Perhaps I'm a bit slow on the uptake...are bladder issues often connected to certain kinds of PN? Is it a symptom of some sort or a direct result of the PN or whichever type of neuropathy it might be?

I've had some bladder issues but just assumed between age and having had 6 children some of this was fairly normal. This has got me thinking and wondering...

Yes, unfortunately--
 

--bladder--and bowel issues can be part of the package with small-fiber neuropathy that has an autonomic component.

In the large majority of people, these "annoyances" are often "subclinical"--very much like the fleeting problmes many small-fiber people have with postural hypertension or anhidrosis--and they don't become major conditions themselves. But in a significant fraction of people with major disease processes (and I definitely think Silverlady and cycleops and kmeb here, and maybe some others, fall into this category), these symptoms become major parts of the syndrome.

I liken it to how a good number of people--not all, but a significant number--have bowel/bladder issues with MS. A lot of whether one gets these symptoms depends on just where, and to what extent, the nerves are damaged.

The Washington University Neuromuscular website rather definitely indicates that autonomic dysfunction is common in Sjogren's (and has references); diabetes can often lead to autonomic symptoms, and there are also a batch of hereditary/genetic disorders, a number of them mitochondrial, that have autonomic nerve dysfunction as a prominent feature.

For those who like overwhelming amounts of listings, take a look at:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/autonomic.html

I am going to agree with LizaJane. I went through all the testing. In my case there are issues with the L5/S1 and I have a fractured coccyx...C3 to be exact and the tip of it. ALL of this nerve damage has caused a lot of problems. So, Premarin Cream, pelvic floor PT and every now and then an injection into the coccyx. There is not much more I can do other than the above. Of course it is different than having IC. But you are right...the Premarin Cream may make alot of difference. It did for me. The PT, internal work, helped with the muscle spasms and the coccyx injections take the inflammation down. All of it has worked well. Actually, the Premain Cream if it is not a neuropathy issue, will help with the burning pain if you have that symptom as well. And I believe your doc is taking the right course. LizaJane is right...you would be amazed at how this all comes together and/or connects. It doesn't have to necessarily be neuropathy or even IC. Because I thought the same thing at one time and that wasn't it at all. It is just mainly nerve damage from my lumbar/sacral area causing a lot of this. It gets very involved and very complicated. I am thankful I had a great Reproductive Endocrinologist and Urogynecologist along with my spinal PM to help me get it ALL figured out. And very thankful for a PT specializing in this.

yes, it can be tricky
 

It can be tricky determining what is what. We're doing the elimination process to find out. Glenn thanks again for reminding me of that website.

MRI tomorrow. Next step. I feel that I have a very "on-top-of-it'' GYN. We'll get to the bottom of this.

Billye

Good luck at the mri. I never knew that bowels and bladder could be because of pn. Anyhow hope you feel better.