CPFuller said:
I have struggled with OAB for years. I’ve had all the tests and tried many meds. I’ve had my prostate propped open with UroLift and opened up with a laser. I think my bladder and sphincters get fatigued from trying to out do one another. Pressure in my bladder usually overcomes my sphincters I end up wet. This occurred to me today, a diaper allows everything to relax and not fight. I realized this as I was doing wash. I had a changing pad under the bed from my last bout of exhaustion two weeks ago when I had enough the last time and gave into the diapers for two weeks. Diapers 24/7 for a couple weeks seems to help everything rest and come back to normal. A rest after a marathon of running to the toilet and having to change anyways. Im on day three of this rest. Im a pharmacist and my day is usually 12 hours with a 45 minute drive on either end. I update in a couple of days.
When I read between the lines of your post, I surmise that you don't (or haven't until recently) 'let go' and let it flow during an episode. That has always been my approach as well- I figure that if there is never a time that I 'allow' my bladder to do what it wants, then I'll win on that small battlefield. (Absurd, I know, but I'll take my victories where I can find them...) It sounds like the difference between us is that I feel very little urge (if I'm going to have an accident) and the rest of the time, what I do feel isn't painful- I generally don't feel pain, except in the form of a worsening headache (subsequent to a head injury in 1988). I have to admit this is a blessing, really- if my urge is normal, it means things are working as they should, and though I don't waste time getting to a bathroom, I am likely to make it. My case is very much along the lines of the other symptoms from my concussion- sometimes I have problems with memory, or sight or balance (or fill in the blank) and sometimes I don't. Unfortunately, I haven't had a dry day in the past 7 or 8 years, but I do have dry periods with normal urge during the day- I just never know when that period will be- morning, noon or night???
To get to your point, if I understand you correctly, you have begun to allow your bladder to let go when it starts to act up.
My question is, do you see a correlation between holding it when your bladder indicates that it wants to release urine and the problems you are experiencing, and is one of those problems retention? In short, does one lead to the other?
