update on bladder, etc

Submitted by jsnyc on August 30, 2007 - 5:40pm
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well, i went to PA for my weekly kegals/pelvic stimulation. because of my vaginal burning she did exam and put off pelvic stim til next week. vaginal exam did show some irritation in entrance of vagina. (inside not outside, so she is ruling out that it is due to pads). however, all tests on discharge were negative. urine sample didn't show bacteria, but did show microspopic amt of blood. i am having urinary urgency, burning around vagina still, but not really burning upon urination. The PA is assuming a few things...bladder irritation from something (will repeat urine next visit). if still blood they will do tests to check bladder (hope not because i don't like the idea of someone sticking something in my urethra. has anyone had that done??? also wondering, possibly if i am allergic to the lube they put on the probe for the pelvic stimulation. so seems to be two different issues??? also, i think because of my cystocele, my urethra is not alligned the way it should be and is causing some of these issues. so strange because my vagina feels better when i lie down, because it doesn't have to deal with the cystocele hanging there. yet, my bladder/urethra feels better standing up. i can't win. so if anyone can make heads or tails of what i just said....you are a genius!
also, it seems susan/"how did this happen to me" wrote something about similar symptoms back in july....are you still out there??? and did it get resolved???
the good news is that i have walked two days without my cane!!! i have never had to think so hard about how to walk...it is very strange.

jsnyc

August 30, 2007 - 5:42pm

ps.. PA stands for physicians assistant not pennsylvania. also, they put me on antibiotics (just to resolve any infection which could be lurking but didn't show in tests).

howdidthishappen

August 30, 2007 - 6:56pm

hey jsnyc:

i can never resist a shout out!

yeah, i was having a rather unpleasant stretch back there for a while though all my symptoms have, in fact, resolved. i didn't have any burning but i did have leaking and, god almighty, was it unpleasant and nervewracking. honestly not 100% sure what it was all about. i had thought at first it was urine though i realized a while into it it was some sort of vaginal secretion. (I, too, had had a urine test done just to rule out uti.)

i have done a lot of herbs/acupuncture throughout so my acupuncturist was addressing what was going on -- but, again, not totally clear what it was and it went away rather quickly after being around for a while. weird, huh? but i was happy as hell to be done with the cloth pads i was using.

(just as a side note: i, too, live in ny, jsnyc, so do feel free to e-mail me. i used pt as well and loads of alternative stuff. i do think the major thing that helped me was the posture, though, and a good mostly organic diet, but have other practioner resources if you ever wanted to check them out.)

good luck with it all!

xsusan

granolamom

August 30, 2007 - 7:36pm

congrats on losing the cane, jsnyc!

susan, I didn't realize you were in NY too

where are you guys? I'm on Long Island.

anyone else here from NY? we can start our own satellite WW Center...

Lilly Anne

August 30, 2007 - 7:51pm

I'm in CT.

- Lilly Anne

howdidthishappen

August 31, 2007 - 4:09am

i didn't you were in new york either, granolamom! i thought you were on the other coast for some reason.

yes, i am a proud borough resident of new york. satellite site is right!

i knew lilly anne was a east coaster, too. (hey doll...been thinking of you...e-mail on the way this weekend.)

xsusan

louiseds

August 31, 2007 - 4:28am

Hey you great concentration of ladies in NY on the other side of the planet,

Just because you live at/near the centre of the universe, don't get any big ideas!

We'll have to start some big news story about how NY is the pelvic organ prolapse capital of the world. Now that would give all the politicians something to think about! LOL

Cheers

Louise in Oz

jsnyc

August 31, 2007 - 5:58am

i got up this am....johns typical wake up, around 5:30...can't wait til he sleeps through the night. anyway, i was so excited to see all the responses and it was mostly you gals planning a NY network!!!! lololol. i actually had a small epiphany...maybe my soap is causing some vaginal burning. i typically just grab a bar from our closet which is full of soap from various places...so i will change that today, stat. anyone have a recommendation for a nice mild soap.
also, i am trying to take the advice from louise earlier this week to air it out. so i do this while sleeping, but if i walk around i have drippage (and like susan, i think it isn't urine but some kind of discharge)...
i am in manhatten and would love to know some good resources which may be helpful to me. i have a great acupuncturist...but she works downtown, so with baby is hard to get to. i am on upper east side.
i swear my cystocele is bothering me less, especially when my bladder isn't too full. so all this other stuff stinks!!!! and i am hoping it is postpartum and will disappear.

granolamom

August 31, 2007 - 12:36pm

I don't use soap in there
I remember reading somewhere that a healthy vagina is naturally clean.

