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Inquery on D-mannose for prediabetics.

I

Irish

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
65 year old male diagnosed with prediabetes. I also have overactive bladder. I take solifenacin for it. But still end up needing to relieve myself up to 8 times a night.
A reddit post recommended Tumeric, Sal Palmetto, Pumpkin seed oil and D-Mannose.
I went for the tumeric first.ie about two tablets a day for three days. But found no relief from that.
I went to a Holland and Barret store and of the other three they only had D-Mannose.
I bought D-Mannose power health, which seemingly comes from cranberies.
30 capsules of 1 gram each.
To be honest it was only after i bought them, that i looked up information on them.
As they are derived from natural sugar, i was wondering what the general consensus regarding taking them is.
 
I wouldn’t worry about the tiny amount of carbs in them @Irish 🙂 As long as there aren’t other reasons why you shouldn’t take them, I’d be happy to take them. I’ve taken D Mannose myself and also cranberry concentrate tablets in the past. I hope they help you. It must be awful having to get up so many times in the night.
 
Irish said:
65 year old male diagnosed with prediabetes. I also have overactive bladder. I take solifenacin for it. But still end up needing to relieve myself up to 8 times a night.
A reddit post recommended Tumeric, Sal Palmetto, Pumpkin seed oil and D-Mannose.
I went for the tumeric first.ie about two tablets a day for three days. But found no relief from that.
I went to a Holland and Barret store and of the other three they only had D-Mannose.
I bought D-Mannose power health, which seemingly comes from cranberies.
30 capsules of 1 gram each.
To be honest it was only after i bought them, that i looked up information on them.
As they are derived from natural sugar, i was wondering what the general consensus regarding taking them is.
Click to expand...
If you are only in the prediabetes range then those sound like extreme symptoms and may not be due to diabetes but something else like a UTI which the D-Mannose will help with or issues with your prostate, have you had that checked.
Cranberries have high d-mannose which is why it helps with UTI or cystitis, I think it stops the offending bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract.
I think if you are needing to get up so many times then you should see your GP I assume you have been advised to avoid caffeine which can aggravate the bladder.
 
I don't wish to worry you - but it could quite easily be a symptom of a prostate problem, especially at your age and whether you have a history of prostate problems in your family or not - so (it immediately struck me as ironic when I started to take any interest in prostate problems) - that last bit is much the same as diabetes.

Please note - I am absolutely NOT assuming that it's prostate cancer but unless you talk to your GP about it and ask why your bladder is being so over active and you agree for your GP to arrange tests to investigate why - you're not going to find out, are you?
 
Hi. Thank you very much for replies. I will go into more details about Bladder and prediabetes issues.
I have had bladder issues since i was in my 20's i would say. The routine would be go to bed, sleep, dream. Then after about an hour wake up and feel the need to pee. I went to the doctor about it. His advise was "Don't get up to pee". I can't remember him giving me any medication.
But i didn't take his advise. Because when you need to go. You need to go.
But it didn't bother me getting about up 6 times a night. I guess because lucikly i generally managed to get back to sleep.
But as I got older other factors came into play such as finding it harder to start urinating, and not always getting a feeling of completion. That would lead to shorter gaps between 1 one toilet visit and the next. So shorter sleep.
I went to the doctor (not the same one) when i must have needed to relieve myself over 10 times one night.
This was i would say less than two year ago. He put me on solifenacin.
Which as I say helped a bit.
Oh, regarding coffee. I don't drink it , or tea, or alcholol.
But I do drink fizzy drinks. Althoiugh that's usually only if I am eating out.
I often don't finish off the drink or meal until I am home.
So in the evening time, i might be taking gulps of zero coke from the can in the fridge. I only eat out about once a week though.
I have stopped drinking fizzy drinks at might though.
Nowadays it's mostly water i drink.
As for prediabetes. I was first diagnosed with that around 2018. I have been prediabetic on and off since then.
Oh, sorry. Regarding prostate. I have a slighty enlarged prostate.
I have have the doctor;s hand up the rectum, and have given a stool sample.
I guess the prostate diagnosis came from the hand exam. The stool sample was negative.
The doctors advise on prediabetes was to cut down on sugar and carbs.
 
