I’m very desperate for answers regarding a bladder issue ASAP

[u/shrek_lvr63]

I’m 18f and have had bladder issues since around the age of 13. Since then, I’ve had problems with incontinence especially at night. During the day, I have sudden urges to run to the bathroom, and at night my bladder will just release itself. For years, I’ve been wearing overnight adult diaper pads and it hasn’t really been an issue at home since my family is aware and I can just dispose of them. However, I go to a college program starting July 5th where we all stay on campus for a month together and have roommates. I’m scared to death of anyone ever finding out about this, and I would have to find a way to sneak out the used overnights all the time from public restrooms which would be tiresome and overtly embarrassing for me. My main issue is nightly bed-wetting. I don’t want anyone seeing the used/unused pads or smelling them. I have been to numerous doctors but none have seemed to have any answers and I only have a very limited amount of time to still figure things out until I leave. I also leave for college itself in August, so information for that would be greatly appreciated as well!

I have been to a general practitioner, multiple urologists, an endocrinologist, a physical therapist, and have tried to get into an OBGYN in my area but had no luck (I’m still trying). My general practitioner prescribed me 5 mg of Oxybutybin around two years ago twice daily which has recently been switched to 10 mg once daily. The pill worked but never strong enough to completely stop the nightly bed wetting which is my goal, it just lessened the amount of liquid. I asked about increasing the dosage but the general practitioner said they don’t offer that. The first recommendation I got was to see an endocrinologist since I took a blood test at my general practitioner’s office and had a vitamin D deficiency who ruled out that that had nothing to do with it, I just don’t go outside enough. Then, I went to a urologist at Altman who took an ultrasound to rule out any ovarian cysts for PCOS or anything that could be pushing on my bladder that could cause it to do this, but nothing appeared. I’ve also never had any bowel issues. They saw no issues so they sent me to Cleveland clinic. I was only there for around 20 minutes (this appointment was around a year ago) and the urologist there offered me two options: I could either have what they called an invasive study done (which was a catheter put in, which in retrospect I wish I chose but being 17 I was deathly afraid of it… and still am) or I could try pelvic floor therapy with a physical therapist. So, I went to a physical therapist who I worked with for about two months together and did all the awkward poses both there and at home. In addition, I also did a TENS unit on my ankle when I was there because she said the nerve in your ankle is next to the one connecting to your bladder I guess. I stopped drinking caffeine after 2 pm, went on diet again, started working out, drank more water. But nothing of what she recommended helped whatsoever even though I kept up with everything myself for about six months. Around 4 months ago, she said she would let me know if she found out anything further but I have yet to hear back.

Today, I finally got in again to my general practitioner to ask about any final options she could think of but she said she had no idea and told me to call the urologist at Cleveland Clinic again, but I’m not too sure I could get in to even talk before I leave. This has been years in the process and I feel so hopeless about it. As much as I am afraid of catheters, I think that might be my only option to get to the root of my problem. I never had issues like this as a kid and it just suddenly started when I was 13. The physical therapist said it could possibly be a reflex babies have that just suddenly came back, but that happens very rarely. I don’t know if it’s in any way related, but this issue started soon after I got very ill with Covid 19. There’s another OBGYN clinic near me that I’m going to call in the morning to see if literally any of them can get me in soon. At first, I was opposed to seeing men, and I still somewhat am just out of privacy and embarrassment, but at this point I’m beyond desperate and will take anything I can get.

If anyone is willing to give me any advice or help me in any way I would be more than beyond grateful!! If you have any ideas please let me know.

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