Numb bladder

Thanks for your reply praj7. Sorry to hear most of your sensation is gone too. Yes my problem could be neurological couldn't it. Must admit I have heard of neurogenic bladder before but didn't know what the symptoms were. The only good thing is that whilst my bladder is numb and I have no urge to urinate, I still go to bathroom every few hours of course. And I can urinate fine if I have drank enough to do so, so no worry about the urine backing up into the kidneys etc. As for tests I've had bladder/Kidney scans. Flow tests. Volume tests. All ok or so I was told last year anyway. Also I am being referred to urologist again soon for a Cystoscopy I believe. As for spinal injuries, none that I am aware of. I did have an hip replacement at end of April 2016 and had a spinal anaesthetic so wether that's to blame or wether my bladder was damaged during the urgency episode in town a few weeks later I don't know.

Now if I feel any urgency it's in my urethra. Just been to loo 20 mins ago and had absolutely no urge to go. Been like this 18 months now. I have to keep remembering to go every few hours.. I wonder what a Cystoscopy would find, if anything.

Just messaged you praj7 and lost the message by mistake. So I will come back and reply again later today or tomorrow. Sorry.

Hi praj7, I will try again. Sorry to hear you have lost most of your sensation too. Yes mine could could be down to neurogenic bladder. I have heard of it before but I didn't know what the symptoms were. The only good thing for me is that whilst I can't feel any urge to urinate, as long as I am drinking enough, it is no problem to actually empty my bladder when I go to the bathroom. I go every few hours same as usual, Only without any urge or feeling being there. Just went at 3pm. Totally numb.

I have had bladder scans to check I am emptying properly. Also had Kidney scans. Volume and flow tests. Meant to be having a Cystoscopy in the New Year too. Though I don't know what that can reveal.

Not had any spinal injuries though a lot of back problems over the years. Also an hip replacement end of April 2016 and as I had a spinal anaesthetic, I wonder if that is part of the problem or if my bladder was damaged during that awful urgency episode a few weeks later.

From the sound of it, it does heavily lean toward a neurological problem. If you don't mind saying, what happened during your urgency episode? If you felt pain during that episode, there could a possibility that your sphincters that communicate with the bladder, could have been damaged. Or the actual bladder muscle could have lost it's strength, and now struggles to communicate signals to the brain that it needs to be emptied. The cystoscopy is primarily used to find any physical abnormalities such as bladder stones, damage, and cancer. Have you looked into getting a video urodynamic study done? This is probably the most detailed tests you can have, it's useful for diagnosing neurogenic bladder issues. In the test they use x ray or ultrasound to get real time video of urination during the filling process and the voiding process. This lets them see how your bladder contracts, and if there is any problems in the communication between the bladder and the sphincters. 

Hi again praj7, During that urgency episode there was a lot of pain. It was partly my own fault in as much that a few days before the event I saw the Doc and she told me to drink more as I wasnt drinking enough. So on the day I went down town it was a very hot day and with the docs words ringing in my ears as well, I probably drank too much. There was a lot of pain during that urgency episode and so what you say may be right about my sphincters or bladder muscle. Not heard of a video urodynamic study but it sounds interesting. What you say about neurogenic bladder makes sense though given my symptoms. You seem to have a lot of knowledge about all this. Are you studying it in college or something? Anyway thanks for your comments.

no problem, I just have a science background with a decent understanding of the urinary system, along with doing ton's of research myself for urinary issues haha. Anyways good luck with everything, hope your situation gets better, and don't feel shy to keep us updated, as it will help lower your anxiety, which is always a good thing. 

Ok thanks for that praj7. Will keep you updated.

Hi JZ42139, Thanks for your message too. Sorry to hear of your bladder problems. You certainly have had a rough time of it havent you. Ive not had the urge to void for 18 months now following the above mentioned self inflicted urgency episode where I was in a lot of pain. So its ended up with me also timing when to go to bathroom. And I keep a rough check on how much I have drank too. Sorry to hear you have to self cath. I can still void but interestingly, where I can void as much as 800ml first thing in the morning, I cant seem to go again till about 1pm by which time I have drank about 750ml. I drink about 1750ml every day. But yes i l hope to see a urologist soon and will definitely mention neurogenic bladder to him. Thanks again.

Sorry, JZ42139, I forgot to add that when it gets to 1pm and I have drank 750ml by that time, often I go to void and only manage 100ml. My voids seem to increase as the day goes by. So its like I need a certain amount of fluid - 750ml in my case, for my bladder to start working . The only other thing that results in voiding is the urgency anxiety. Even then I can get urgency feelings (In my urethra) and sometimes nothing happens, not always though. I think that was praj7 says makes a lot of sense though about my sphincter muscles being damaged or the bladder muscle losing its strength or maybe both happened. Will definitely speak about neurogenic bladder to urologist when they refer me. They take their time. It was the gynaecologist at the hospital who was referring me back to the urologist. He told me that on Dec 13th.

Hi shirley84100,

"I think that was praj7 says makes a lot of sense though about my sphincter muscles being damaged or the bladder muscle losing its strength or maybe both happened." <<< That is probably what is going on. I think a urodynamics test will be helpful too. Best of luck to you! I hope your condition improves.

Thanks JZ . I hope the condition improves too.