Has anyone else dealt with this? I’m seriously at a loss.
Title: Has anyone else dealt with this? I’m seriously at a loss.
I’m a 30-year-old female, and I’ve been dealing with urinary urgency/frequency for about a year now. I pee probably around 15 times a day. Usually it’s a normal amount, not just a few drops, but I constantly feel like I need to go. I don’t have burning, pain, leaking, blood in my urine… literally just urgency.
One thing that’s confusing is that it isn’t 100% consistent. Every once in a while I’ll have a random week where I feel almost normal and don’t pee nearly as much. Then, without anything changing, it’ll go right back to me peeing all the time for weeks.
I’ve been trying to figure out a pattern, but I can’t. I drink the same coffee, eat pretty much the same foods, and have the same routine. One week I can drink my usual coffee and be fine, and the next week I’ll drink the exact same thing and be running to the bathroom all day. That’s why I’ve never been convinced it’s just caffeine or one specific food.
I’ve kept a bladder diary, so I’ve tracked my bathroom trips. I haven’t done a detailed food diary because, honestly, nothing seems to line up. My symptoms seem to come and go regardless of whether I’m eating or drinking the exact same things.
I’ve been trying to think back to when this all started, and one thing I can’t stop wondering about is birth control. I was on Nikki, but I was terrible about taking it. I’d go on it, stop it, restart it, miss pills… yes, I know that’s not how you’re supposed to take it. 😅 Then I restarted it again, and about a month later this all started. I stopped taking it shortly after because I wondered if it was related, but I’ve been off it for a long time now and nothing has changed. I’m not saying the birth control caused it—I just can’t ignore the timing.
I’ve had what feels like every test:
Urine tests/cultures: normal
Blood work: normal
Bladder ultrasound: normal (I empty completely)
Cystoscopy: normal
Now my urologist wants me to do urodynamics, but I’m kind of hesitant. I guess I’m wondering if it actually gave anyone answers or if it was more like, “Yep, you have urgency,” without really changing anything.
I’ve also tried Uribel and both versions of oxybutynin (extended-release and immediate-release). I honestly don’t think I gave the oxybutynin a fair chance because I stopped after about a week or two due to the dry mouth. I still have the short-acting version and take it once in a while, but not consistently enough to know if it helps.
I also did pelvic floor PT for a little while. She did internal work, and I think I may have been starting to feel a little better, but I stopped going before I really knew whether it was helping.
I’m honestly just tired of always thinking about where the nearest bathroom is. If anyone has gone through something similar, I’d love to hear your experience.
Did you ever get an actual diagnosis?
Was urodynamic testing worth it?
Did anything end up helping?
Does anyone else have symptoms that randomly improve for a few days or a week and then come right back for no obvious reason?
I feel like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle, and I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve been through something similar.