Overactive Bladder - Tolterodine stories?

[Rochyne]

Hi! I have always been that person who is constantly needing a wee break. I have spoken to my doctors about it before, but its really starting to get in the way of my sleep, needing to get up at least 4 times in the night.

They prescribed my Tolterodine Tartrate today and I'd like some opinions? I have IBS, which I (try to) control with my diet, and ET (essential thrombocytheamia), which is treated with interferon.

Basically I dont want to make my IBS worse, but if I could go more than a couple of hours without needing to pee that would be fab.

Thanks!

[gbeam]

hi, i was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis over 5 years ago. my issues were going to the toilet a lot, but if i couldn't get to the toilet i would have severe pain in my lower back, top of legs, pelvic pain as well. do you have any other issues or is it just needing to pee a lot. i now have an instill every month, which basically means it lines my bladder. it is the beat thing iv had. i still have flare ups but most of the time it is manageable. i also have ET managed with HU 500mg and double dose sundays, also clopridgrel .

[Rochyne in reply to gbeam]

Hi! Thanks for your reply

i think its mostly just the needing to pee a lot ( I guess theres lots of other things, fatigue, sleep issues, ibs, energy/mood swings, but I am unsure if these are related...)

Sometimes I have a ache in my back, lower abdominals but its not severe and its not persistent.

Interesting that theres a ET, bladder crossover!

Did you ever try to manage your bladder problems with diet?

what exactly is Interstitial cystitis ?

[gbeam in reply to Rochyne]

Hi, it is another name for painful bladder syndrome. I also suffer with fatigue and there are cross over symptoms. I have over the years change my diet and I am now vegan. But I couldn't manage my life without the monthly instill. Which I now do at home after a few years of having the treatment from a urologist nurse. It is so much better than medication, were the side effects just went worth it. I have no side effects from this treatment. I think of it as re lining my bladder for the month. Hope you get things sort

[2everett]

Hi

I hope this is helps anyone with a weak pelvic floor. Ten years ago I was heading for a ‘mesh sling’. I didn’t want any kind of operation so I put up with it. I was using between 3/4 liners every day and more if I drank alcohol. Two years ago I purchased a ‘rebounder’ or mini-trampet. I used it for around 20 minutes per day and two weeks later I began to notice I wasn’t having the urgency or leaks I’d been having. I can now go a whole day without liners. I believe the rebounder has firmed up my internal muscles. Apologies for the graphic details.

My rebounder has bungee ropes and cost around £250 on Amazon but it’s bern worth every penny,

Hope this helps someone else.

[2everett]

Hi

I was in verge of surgery. I purchased a ‘rebounder’ with bungee rope. I bounced up and down on it for around 30 minutes per day. To my amazement, after two weeks my urgency stopped. I still use it about 4 days per week for 10 minutes at a time to maintain the pelvic floor.

Hope this helps.

[Sandramaylee in reply to 2everett]

did you have a. prolapse

[Rochyne]

Ohh thanks I will look into it!

The tolterodine did not agree with me. I couldn't hack more than a couple of weeks. So it's back to square one!

[2everett]

That word wasn’t mentioned to me and I don’t think a rebounder would have worked for that. I had the tests at hospital and they said I had a very weak pelvic floor. I had to do exercises with a ‘buzzer’, I had vesicare which I didn’t like taking. I used a ‘pelvic floor toner’ which worked okay. But the best of all was the rebounder. I think the tense and release strengthens the muscles in that area. Mine has bungee ropes so not noisy like the ones with springs. I used to use 3 large liners every day and even more if I drank alcohol. Now I just have a very small one which I probably use through habit.