Can't stop p'ing!

[Northerner]

Well, not literally, but I do feel that I'm going to the loo rather a lot. My sugars are under good control and I don't have a weak bladder or anything. I'm not dehydrated even though my output appears to exceed my input, I don't have ketones so I'm not trying to 'flush' anything out. I drink a lot of tea - maybe 8-10 mugs a day, plus some water and fruit juice, plus of course, the water in any food I eat, but it still seems that I get the call of nature too often!

I know that this is a symptom of diabetes, but the funny thing is that I don't really remember having this problem before diagnosis, even though I used to drink copious amounts of liquid - I had the 'thirst', and drank far more than I do now. I asked the consultant six months ago and he did a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test, but that didn't show anything. I thought things might have improved by now, but apparently not, although I only have to get up once during the night, rather than three at diagnosis time.

Sorry if all this is too much information, but was wondering if anyone else experiences this or has any ideas? I'd say I pee 10 times a day, minimum.

 

[catwoman]

Yes also! I'm a tea Jenny also, I would say up to 8 cups a day, is 10 or more not alot in a day as caffeine a diuretic. I switch to tetley decaf at night.

 

[tracey w]

yea, me too! If im not testing I can usually be found in the bathroom.

infact, gotta go again!

 

[Anthony Neve]

Northerner i tend to find that if my bg is well controlled for a little while (not very often 😱 ) and then the Bg raises just a little bit (it doesnt have to be high, just higher than it has been) and im off to the loo all the while!

i also find that if i drink like i normally would throughout the day, and the sugars are good, then perhaps they rise a little bit later in the afternoon, everything i drank in the morning seems to then make a break for it as it were..

its been like this for as many years as i can remember and im not concerned about it.

 

[janine19]

Hi Northerner,
Is the tea de-caff? As tea is a diuretic 8-10 cups is a lot to be drinking. With water and juice on top.

10 times a day is above average to be goin to the loo.

Also it depends on how much you are doing when u go. Sometimes bladder training is needed.

I spend most of my day talkin to ladies with bladder probs. I dont see men, but thats just cos our service isnt funded to do so. A diary of when u go and what u drink is where i usually start with patients as well as reducing caffeine intake. If u dont think its related to diabetes it could be an overactive bladder.

Hope thats not info overload. PM me if ya want.

 

[katie]

I drink a lot of tea - maybe 8-10 mugs a day

Whoa Northerner, that is a lot of tea. I know we're British but still...

I would say that this is your problem, all that caffeine is not good for you. You should swap a few of those mugs of tea for glasses of water.

If this has suddenly started happening you could have a urinary tract infection? but obviously there would usually be some pain involved if this was the case.

 

[Copepod]

Northerner - prostate trouble is more usually associated with weeing small amounts of urine and dribbling afterwards, known as "poor flow" - is that what you are experiencing? The urge to expel frequent, small amounts of urine, can also mean a urinary tract infection - may be associated with pain or discomfort, but not necessarily. Perhaps worth measuring fluid in and out for a 24 hour period, including times of peeing to gain more idea what's happening. I'm not sure what size mug you are using for tea - some mugs don't hold much more than a cup, while others hold a pint or so. But seems like it's Janine's area of expertise, I'm sure she'll help.

 

[janine19]

Northerner - prostate trouble is more usually associated with weeing small amounts of urine and dribbling afterwards, known as "poor flow" - is that what you are experiencing? The urge to expel frequent, small amounts of urine, can also mean a urinary tract infection - may be associated with pain or discomfort, but not necessarily. Perhaps worth measuring fluid in and out for a 24 hour period, including times of peeing to gain more idea what's happening. I'm not sure what size mug you are using for tea - some mugs don't hold much more than a cup, while others hold a pint or so. But seems like it's Janine's area of expertise, I'm sure she'll help.

Not sure about expert but all rest of above is very true! Like Copepod said Northerner im glad to help. Can give u tips on what to do before seein Gp so they can have full picture of whats happening. Diary over 3 days gives good idea of patterns emerging.

 

[Northerner]

Northerner - prostate trouble is more usually associated with weeing small amounts of urine and dribbling afterwards, known as "poor flow" - is that what you are experiencing? The urge to expel frequent, small amounts of urine, can also mean a urinary tract infection - may be associated with pain or discomfort, but not necessarily. Perhaps worth measuring fluid in and out for a 24 hour period, including times of peeing to gain more idea what's happening. I'm not sure what size mug you are using for tea - some mugs don't hold much more than a cup, while others hold a pint or so. But seems like it's Janine's area of expertise, I'm sure she'll help.

I had a UTI when in hospital, probably due to the catheter I had in. I'm certain I don't have anything like that now. In fact, when I had the PSA test six months ago I had my urine tested and it was OK, plus I kept a diary then too. Things aren't as bad as in those first few weeks after diagnosis, but still seem a bit excessive. I do pee 'properly' - not just a small amount each time, and I have good control (if that's what you call it!), in that I can ignore the need to pee until I want to go (e.g. if I don't want to get out of bed in the middle of the night I can wait until morning).

I don't drink tea in the evening, not after about 6pm and do go less. It might sound like a lot of tea, but it's an awful lot better than the 30+ units of alcohol I was putting away every day before I was diagnosed! Incidentally, the latter is probably the reason why I didn't recognise my symptoms until DKA set in - I thought I was drinking so much through addiction to alcohol, peeing so much because I was drinking so much and waking up sweating in the middle of the night due to alcohol when I was probably actually waking from a hypo!

I think I'll try keeping a diary over the next few days and ask my GP about it when I see her next week. I feel healthy enough, but just alarmed at the amount of liquid I seem to be passing!