bladder control issues?

[Mobee211]

For a few years now I have had the urge to pee very, very often. Even if it is a little bit, I still feel I really really need to go. I get up 3-5 times per night to pee. When I sneeze or cough, even if my bladder is not totally full, I leak a bit. The surgeon asked me if I had bladder control problems and I said yes.

can this be related to scoliosis?

[txmarinemom]

For a few years now I have had the urge to pee very, very often. Even if it is a little bit, I still feel I really really need to go. I get up 3-5 times per night to pee. When I sneeze or cough, even if my bladder is not totally full, I leak a bit. The surgeon asked me if I had bladder control problems and I said yes.

can this be related to scoliosis?

Mobee, I'm just guessing here, but with such a small lumbar curve I'd say it's probably not related.

I'm up at least once a night, but then again, I drink TONS of water during the day - LOL. The leaking when you cough or sneeze is more concerning than the fact you're up several times at night. Have you been examined for any type of prolapse? If I remember correctly, you haven't had kids. The type of incontinence you're describing can often be caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles ... and if you DO plan to have kids, the problem can certainly get worse in pregnancy.

The good news is what you're describing IS treatable - and most likely with exercise. Kegel exercises (the easiest way to figure out how to do these is to start and stop the flow of urine while you're going) can take a few months to be really effective, but they almost always help.

Talk to your surgeon - or better yet, your OB/GYN - about the issue. There are other exercises (and yeah, I know this sounds like tons of fun - LOL) like weighted vaginal cones - and there are also meds, but I'm not sure they'd help when the issue is weak muscles.

One thing I will say, I'd spend some time trying to fix this issue before you schedule surgery. Aside from having to get up and stumble to the bathroom 3-5 times a night (which you will NOT feel like doing), you don't want to deal with leaking, cleaning yourself up and changing clothes right after you return home either.

Now's the time to get the problem under control, hon. There are things you can do, and it's a good thing you brought it up. You potentially saved yourself an extra difficulty in recovery!

Best regards,
Pam

[Mobee211]

actually after thining about it, i take a deuretic..which probably has somethign to do with it.

[Susie*Bee]

That is probably the problem then! But I also wanted to add that scoli docs ask about bladder and bowel control problems because the scoli can affect those functions... I believe from stenosis or listhesis problems brought on by the scoli. Best wishes with getting yours under control. And I usually have to get up at night-- post-op-- but it's because I have a drink (OJ and diet sprite combo) in the evening...

[txmarinemom]

actually after thining about it, i take a deuretic..which probably has somethign to do with it.

Yes, the diuretic can affect the frequency, but the leakage is a different issue - and again, stress incontinence is most often caused by weak pelvic floor muscles.

You do need to talk to your ob-gyn ... the *rate* of urination (and you said it happens even when your bladder is not full) shouldn't have anything to do with leakage when you sneeze or cough ...

Regards,
Pam

[Mobee211]

I had severe, stubborn constipation for years and was diagnosed with colonic inertia and a rectoceole (prolapse in rectum). I wound up having my entire large intestine removed. Now I am wondering if the scoliosis had anything to do with that! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Janet]

Mobee211-

10 weeks after my spinal surgery (T2 - L2) I had to have surgery to repair a stomach obstruction - my stomach had completely herniated into the chest cavity and I couldn't keep down any food or liquid.

About 4 years ago I discovered, by reading radiologists' reports re chest x-rays for other purposes, that over the span of about 7 years prior I had a hiatal hernia that was first noted as "small" then "medium" then "large" (I had changed my PCP and had reviewed my med records for the purpose of tracking my loss of height).

As part of my consultations with several spine surgeons, I was told that there was probably not any correlation between my increasing kyphotic curve and the increasing size of the hernia. The problem with keeping food down arose about 2 weeks after my spine surgery; the spine surgeon, the stomach surgeon and my own PCP all said that it was not clear if there had been any correlation.

Considering the 100 degrees of my kyphotic curve, I do think there was a very strong correlation in that my curve had been about 75 degrees at the time the hernia was first documented. I believe that straightening my spine to 57 degrees was "the last straw" for my stomach which then moved completely out of my abdominal cavity into my chest cavity. I concluded this not because I have any medical training (I don't) but because, given the severity of my curves, it just makes sense.

[loves to skate]

Hi Maura,
You obviously have two issues going on here, probably not related to your scoliosis, but then, I'm not a Dr. I have been to a Urologist for urinary problems though and it was the Urologist that asked me if I had any ruptured discs and ordered the MRI from which I was diagnosed with scoliosis. The frequency of urination can be solved by retraining your bladder. He told me to hold my urine as long as I possibly could before urinating. Within one week, to my surprise, I was able to hold my urine much longer and instead of getting up 3-4 times at night, I was down to once a night. That I can live with. As far as the kegel exercises go, I believe I looked that up on the Mayo Clinic web-site some time back and they do not recommend that you do the exercises while urinating, only to get the feel of how to control the pelvic floor muscles. Do them other times during the day, even lying down. If the kegel exercises don't work for you, then you should definitely see your GYN Dr. By the way, the issue that I had that sent me to the Urologist in the first place was difficulty with emptying my bladder, which is still up for debate with the Doctors as to whether it is caused by the scoliosis or not. Only time will tell with that now that I have had the fusion surgery. I hope this helps. Sally

[JoAnn5]

Cauda Equina syndrome can cause some of those symptoms you describe. Google it to check out the causes and symptoms in detail. My doc suspected it with me... and unfortunately i still have some problems after my surgery, but usually can be managed with right combination of medicine and exercise.

[loves to skate]

Joann,

Don't you think if it was Cauda Equina, that Dr. Rand would have said so. That is a condition that is acute and requires emergency surgery before any permanent damage is done. At least, that is what I glean from the info I have found on the internet. Sally

[JoAnn5]

Yes, of course. Was just relating something that was mentioned to me.

[Mobee211]

Yeah I don't think it is anything major. I know that I have a rectocele...I had bowel surgery in 2004. I am sure that has something to do with it. It is not bad, I just dribble a little bit when I cough sometimes and I often have to go when my bladder is not full.

[JanM]

Bladder control issues related to cauda equina?

Is there a way you can tell if your bladder control issues are related to cauda equina? I had some bladder control issues (stress incontinence) when I was younger related to having a baby and had an operation to have it fixed. Recently, I've been having bladder control issues, but these are different. It's more like if my bladder is full, then I can't hold it - it will just come dribbling out. And when I'm urinating, I can't stop it or "push" harder to make it flow faster. Does anyone know if these symptoms could signal cauda equina?

I have a pretty severe lumbar curve (60-something) that is real low. I don't remember the verterbrae, but my curve is low enough that it's tilting my pelvis. Also, I know I have some stenosis from tests done about 3 years ago.

My younger brother recently had surgery for stenosis in his lumbar area and died from a blood clot (they think). He didn't have scoliosis. But it's been difficult for me to think about surgery now.