Bladder test

[IDDiaperboy]

Hello. My doctor ordered me a bladder test to see if it’s emptying all the way, and to check the size. Is this done with an ultrasound, or a different way?

Thank you so much in advance. 

[Clr224]

Generally with ultrasound. The usual instructions are for you to have plenty to drink and show up for the ultrasound with a full bladder. The technician then makes an initial scan of the bladder.  Then you are sent to a toilet to urinate. When you return, the technician makes a second scan to determine if your bladder has been completely emptied. 

[IDDiaperboy]

My doctor knows that I wear diapers for comfort and that I prefer to wear them. She said it’s ok to wear to this appointment. Is that still true?

[Clr224]

I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t.  When I had the scan done, I didn’t have to undress.  I wore loose waisted pants that the technician simply pushed down slightly to do the scan.

[IDDiaperboy]

Thanks

[rusty pins]

Since questions like this have come up in many past forum postings, this post is for everyone.  I work in the medical field at a hospital.  You would not believe how many people are set up for a test with their doctor and never ask any questions.  Here is a tip:  If your doctor orders a test or procedure, before leaving his office, ask all kinds of questions so you understand what is involved and especially what you may need to do for prep prior to your test or procedure.  The people who call the lab or radiology the morning of their procedure to ask if they need to do this or that and have basically very little knowledge of what is going to happen ranks up with the people who call at 8am when their appointment was a 7:45am to say they woke up late.  That is irresponsible, especially where your health is concerned.  No offence, but even if some people regard themselves as babies, when it comes time for any kind of medical testing or procedures, you need to switch into adult mode and ask questions, get all the information you need.  Usually when you see your doctor they will print out instructions for your procedure, the time, place and any restrictions or pre prep you must do (such as drinking the prep solution before your colonoscopy).  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  Your life could depend on it if you should eat or drink before surgery (you could choke on your own vomit for instance).  Often times if you have not followed your pre testing or surgery instructions a doctor will refuse to do the procedure.  When you have a procedure booked with all the supporting people such as nurses, anesthesia, scrub and recovery techs and it's canceled because you didn't know the instructions and didn't follow them, it's not the doctor, nurse, clinic, lab or hospital that is going to eat the cost.  Bottom line is if your doctor is ordering any tests or procedure for you, make sure you ask questions, understand what and how they will do what they are going to do and get instructions, preferably printed out.  Then keep them in a good safe place where you will know where they are.  After all, you are paying your doctor.  You should leave his or her office with all the knowledge you need and not have to ask untrained people on an internet forum.

[IDDiaperboy]

1 hour ago, rusty pins said:

I work in the medical field at a hospital.  You would not believe how many people are set up for a test with their doctor and never ask any questions.  Here is a tip:  If your doctor orders a test or procedure, before leaving his office, ask all kinds of questions so you understand what is involved and especially what you may need to do for prep prior to your test or procedure.  The people who call the lab or radiology the morning of their procedure to ask if they need to do this or that and have basically very little knowledge of what is going to happen ranks up with the people who call at 8am when their appointment was a 7:45am to say they woke up late.  That is irresponsible, especially where your health is concerned.  No offence, but even if some people regard themselves as babies, when it comes time for any kind of medical testing or procedures, you need to switch into adult mode and ask questions, get all the information you need.  Usually when you see your doctor they will print out instructions for your procedure, the time, place and any restrictions or pre prep you must do (such as drinking the prep solution before your colonoscopy).  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  Your life could depend on it if you should eat or drink before surgery (you could choke on your own vomit for instance).  Often times if you have not followed your pre testing or surgery instructions a doctor will refuse to do the procedure.  When you have a procedure booked with all the supporting people such as nurses, anesthesia, scrub and recovery techs and it's canceled because you didn't know the instructions and didn't follow them, it's not the doctor, nurse, clinic, lab or hospital that is going to eat the cost.  Bottom line is if your doctor is ordering any tests or procedure for you, make sure you ask questions, understand what and how they will do what they are going to do and get instructions, preferably printed out.  Then keep them in a good safe place where you will know where they are.  After all, you are paying your doctor.  You should leave his or her office with all the knowledge you need and not have to ask untrained people on an internet forum.

Yeah, so I did ask those questions, and my doctor told me it was really up to the urologist, but probably be an ultrasound. The VA is backed up due to covid, so they don’t have an appointment time for me. They will contact me with the specifics when the order goes through. I was only asking what other kind of test there could be. 

[Clr224]

The only other way I can think of is if the urologist uses a catheter to fill your bladder with sterile water; then has you urinate, possibly through a funnel with a flow rate sensor; and then uses the catheter again to drain and measure any residual water from your bladder.  I had that done, too, without the final step to measure the residual contents of my bladder. The urologist, in this case was analyzing the my bladder functionality, which is how he determined that I had a lazy bladder.  After so many years of wearing diapers, my bladder was no longer strongly contracting to empty. 

