OK. "Yucky guys stuff" for a change. I;m just getting over a UTI, and my symptoms were cloudy pink urine that smelled like ammonia, pain in my back on both sides at my lower ribs, a 102 fever and felt like I'd been hit by small truck and backed over again.
Men's plumbing is setup differently, so guys typically don't get UTIs and when they do, they tend not to be caused by E. coli (Urologist said about 25% are caused by E. coli.) From recent experience and dropping some $$ at the urologist, I found out that I have a "spastic bladder." The URO says it is related to the rest of my spasticity issues.
Anyhow, whether the bladder is full or partially empty, I seems that it can cause a retrograde (from the bladder to the kidneys) flow of urine. My kidney stones seem to scratch up the inside of my kidneys a bit and make it easy for an infection to set up shop. Kidney stones, old residual urine and retrograde flow means a high potential for problems.
Anyhow, they did an exam, did a post void ultrasound and took a cath specimen. They started me on antibiotics. The culture grew Proteus mirabilis and high counts of Staphylococcus aureus (much more than would be expected even in a contaminated sample.) I guess Staph. a. is OK on the skin, but not such a good thing in the kidneys.
OK, the MS is bad enough, but al the other "gotchas" that come with it are getting a bit extreme.
Bob
This place is crazy today. One time I can post a response and the next....nothing. I hope this doesn't end up being on here 16 times tomorrow. Here goes another try.
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Believe me Betty -- if you don't completely empty your bladder and stagnant urine results in a UTI it absolutely CAN bother you. If continued retention causes more frequent or difficult to treat UTIs it absolutely WILL bother you - BIG time.
I think I followed that last part. You are right to keep track of your own symptoms and treatments as best you can. It can be very helpful in finding out what triggers us, things that might be something other than MS, which treatments/drugs help and what might be helpful for others but is useless for us. We are all so individual especially when MS is in the mix.
I'm not suggesting you should or should not be taking the kadian. I'm only suggesting it is a drug with the potential to cause or worsen urinary retention. It is a fact worth staying aware of. I suggested telling your doc because they sometimes lose track of us as a whole person when they start treating us symptom by symptom.
I think I’ll go back to your first question about taking kadian and give you my personal thoughts about pain control. I meant to get back to you there and never did. I apologize for that. It seems a better place than here to share that experience.
Mary
Betty, I agree with Twopack, you need to check with your doctor.
You know I just thought it was all MS related but never thought about treatment for both my bowels and urinary tract. Everything in my body is just slow. Today I know you need to tell your neuro these things...They need to be treated.
Sumana
Believe me -- if you don't completely empty your bladder and stagnant urine results in a UTI it absolutely CAN bother you. If continued retention causes more frequent or difficult to treat UTIs it absolutely WILL bother you - BIG time.
I think I followed that last part. You are right to keep track of your own symptoms and treatments as best you can. It can be very helpful in finding out what triggers us, things that might be something other than MS, which treatments/drugs help and what might be helpful for others but is useless for us. We are all so individual especially when MS is in the mix.
I'm not suggesting you should or should not be taking the kadian. I'm only suggesting it is a drug with the potential to cause or worsen urinary retention. It is a fact worth staying aware of. I suggested telling your doc because they sometimes lose track of us as a whole person when they start treating us symptom by symptom.
I think I’ll go back to your first question about taking kadian and give you my personal thoughts about pain control. I meant to get back to you there and never did. I apologize for that. It seems a better place than here to share that experience.
Mary
Believe me -- if you don't completely empty your bladder and stagnant urine results in a UTI it absolutely CAN bother you. If continued retention causes more frequent or difficult to treat UTIs it absolutely WILL bother you - BIG time.
I'm not suggesting if you should or should not be taking the kadian. I'm only suggesting it is a drug with the potential to cause or worsen urinary retention. It is a fact worth staying aware of. I suggest telling your doc because they sometimes lose track of us as a whole person when they start treating us symptom by symptom.
I think I’ll go back to your first question about taking kadian and give you my personal thoughts about pain control. I meant to get back to you there and never did. I apologize for that. It seems a better place than here to share that experience.
Mary
The pain I had was before I started kadian I had that then started getting weaker again. that was about 5 days before I had a Dr. app. and he said it was another episode with my MS. but this time I was weaker and it was harder to walk. I was in more pain that is why he put me on kadian. I am trying to keep track of everything.
Thanks
Betty
ok thanks...i will let him know but it does not bother me. but I will still let him know.
thanks
Betty
I'd check with your doctor Betty. Urinary retention is common in PwMS and can lead to urinary tract infections.
It is also possible for kadian to cause this. Have you only noticed it since you started taking that?
Either way you need to check with your doc. Unfortunately, the drugs that help with one thing all to often cause problems with another. It's the curse of pharmatological treatment :{
Mary