Urinary problems, TMS?

Early in December, feeling like normal, no problems I went to get my hair cut at a friends house (she does hair). We were enjoying ourselves sipping on wine having a girls night while she did my hair. I came home a few hours later, went to the bathroom and had a UTI like feeling (I've had several in my pasts so I know what they feel like) I was like "great a UTI, better call the Dr. tomorrow." The feeling settled down but for the next 4 days I had this urge to go to the bathroom often, frequency I guess? So I finally went to see my doctor. She tested my urine in the office and it came back completely clean. She gave me antibiotics anyways and sent me on my way. I went home and started googling what could cause these symptoms and came across Interstitial cystitis. It completely terrified me! I spent the next 2 weeks googling about it, freaking out and couldn't do much but sit on my couch and worry! It was awful! My husband had to even stay home from work to care for our kids because I was just completely out of commission. Christmas came and went and I completely let it slip by because I was so scared. New Years came and I started to let the anxiety go a little but I was still have urinary symptoms off and on. Fast forward through January, and into February. Still scared, but not as bad, I was able to function but still having symptoms I was ready to figure out what was going on. So I called up a urogynecologist and made an appointment for the end of the month. by the time my appointment arrived I had pin pointed my symptoms down. I wake up in the morning feel fine, can be fine all day then I'll go to the restroom, come out and feel the urge to go again, the feeling will usually subside within 20-45 minutes and I'll be fine. Some days I don't have the feelings at all, some days I have it all day or just some of the day. I've gone over a week before with no problems. My husband was away on business a few weeks ago and ironically that entire week I had no issues, maybe I was distracted because I was on my own with my kids and kept busy with family? I don't know. So anyway, I went to see the urogynecologist at the end of February. She did a pelvic exam and took urine by cath (ouch!) did not find anything wrong by doing those two things. We talked about my symptoms I brought up my fear of IC. She shook her head no and said "you do not have that, you do not want that diagnosis." She said she didn't feel the need to further test me and sent me on my way. She said if in a month I'm still having problems then to come back. Well here I am almost a month later and still having symptoms on and off. This week for example, last Saturday and Sunday no problems, felt normal all day/night. Monday same thing, felt great, Tuesday felt fine until about lunch time. Went to the restroom, came out and felt the urge to go again but put it off (I usually can put it off for several hours if I want) and eventually the feeling subsided and I felt normal. Same thing yesterday on Wednesday. This morning on Thursday I felt fine upon waking up, went to the restroom and came out with the urge that took about an hour to subside and now I feel fine. No doubt I'm anxious about this, scared of IC, totally terrifies me. Could this just be a case of tight pelvic muscles because I'm so scared? TMS? I don't know. Can anyone shed some light on my situation? Thank you!! Prayers for you all!!!

I just also add this isn't first go around with anxiety over my health. I've dealt with it off and on since my early 20's (I'm 29 now). But this is defiantly the worst it's ever been.

 

I used to have problems with frequent urination for years worse than you though. At first the sensation was constant and then it subsided after a couple of years. I would notice a pattern where it would get worse when I visited my parents during college. It’s hardly noticeable now but gets worse depending on certain circumstances that don’t happen too often.
I was diagnosed with IC because my bladder was a little inflamed but another doctor said that that meant nothing. I no longer believe that I have IC and I think that for me and you it’s clearly TMS. My symptoms never became actual IC.
Don’t worry. It’s not IC and nothing bad is happening physically.

 

I'm new to the whole TMS thing. I just ran across it for the first time earlier this week and it makes so much sense. I do not have neck or back pain (I do pull my back out from time to time though) it's strictly this urinary issue, that I"ve noticed anyway. Sure I get random aches and pains and pinching pains in my body, maybe related? I don't know. I'm just grasping at straws here. I thought it could be just anxiety but I guess it's hard for my to actually accept that could be the only problem.

