Bladder question...

Submitted by sng05 on April 13, 2008 - 11:36am
Body: 

I've wondered for quite some time about why I look different 'down there.' What made me actually ASK the doctor about it and get checked was that I can see what I thought was my bladder opening where there used to be 'just' the bulge. She confirmed that it is, indeed, my bladder. When I look at pictures of the female body, it always looks as though the urethtra is more of a tube like thing coming from the bladder to where it "used to be" nestled inbetween my clitoris and vaginal opening.

I was so upset and crushed when she told me what was going on there that I didn't ask about this. Is it weird that I can actually SEE it? I don't have any infections and I don't leak (thank goodness) but it bothers me that it's so RIGHT THERE. Do any of you have this---or do you just have the bulge of tissue that wasn't there in our younger years?

I am certain I want NO surgeries or "procedures" so I'm not asking for that reason---I just want to know if that's normal for some of us with this condition or if I'm odd. I don't understand why it looks like a little donut if it's supposed to be like the anatomy pictures ('tube' leading from the bladder to the outside.)

Thanks,
S&G

MeMyselfAndI

April 13, 2008 - 11:50am

If you mean that the bladder is 'peeking' out of the Introitis - I have this...

Have had it for about 5mths now...

I don't understand what you mean it looks like a little doughnut? Mine is just a bulge-lump

In front of the bladder bulge I have another small 'lump/pad' I think that is a urethrocele - the fact that the bladder is sat on it makes me think thats why I have no leakage problems.

After a long time of never being able to get used to it - The 'Sea Sponge' Is a great help now for me to feel normalish again (Shame you hafta take it out as you could easily forget it is there)

Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference
Look into the eyes - They hold the key.
http://www.bringmadeleinehome.com/img/maddy544x150Banner.jpg

sng05

April 13, 2008 - 3:25pm

Instead of the bulge of tissue that just looked like a small 'blob' I can see the opening to my bladder--a small hole in the middle---but this is not the same bulge that I was used to seeing. I wouldn't know it was my bladder opening if I hadn't asked the doctor about it. (What I didn't ask was about the way it looked and why it looked different than anatomy pictures.) I've always seen drawings where the bladder sits above the pubic bone and there's a tube like part that goes from the bladder itself to the outside opening (this is in a woman with no prolapse, of course.)

Yeah---a little donut is the best way I can think of to describe it.

Sigh...
S&G

granolamom

April 13, 2008 - 5:12pm

anatomy books are not always consistent with reality. what I mean is, that sometimes they 'partially dissect' or pull tissues apart to better illustrate something. and even if they don't, I'd venture a guess that no two women look exactly the same over there, especially after childbirth. so its really hard to determine what's 'normal'
I will try to look it up in my STWW book and see if Christine has thoughts on this (christine??)

and fwiw, I used to see just the bulge, but as it got smaller and higher up the 'donut' you describe appeared. I think the 'donut' is the urethral meatus, or opening. and why wouldn't you be able to see it? I *think that if you didn't, that might indicate that the urethrea was in a funny position so that the opening was pointing towards the sides or something. I thought it was a good thing that its pointed out, where the pee is supposed to go. but that's just my feelings on the matter, based on nothing scientific.

and, another thing, it wouldn't technically be the opening to your bladder, but the opening to your urethra. you can't see the opening to the bladder. your dr should've at least made that much clear.