Last edited:
Irish said:
Hi. Thank you very much for replies. I will go into more details about Bladder and prediabetes issues.
I have had bladder issues since i was in my 20's i would say. The routine would be go to bed, sleep, dream. Then after about an hour wake up and feel the need to pee. I went to the doctor about it. His advise was "Don't get up to pee". I can't remember him giving me any medication.
But i didn't take his advise. Because when you need to go. You need to go.
But it didn't bother me getting about up 6 times a night. I guess because lucikly i generally managed to get back to sleep.
But as I got older other factors came into play such as finding it harder to start urinating, and not always getting a feeling of completion. That would lead to shorter gaps between 1 one toilet visit and the next. So shorter sleep.
I went to the doctor (not the same one) when i must have needed to relieve myself over 10 times one night.
This was i would say less than two year ago. He put me on solifenacin.
Which as I say helped a bit.
Oh, regarding coffee. I don't drink it , or tea, or alcholol.
But I do drink fizzy drinks. Althoiugh that's usually only if I am eating out.
I often don't finish off the drink or meal until I am home.
So in the evening time, i might be taking gulps of zero coke from the can in the fridge. I only eat out about once a week though.
I have stopped drinking fizzy drinks at might though.
Nowadays it's mostly water i drink.
As for prediabetes. I was first diagnosed with that around 2018. I have been prediabetic on and off since then.
Oh, sorry. Regarding prostate. I have a slighty enlarged prostate.
I have have the doctor;s hand up the rectum, and have given a stool sample.
I guess the prostate diagnosis came from the hand exam. The stool sample was negative.
The doctors advise on prediabetes was to cut down on sugar and carbs.
Click to expand...
Sometimes getting up in the night can just be habit so that could be why your GP told you not to but now given your age and the fact you have mentioned enlarged prostate then I would suggest it needs checking again as the symptoms you describe are typical, there is medication specifically targeted at the benign enlarged prostate, finasteride and tamsolosin are a couple.
The PSA test is a blood test to indicate if there may be a prostate issue.
It would also be worth getting an upto date HbA1C test done if you have not had one recently as you may have crossed that threshold into the diabetic range depending on whether you cut down on the carbs enough.
 
"the fact you have mentioned enlarged prostate then I would suggest it needs checking again" It was only within the last few months it was checked/
"There is medication specifically targeted at the benign enlarged prostate, finasteride and tamsolosin are a couple". Ah yes, I left out that before being put on solifenacin, i was put on tamsolosin. But that made me dizzy. I also told the doctor it wasn't really helping.
"It would also be worth getting an upto date HbA1C test done if you have not had one recently as you may have crossed that threshold into the diabetic range depending on whether you cut down on the carbs enough."
I should be getting one i would say within the next few months.
Actually now that you mention it. i should check next week with my doctor when I am next eligible for a full blood test.
 
Irish said:
"the fact you have mentioned enlarged prostate then I would suggest it needs checking again" It was only within the last few months it was checked/
"There is medication specifically targeted at the benign enlarged prostate, finasteride and tamsolosin are a couple". Ah yes, I left out that before being put on solifenacin, i was put on tamsolosin. But that made me dizzy. I also told the doctor it wasn't really helping.
"It would also be worth getting an upto date HbA1C test done if you have not had one recently as you may have crossed that threshold into the diabetic range depending on whether you cut down on the carbs enough."
I should be getting one i would say within the next few months.
Actually now that you mention it. i should check next week with my doctor when I am next eligible for a full blood test.
Click to expand...
You seem to have covered all ballparks. My other half has had 2 TURP procedures for enlarged prostate and certainly his symptoms were very much as you describe, he was getting up 7 or more times in the night and so neither of us slept well. He had a CT scan to determine the extent of the problem which revealed bladder stones as well. Whilst waiting for the TURP he ended up needing a catheter. Do keep an eye out for any blood in the urine and make sure you don't become dehydrated if you are having frequent loo visits.
 
@Irish I found that coke Zero greatly increased my trips to the bathroom, so much that I needed to drink several pints of water to counteract the reaction. Maybe switch to something else and see if that helps.
 
Leadinglights said:
You seem to have covered all ballparks. My other half has had 2 TURP procedures for enlarged prostate and certainly his symptoms were very much as you describe, he was getting up 7 or more times in the night and so neither of us slept well. He had a CT scan to determine the extent of the problem which revealed bladder stones as well. Whilst waiting for the TURP he ended up needing a catheter. Do keep an eye out for any blood in the urine and make sure you don't become dehydrated if you are having frequent loo visits.
Click to expand...
"My other half has had 2 TURP procedures for enlarged prostate" I had to look up what that meant. The doctor did mention a surgical procedure. But he said that would be pretty drastic.
". Do keep an eye out for any blood in the urine and make sure you don't become dehydrated if you are having frequent loo visits."
No blood thank god. I have had urine done too.
But the dehydrated comment makes me think.
Thursday night/friday morning sleep was pretty bad. Later i got up for work. The only liquid i had was water for my tablets and some milk on my cereal.
But in work i felt weak and had what I can only describe as a flushed face.
In my mind i was putting it down to lack of sleeps and more specfically having to relieve myself. But now i believe that i was dehydrated.
 
Ah, @Irish - the trials and tribulations of being a middle aged gentleman.

Been through all that you describe. A couple of reflections on the experience.

Your GP's rectal examination is likely to be of little value except to say that things are probably not beyond redemption. Getting a pumelling from one of the pros in a hospital urinary clinic is more thorough and needed to get a full prostate exam. They also have ultrasonic kit which is far better for judging prostate size.

Have you had a PSA test? I had an elevated, but not dramatically so, PSA and went through the prostate cancer diagnosis process. Came out clear, but left the peeing problems to be dealt with. Early attempts by GP to provide medication relief were a bit disastrous. They shut down my system entirely and I finished up in hospital, going home with a permenant catheter for a while. After things settled down I used single use catheters. Eventually I started both finasteride and tamsulosin. They were game changers for me. They got things back to something I can comfortably live with.

