Side Effect: Unable to Hold Urine (urinary incontinence)

What does it mean to be Unable to Hold Urine ( have urinary incontinence)?

Urinary incontinence occurs when you are not able to keep urine from leaking out of your urethra. It can range in severity from occasional dribbling of urine to complete loss of bladder control.

What does being Unable to Hold Urine (urinary incontinence) look like?

Urinary incontinence can feel different for each person. Some people may experience constant dribbling of urine, while others may have sudden and intense urges to urinate. In some cases, this can cause discomfort or pain while urinating.

Who has trouble with being Unable to Hold their Urine (urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is common in older adults, but can also affect younger men and women. Some causes of urinary incontinence include:

• Increased pressure on the bladder from exercise, sneezing, or coughing
• Weak bladder or pelvic floor muscles
• Urinary tract infection
• Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis)
• Diabetes
• Connective tissue disorders
• Increased fluid or excessive caffeine intake
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Estrogen deficiency
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Some types of medications such as antipsychotics, diuretics, and alpha-blockers

In patients with cancer, abdominal surgery and radiation to the pelvis can cause damage to the muscles around the bladder leading to urinary incontinence. Certain cancer treatments such as ifosfamide (Ifex©) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) can cause damage to the bladder leading to urinary incontinence. Additionally, some types of chemotherapy treatments can cause nerve damage in the bladder. These include:

• Vinca alkaloids: vincristine (Oncovin©)
• Taxanes: paclitaxel (Taxol©), docetaxel (Taxotere®)
• Platinum agents: carboplatin (Paraplatin®), cisplatin (Platinol®), oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®)

How long does Urinary Incontinence last?

Treating urinary incontinence depends on the underlying cause and severity of symptoms. Pelvic floor rehabilitation can be used to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor to prevent worsening symptoms. Medications known to cause urinary incontinence may be adjusted or discontinued.

Medications that are commonly used to treat urinary incontinence include:

• Oxybutinin (Ditropan XL®)
• Solifenacin (Vesicare®)
• Tolterodine (Detrol®)
• Trospium (Sanctura®)
• Fesoterodine (Toviaz®)
• Mirabegron (Myrbetriq®)

How do you prevent problems with being Unable to Hold Urine (urinary incontinence)?

Preventing urinary incontinence in patients with cancer include pelvic floor rehabilitation exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and avoiding medications that can make urinary incontinence worse.

For patient receiving ifosfamide (Ifex©) or cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©), you may be given a medication called mesna (Mesnex©) to prevent the toxic effects of these chemotherapy agents to the bladder.

How do you treat the issue of being Unable to Hold Urine (urinary incontinence)?

Treating urinary incontinence depends on the underlying cause and severity of symptoms. Pelvic floor
rehabilitation can be used to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor to prevent worsening symptoms.

Medications known to cause urinary incontinence may be adjusted or discontinued. Medications that
are commonly used to treat urinary incontinence include:

• Oxybutinin (Ditropan XL®)
• Solifenacin (Vesicare®)
• Tolterodine (Detrol®)
• Trospium (Sanctura®)
• Fesoterodine (Toviaz®)
• Mirabegron (Myrbetriq®)