 

Hi Leslie,
Frequent urination was one of the symptoms in my collection of TMS symptoms. Through using TMS healing techniques it just faded away without me focusing on it, as chronic pain (fibromyalgia) was my main symptom. So I can attest to the fact that it can be treated successfully as TMS.

You may find it helpful to watch the interview with Dr. Eric Robbins. He is a urologist and TMS expert who has had much success with using Faster EFT to treat his patients with TMS. The interview has some helpful information on how he views urinary problems as TMS.


http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/interview-with-dr-eric-robins-m-d-and-robert-smith.3738/


And welcome to the Forum! We are glad you are joining us.

 

Thank you SO much for posting that interview video! SOOO interesting!! I'm trying to think back to my childhood of any "triggers" that could be causing my issues but not much comes to mind. I had a really great childhood. I noticed he talk mostly about pain. Could my problem still be related you think? How do I know? The only real emotional issue I have and have had for YEARS is health anxiety and other anxieties. It doesn't take much for me to get anxious. I live in a state of anxiety over a lot of things, right now it's over this.

 

Hello Leslie. This was one of my TMS symptoms as well. I also has multiple examinations and was very concerned that it might be IC. I had some sporadic success with accupuncture and chinese herbs and then over time I learned how to relax and have confidence that it would eventually go away and not be constant(another one of my fears). Now that I have been working on TMS I realize it is just another TMS symptom, in other words a distraction from something psychological or emotional. My last big flare up was on my birthday last year(August 2nd) and it was so severe I canceled a vacation. It still comes and goes a little bit but seems to be subsiding or lessoning along with my other symptoms as I am making progress in my healing. The fear and anxiety definitely aggravates it. You don't need to have back or neck pain to have TMS. Anxiety is also another TMS symptom. As I have successfully treated my TMS my anxiety has been reduced dramatically. I would start with the Structural Education Program on this forum. Wishing you the best.

 

Thank you for your reply Anne! When you went for your exams, did the doctors find anything to diagnosis you with?

 

My primary doctor sent me for a pelvic sonogram and some other lab tests. He said I had bladder spasms and prescribed some kind of drug that I was unwilling to take. I have a very hard time taking any kind of new medications, I sort of have a phobia about them. So, no, I didn't get a real diagnosis. Probably because most doctors don't even think about TMS! And now I am very confident that is what this is. I'm sure you probably did a bunch of research on IC like I did. There are lots of personal stories of people getting medical procedures and then ending up in worse pain than before. That's why I decided not to pursue it any further. My accupuncturist had seen lots of women with the same condition that the doctors couldn't figure out what was going on. He thought mine had some sort of hormonal connection but I could never quite see a pattern or come up with any rhyme or reason for when it came and went. For me there are few things as distracting as feeling like you have to go to the bathroom when you don't. Its so aggravating. Now that I am writing this I am seeing it probably has a connection to anger for me.

 

Thanks for replying Anne! Yes, I defiantly did my fair share of research on IC. Terrifying is an understatement how I felt when I was reading the forums and stories. I can think of SOOO many other things I'd rather deal with that IC. When I was reading about the connection of IC and TMS, it made a lot of sense but what about those patients who are actually diagnosed by their doctors seeing the inside of their bladders and seeing the evidence. I guess that part threw me off a bit. Before December when this all started I felt normal. The only thing going on when this all came about was I had just finished finals for my first semester working on my bachelors degree. It was a highly stressful week that week. I've had UTI's in my past, some confirmed others not, but antibiotics always seemed to take them away and go back to normal. Off and on I've had urinary symptoms for the last few years but it never bothered me a bit until now. I always shrugged it off as not drinking enough/too much. Now any little symptom I feel I almost go into a panic an depression and, like you, even anger. I'm new to the TMS side of things, but I agree it makes so much sense! Anxiety has always been a big thing for me, especially since I got married and had kids. I've been through a few health anxiety worries (colon cancer, heart attack etc.) the worries always ended up passing though and I'd move on. This one I'm just really having a hard time with.

