My Urodynamic Testing Experience

To say this test was uncomfortable and awkward would be an undertatement.

Everyone has different tolerences for things, this is something I didn't tolerate well.

I'd rather be in labor and give birth than to have this test again.

Let me start out by saying, I was very scared going into this, so that probably didn't help my tolerence level.

I walked into the procedure room and starting crying like a baby when I saw all the weird gadgets that would be inserted.  When I found out my doctor was indeed planning on a cystoscopy I really freaked out, to the point that they agreed to allow Jeff in the room to get me calmed down.

It was finally agreed that the cystoscopy would not be done, I was just too scared and too panicked.  The nurse said that she didn't really know why the doctor wanted to do one, it isn't normal procedure so she told me that if the doctor still wanted one they would schedule it at the hospital and I'd be put under anesthesia.

Let the testing begin.

I had to first sit on this weird table, toilet, computerized piece of equipment and pee into a special toilet that measures your urine stream.  Weird.

I could not do this, I got stage fright.

Figures.

So the nurse emptied my bladder with a catheter which hurt going in and hurt going out and burned like hell.

Next, 3 more catheters were insterted, each one comunicated with the computer, you figure out where they were insterted... 

Now, it is actually fascinating that they have equipment like this, but 3 catheters??  This is where I freaked out.  She started inserting them and I thought I was going to pass out from both fear and pain.

It felt really weird and I was afraid to move with all of these high tech things stuck in my body, not to mention the catheter in my urethra hurt like hell.


Once this was over, I was brought back into an upright position over the special toilet and my bladder was filled with sterile water.

I was asked to tell her when my bladder felt like it does when I know it is time to pee.

Once I got to that point, she had me cough a few times and bear down, like your pooping or giving birth.  This was to see if I leaked urnine, which I don't.

She then continued filling my bladder and I was asked to tell her when I got to the point where I'd actually get up from a TV show I was really into to go to the bathroom.

Once I got to that point, she had me do the same coughing and bearing down again.

She then started filling my bladder really fast and I was asked to tell her when I felt like I just couldn't hold it one more second.

Once I got there we did the coughing, bearing down again.

Then she left the room and I peed into the special toilet and yes the catheters were still inside of me during this.  It was weird, painful and that water was like ICE.

I'm not sure why this was so painful for me, I never had a catheter when I gave birth.  I only had a quick catheter right before delivery to empty my bladder and I was so numb from the epidural I didn't even realize it. 

It has been almost 8 hours after my prodecure and I am still having pain.

The nurse said this happens to some people who might be more sensitive in that area than others.  Figures I'd be one of them.

The good news is, my bladder and all the muscles that go into urination work perfectly so this answers my doctors question, it is indeed a sacral nerve problem and I will go on to have the Medtronic Interstim device implanted.

I will find out tomorrow when my temporary device will be placed and then if that goes well, I'll get a permanent device about 2 weeks after that.

I am really excited about this and after dealing with my issue for over 8 years, I'm ready to feel normal again.

Testing Day

I am sitting around sipping water, waiting to leave for my urologist appointment this morning.

I'm sipping water because I have to come with a full bladder.  This might just kill me, literally.

I didn't sleep last night because I'm in panic mode about these tests.

They sound less than desirable.

But what can be more revealing than giving birth?

I'm thinking not much.

I'll live through this.

If it means I won't pee 27 times a day and actually get more than 4 hours of sleep a night, I'll pretty much do anything at this point.

If you are the least bit interested in what I'll be doing today, you can read about it here.

She also mentioned something about a scope, I can't really remember exactly, I just hope it isn't this because if you read this it mentions general anesthesia and I'm going to her office, so if she is planning on doing this procedure without giving me something I'll probably have the cops called on me.

Wish me luck.