Anyone have a teen w/nocturnal enuresis.

Avatar for jobismom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Anyone have a teen w/nocturnal enuresis.
10
Sun, 09-24-2006 - 7:51pm

Otherwise called "Bedwetting". I have a just turned 13 dd who still has it, and the poor kid is due to get her period anytime. I know she'll outgrow this but geez I feel so bad for her being a teen is tough enough.

She's been to a pedi urologist and had testing etc. we've tried the alarm and ddavp

 Terry

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Sun, 09-24-2006 - 10:47pm

I was a terrible bedwetter as a kid, but pretty much had outgrown it by my teenage years. For me, my problem was that I was slept so deeply and so soundly that I didn't wake up when my bladder was full and needed to be emptied. This is one trait neither one of my children inherited, so I don't have any of that sort of experience to share. There is however, an iVillage board dedicated to Bedwetting & Elimination Problems. Here's the link:

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-pselimprobs

I hope this helps.

 

 

 

Avatar for sabrtooth
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-03-1999
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 12:05am
A large number of ADDers are also bedwetters or have episodes of daytime enuresis. For daytime enuresis, the most common cause is lack of attention to signals of a full bladder, or being so distracted that they forget to go till it's too late. Adders also frequently have sleep problems, including deep sleeping, trouble waking, & trouble falling asleep(which leads to eating & drinking at a late hour). If your child has other ADD symptoms, it may be in your child's best interest to have this checked out. Stimulant medications, while not treating enuresis specifically, often help concentration & sleep issues enough to help with bedwetting. Tricyclic antidepressants, which are also used as a treatment for ADD, are also a potent anti-bedwetting medication--i.e. 2 birds with one stone.
http://www.addmtc.com/bedwet.html
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-06-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 8:35am

My DD turned 14 in May. Up until about a year ago she still wet at night. We didn't do the testing, etc. But did discuss it with our family doc who had told us she'd outgrow it. She finally did. She is a very deep sleeper, always had been. I would have to sit beside her when she was sleeping with a stomach bug b/c she'd throw up in her sleep.

Good luck!

Sallie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 1:13pm
My bedwetter is a little younger, but you know what finally helped? Visualization techniques! I got her a book called "dry all night" that goes step by step through this kind of visualization. If you can find a copy, you might be able to adapt it for your teen. It sounds a little wacky, but I'm a big believer. Heck, if it is good enough for pro athletes to use to practice their swing, or whatever it is good enough for me ;-) Anyway, we'd been through trying the alarm, medication etc. with little to no effect, and the visualization worked so well within a couple of months, that she has only had 3 episodes in the past year. It costs nothing, so it might be worth a try ;-)
Avatar for jobismom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 6:50pm
Thank you I'll look for the book, do you happen to remember or know the authors name or publisher???

 Terry

Avatar for jobismom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 6:57pm

Thanks everyone It's encouraging just to hear from others familiar with this. I have visited the elimination problems board and it seems theres more kids with encopresis than this or maybe just on that board. I figured Id ask here since it is a common problem I had hoped there'd be other teens out there.

My dd has primary nocturnal enuresis, wet at night every night, no daytime problems ever, she doesnt have ADD, but she is an extremely deep sleeper. My other children do not have this either. She deals with it pretty well, once in a while it gets her down and she does shy away from sleepovers at other homes but has friends over here sometimes so it works out, its just taking forever to "outgrow" it.

 Terry

Avatar for jobismom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 7:00pm

Thank you Sallie Can I ask did your dd have her period while going thro enuresis? If so what did you do for protection at night? My dd wears a goodnight type underpant so would I add a pad to that or is that pointless?

Sorry to be gross but any advice will be helpful.

 Terry

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2005
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 11:04pm

I had this problem until I was around 10 or 11. My mother took me to doctor after doctor, for years and years.

Finally one doctor realized my bladder hadn't grown since I was around 2 months old and I simply didn't have control over it while I was sleeping. (why I didn't have problems during the day I still don't know) I was hospitalized and had my bladder enlarged.

Never had a problem again.

Good luck,
zz

Avatar for jobismom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 09-26-2006 - 7:10am
We had an ultrasound done a couple years ago of her bladder and kidneys and all were normal size. My sil has a small bladder - thus low bladder capacity - so I asked about it so they did the ultrasound. Im planning on asking to have it redone if things dont improve soon. Thanks

 Terry

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-06-2003
Thu, 09-28-2006 - 7:06am

I've been working the last couple of days and dont' get on computer since I'd rather sleep, so sorry to take a while to get back to you.

Yes, she did have her period while wetting. Soon after starting her period she went to visit her dad and his new wife bought her tampons. I'd just have soon her use a pad, but she prefers the tampons now.

HTH

Sallie