Really need advice on what to do

[Phoenix16]

Ok, not sure I’ve posted in the right area or even if this appropriate for PIO but really need balanced advice ASAP.

my beautiful 11 year old goes on her school camp next week, first camp and with all her class, for 2 days, it’s incerdibly well planned with 1 teacher per 3 kids ratio, it’s a mandatory camp and my daughter is/was/isn’t so excited...  She suffers recurrent UTI’s and has been diagnosed with a lazy bladder, she was dry at night completely until 9 years old but suddenly started to have problems.  She is under a specialist and takes daily medications that are aimed at her muscle bladder control.  It isn’t really working and she now wears a nightly sleep ‘nappy’  which is wet every morning and at least 1 night a week completely explodes requiring bed changes.  I am in 2 minds as to whether the nappy is exacerbating the problem and ‘enabling’ my daughter who suffers urgency with urinating... anyway that is background information.  My dilemma is that tonight she got very distressed and wet herself before she could get to the toilet, she does it occasionally at school particularly in sports and I always pack fresh shorts and pants for her on sports days.  Tonight she got distressed and said ‘I can’t go on camp, I’m literally going to just pee myself all the time....’ it completely broke my heart, she’s already stressed about sneaking off to the bathroom at night to put on a sleep pant before bed whilst on camp, she asked me for some plastic bags to put her wet sleep pants in to bring home... now I just think I should pull her from the camp trip.  She desperately wants to go on the camp trip but is stressed out about her bladder and I am just distraught at the thought of her sneaking around to put on a sleep pant, and gawd knows if  it explodes and she sleeps in a wet sleeping bag for 2 days because she’s scared.....  I don’t really know what to do here, my heart says tell school she’s cant go, she wants to go desperately but she is so worried about her bladder and I want to protect her.....   I’m hoping you Mums and Dads and rational people out there could give your advice, I’m kind of in the ‘cancel the trip’ mode but would appreciate advice xxxx

[Quoll]

Have a private word to the teacher and explain the situation. She won't be the first kid to go on camp with nocturnal enuresis and she won't be the last.  It's not her fault and you'll have the medication to prove it. Make sure she has a good supply of pants and maybe look at putting an extra pad in them overnight. It must be tough for her poor lass. 

[ali]

I agree with Quoll - have a word with school and explain the situation.  I'm sure she know it anyway - but limiting drinks after a certain time, voiding her bladder before she gets into bed.  The teachers could try to ensure her room is as near to a bathroom as possible.  Is double padding an option for the trip at night and wearing one during the day (it's only 2 days)  know it's bulky but may give her some security).  Are there any of her friends who know her situation?  The teachers could put her in the same room as someone who knows her medical condition.

[Phoenix16]

Thank you so much Quoll and Ali, really great advice.  As it’s turned out she’s not been well today, I tested her urine and another UTI (3rd in 8 weeks), managed to get her into a GP within the hour and got the antibiotics! I’m going to go in and chat with the teacher Monday, if they are onboard to help we have quite a few  sleeping bags so can ensure she has a fresh one each night if needed and I’m sure they will allow an extra bag for spare clothes, pants etc, I’m also sure they will ensure she is close to a toilet.  She hasn’t confided in friends about this but there has been the odd occasion where she has felt able to tell them she’s ‘peed her pants’ and joke it off but, she has lovely friends who are very caring and sensitive, the school overall are very very supportive so I feel optimistic now that we can possibly make this work for her.  Once again, thank you so much for the advice, it helped me get some perspective and look at the situation more rationally! Xx

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Sorry I’m late on this. Something that I have to do as I don’t have the urge to pee anymore is timed voids. So if she has a watch with an alarm, or even some kind of stop watch she could set it for every 3 hours, even to get up at night. 

‘I’m presuming she is already on the camp now so I pray she is ok. It’s not fun and I find my medical issues embarrassing so goodness knows how a lovely young girl must feel.  Another option is a catheter but it seems an extreme measure especially if she could get away with timed voiding.

[Marisawright]

On 27/10/2018 at 18:30, Phoenix16 said:

Thank you so much Quoll and Ali, really great advice.  As it’s turned out she’s not been well today, I tested her urine and another UTI (3rd in 8 weeks), managed to get her into a GP within the hour and got the antibiotics! 

I wonder if the constant UTI's are on of the reasons for her bed wetting?  I used to be very susceptible and every time I had a UTI, I had problems with bladder control.  In fact, I'd often have a slight infection which had no symptoms - and I'd know because I would leak.

The thing that was a lifesaver for me was D-Mannose.  I'm not one to use alternative therapies so I was very dubious about it, but it changed my life.  Antibiotics can set up a cycle so you're never quite clear of it - I bet she hasn't had 3 UTI's in 8 weeks, it's the same infection that's not being killed off properly.  Been there!  

Apart from spending a bit of money, there's no risk to using D-Mannose as it's an inert powder with no side effects.  So it's worth a try.  

https://www.sweet-cures.com/