Incontinence Pads

[Handoftheking]

After lots of chemo and radiotherapy I want to wee all the time. Are incontinence pads the answer?
Anyone been in the same situation?

[Mamyalynne]

I'm not in that position , is it worth you trying your GP's surgery or the Chemo/Radio Suite that treated you?

They may have a continence adviser.

[woofgang]

do you just want to wee but bladder is empty or can you actually wee a significant amount each time? I think you may need to get advice from whoever is supporting you through the chemo (consultant, specialist nurse, Macmillan nurse?)

[Cloverjo]

My husband is at the point where he needs to wee a lot but his legs are bothering him so much that he can't get up easily to get to the loo. He has a wee bottle next to his armchair so he can do it without getting up.
Don't go for pads unless you really have to.

[tinkerbell23]

Would you consider a urosheath!?

Have you got a “toilet card” from Mcmillan that can help you access the loo quickly in public?

Unfortunately the side effects of radiotherapy dont often get better :0(

GP may be able to prescribe you something to settle the bladder, an anticholonergic.

Wise to check that your bladder is emptying each time!

You could also avoid caffiene which irritates the bladder! Tea, coffee, fizzy juice.

Try waiting after you pee and “double void”.

Lastly- a urine sample wouldnt go amiss incase you have a uti xxx

[rowanwitch]

Ask for a referral to a urologist. Depends what part of the body you had the radiotherapy but there might be options. Definitely GP first for a dipstick test UTI as Tinks said is easy to eliminate. If your radiotherapy was low down it could cause the bladder to shrink, in which case just getting used to going more often but holding a bit longer each time will help maintain the capacity you have left.

[murraymints]

what Tinks and Rowan said..dad had the same issues after chemo and radiotherapy..but after a while it settled down a bit....hope you are feeling stronger and better very soon xx

[BagPussAA]

If its just a small amount of wee each time, the Tena pads are really good and they fit comfortably like underwear and are disposable. I have stress incontinence which I was embarrassed about until I started using these. Now, I don't bother if I have an accident as they are very absorbent. Especially if this is just a short-term thing for you. If you go onto the Tena website, they do free samples.