When I was a kid I loved watching Little House, on the Prairie. There was one episode where Pa slaughtered a pig and the girls were excited about playing with the pig’s bladder because they could blow it up like a ball and kick it. Well our bladders can blow up big as well.
Before I was diagnosed with neurogenic bladder relieving myself was getting complicated. Little did I know that a balloon was getting bigger in me. For years I struggled with this problem not knowing what it was called and getting sicker while my condition worsened. Mostly I had a sharp pain on my right side that honestly could have been anything.
There are different types of neurogenic bladder. One involves leaking urine and the other is urine retention. I have urine retention. I just don’t feel the urge to urinate unless my bladder gets really full. I also am unable to completely empty urine. Blowing up like a balloon along with having a full bladder is painful. My heart goes out to the people with neurogenic bladder that leak. The cool thing is that there is relief for both. Go to a good urologist.
Since I do not have the normal urge to urinate I try to watch the time. I try to cath every 3 hours. In the beginning I did so because I had this hidden hope that my bladder would wake up and respond. My lack of feeling has remained. I do feel so much better as I cath regularly. If I don’t cath I tend to feel sick and get that familiar pain on my right side just above my hip.
Before I was diagnosed with urinary retention, I was able to urinate, but had trouble starting a stream or empty my bladder completely. I tried to urinate because I felt an urgent need to urinate. I had little success when i tried to pee, I felt uncomfortable, especially at night while laying in bed.
Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency requiring prompt action. Chronic urinary retention may not seem life threatening, but it can lead to serious problems and should also receive attention from a doctor. Now that I have my trusty catheters I have a comfortable life.
Some Causes of Urinary Retention in women
Vaginal delivery
Accidents or infections of the brain and spinal column
Multiple Sclerosis
Heavy metal poisoning (I will definitely write about this)
Stroke
Pelvic injury trauma