[Ches]

Anyone ever go through the motions?

What happens.. in girls in paticular. How'd it start, did it just 'click' one day and suddenly u could control ur bladder or what?

[dom]

Ches, on Dec 17 2007, 08:42 AM, said:

Anyone ever go through the motions?

What happens.. in girls in paticular. How'd it start, did it just 'click' one day and suddenly u could control ur bladder or what?

hi, when i was in the stoke mandeville hospital in the uk a friend of mine who fell from his motorbike in the paris/dakar rally could walk and regained his bladder,i don't remember what level he was but he seemed quite ok when he left, [i wondered whether he really had sci?cause to get virtually all functions back seems strange]

[carole338]

I was a T10/11 incomplete. When I was an inpatient in Kessler Rehab I watched the cath tube and noticed I could somewhat control the flow of urine. I was told I would not be able to control my bladder and was supposed to learn self catheterization. A wonderful nurse talked to me and gave me confidence to try on my own. She was there when I needed the bedpan and that was often in the beginning.

I guess I had some control at the onset of my injury. I also did a lot of Keigels to strengthen the muscles. If you can practice this it may help.

Carole

[Angela250153]

I am a T10/T11 incomplete. I only had a cath for about 3 weeks after my op last year, but then wore pads for a while just in case. I do get a sensation when need to go, but then I have to rush straight away otherwise I have an accident. I managed to increase the time I have by doing pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles and very gradually things are improving. I still have to watch the amount I am drinking as I cannot hold as much as I used to. I don't know if there is anything like bladder shrinking, perhaps there is.

Maybe you should try and see if you get a sensation when you need to go and then try and strenghten the muscles wih exercises.

[hockeydahc]

I'm a guy, but after a few months of cathing, I'd start to leak in between. My bladder was squeezing to void, but not holding. eventually over a few days of transition I was encouraged to start trying on my own, and it took well. For awhile I was told to go on my own, and then cath to see how much was left with instructions that when I'd cath less than...i forget...something...then I could stop cathing after. Recovery takes continued and repeated work, but all of a sudden, yea, things will just click. I can go now, but really can't hold it long.

oh and over those few days I did tune into the signals and feelings of needing to go.

This post has been edited by hockeydahc: 17 December 2007 - 11:12 PM

[Ches]

Hmm very interesting, thanks guys!

I guess Im somewhere in the middle of those describtions myself. This last month or so I've noticed lots of things going on in that whole area. Although not the same signal as before I've managed to decipher that feeling of AD I get when the bladder is full. I still have to cath and its annoying but I can feel the cath in me.. its the plug up feeling I get when I 'push' to pee. Also, Im well aware of an accident.. A big sneeze can trigger an accident..but I always know its happening because I feel myself pee.. I guess its my bladder sphincter Im feeling?

Anyways, I seriously never even thought of doing the kegals to get things going. How dumb am I. I've tried a few times to do it on my own but I get so inpatient with myself.. and bored sitting there alone in the bathroom. I hope it eventually just clicks.. that would be awesome.

[Angela250153]

Hey Ches, the great thing about pelvic floor exercises or Keigels is that you can do them anytime while sitting and no-one knows you are doing them. LOL

[Ches]

What kind of Pelvic Floor Exercises?

[Angela250153]

Here is a link that explains it exactly

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/su...loor_005167.htm

Hope that helps.

[hockeydahc]

very interesting. wonder if guys can benefit from these, in an arena outside bladder function.

[Brokeback Brenda]

In my "past life" I worked at a gynecologist office, part of my duties was to perform "Pelvic Floor Rehab" on the patients. We used EMG to help us out but the way I told my patients to do the contractions was to tell them to "imagine you are in a room full of your friends and you need to pass gas. you don't want to do that in front of everyone so you hold it in as tight as you can" those are the muscles you want to be using, btw this is also supposed to help with fecal incontinence. Hope this helps!!

This post has been edited by Brokeback Brenda: 21 December 2007 - 03:26 AM

[Ches]

Ah, Kegals and PFE are the same thing.. I had no idea. I still cant believe it never occured to me. Been doing them constantly every since.

What kind of exercises do guys have to do? Whats the equivalent?

[smokymtn memories]

Hi Ches,

I've been working on it for over a year, since bone fusion surgery, and have had improvement.

I still don't like to go anywhere unless I know where the water closets are located, but I can hold it longer.

Had a sinus infection or something this fall, that was miserable, had to be prepared for sneezing and coughing. lol Not funny at the time and pretty much stayed at home the whole time.

I keep doing the exercises and hope for more improvement, but I'm grateful for the improvement and hope it does'nt regress.