It's ok lol... I've been reading stuff about peeing ones self, caths and accidents for three days now..so this does not phase me lol

What the story was is that she was pushing a cart out to her car, a pack of DR.Pepper fell off the cart and sprayed all over. She then said she started to pee and could not stop. Apparently didn't feel it coming and not just avoiding the Wal-Mart bathrooms.
I have read a lot in forums of people mastering where all the bathrooms are "just in case" Also Mobility continence.. not being able to walk fast enough to get into the bathroom.
Another person cracked a joke about someone asking him how he manages the bathroom....his reply... "it depends"

Also when Richard Pryor was on an episode of Chicago Hope it showed him in his share un-able to stop the flow. He had MS and apparently died of a heart attack not related to the MS.
Things like that make me think it's going to happen and unavoidable.

It's just that I don't know where mine will go right now..maybe it will stop, but I am trying not to read into it...I can't help it though... I just don't know what else to do in order to not worry.

I feel great so far...I don't feel like I have anything...I really don't.

Word of advice...stop researching MS on the internet. It will drive you absolutely insane.

I know I couldnt help reading and researching and it drove me nuts. I had to force myself to stop researching because all it did was scare the crap (and possibly other bodily fluids) out of me.


If you're not having potty problems at the moment, do what I did. Go to a urologist and have them do a full workup on you so that you have a baseline of what your "normal" is. They can tell you if there's anything wonky going on down there, and if there is, they can help you with that.

My regular doctor suggested doing that after the neuro diagnosed me. My regular doctor's dad has MS. So, I'm guessing my doctor has a bit more experience with multiple sclerosis than some doctors do. (he's the only general practice doctor that I've met that knew more than the medical dictionary definition)

So, I had to suffer the indignity of people poking around in areas that I didnt want to be poked around in, but at least I came out of that knowing that at the time, things were relatively normal. (they still are, aside from the occasional UTI, but I dont think those UTI's have anything to do with the MS, but I wont go into that)

Bladder dysfunction doesnt always equal incontinence. Bladder dysfunction can mean frequent urinary tract infections, or inability to completely empty your bladder, all the way up to and including complete incontinence. Shame on the NMSS for not breaking that down better.

We dont do well with fevers, or heat. When we start feeling poorly, one of the first things the MD has you do is check your temp. If its even a tiny bit high, the first thing they do is dip a urine sample. I personally have had several UTIs but those are easily fixed. So...I guess that does put me in the 80%, but I dont dribble, I have never had an accident. I dont need pads, or catheters, and my UTIs are infrequent at best.

Most of us take meds that "regulate" or "calm" the immune system, and that makes us prone to pick up bacteria or viral issues more easily. I had 2 UTIs in my whole life till MS. I have had a few since, but they are quickly picked up, and easily treated.

Please keep in mind like Debbie D, many women have incontinence or stress incontinence issues after having even smaller sized babies (Debbie scares me! 10 pounds! ) and some leak when they sneeze, laugh or blow their nose. I had a 6 pounder when I was 21, and have not experienced this.

Also there are exercises that help streghten the pelvic floor muscles which support the bladder. Keeping this muscle strong will help prevent and correct some issues with leaking, and is supposed to help improve sex lives of men and women.

Kegel for women...

http://www.childbirth.org/articles/kegel.html

Kegal for men...

http://www.askmen.com/dating/love_ti..._love_tip.html

As usual, Dej, you are so good at expanding on a subject with information and advice that helps!! Thanks! Oh, and when my size 2 DIL heard how large DH and I, as well as our babies, were at birth, she freaked!!

Eric, sounds as if the WalMart incident is urge incontinence. It's a more neurologic issue than stress incontinence. I suffer from urge inc. when I hear the washing machine run, when I run the faucet, etc. Sometimes I just can't keep it from leaking out, and when it's this type, it's a lot.
That's why it is important for me to pay attention to going to the bathroom even if I don't feel as if my bladder is full--often I can't tell whether I have to go or not...I think that this IS part of the MS.

I'm not taking any meds even after two weeks ago when my MRI was suggestive of some problems. Maybe this is good as it's not to that point?... or maybe after Thursday it will be different.

The specialist I am seeing Thursday is suppose to be awesome according to others I have talked too, including my 64 year old friend Shirley who has had MS for over 30 years. She says he is the best. I can't wait until Thursday.

