ALS - effects on ability to urinate

[BlsdMama]

I’m also UMN dominant with severe urinary urgency. Interesting this symptom seems predominantly UMN.

I’ve had several accidents. I was prescribed something that does seem to help, however it dries out my throat so much that it impairs my ability to speak.

 

[rmt]

BlsdMama, what are you taking that is helping? My husband is UMD and has urgency and has had several accidents.

 

[lynnbr2]

Both the Bladder & the Bowel have both Voluntary & Involuntary Muscles. While ALS is rare Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is not and also has varied injuries to the UMN in vertebrae and LMN connecting to the vertebrae. Urologists & GI docs are versed in organ innervation issues, this is beyond the scope of the Clinic.
this is known as Neurogenic Bladder / Bowel. I have the Reflexive variant, I can hold it in, but not release.

 

[lgelb]

There is more than one anticholinergic drug in the category that helps urinary urgency, originally developed for people who have incontinence. So if one dries you out too much, it could be worth adjusting the dose or trying another one in the class.

Prescribing medications like these is well within the competence of most physicians. In both SCI and ALS, catheters are sometimes used. However, the bowel program such as is most often used in SCI (digital stimulation, suppositories) is less appropriate in ALS, where hydration, changes in oral/tube diet, laxatives and manual disimpaction are more often used. There is no cookie cutter answer to either bladder or bowel problems, because the muscles affected and their capabilities vary/change much more in ALS than in SCI.

 

[BlsdMama]

@rmt
Oxybutinin works to help the urgency. However, it dries my mouth and throat so much that my speech is inaudible so I rarely take it.