Is my incontinence a sign of MS?

Question:
Hi. I am a 29 year old female. I have been experiencing urinary urge incontinence. It began around September 2013 with having to to urinate frequently and some urine coming out if I didn't get right to the bathroom. This continued all year and then between March and May I woke up from sleep mid-urination about three times. For a period of about a week I also had barely any sensation in terms of sexual stimulation. I then went to my physician in May who said I was not diabetic and did not have a urinary infection. He was not worried that I had MS. He sent me to the urologist and I asked her if I could have MS and she said it was highly unlikely. She put me on Vesicare which I only took for about a month but it worked.

She also said to see if losing weight might help (I am 5'2 and was about 184 lbs). I was supposed to go for a follow up but did not go. I have lost about 20 pounds. Since May I have not experienced any urge incontinence. It started up again last week and the other morning I woke up and apparently had urinated in my sleep without waking up during it. That night I had taken some Klonapin for anxiety. Not sure if that might have contributed to the situation that night. Anyway, I am very concerned about MS. I went to the eye doctor last year and since then my eyesight has seemed to have gotten worse with regards to distance. I have also had depression for about 4 years which I have been working on with my psychiatrist. Besides that I have not experienced any symptoms. I have made an appointment again with the urologist. Should I be concerned that this is early stages of MS? Thank you so much.

Answer:
Sudden onset of urge incontinence at the age of 29 is unusual without an underlying cause, and there are many possible causes other than MS. When you see the urologist ask him or her if you have detrusor sphincter dysynergia or DSD. The urologist can do specific testing to determine if you have DSD or another mechanism causing the urge incontinence. If there is evidence of DSD, you should be seen by a neurologist to help determine the underlying cause. Good luck.

Revere (Rip) Kinkel MD
Director of the UCSD Multiple Sclerosis Center