Intractable Urinary Incontinence Despite Treatments and Surgeries

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My Story – Submitted by: Marguerite

I have suffered from intractable urinary incontinence for 20 years with many treatments and no success.   I have undergone the so-called gold standard Burch Procedure surgery during which time I acquired Clostridium difficile in the hospital.  I have had vaginal mesh surgery. I have  tried Medtronic’s Interstim implant in my buttocks to stimulate my sacral nerve (which later was removed as no longer functioning) and have had several infusions of botox in my bladder. I have had cocktails injected to treat (non existent) interstitial cystitis and now I rely on self-catheterization to prevent urinary retention  despite the reverse problem of unremitting incontinence.  I now believe that this major problem is due to unrecognized spinal stenosis which has caused permanent nerve damage. What is wrong with the medical profession? How can you allow this to happen to an athletic woman because you confine your specialties so narrowly and do not think “outside the box?” I am 88 and have given up and deal with these issues as best I can by myself.

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