I haven’t peed in 6 years — a rare condition prevents me from emptying my bladder

A female hasn’t had a pee for six years aft she was struck pinch a uncommon medicine information overnight.

Anna Gray, 27, spent 3 months successful agony earlier she was yet diagnosed pinch Fowler’s Syndrome – a uncommon information which stops nan bladder emptying.

Anna first noticed symptoms successful November 2018 erstwhile she ended up hospitalized pinch a kidney infection aft not being capable to wee for days.

Weeks later, she was still having problem going to nan toilet and had 2 liters of urine drained from her bladder.

Anna claims she was “fobbed disconnected doctors” – who, she says, urged her to ”keep trying” to wee astatine home.

She landed backmost successful infirmary connected Boxing Day 2018, and doctors yet ran tests and discovered she had nary activity successful her bladder – meaning nan encephalon “stopped communicating” pinch nan organ.

Anna was shocked to observe location was “nothing more” doctors could do, and she would ne'er beryllium capable to wee “naturally” again.

She was yet fitted pinch a imperishable catheter successful her tummy – a conduit inserted into nan bladder to drain urine – and empties nan container attached respective times a day.

Anna is now discussing nan adjacent steps pinch her symptom guidance team, and hoping to raise consciousness astir nan uncommon condition.

Anna, who is presently incapable to activity owed to her illness, from Sailsbury, Wiltshire, said: “It’s had a monolithic effect of each area of my life.

“Last twelvemonth I was predominantly housebound – it’s affected maine seeing friends aliases dating.

“Talking astir going to nan toilet is still very taboo – particularly amongst women.

“Hopefully by speaking retired I tin thief others.”

Anna had ne'er knowledgeable immoderate sick wellness earlier she woke up successful November 2018 incapable to spell for a wee.

She ended up hospitalized and doctors inserted a catheter to thief relieve her bladder – suspecting a kidney infection was nan cause.

Anna hoped nan rumor was sorted, until she was struck by nan aforesaid information again successful December 2018.

Anna said: “At first, erstwhile I couldn’t wee successful nan morning, I thought possibly I conscionable didn’t request to go.

“But arsenic nan time trudged on, I thought ‘this isn’t right’.

“Things for illustration this don’t hap to group my age.

“The GP said to ‘keep trying’ and move connected nan pat to thief maine go.

“I was successful a batch of symptom and location was immoderate miscommunication erstwhile they prescribed maine laxatives – which did thing to help.”

Over nan adjacent 2 months, Anna had aggregate trips to nan infirmary wherever they had to relieve her bladder pinch a catheter.

She pushed for much tests and was yet diagnosed pinch Fowler’s Syndrome successful February 2019.

Doctors discovered location was nary activity successful her bladder and revealed it would “never activity usually again”.

Anna said: “I was told location was thing they could do and I would request to a catheter for life.

“I deliberation I went done a process of grieving to statesman with, because it was truthful unknown.

“But it was a alleviation to cognize that it wasn’t each successful my head.”

The information solely affects women and is nan trouble aliases inability to walk urine owed to nan bladder’s sphincter muscle’s nonaccomplishment to relax.

The origin is still unknown, but it often tin create aft childbirth aliases surgery.

Anna was taught really to self-catheterize 5 times a time successful bid to relieve her bladder manually.

But aft galore infections, she was fitted pinch a much imperishable strategy called a suprapubic catheter successful 2020.

It is simply a conduit inserted straight successful nan bladder done her tummy and attached to a bag, which Anna empties respective times a day.

Despite struggling pinch her intelligence wellness astatine first, Anna has recovered much confidence.

She said: “Accepting it was a life-long information was a batch to get my caput astir and I was successful infirmary for my intelligence wellness past year.

“But I’m slow getting there, and now I’m utilized to nan bag.

“I’ll deterioration shorts and tops wherever you tin spot it – it doesn’t fuss maine anymore.

“People inquire questions and I’m good pinch that.”

Anna ended up successful infirmary successful January 2024 erstwhile she developed nan infection sepsis successful her tummy wherever nan conduit is inserted.

She ended up successful intensive attraction for 3 weeks, earlier she was she discharged.

“I still person tons of issues owed to nan condition,” she said.

“I developed sepsis and deteriorated massively.

“I retrieve reasoning I was dying.

“Luckily, I was already successful infirmary and they caught it successful time.”

Anna underwent a objective proceedings successful 2020 for a sacral nervus stimulation pacemaker – a instrumentality that nonstop signals from nan encephalon which power urination.

Unfortunately, her bladder usability was “too low” to proceed nan study.

For now, Anna has recovered comfortableness and support pinch chap suffers online.

She said: “At first I thought I must beryllium nan only personification successful nan world who was going done thing for illustration this, it’s truthful isolating to beryllium successful that position.

“But uncovering a organization of group who understand it has been incredible.”