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I haven't been on this board for long time so I thought to ask a question. As I been reflecting on things and noticed when I had paruresis bad enough to start to self catherising. This was before 2008. I had a brain tumour removed in Dec 2006 and this time I did use catheters more to avoid breath holding as I have nearly passed out doing this on couple of times before I had surgery.
I have realised I was on medications to control the epilepsy which was reduced by my decision these tablets especially tegrotol Carbamazepine which is used for depression.
I have tendiences to reduce them in slow manner by trial and error ways until I stopped them because the seizures really lessoned and costs were expensive and my views of corperate greed with companies of this kind. I have noticed that paruresis seemed to lesson. I had a friend who took depression tablets who had similar problems too, she also had to use catheters and she also held a lot of urine too.
When I lost the catheters in 2008 somewhere I had try without catheters and I do not have so much problems but still experience it occassionally probley in certain situtations which is often resolved by walking to another toilet or tuning people out.
Paruresis I notice did not kick in at the toilet at Windsor's Swimming pool in 2012 when I heard their wave machine (After looking at it eariler in day due to my interests for them) start up as the butterfly valves can be heard from the disabled toilet when it gets going and is serious of patterned clicking sounds where they open and close, where previously some sounds may trigger it also.
I am still not using catheters now and I never had a severe problem with paruresis like I did in early 2000. As the past I used to either go away from people to let it out such as fields or hold it for long periods of times as experienced in previous work places.
I think some Paruresis are caused by drugs as well as Anxiety and other problems including being an adult survivor of any form of abuse they may of had. I do question weather being rushed can cause problems of this kind too.
Good to hear from you after all this time. Especially glad that your paruresis has significantly lessened; that must make life easier.
You ask whether medication can make paruresis worse. That is almost an impossible question to answer. You only have to look at the list of side effects of Carbamazepine, and also the long list of drugs it can interact with, to see that the answer is maybe!
As for adult survivors of abuse, it depends on the abuse suffered. In effect every case is unique.
As for being rushed, it is very common for people to say that time pressure makes thing worse for them. The answer to this is to become a little selfish and not care if others are kept waiting.
The main thing as an individual is to decide how to deal with it in the here and now.
Well, being an adult survivor of abuse I can't say about, but anxiety, yes and being rushed is a big yes as well.
It's interesting you mention drugs and brain tumours; I was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioma last year and have experienced paruresis coming slowly on, since. Drugswise, I take Keppra for the swelling/seizures along with a whole host of painkillers - chemotherapy is dealt with by taking temodol (temozolomide [if I've spelled them correctly]) but I don't know whether any of these have any effect on the bladder. It is a coincidence that the two things have come on together though.
I was referred to a Urologist recently, as there may yet be a physical problem preventing my starting, and he's planning a flexible cystoscopy. I'll let everyone here know the results in due course.
The day of the initial consultation though, was a bit fraught: "Have you brought a sample of urine with you?" "No, they didn't tell me to." "Can you do me one into this bottle please?" "No, I'm sorry, that's the reason I'm here." "Well, if you could try..."
Of course I tried and failed. And I felt rushed which only made the anxiety, and I have to admit, the upset, worse.
I could never, I'm afraid, use catheters - I believe I can come out of this on my own - with the help of fellow sufferers. But I'll update everyone once I've had the Cystoscopy; there may yet be a physical reason for it.
Stu I am also a survivor of abuse too which what made me ask it in the 1st place and can relate to anxiety.
Regarding Brain tumour, mine was a Rare benign one of a Glial type tumour. Its name is Cerebral Rosetted Glioneuronal tumour and I am a 9th person in the world to have this one. The tumour was located on my right temperoal lobe.
I had trouble providing Urine samples in hospitals back then. I seem to be OK providing it now when asked by a doctor when I was ill in 2012. I have found I havent needed to go to the fields or the woods to let it out like in the early 2000 times.
Regarding Keppra, I hated these tablets as I had nasty side effects and was taken off them and put on clobazam to control the seizures as these 2 were taken with carbamazepine. When I did go for Surgery I was using catheters until the surgery then they put me on an indwelling catheter with a bag.
I still have odd times where I do lock up still, I sometimes think it might to be do with being rushed or I can hear people. I tend not to strain it out like I used to do. I still can't use urinals well but cubicals I still use.