What meds actually work?

[Slomo]

I'm wondering, what type of incontinence do you have, how severe would you rate it? And, have you ever taken a medication that significantly helped reduce it? Maybe enough you were able to stop needing diapers (even for a time)? And of course, what were your side effects, if any?

I've probably been on every type of medication that's even remotely associated for bladder problems. No joke. And nearly all of them had little to no desired effect on me. With most of them having side effects from mild to severely worse than what they were trying to eliminate. My biggest issue was neurological, so it's no wonder.

 

Myrbetriq did help alleviate my painful urges some, but it never came close to reducing them enough for me to make it to a restroom before using my diaper. Nor did it help with my neurogenic dyssynergia blockage. I had mild dry mouth from taking it, but never considered that a hindrance. 

[zzyzx]

Medications:

• The general class of medications used for bladder issues, which Oxibutin (sp?) is one of, have negative impact on my brain function...  (Negatively impacts playing Sudoku, and my work).  OK, there are several medications that are variations in this class of medication.
• Mybetric (sp?) was the first in a new class of drugs (the only drug in its class the last I checked) and I was on it a year, where I think it helped me retrain to regain some of my lost bladder capacity after having the Resume procedure.  I had a 90 trial supply followed by a 1 year prescription.  Before I got the last refill, my (employer's) medical plan dropped it from the list and significantly upped the cost if it had been covered at all.  So, I dropped the last 3 months (90 days) of the planned test.  While I tolerated the drug fine, to me it wasn't worth over $1K for a 90 day supply, and other then probably helping me get back some of my previous functional capacity, it wasn't solving any of my other bladder issues. 
• My urologist has mentioned there is now a third category of drugs (containing one drug last I checked),  I haven't investigated this option, and believe it would also cost similar to Mybetric if I would try to get it. 
• The fourth option I'm aware of is the anti-diuretic hormone, which partially help me, but I don't expect it would resolve my bed-wetting issue based on my current maximum functional bladder capacity.

I believe that covers the four classes of medications used for incontinence issues.

As to my incontinence:

• Started with occasional secondary nocturnal enuresis, with a oversized (from most Urologist perspective) bladder - where I would release about 24oz in the first release at night - when it hit (i.e. heavy bed-wetting). 
• With early onset BPH, I picked up a light post mictriction drip and after watching and waiting a while I believe I have also picked up sometimes slight occasional leakage when I get the urge to go.  With this I now have reduced maximum functional capacity (currently about 50% of what I used to have), and the occasional bed-wetting is now basically nightly.  (Of the three items: (a) being properly hydrated, (b) getting a good nights sleep and (c) being dry in the morning, I can get at most two of these on any one night.)

[zzyzx]

Caught an auto correct error.  Last medication line should read:

• The fourth option I'm aware of is the anti-diuretic hormone, which would probably help me, but I don't expect it would resolve my bed-wetting issue based on my current maximum functional bladder capacity.