[IDDiaperboy]

24 minutes ago, Clr224 said:

The only other way I can think of is if the urologist uses a catheter to fill your bladder with sterile water; then has you urinate, possibly through a funnel with a flow rate sensor; and then uses the catheter again to drain and measure any residual water from your bladder.  I had that done, too, without the final step to measure the residual contents of my bladder. The urologist, in this case was analyzing the my bladder functionality, which is how he determined that I had a lazy bladder.  After so many years of wearing diapers, my bladder was no longer strongly contracting to empty. 

That’s what I thought too. I have a feeling it will be an ultrasound because she said they were gathering info for the possible urologist appointment. Thanks for the info. I have a feeling she thinks I may have a lazy bladder too because she knows I love wearing diapers. 

[deewet]

I have been to see my Urologist yearly at least, for at least a decade.  This bladder test is routine as well as testing your urine for cancer indicators(if a guy that is) and is nothing to worry about, as it is very simple.  It is just an ultrasound process done over your bladder by a tech with your britches lowered a bit for good access to the area.  And yes, I have worn a diaper to one of these appointments, after the doc prescribed these to me following a procedure to my prostrate some years back.  These days, it is only a pad, to collect the drips I have after every void.

Worry about wearing a diaper to a Urologist visit is as silly as worrying about wearing a bandage to see your GP after scratching yourself, shall we say it is anticipated in these cases.

 

[IDDiaperboy]

1 hour ago, deewet said:

I have been to see my Urologist yearly at least, for at least a decade.  This bladder test is routine as well as testing your urine for cancer indicators(if a guy that is) and is nothing to worry about, as it is very simple.  It is just an ultrasound process done over your bladder by a tech with your britches lowered a bit for good access to the area.  And yes, I have worn a diaper to one of these appointments, after the doc prescribed these to me following a procedure to my prostrate some years back.  These days, it is only a pad, to collect the drips I have after every void.

Worry about wearing a diaper to a Urologist visit is as silly as worrying about wearing a bandage to see your GP after scratching yourself, shall we say it is anticipated in these cases.

 

Thank you so much. I will be wearing a diaper to all my appointments. I was hoping the test wasn’t gonna be the one with a catheter. It sounds like it’s the ultrasound. I have a feeling my doctor will prescribe me the pads, but not diapers because of the dribbling, but we will see. Thanks again. 

[Wolf]

My doctor had me pee into a cup for a urine culture to see if there is any kind of a UTI or anything. And they had me do a complete void into the toilet. Afterwards, they come in and they do an ultrasound to see if you are voiding completely. Some cases, they might need to perform a Cystoscopy which is where they put the tube with a camera up into your urethra. Normally a nurse would come in and numb you in there by giving you a shot to deaden your male part and put a clamp on you to keep you from urinating and such. And the doctor would come in and remove the clamp and start the camera up into you and that tube would be shooting water into you.

This way they could have the bladder completely expanded and they could look inside it. In my case, the stuff that they used to numb me down there made it so that I had complete loss of feeling and such, so, I didn't even know that I was in a wet diaper. So, something like a Northshore Megamax or something that is really meant to take a HUGE Amount of urine is a must.

It was that very procedure that they found that I have an extra ureter going from my kidney down to my prostate and another just below it if I could remember correctly. So, sometimes, it will make it so that an CT Scan is ordered for you to be able to get a much better picture of what is going on inside of you. And that is when they would start an IV (Intravenous) and get that going which will make it possible for them to hook you up to the contrast and that will make it so that you will be seen from the inside and such. Keep in mind, that contrast will make you feel like you have to pee and make you feel all kinds of warm inside so BE SURE TO DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS After the procedure.

But, if it's just an ultrasound, there won't be anything out of the ordinary outside of some poking and prodding and if you're a male, be prepared for them to grab onto you in many ways that it will be just weird to say the least. But keep it in mind that they're trained professionals who have seen it all, heard it all and so on given how much of a seasoned vet they are at it.

As I'm not a lady, I don't know what they do down there with you and I could only imagine that it's equally weird and strange and possibly unpleasant. But either way, you will need to put all cards on the table for your doctor so that they could help you better. If it helps, write things down as they come to your mind. And keep a log of all your urinary activities for at least two weeks so to help give your doctor an accurate idea of what is going on with you.

Each time you go to the doctor, be prepared to provide them with a urine sample and be sure to bring a written log or if you are good with remembering and vocally communicating, bring your mental notes. And be truthful to your doctor because, it will not look all that good on you if you were not telling them the truth about your symptoms, it will make it harder for them and harder for you to get free and clear of what you are experiencing.