Anybody heard of having mesh put in your bladder for overactive bladder?

[raccoon]

I had a woman relative, 50-something, planning to do this.

I never heard of it, but I believe if you can avoid surgeries, by all means do so. You never know when something might go wrong.

(I know, sometimes surgery is unavoidable.)

Anyone know about this procedure?

[MineralMan]

1. Here's info in a Google Search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mesh+bladder+sling&aq=0&oq=mesh+bladder

Pluses and minuses at the links.

[Donnachaidh]

2. Wouldn't that be SOP for a dropped bladder?

I don't know if you would put it IN the bladder. My grandmother had problems with that years ago, and the doctors toyed with the idea of lifting the bladder with some sort of device. :shrug:

[uppityperson]

3. They use mesh to make a sort of sling under the bladder.

That way when you sneeze/cough/increase abdominal pressure you don't leak urine. Is this what you mean? If so, feel free to ask more as I have experience with it. Middle aged woman with one vag birth here. I can tell you some pros and cons, and no, MrUP can't feel any mesh, neither can I.

I had the sling, like on this website (good picture and explanation there. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/urinary-incontinence-surgery/WO00126

Pros: don't leak when cough/sneeze/etc. Which is nice during cold seasons. I could probably jump on a trampoline again also.

Con: bladder is more sensitive, meaning I need to pee more often, have more urgency than before (if I gotta go, I gotta go). We hoped this was due to general surgical irritation, and would pass in time, but so far it hasn't (1 yr out). I am going to check into some physical therapy (ins won't pay for, but I will) soon for pelvic floor retraining.

I'd recommend anyone considering this to get P.T. first if possible, to learn how to control related muscles better. And get a second opinion from another doctor also.

I'm glad the stress incontinence is gone, but do not like the urgency issue. Pros and cons.

Probably more than anyone here wants to know about me, but oh well. Sharing info is good as there is lots of info (both ways) on the internets.

[uppityperson]

4. PM sent back with more thoughts on what you said she has, and contact info

in case you want to email off DU. My main advice is to get a second opinion from another urologist. NOT just a urologist who does surgery, but another unrelated one if possible.

About the mesh, there have been issues with different products. My urologist told me a couple yrs ago that if I could put off repair for a while, new and less irritating products were coming out all the time and if I could wait it would be good.

Good luck and I'm always happy to talk with people about things like this, being an RN of many yrs and having gone through stuff myself (being inside and outside the system, provider and patient).