I thought we could talk bladders again. I have mentioned before that hypermobility can cause a whole range of bladder problems, e.g. making you feel like you need to pee all the time, or sometimes, not letting you pee when you need to. Incontince and retention are also common issues.
Our stretchy tissue and weak muscles aren’t always the whole cause. You may have seen me talk about dysautonomia before - this is when your autonomic nervous system doesn’t work right. This system controls stuff your body does without you thinking about it, like your heartbeat and digestion… and of course our bladders!
The reason I thought about this topic this week, is because a drastic change from cold to hot weather can be a big trigger for dysautonomia. So, queue this week, and upon awakening my whole system was off. I felt like I had run several marathons in my sleep.
Now we know that drinking fluid and electrolytes (if okayed by your medically professional) can be one of the best ways to counteract the symptoms of dysautonomia… but here’s the irony, my bladder is very very linked to my dysautonomia. For me, I have to pee hourly, sometimes even more regularly when I am like this, and that’s before I’ve even had one drink, let alone three recommended 2+ litres. And unfortunately, it’s not small amounts, and I can struggle to hold it too. So the whole day became a yoyo between fluid and the bathroom.
I am writing this because these issues started for me as a child, wayyyy before I knew what it was, decades before. I had no idea of the cause, no idea of the triggers, a UTI test would have of course been negative. It might have looked like anxiety or “attention seeking” from those around me - but we’re talking a real physiological problem here.
So if you, or your young person spot symptoms like these, absolutely try and keep a diary of potential triggers. Definitely seek medical advice/further testing to ensure there is nothing else at play. Let your kids know that they aren’t alone - there are SO many of us out there with bladder difficulties, people jsut don’t like to talk about it. There may be things that can be done to help your symptoms. And also that sometimes, even if there isn’t a solution, that knowledge is power. Understanding what is happening in your body can make it so much easier to accept and mange your difficulties.
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