I use burts bees for the baby, that seems pretty mild

louiseds

September 1, 2007 - 9:58am

I agree with Granolamom about not using soap in your vagina. Hey, it's mucous membranes in there, not skin! Would you use soap in your mouth? It makes sense to me that a vagina will keep itself clean. Around the outside of the vulva may be a bit different. Just don't go inside with the soap. Water does a pretty good job with fingers, or warm wet washcloth if you find you get a lot of smegma buildup. It's nice to be clean, but not too clean!

I think there are a lot of microflora in the vulva and vagina, most of which have a reason for being there. If you keep swamping the area with stuff that could alter the pH you could really get some imbalance happening. I think that is the reason for a lot of thrush etc.

Cheers

Louise

mom30

September 1, 2007 - 11:17am

I usually buy the big one with the pump from Walmart. I use it on my face too, it doesn't burn at all. I usually just get the generic store brand.

kiki

September 2, 2007 - 3:47pm

definately try no soap...
i use baby wash anyway (california baby is lovely!), but can't even tolerate that on my more sensitive bits--get terribly irritated if i do.
i have heard of something in europe called Aqueas (sp?) cream that is alike a lotion you can wash with. not so natural, but non irritating... don't know if you can get it in NY?

jsnyc

September 2, 2007 - 5:32pm

thanks for the comments...i actually use california baby for my baby...so i already have it in the house. funny, i have always used some kind of soap ( not deoderant soap) on my inner and outer labia. (never inside). just a quick washing and thorough rinsing. so i was surprised to hear some people don't use soap down there at all, as you were probably surprised that i do. i actually felt less burning earlier today...but as soon as i took out my tampon today it came back. so i will continue to moniter things as i always do. had a bit of a meltdown today...lots of tears. just feel like i will never be the same happy go lucky fun person i use to be. this business going on between my legs is ever so present...80% of the time. it is less when i first get up in the morning, when i am sitting and funny enough..when i have an alcoholic beverage. i feel like all of the activities i have always loved-hiking, the beach, exploring and traveling...are all diminished due to my need for a bathroom or just that good ole heaving hanging feeling. forget sexual relations...haven't even explored that yet. luckily a restaurant experience is while seated...so i can enjoy that, however i am then overwhelmed by the need to worry how acidic or constipating something is. i know i may be singing to the choir, but just needed to vent to those who get it.

louiseds

September 2, 2007 - 8:55pm

Yes, good stuff for all sorts of things. Washing any part of your body, hand cream, face moisturiser (there is a version called sorbolene that has a little glycerin as well), shaving?, massage lotion (yes, a non-oily massage lotion!) emergency lubricant, also good for flaky legs in summer. I think it is the generic basis of most hand creams etc. Very useful stuff.

The label on the back of my current tub says, "Recommended as an anionic alternative to soap. Use daily whilst showering. Ideal as a general moisturiser to help in the prevention of dry, rough and flaking skin. Gnetly massage into skin as often as required. Preservative Phenoxethanol 1% w/w." The front label says,"Aqueous cream APF14, contains: Wax-emulsifying 9% w/w". I don't know if anybody can shed any light on the ingredients, but I have yet to come across anyone who has had problems with it. I know so many women who use it as a moisturiser because it is dirt cheap and it works! I really don't know how the skincare industry would keep afloat if everybody was like me! ;-)

This one is made in Queensland but there are lots of brands in Australia. I am sure you would be able to get it in New York!!!

Cheers

Louise

kiki

September 25, 2007 - 9:58am

Hi there
i'm finally catching up on posts and going way back (as you can tell!). you mentioned about using tampons, and being iritated. you may have already thought about this / had this mentioned, but have you tried sea sponges?

I tried a tampon as an experiment and it didn't stay in more than a few minutes, so i got sea sponges for when my periods do, one day, return. i tried them and they are so comfy, and not meant to dry you out in the same way. perhaps that would help & be less irritating?

apologies if you've been there / discussed that ... but a thought.

kiki