Urinary Retention

[mcjimjam]

About five years ago I took Strattera, and had urinary retention on it. Not the really bad kind where you can't pee at all but the kind where it's like even though your bladder is full you can only pee a tiny bit, so you're constantly going to the bathroom.

 

The thing is, after I stopped taking it, it never fully went away. Even at times since then that I've been on no meds at all, I still couldn't fully empty my bladder. 

 

Meds do seem to make it worse, but it's there nonetheless. 

 

Why would this problem continue even after I stopped the drug? I know a lot of drugs that increase NA can do this, but has anyone heard of any cases where it was permanent?

 

I've decided to go to a GP about it. I've only recently realized it might be something treatable. It is so annoying to need to go to the bathroom every half an hour. I can't stand it.

 

Also, has anyone had this problem before? What can I expect when I bring it up with the doctor?

Thanks.

 

ETA: I'm male and 23 years old. 

Edited December 13, 2013 by mcjimjam

[melissaw72]

 

Why would this problem continue even after I stopped the drug? I know a lot of drugs that increase NA can do this, but has anyone heard of any cases where it was permanent?

 

I'm not on Strattera and I don't have urinary retention, but wanted to say that when I went on clozaril, those side effects I had while on that never went away after stopping it.  So  I guess I'm saying is that your side effects might not go away, but hopefully they will for you.  I wish you well.  Good luck at your DR appt.

[hagar]

Amitriptyline gave me urinary hesitancy for a few weeks when I first started it, but luckily it went away on its own and I never mentioned it to my doctor. She had told me beforehand that it's a common side effect. I don't have any answers to your questions, but I know how frustrating and uncomfortable it feels. I hope your doctor can help.

[Parapluie]

Effexor gave me urinary hesitancy/retention at first, but it went away after about a week. I'm still on Effexor and now I struggle with some kind of residual urine problem. I'll empty my bladder (or so I think) and then I'll get a strong urge to go again. Sometimes more urine will come out, just a little bit. Sometimes nothing comes out and it's really uncomfortable. I worry about getting a bladder infection from residual urine. 

 

Hmm, I should probably talk to my doctor about this. 

Edited December 14, 2013 by Parapluie

[crtclms]

This is probably a long shot, but I had the exact same experience, I attributed it to various meds. It was already the case that if a med has some kind of urinary side effect, I tended to get it. But lately, I had been ditching meds because I thought it *must* be a med. I was having a horrible time with urinary retention, and sometimes couldn't pee at all with a full bladder. It turns out I had 4 big kidney stones, one of which was blocking a renal duct. Urine was building up behind it for some time, and I actually became septic, and that is why I was hospitalized in November for 4 days, and then had surgery two weeks later to remove them. When I was in the ER, they inserted a tube through my back into my kidney, and it emptied into a bag for urine (the type where they can keep track of the amount of urine you are producing). I was emptying almost equal amounts of urine into the bag and into the toilet. In fact, when I was in the hospital at first, it was exactly equal amounts, like one kidney was draining normally, and the other was all emptying through the tube.

 

I know it's a long shot, but maybe you should see your gdoc?

[Voyager.01]

When I was on navane I developed urinary retention... I was actually cathed in the Er because I had gone 14 hours not being able to void... I had to go I just couldn't... I was sent to a urologist and had a urodynamic test(I think that is what it was called) done.... The way that worked is they have you come in with a full bladder, have you urinate into a toilet that has a funnel, then they measure your output.... Then they did an ultrasound of the bladder to see how much urine is still in your bladder.... Oh they also stick like electrodes on your abdomen and rectum to see what muscles you are using to void... Next they cath you and start filling your bladder while asking you questions about when you start feeling the urge to go to the bathroom when you need to go like "right now" ect.... Then they have you empty your bladder, measure that then cath you to see how much is left in your bladder.... I know it sounds confusing but it really isn't that bad.... I found out that the combination of meds that I was using at the time and my diabetes had basically killed my bladder muscle... I was self cathing at home, work, every time I had to go to the bathroom. I taught myself to use my abdominal muscles to squeeze my bladder to urinate and don't need to cath anymore.... When you have to cath all he time it increases your chance of developing uti's and I didn't want that so I adapted.... Going to your gp is the best idea and getting a referral to a urologist would be a good idea because not being able to empty your bladder can lead to all kinds of serious types of infections not only in the urinary tract but also because your kidneys aren't able to "clean" your blood from toxins and can lead to more serious illnesses.

[mcjimjam]

Thanks you all for your replies. I went to the GP this afternoon. He has ordered a bunch of blood tests. Glucose, thyroid, lipids, STIs, LFT etc. He seems really committed to figuring out what is causing the problem, so I'm happy. He did mention the bladder ultrasound thing as maybe being the next test if the bloodwork doesn't show anything. 

[vanderk]

Cymbalta may also be a culprit.  Urinary retention is a well known side effect and Lily has sought an approval for incontinence.  (Patent extension!  It gets to remain horribly expensive!)

[mcjimjam]

I think Cymbalta probably makes it worse, but the problem started long before I began taking it, so I don't think it's the cause. 

[mcjimjam]

So I got my blood/urine test results back. Everything looks good except I seem to have a bladder infection. I'm taking an antibiotic for a week then seeing the doc again. He doesn't think this infection is the cause my of urinary problems, just because the urinary retention has been going on for so long (about 5 years). I think I read that chronic urinary retention can put you at risk of an infection somehow. So it could be a symptom more than a cause.

 

I've got another appointment next Saturday. Unless clearing the infection solves the UR, he's going to schedule a bladder ultrasound. He said it's possible that my bladder is just easily irritated, and he might try me on meds for that, presumably it will take a while to get an ultrasound at this time of year.

[crtclms]

I have a spastic bladder (no really, that was what they told me), and I will feel like I have to go when I don't, or can't go when I do, so that sounds possible. This is aside from urinary retention, more like having shy bladder, and having to really relax practically to puddle state to go.