Having a bladder that you cannot control can be quite aggravating. Maybe you've taken some steps to help: stopped drinking coffee, alcohol and liquids late into the evening. Howeverl, bladder control or bedwetting is still a problem. An overactive bladder or urge incontinence is a sudden urge to urinate and can result in urine leakage, according to the Mayo Clinic. The key to getting proper relief is to consult your doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment of your condition. To relieve these symptoms, your doctor might prescribe a medication to treat your bladder control or bedwetting problems.
Anticholinergics
The urge to urinate is controlled by chemical nerve signals that cause the bladder to contract. When there is an imbalance in these signals, an overactive bladder results. Anticholinergic medications have been designed to block the receptor molecules that are activated by these chemical signals, thus reducing the urge to urinate. The Mayo Clinic says these medications include Oxybutynin (Ditropan), Tolterodine (Detrol), Darifenacin (Enablex), Solifenacin (Vesicare), Trospium (Sanctura) and Fesoterodine (Toviaz). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews reports that "the use of anticholinergic drugs by people with overactive bladder syndrome results in statistically significant improvements in symptoms." Common side effects of anticholinergic medications include dry mouth, constipation, heartburn, blurry vision, rapid heartbeat, urinary retention, confusion and impaired memory, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Imipramine
Imipramine (Tofranil) is a tricyclic antidepressant that's used to treat urinary incontinence. This medication works by relaxing the muscles in the body of the bladder, while contracting muscles in the neck of the bladder that prevent urine leakage, according to the Mayo Clinic. Results of a questionnaire, published in the International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, found that 72.7 percent of women with bladder control problems improved with imipramine treatment. Common side effects of this medication include irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fainting after standing up too quickly, dry mouth, blurry vision and constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Desmopressin
Desmopression is a synthetic version of a hormone that is normally created by your body to decrease the frequency of urination, according to the Mayo Clinic. The journal Neurourology and Urodynamics states that "antidiuresis (urine retention), using oral desmopressin tablets, is a novel, feasible and safe (short-term basis) method of treatment for adults with overactive bladder, and could be considered in the armamentarium (list) of drugs available for the treatment of overactive bladder." Using desmopression is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for bladder control problems and bedwetting. Side effects of this medication include water retention and low sodium levels in the blood that might lead to seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Bladder Control Problems: Medications for Treating Urinary Incontinence
- Cochrance Database of Systematic Reviews: Anticholinergic Drugs versus Placebo for Overactive Bladder Syndrome in Adults
- International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: The Use of Short-form Quality of Life Questionnaires to Measure the Impact of Imipramine on Women with Urge Incontinence
