Driving Me Nuts!

[RobbyR]

So this recurring problem drives me nuts every time it rears its ugly head again! It started about a year ago when I would have like several days in a row where I need to pee really bad, even after I just went, like constantly, all day, until it just disappears again. Then, a few months later, the symptoms return and it can last anywhere from a few days to a week or more. Basically it feels like I have a constant annoying pressure in my bladder like it's not empty. But when I go, only a little comes out.

What could be causing this, and why does it suddenly appear and then disappear only to return again? When I do have the symptoms, it's simply awful, I can't think of anything but needing to run to the restroom to pee. And the sensation never goes away, until the symptoms vanish. Could this be interstitial cystitis? I saw two different urologists and they did urinealysis & culture and both came back normal. They basically both told me that they didn't think it was anything major, but I'm tired of having these symptoms constantly and I have to believe there is a solution.  I've been on atripla 2 years but these symptoms only started a year ago. I am going to see another urologist next week, just wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I'm 30 yo and in good health overall. Never had any kidney problems. Is there anything I might try to alleviate these symptoms? I try to drink plenty of water, but it's a catch 22 because I don't want to make myself go even more. It's driving me nuts and making my quality of life (at least when I am having symtoms) pretty bad!

I should add that my primary care doctor thought it might be an "enflamed prostate" (she said enflamed, not enlarged). I have also had one of the urologists do a prostate exam on me as well as my primary doc, and they both said it felt normal. But, if it IS my prostate causing the urinary frequency, maybe it would only feel swollen to them if they felt it DURING my symptoms? I don't want to try and self-diagnose, but I know I'm not imagining these symptoms and they keep appearing every few months or weeks, so it has to be something causing it. Maybe I can request some kind of medication to stop these frequent urges to pee I get, or maybe address my prostate inflamation, if in fact that's what it is? Anyone else have these symptoms before?

[mikeyb39]

Hi Robby,
i have very similar situation, my doctor thinks its the prostate as well.  Mine comes and goes, sometimes i have nice, strong stream and then it acts up and feels like i dont empty my bladder fully.  He said the same thing that it can be inflammed, but not enlarged.

I hate bringing it up to my doctor, my ex had the same thing while we were dating,  he went to a urologist and they stuck a tube in his penis so they could look at his prostate from the inside.  I do not want to deal with that.  He took a pill for a while and it seemed to help.

[Ann]

Robby, you might want to try cranberry. If you like cranberry juice (make sure it's proper juice, and not juice "drink", which contains less actual cranberry), start drinking it daily.

If you don't like cranberry juice, you can buy cranberry tablets and they're usually pretty inexpensive. I can buy a bottle of 90 for just over a quid. Take a few each day - they won't affect any meds you're on and have no side effects.

Give the cranberry a couple days to work (and keep using it in-between bouts as a preventative if it does seem to work). Cranberry is fantastic stuff for cystitis. I even give it to my cats (male cats are prone to cystitis) in pill form as a preventative.

If the cranberry has absolutely no effect, keep working with your doctor to find out what's going on. But to me, it sounds like you're having low-level bouts of cystitis.

Also, if it does turn out to be cystitis, drinking a lot of water will actually help, because it flushes your bladder out. Every time I get the slightest hint of having cystitis I immediately start taking cranberry tablets and drink plenty of water and it normally stops it in its tracks.

By the way, cranberry works because it contains certain properties that stop bacteria from clinging on to the walls/lining of the bladder and urethra. That's why it helps to take it even when you're not having a problem - it will help keep the problem from happening in the first place.

[RobbyR]

Thanks for the input Ann & mikeyb39..I am not sure what's causing this constant problem. Seems to me something would have shown up on the urinealysis & cultures I had done, if it was a serious urinary problem. But basically this is driving me nuts when I have a flare-up. I get this constant pressure of needing to pee in my bladder area, and it never really goes away. I have heard conflicting things about cranberry..Some people told me it can do more harm than good if it's some kind of interstitial cystitis, and both urologists I saw seemed to brush off the idea of it being that. The last urologist did a prostate exam and he said it seemed normal. But I am going to really press them this week when I go back yet again. This problem can't be normal and affects my quality of life tremendously. I hope it's as simple as being some kind of benign cystitis or prostatitis, and they can give me something to help, or maybe I will try cranberry tablets..I will wait and ask the urologist first before I try it though. I just hope this gets better.

[LiveWithIt]

I think it's just a mild urinary tract infection.  I get them sometimes.  You feel like you have to pee just after you went and sometimes you try and nothing will come out.  Cranberry juice like someone else said helps.  When it's painful, almost burning pressure to go and uncomfortable I take a tylenol and it helps it pass.  But cranberry juice cocktail is the best thing for it.

It's not cranberry juice per se, it's cranberry juice cocktail.  Cranberry juice is tart and thick and not meant to be drank.  Just don't get artificial cranberry flavored drinks.  I would not get diet cran juice cocktail either.