Eric, just stick with us. We'll be there to answer questions as well as make you laugh until you pee. LOL

I just read this from another forum I found in a google search..

A girl 26 and she had MS since 2008 and this is what she wrote in that forum.

In 2008, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and something like that can TOTALLY turn your world up side down. You have no idea how to relate to anyone anymore... I don't know about your specific disease, but mine makes me freak out like crazy about my "biological clock" and having kids, because the nature of my disease is progressive and unpredictable. I could end up in a wheelchair any time - the way mine is progressing, it's likely I'll be paralized by the time I'm about 40. Knowing that, it makes me want to push really hard to get married ASAP, because I want to have kids NOW, when I'm young, and more able to bounce back from the attacks that this disease wreaks on me. The older you get, the harder it is to recover from the attacks, and most women get these attacks after they give birth, so I want to have my kids when I'm young, so if I have the attack, I'll recuperate faster, and be able to get back to being a Mom.... being a Mom means EVERYTHING to me. I know women aren't supposed to say that. I know we're supposed to be liberated feminists who don't care if we ever get married, who don't care if we never get to have kids... but I do. And I want to run around with my kids and play with them, and not be an embarrasment when I show up for school functions, and give them EVERYTHING. How can I do that - be an awesome supermom, which a hard enough job as it is - if I'm doing it from a wheelchair? Is it even RIGHT for me to have kids if I know that I have this medical condition?

And what sucks is, depending on the treatment for your disease, it can be really scary for a new potential dating partner to deal with. Explaining that I have to inject myself with interferons, that - despite the fact that I'm NOT 72 - I have to use a walker because my balance sucks sometimes, (SO not sexy on a 26 year old), that every once in a while, I experience a stroke, and have to re-learn how to walk, write, talk, etc., well... it scares men off. I mean, guys my age have trouble accepting any kind of "baggage" you know? And you don't want to lie about it, because you don't want to be ashamed of it, because, like it or not, the disease is a part of your life, and you feel like if you're ashamed of something that's such a huge part of your life, you're really just ashamed of yourself - and you're not. But you can't exactly start off with all of this information on the first date, because then, all he'll see is the disease, and not YOU. So is omitting this information "lying"? It's so hard to know how open to be about it!

Walkers?..... I have had fatigue and somewhat balance issues... I would feel like my head got detached from my body and is why suspicion came to us.
She says she'll be paralyzed by 40.....is that possible?... is that the worst case of it?.... This is the worst I have seen so far. She said mini strokes as well.

I just can't wait till Thursday, I am going so damn insane right now that I'm getting to wear I don't feel like doing anything...I'm just watching TV and playing with my RC cars/helicopters atm.

I just wish Thursday would come already.

OK Eric, breath. That is not always typical. Yes there are varying stages of ms and yes some do use walkers and wheelchairs and some have a harder time than others. BUT, there are those who function just fine and go about their business as usual.

If doctors are still doing things the way it was with Jim, they will monitor you for five years to see how your ms affects you. Then they can try to say what stage or level of ms you are at. My hubby is secondary progressive, he started at relapsing remitting. He does use a wheelchair and cannot walk. Stay with me here. He was able to walk and transfer until he went through kidney failure 7 years ago due to a nursing mistake.

Now, just because he uses a chair doesn't mean you will. MS is such an unpredictable disease and no one can tell you where or how it will affect you. Those stories only serve to scare the crap out of one so take it with a grain of salt. Strokes? Never heard of strokes and ms so can't comment on that. Maybe she has a pre-existing condition?

Also, these stages are just that, rules doctors live by to grasp what level you are at. There are many people who have Jim's level of ms and still walk and work and do very well. So just because one person experiences something bad does not mean you will. I promise you that. Your ms will be different than anyone else's. You will have similarities but unlikely the same path.

Are you still breathing?

There is no roadmap with MS. I'm 54, 2 kids, a husband. I have PPMS, considered th worse by most - I'm in a chair but retain cognitive function, accidents sometimes but no incontinence, can still feel down there (girl parts), never blindness or pain. I can still stand to self-toilet but sure can't walk. Everyone is so different. Yes, I absolutely hate this but it could be worse I guess. My kids seem fine and healthy. physically and mentally/emotionally, As and Bs, Honor classes. It could be worse. I was given no choices in any of this.