Another Bathroom Question.........

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Kelly5538

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Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
25
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
01/2016
Country
CA
State
Ontario
City
Orangeville
Hubby seems to have issues peeing...... he uses a hand held urinal but he seems to have to hold it there for a long time before he pees (if he does at all). He says he has to go but then nothing - or a very long wait first. I asked him to tell his nurse about it but he says it's fine, that he is just not waiting till the last minute to go because then he will have an accident, but I believe that he feels he has to go and then has trouble going.
Is this normal?
 
Possibilities: Bladder infections commonly cause the urge to go frequently but with the delay in actually going or sometimes being unable to go.
Dehydration can cause the urge to go even when the bladder is not very full. It can take a long time to finally go and then the amount is small and the urine is darker than normal.
Prostate problems are very common in men, beginning in later middle age generally.
Or maybe he really is worried about not getting the urinal in time. That doesn't seem as likely unless that has happened to him before. This is the only possibility that could be considered normal with ALS. We all worry about getting to the bathroom on time!

I suggest starting with increasing his water intake since he is not complaining of pain when he goes which would strongly indicate infection.
 
Some medications can cause issues here too sometimes. Amitriptyline caused this for me.
 
First, look at the color of his pee. It should be clear or very light yellow. I have urinary retention and I think it is from the drugs I take.
Make sure he's getting enough pure water.
 
Steve developed bph during his als. It made for some long wait and see bathroom trips and some accidents.
 
Steve developed bph during his als. It made for some long wait and see bathroom trips and some accidents.
What did he do for his bph?
 
Could it be the detruser muscle? This is the muscle that pushes on the bladder to make a person pee. I've read that ALS doesn't affect urination, but could it be?

Also, many PALS limit their liquid intake because it's so difficult to get to the restroom. That leads to dehydration. Just beware.

Finally, the color of pee can also be affected by vitamins. Makes it green.
 
Chumpy he didnt do anything. The va gave him a med to help with the problem but it came too late for him to try it
 
ALS can and does affect urination and defecation because the muscles -- voluntary muscles that you push with -- often get weak, inhibiting the ability and/or concealing the need past the time when it would ordinarily be recognized. The literature around this is often very old, practically from the days when no one discussed such things. Any book or page that says these functions aren't affected is obsolete.
 
Have you tried condom catheters?
 
My husband saw a urologist for the same problem following a surgery and was put on Flomax. When I asked how long he'd need to take it , the doc say for the rest of his life as it would help with the issues that ALS would bring. Imagine finding a urologist in a rural area, two hours from the nearest ALS clinic, who understood that about ALS. BTW, he didn't put hubby through any type of exam--history was enough.
 
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