There is no definitive agreed definition of Chronic urinary retention
Posted , 14 users are following.
Long story short..I had turp and it didnt cure my chronic retention but did improve flow and lowered actual post void measures.
I now self cath (at moment) between one and three times every 24 hours, to make sure my bladder doesnt overfill.
What is overfill, I ask myself. When my bladder is holding (usually) more than 300 mls I can p**s easier and I believe it is the pressure build up that helps me void. I my have to accept that my bladder muscles are compromised and not working properly & I understand that.
So I believe it is partly bladder contraction and partly just physics ...in that gravity and sheer pressure within the bladder helps me void...
Over and over I hear the magic figure of 400 mls as being the maximum amount of urine that our bladders should hold ...where does this figure come from.
If anyone can point to a study or empirical evidence for this figure being the maximum healthy amount a mans bladder should hold comfortably, I would be grateful, rather than find out it turns out to be a another meme, with no real evidence to back this figure up as being realistic and true.
A Uro surgeon mentioned to me one time that the bladder has urine in it 99% of the time and we do not walk around with an empty bladder. So ergo it makes sense that we walk around with the bladder holding urine if not all the time, then most of the time without any health problems.
So this brings me back to what volume can we walk around with (maybe) over 400mls for an hour or so without any health problems.?
I know that backing urine up the kidneys is bad but it can literally take litres in our bladder and UUT to compromise our kidneys in the first place.
Im just throwing this out to see if anyone has opinions on what our bladder can actually cope with for years without real health problems....in the real world..:)
0 likes, 39 replies
tom6446 GInAndPlatnic46
Edited
I've been self cathing for 1.5 years. My uro said I should try and stay under 400 ml and some on this forum have said the same. I. cath every 6 hours on a normal day and more if I'm drinking more than usual. If I'm out I usually leave catheters in car and excuse myself to get one. I also keep some in a back pack at work and slide one down my pants when I'm ready to go to the bathroom. stuffing one end on my sick helps keep it in place if you have long pants on. I will sometimes keep one or two down my pants if I'm I won't have a backpack or car near me. I will also keep one in hold bags, sports gym bags, etc. I've been living my life as usual, just making sure I have catheters near me. I use coloplast self catheters so it's easy to self cath on the road. i have an obstruction which causes retention and based in test my bladder was stretched so I'm waiting for a solution that dies not include invasive surgeries. Hope this helps others in same boat.
oldbuzzard tom6446
Posted
Look into Rezum. Not a surgery, no anesthesia and its gotten many like you off the cath.
tom6446 oldbuzzard
Posted
Thank Oldbuzzard. I did mention that to my URO last year and he didn't think I was a candidate, stated that Turp was my best option. I'm pretty sure Rezum is not something he does. I think it's time to find another URO.
oldbuzzard tom6446
Posted
Sounds like it. Uros almost never think you're a candidate for procedures they don't do.
derek76 tom6446
Posted
You don't want a Jack of all trades Uro. You need one who specialises. None want to invest in a range of expensive equipment.
GInAndPlatnic46
Posted
Thanks to all for your replies...makes for interesting reading..I hate cathing and find it completely alien..Yet I do it without any real problems now..I find Im a bit obsessed worrying about holding too much in my bladder but all things considered It probably isn`t warented to worry as I seem to be keeping a lid on things as it is...One thing I have found is that the irritation and urges to pee all night long have stopped and I am eternally grateful for that..I do feel for men who have to get up every hour or so all night long...
As I have said , my problem is still anxiety which after waking around 1 or 2pm, I cannot seem to shake off. I used to be able to sleep soundly and before surgery could get up in the middle of the night, drink coffee, watch tv for half an hour then when feeling sleepy return to bed and sleep easily for another 4 hours or so...
It is like a vicious circle for me...Im tired during the day and so do not feel like heavy excercise, which I used to love....then less excercise means my body is less physically tired of a night...which doesnt help at all..