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find it difficult or impossible to urinate in a public or social situation. Women should use the women's Board.
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I've tried it but just end up gasping for breath after about 30-45 seconds. No stream still tight! Is there a certain way I should be doing it?
I have a severe case of pauresis...which has been more emphasized lately as i've started a new job and have yet to have any success after 4 weeks of trying! This means going upto 12 hours without a pee! The pain is so intense at times!
Thankfully I can go on nights out, gigs etc because alcohol relaxes me and the extra fluid helps the push!
But work is becoming a nightmare!
So does anyone have any tips to perfect the holding breath technique?
Breathholding does not work for everyone; when I tried it, like you I ended up gasping for breath; not something one wants to be doing in public!!
I gather from the write-up that one option is, before getting to the point of gasping, release a bit of breath and take a small breath in, and repeat this as necessary. My take on this is that it becomes a distraction technique. You end up so engrossed in monitoring your breath and when you can take another small breath that you cease to pay any attention to the surroundings i.e. cease to be anxious about the surroundings, and hey presto the body pees. Worth another try?
However you say you have a severe case of paruresis. Could you elaborate: where can you and cant you pee?
Urinals not even an option. Indeed I would pay good money just to be have just urinal pauresis, I have what I call "time paueris" e.g. i can't go at work because only 15 minutes break i fear this isn't enough time to get a stream going and more feel pressure to pee. Can't go in other peoples houses either...unless i've drunk lots of alcohol.
All my other jobs i've been managing to pee eventually because there was lots of safety net options and a number of different toilets around the building plus longer dinner breaks.
This job is in the middle of nowhere and the toilet entrace is in full view of everyone so people see you going in and out...nightmare
Desperate indeed, so serious measures required to survive everyday life.
I very seriously encourage you to go to your GP and say you get severe urinary retention every day at work, and ask to be shown how to self-catheterise. This will enable you to drain off in a cubicle.
If the GP is reluctant to offer this solution, be assertive and ask him/her what you are supposed to do? Call an ambulance, or suffer back pressure on the kidneys. As there is no answer to this, they should assist you.
If the GP practice cannot show you how to do it, or does not have a continence nurse, they should refer you to a urologist, who will fully understand this.
If you email me, I can email you an article from the magazine Professional Nurse, which recommends this option.
If you email me your address, I can send you our brochure for you to show anyone who needs to see it.
There is NO WAY you should continue to suffer in this way. Having a catheter in your pocket will take away so much anxiety that in some situations you will find you will be able to pee without using it.
Then consider attending our beginners workshop, where you can safely start to deal with your condition, just as others have done.
