? What is it like to wake up 5-6 times per night? To plan your bathroom breaks as a part of your daily routine?
Women like Amy have to deal with these issues every single day. The question, “Can’t you just hold it?” becomes routine. Amy had very little control over her bladder due to MS (Multiple Sclerosis). It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Amy to only drink a few ounces of water a day for fear of losing control over her bladder. She was becoming used to running to the nearest bathroom, planning in bathroom breaks on car trips and situating herself closest to the bathroom on an airplane. Amy had a family to take care of yet she felt she couldn’t even fully care for herself.
Exhausted from interrupted sleep, dehydrated and tired of being a prisoner to her bladder. Amy heard of a new treatment involving Botox injections in her bladder. Amy had hope for the first time in over 3 years of fighting this condition. To learn more about Amy’s story watch her “before treatment” video here:
Amy joked that she would ask for a new bladder for Christmas each year. Finally, after this procedure she felt like her wishes had been answered. Amy wanted to help others dealing with this condition so she bravely shared her post treatment story:
[3 weeks after the procedure] “I would sleep all night, get up have coffee, send the kids off to school and still hadn’t used the restroom. That is unheard of.”
If you are suffering like Amy and countless others because of an over active bladder or another health condition give us a call at Urology Associates to see how we can help. Take it from Amy, “This is a game changer, it really is.”
Signs and Symptoms
If you have MS or just have a weak bladder here are some symptoms to look out for:
- Little control over the release of urine (incontinence)
- Unexpected urgent need to go (urgency)
- The need to go very frequently (frequency)
- Trouble starting and maintaining consistent flow (hesitancy)
These signs should not go untreated. Maintaining healthy bladder function contributes to healthy kidneys, decreased chance of infections, and overall quality of life. Talk with one of our physicians at Urology Associates to see what treatment would be most effective in giving you back control of your bladder. We are here to help.
Request an appointment or give us a call at 573-499-4990
References:
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Bladder Problems
Cleveland Clinic. Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)