A scientific experiment in real time

I’m not sure if I’ve blogged about this before. At the beginning of December I had what I thought was cystitis. So I bought some cranberry tablets and took a month’s cure. Unfortunately it kept on coming back and the tests that were taken where clear. Anyway, I ended up taking tablets for bladder spasms. I’ve looked around on the internet and now I don’t drink large quantities of anything in one go and have trained myself to wait 90 minutes between visits to the loo. This keeps things more or less comfortable most of the time.

It just so happens that next week I have an ultrasound scan and guess what? I have to drink a litre of water an hour before. I know the journey will take roughly an hour, so I must drink the water just before setting off. I’ve been worrying about this since I found out the ‘good news’ yesterday morning. This morning I came up with a plan. I would measure out the water (4 glasses) and drink them down. Allowing one hour plus another hour for waiting because appointments are usually late, I’m going to note how I manage. If it really is too uncomfortable, I will cancel the appointment and contact my gynecologist to see what else can be done. Anyone who has had a baby will know that an ultrasound scan on a full bladder is no picnic.

Progress will be updated every hour.

 9.22: Drank down four large glasses of water

10.22: I need to go but it's managable - no spasms.  Not sure how I'll feel about someone pressing the scanner onto my tummy at the moment

11.05 : I was hoping to get to 11.22, but considering everything, I did better than I thought I would.

I checked the medicine I’m taking; Vesicare. It’s designed to help people last longer – as it were. So in theory I will be alright on the day. I found the website and there are 3 stories of women of different ages, who suffered with overactive bladder (there, I said it). I’m thankful that I went to see my Doctor pretty quickly. Now I understand what had been going on.

If you’ve found this post because you’re trying to find out what’s wrong; please, please don’t hesitate to talk to your Doctor – it can’t be more embarrassing that having an accident when you’re out and about, can it?