Urodynamics and Logging

No, not timber, logging the ends and outs, as it were.

My morning has begun with remembering to log the amount of urine output. So far so good but I feel like the next 24 hours will just revolve around the toilet. If I don't obsessively think about input and output I will forget to record it. No big deal.

I was scheduled for the Urodynamics test tomorrow but last night I found that I had failed to record how often I urinate and/or leak for the past seven days. Oops. I rescheduled the test for next Wednesday.

So tell me, how bad is the actual test going to be?

From the research I have done it looks like Urodynamic testing can actually be more than one test so it would be hard to say how bad the "test" might be if we don't know exactly which ones will be performed.

When my ureter was healing (damaged during surgery) I had to record daily output from my bag, then that was switched to how much I could pee out VS how much came out of the catheter each day. It was a pain to remember to record it some times. To help out my hubby hung the papers from a clip board near the toilet for me. The only tests I have had so far to check on the repairs was a dye test. Dye was shot into my catheter into the bladder to check and see if any urine was back washing into the kidneys. It felt a bit odd but wasnt painful at all. I hope your test all go well and have NO pain for you. Please let us know how it goes.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by KaylaV From the research I have done it looks like Urodynamic testing can actually be more than one test so it would be hard to say how bad the "test" might be if we don't know exactly which ones will be performed. When my ureter was healing (damaged during surgery) I had to record daily output from my bag, then that was switched to how much I could pee out VS how much came out of the catheter each day. It was a pain to remember to record it some times. To help out my hubby hung the papers from a clip board near the toilet for me. The only tests I have had so far to check on the repairs was a dye test. Dye was shot into my catheter into the bladder to check and see if any urine was back washing into the kidneys. It felt a bit odd but wasnt painful at all. I hope your test all go well and have NO pain for you. Please let us know how it goes.

Your test sound like they were a lot worse than what I'm having done

My test will have them filling my bladder with fluid to three different amounts, corresponding with levels of fullness/discomfort. I will be asked to bear down at the three different levels to see if I leak. There will also be a wire in my vagina at the time, I'm guessing to measure the amount of pressure.

. I think I am more worried about the humiliation factor more than anything. There goes my modesty. I don't even go to the beach without a full cover-up.

I wouldn't worry about modesty in the least with the urologist. They are very used to dealing with peoples "sensitive" bits. I was concerned that I might leak during my test and the Doctor just laughed at me and said, "Thats what these big bed pads are for, I have seen and dealt with it all."

	Quote:
Originally Posted by KaylaV I wouldn't worry about modesty in the least with the urologist. They are very used to dealing with peoples "sensitive" bits. I was concerned that I might leak during my test and the Doctor just laughed at me and said, "Thats what these big bed pads are for, I have seen and dealt with it all."

Thank you for reminding me of the fact that this is their job. I'm sure they've seen it all and then some. My nakedness probably will not follow them home and haunt their dreams.

I had the test done a while ago. It was not too bad. It was no party though either. They put a catheter in and also a small something (don't really know what it was) in your rectum to measure abdominal pressure.

Most uncomfortable was withdrawing the catheter slowly to measure the urethral sfincter and of course peeing afterwards was a bit painful the first couple of times. All in all...I'd rather have the urodynamics than the dynamic MRI or defecogram!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by BurnedOut I had the test done a while ago. It was not too bad. It was no party though either. They put a catheter in and also a small something (don't really know what it was) in your rectum to measure abdominal pressure. Most uncomfortable was withdrawing the catheter slowly to measure the urethral sfincter and of course peeing afterwards was a bit painful the first couple of times. All in all...I'd rather have the urodynamics than the dynamic MRI or defecogram!

Thanks for the input.

I've heard about the above test that I highlighted red. That sounds like a nightmare come true for me. YIKES! I hope I don't have to have that one done but I want to do everything I can to get better.

Like others have said, it isn't the worst thing in the world but it's no picnic either.

I was only undressed from the waist down and escorted to a chair that looked like something leftover from the Spanish Inquisition. Under the chair was a funnel and a bucket and I had to pee into that first. Then the RN inserted a straight catheter to measure my residual.

Then the fun really began.

The RN placed another catheter. That catheter was attached to a machine that slowly pushed and pulled the catheter in and out to measure different pressures along the urethral sphincter. I really didn't like that part. There was also an electrode placed in my vagina (if it won't stay in the vagina then they put it in the rectum) and that was taped to my leg.

Slowly my bladder was filled and I would bear down at different intervals. The RN placed a speculum inside the vagina to lift the organs back into place to see what would happen. I peed freely when that happened. The thing is that I wasn't incontinent but only because my prolapse was kinking off the urethra. After the repair I'd have been totally incontinent so that's why I had the tension-free tape.

They did all of the above with my sitting and then with my standing. I peed all over the place. Don't worry. You want them to fix you and that's what you're there for. They aren't going to judge you, they are there to help you.

After that part I had a cystoscopy a week or so later.

One tip I can give you is to cross your arms during painful procedures and pinch yourself. Your brain really can only process so many signals. Crossing your arms has been shown in studies to reduce pain perception. And if you give yourself a little pain higher up the spinal column your brain is more likely to interpret that first.

dont worry about the unydodamics test. The nurses or very understanding. With mine I had two caths in one in the front and one in back. They did ultra sound first . Let me wee in funny looking commode chair thingy. Then filled the bladder with water I got up 700ml voided 100 ml and retained the rest . They had to drain my bladder for me. When I stood up I weeded on the floor. The staff was so good about and soon put me at ease. So dont worry if you wee on the floor ect. The nursing have seen all before. I hope that this puts your mind at rest

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady Hopeful Like others have said, it isn't the worst thing in the world but it's no picnic either. I was only undressed from the waist down and escorted to a chair that looked like something leftover from the Spanish Inquisition. Under the chair was a funnel and a bucket and I had to pee into that first. Then the RN inserted a straight catheter to measure my residual. Then the fun really began. The RN placed another catheter. That catheter was attached to a machine that slowly pushed and pulled the catheter in and out to measure different pressures along the urethral sphincter. I really didn't like that part. There was also an electrode placed in my vagina (if it won't stay in the vagina then they put it in the rectum) and that was taped to my leg. Slowly my bladder was filled and I would bear down at different intervals. The RN placed a speculum inside the vagina to lift the organs back into place to see what would happen. I peed freely when that happened. The thing is that I wasn't incontinent but only because my prolapse was kinking off the urethra. After the repair I'd have been totally incontinent so that's why I had the tension-free tape. They did all of the above with my sitting and then with my standing. I peed all over the place. Don't worry. You want them to fix you and that's what you're there for. They aren't going to judge you, they are there to help you. After that part I had a cystoscopy a week or so later. One tip I can give you is to cross your arms during painful procedures and pinch yourself. Your brain really can only process so many signals. Crossing your arms has been shown in studies to reduce pain perception. And if you give yourself a little pain higher up the spinal column your brain is more likely to interpret that first.

Thanks for the detailed description. I've see the room and the equipment they are planning to use for the test.I don't think what they have set up is quite as advanced as what you experienced. Which makes me extra glad I made an appointment with a urogynecologist today. My appointment with her is this Thursday.

I'm beginning to really think that the first guy I saw may be a great da Vinci surgeon, particularly for women wanting myoectomy to retain fertility or in need of just a hysterectomy, but perhaps not the one for pelvic floor disorders.

Thank you for reminding me that a urogynecologist is really the way I need to go. I feel better already knowing that I have not one, but two appointments scheduled with other urogynecologists.