Does anyone here with Chiari type 1 suffer from urinary or fecal incontinence? Is it just stress incontinence (coughing, sneezing, laughing) or worse?
Rebecca/Abby,
Thanks for your replies. I know I have been incognito...just living with things for now. Going to make an appointment with my PCM. I have had urinary stress incontinence here and there after having two kids figured it was just normal, but lately in the morning I will get up and use the bathroom and feel as if my bladder is empty and I normally have a bowel movement as well. However, after my shower and while I am getting ready for work I will leak urine for no apparent cause. I had a urine test a couple weeks ago at a OB/GYN apt and no UTI so dunno what the issue is.
Also in the last few months I will have what seems like fecal fluid leak and just irritate my rectal area...no actual accident level issue but just irritating the skin and surrounding area. I do have some HX of IBS years ago but nothing was found on any exams/tests but that was at least 15yrs ago. I also have hemmoroids on occasion. Back in October I had a bout of loose stool for a couple weeks and found that I had some sort of bacteria in there...so took some antibiotics and that cleared up. However this issue was present before and after that. I thought I could just deal with it since it is not something you really want to go see a doctor about unless its really bad due to the embarrassment factor but it is getting increasingly annoying. Having read that there could be something to do with nerves and my sphincter muscles etc. it got me wondering if it was due to Chiari.
Sorry if TMI...
I don't have any heart issues and my blood pressure is always been normal...even when pregnant.
I haven't had issues with constipation in quite some time. My IBS years ago was constipation related but was also mostly at the onset of my period and likely stress related.
Will see what my PCM has to say. Just wanted to know if there was a link to Chiari or not so that I had some info going into the appointment.
I did however have an episode of fainting after urinating for a couple days after the birth of my son years ago. I would faint after I voided when I would stand up from the toilet. I was told that it affects more men than women and the nurses were surprised I had it. Had my daughter almost 5 yrs ago and there was no issue after her birth. However, I was in a longer labor and did more bearing down/pushing when my son was born.
kind of do… I have trouble (usually in the AM) emptying my bladder… it’s like all my muscles seize up and then I can’t pee… usually on days this happens, I will continue feeling like I need to pee and will go pee every 20 minutes or so. it doesn’t happen every day but it’s frequent enough that I’m seeing a urologist. (not happy about it… he wants to scope my bladder and test the bladder muscle to see if it’s working correctly)
He thinks I might have endometriosis and not bladder issues… dislike to both.
Fs, I have bladder incontinence -and I haven’t given birth. I’ve learned to control it somewhat though…if I push and force out all the pee when I go that cuts down on the episodes.
Hi
Looking back, urinary incontinence was one of the first symptoms that I had at the age of 17 (full bladder releases! In public!). It was just dismissed as a bladder infection, which I did not have. I always mentioned the bladder thing but it was never addressed though I got a lot of hand waves in dismissal and mutterings of "neurogenic bladder". Urge incontinence has plagued me since then with stress incontinence added in after pregnancies.
After my surgery, I had no more urge incontinence for 2 months and then it came back. Eventually, I was tested for bladder infection which was positive this time. Now, almost two years later, I do not have urge incontinence anymore though still experience stress incontinence as my pelvic floor is VERY weak. When I get other body issues sorted out I have a incontinence/pelvic floor therapist that I will see. I have to go to another city for that so I have to wait until I can commit.
After talking to that therapist, she said that she is able to sort out what incontinence is what, the source, and even does fecal incontinence and constipation work. My point is, is that there are specialists who can sort that out for you - yes it is an invasive process. Chiari is not the reason for everything! And, hopefully, you will get some answers and relief. Not every pelvic floor specialist is indeed a specialist so you'll have to do your homework if you want to go that route.