My feeling comes on randomly, I feel fine, go to the restroom, come out with the feeling of needing to go again. The feeling will usually subside within about 20-45 minutes and I'll go back to feeling normal. This can happen several times in a day, only once or not at all. I've gone over a week without it even happening. Would TMS cause it to be that random?

 

Yes, TMS can be that random. If you think it might be a medical condition that needs treatment than you should go ahead and explore that with your doctors. My doctor did not think that it needed any further investigation and I am the only one who came up with an IC diagnosis and spent too much time fretting over that. It does sound as though you have some of the personality traits that are common with TMS. Keep in mind the purpose of TMS, to distract your mind, and although your bladder symptoms do come and go, they certainly are getting your mind's attention. The good news is that everything you will learn and apply working on TMS will help you in your life in general in so many ways.

 

Again, thank you for your reply and the reassurance Anne! I'm very new to all this, where do I go to learn how to deal with this? I didn't know about TMS until a couple of days ago.

 

Do you have a TMS doctor in your area? There's a button to get to a list of them on the sidebar of the home page.

 

As I mentioned before, I would start right here on this forum with the Structural Education Program. I think it takes about 30 days. Also, Howard Schubiner's "unlearn Your Pain" is really excellent and you can order the book on-line or he might also have an on-line program. And ask us anything you want, we're here to help.

 

Does this work for this problem? I don't have back pain or neck pain or any other pain really.

 

I had a similar experience last year. It started with a feeling of having cystitis inflammation but it was not. Frequent urination and a lot of pain "down there" (muscle?). I was checked by my doctor and a specialist and everything seemed normal. It started at the end of april and went away in June after I was distracted by having to arrange my husbands birthday (I have noticed that all my TMS symptoms last to to three month). One day the symptoms were gone. Like you I googled the symptoms and you always get a "diagnosis" straight away and stick with it no matter what the doctor tells you. That was a lesson for me and I never ever googl my symptoms again (even though I am tempted). In january I got digestive problems and my GERD and IBS flared up big time but I did not go to the doctor and had no tests done even though all I wanted was reassurance. Like you I have health anxiety and that was my first small victory. My stomach is fine now only to be replaced by dizziness which I thought I had come over. Dizziness is very difficult to distract from as there is not much you can do without feeling dizzy. I must admit it all sucks and my patience is running out.....
I am not writing this to discourage you but once you see a pattern how and when the symptoms appear it is easier to cope with the health anxiety telling yourself that you are not seriously ill but it is TMS. As I am still struggling with TMS symptoms most of the time there is not much advice I can give you apart from accepting your symptoms as TMS, relax and meditate and maybe find out where (deep down) your health anxiety is coming from. This forum has so many supportive people and I get so much information from it. Hang in there and good luck.

 

Thank you for the reply Sybilla! It's good to hear I'm not alone in these symptoms. It's really scary!!

 

Don't have time now to go into depth, but I've had urinary urgency issues after turning 55 and now think it's funny. On a recent road trip I had to keep going and going and going. I decided to go for a record and squeezed out five pit-stops in a hundred miles--a new PR for me. There are meds that are helpful for symptomatic relief of the TMS symptoms like FLOMAX for men and I've seen an equivalent for women. They work well as a back-up plan until you can wrap your mind around the emotional TMS causes and play the game of loos with the gremlin.

For further reading on my personal experiences with this exciting topic, do a search at the TMS Help Forum under my name and 'urinary urgency'--yellow journalism at it's best.

G'luck!

 

Hi Tennis tom! I tried doing a search for your thread and could not find it. Could you point me in the right direction? Thanks!!

 

You need to go to the "SEARCH" feature here or at the TMS HELP site and put in "urinary urgency" or whatever symptom du jour one may have and the threads containing those words will come up. Then go through the threads and the keyed in search words will be hi-lited ( serendipitously and appropriately for this topic) in yellow. Just dive right in and start reading.

 

Great I will try it, thank you!