For six long years, 27-year-old Anna Gray from Bath, England, has been unable to do something most people take for granted: urinate on her own. Diagnosed with the rare and little-understood Fowler’s Syndrome, she must self-catheterize five times a day just to relieve her bladder. With no known cure and causes that remain a mystery, this debilitating condition continues to baffle researchers.
Fowler’s syndrome occurs when the urethral sphincter, the muscle responsible for controlling the release of urine fails to relax, making it nearly impossible to pass urine normally. It typically affects young women. Although it might strike all of a sudden without any known cause as in the case of Gray, it could also occur after an operative procedure or following childbirth.
Gray first started experiencing symptoms in November 2018, when she was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection after being unable to urinate for several days. What initially seemed like an isolated incident quickly turned into a never-ending medical issue, as weeks after the hospital stay, she continued to struggle with urination, prompting doctors to drain nearly two liters of urine from her overfilled bladder.
Just a month after her initial hospitalization, Gray had to be readmitted when doctors decided to run further tests. That’s when they made a startling discovery, her bladder showed no activity at all. It was a devastating diagnosis, and Gray was told there was nothing more doctors could do to restore her ability to urinate naturally.
She continued to suffer repeated infections, which eventually led to her being fitted with a more permanent solution in 2020, a suprapubic catheter. The device involves a tube inserted directly into the bladder through the abdomen, allowing urine to drain into an external bag that she now empties multiple times a day.
“Accepting it was a life-long condition was a lot to get my head around and I was in hospital for my mental health last year. But I’m slowly getting there, and now I’m used to the bag. I’ll wear shorts and tops where you can see it – it doesn’t bother me anymore. People ask questions and I’m fine with that,” she told SWNS via NY Post.
Despite her resilience, Gray continues to face serious health complications. In January 2024, she developed sepsis in the area where the catheter entered her stomach, leaving her in intensive care for three weeks before she was finally discharged.
Since Fowler’s Syndrome is rare and public awareness is limited, Gray initially struggled to find others who shared her experience. However, over time, she discovered online communities of people living with the same condition, which brought her a sense of connection and comfort.
“At first I thought I must be the only person in the world who was going through something like this, it’s so isolating to be in that position. But finding a community of people who understand it has been incredible,” she said.
For six long years, 27-year-old Anna Gray from Bath, England, has been unable to do something most people take for granted: urinate on her own. Diagnosed with the rare and little-understood Fowler’s Syndrome, she must self-catheterize five times a day just to relieve her bladder. With no known cure and causes that remain a mystery, this debilitating condition continues to baffle researchers. Fowler’s syndrome occurs when the urethral sphincter, the muscle responsible for controlling the release of urine fails to relax, making it nearly impossible to pass urine normally. It typically affects young women. Although it might strike all of a sudden without any known cause as in the case of Gray, it could also occur after an operative procedure or following childbirth. Gray first started experiencing symptoms in November 2018, when she was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection after being unable to urinate for several days. What initially seemed like an isolated incident quickly turned into a never-ending medical issue, as weeks after the hospital stay, she continued to struggle with urination, prompting doctors to drain nearly two liters of urine from her overfilled bladder. Just a month after her initial hospitalization, Gray had to be readmitted when doctors decided to run further tests. That’s when they made a startling discovery, her bladder showed no activity at all. It was a devastating diagnosis, and Gray was told there was nothing more doctors could do to restore her ability to urinate naturally. She continued to suffer repeated infections, which eventually led to her being fitted with a more permanent solution in 2020, a suprapubic catheter. The device involves a tube inserted directly into the bladder through the abdomen, allowing urine to drain into an external bag that she now empties multiple times a day. “Accepting it was a life-long condition was a lot to get my head around and I was in hospital for my mental health last year. But I’m slowly getting there, and now I’m used to the bag. I’ll wear shorts and tops where you can see it – it doesn’t bother me anymore. People ask questions and I’m fine with that,” she told SWNS via NY Post. Despite her resilience, Gray continues to face serious health complications. In January 2024, she developed sepsis in the area where the catheter entered her stomach, leaving her in intensive care for three weeks before she was finally discharged. Since Fowler’s Syndrome is rare and public awareness is limited, Gray initially struggled to find others who shared her experience. However, over time, she discovered online communities of people living with the same condition, which brought her a sense of connection and comfort. “At first I thought I must be the only person in the world who was going through something like this, it’s so isolating to be in that position. But finding a community of people who understand it has been incredible,” she said.