If your problems are due to an enlarged prostate then I would not hold out any real hopes for the "supplements" you suggest. If they had any general benefit, then their benefits would be well known and proven and a lot of middle aged and elderly gentlemen would be using them.

Hope that helps to put a bit of a perspective on things.
 
Welcome to the forum @Irish

Hope the ongoing checks and examinations are fruitful, and you get some relief and better sleep.
 
Docb said:
Ah, @Irish - the trials and tribulations of being a middle aged gentleman.

Been through all that you describe. A couple of reflections on the experience.

Your GP's rectal examination is likely to be of little value except to say that things are probably not beyond redemption. Getting a pumelling from one of the pros in a hospital urinary clinic is more thorough and needed to get a full prostate exam. They also have ultrasonic kit which is far better for judging prostate size.

Have you had a PSA test? I had an elevated, but not dramatically so, PSA and went through the prostate cancer diagnosis process. Came out clear, but left the peeing problems to be dealt with. Early attempts by GP to provide medication relief were a bit disastrous. They shut down my system entirely and I finished up in hospital, going home with a permenant catheter for a while. After things settled down I used single use catheters. Eventually I started both finasteride and tamsulosin. They were game changers for me. They got things back to something I can comfortably live with.

If your problems are due to an enlarged prostate then I would not hold out any real hopes for the "supplements" you suggest. If they had any general benefit, then their benefits would be well known and proven and a lot of middle aged and elderly gentlemen would be using them.

Hope that helps to put a bit of a perspective on things.
Click to expand...
Docb said:
Ah, @Irish - the trials and tribulations of being a middle aged gentleman.

Been through all that you describe. A couple of reflections on the experience.

Your GP's rectal examination is likely to be of little value except to say that things are probably not beyond redemption. Getting a pumelling from one of the pros in a hospital urinary clinic is more thorough and needed to get a full prostate exam. They also have ultrasonic kit which is far better for judging prostate size.

Have you had a PSA test? I had an elevated, but not dramatically so, PSA and went through the prostate cancer diagnosis process. Came out clear, but left the peeing problems to be dealt with. Early attempts by GP to provide medication relief were a bit disastrous. They shut down my system entirely and I finished up in hospital, going home with a permenant catheter for a while. After things settled down I used single use catheters. Eventually I started both finasteride and tamsulosin. They were game changers for me. They got things back to something I can comfortably live with.

If your problems are due to an enlarged prostate then I would not hold out any real hopes for the "supplements" you suggest. If they had any general benefit, then their benefits would be well known and proven and a lot of middle aged and elderly gentlemen would be using them.

Hope that helps to put a bit of a perspective on things.
Click to expand...
"Ah, @Irish - the trials and tribulations of being a middle aged gentleman." Thanks for the middle aged bit" ☺
"Have you had a PSA test? Not sure. I do get blood tests done every 6 months or so. I can find out if PSA is included."
"Eventually I started both finasteride and tamsulosin" Tamsolosin didn't work for me"
"If your problems are due to an enlarged prostate then I would not hold out any real hopes for the "supplements" you suggest. If they had any general benefit, then their benefits would be well known and proven and a lot of middle aged and elderly gentlemen would be using them."
ok, But i will continue to try them.
 
Update. So before posting this query, I had taken one D-Mannose tablet. Last night I took another one. Note. Just as reminder I also take solfanicin or however it's spelt. ☺
so how was my sleep?. Well it was better, but not completely satisfactory.
First few times i went about every half hour. then i think there might have been an hour break, and there was a few 90 min breaks. Then near the end back to the 30 min or so ones.
The biggest problem was not always being able to fully empy the bladder.
What would make me happy? Well being realistic, just having to pee every two hours would be great. That or something close to it happened one night. Then next night i think i was really bad.
I will talk to my doctor about seeing an urologist.
I am also going to have a go at pelvic floor execrises.
Thank you folks.
 
Irish said:
I will talk to my doctor about seeing an urologist.
Click to expand...

I think that is a good idea - they have more experience and more kit to figure out the best way forward for you.

I would be surprised if your GP had not called for PSA test. Maybe they did but the results were normal so they did not mention it. Still worth asking the question.

Good luck with the supplements - hope they do some good.

Also forum usage tip...

If you want to reply to a specific point in a post then...

1. Put your cursor in the make a post box
2. Go to the post you want to reference
3. Click the "reply" button in the bottom right hand corner

And the post you are referencing magically appears in the make a post box with a blue background to show it is a reference to another post.. You can then edit out everything but the point you want to reply to.

Thats what I did to start off this post.
 
Irish said:
As I said i don't drink that at nightime now. I would only drink water. If i do buy something to drink from a supermarket for instance, it would generally be a drink you add water too. I would only drink it before 6.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear - you are still drinking Coke Zero, just not after 6pm.
I suspect that will not make any difference - whatever is in the drink that caused my problems took several days to dissipate.
 
Irish said:
Update. So before posting this query, I had taken one D-Mannose tablet. Last night I took another one. Note. Just as reminder I also take solfanicin or however it's spelt. ☺
so how was my sleep?. Well it was better, but not completely satisfactory.
First few times i went about every half hour. then i think there might have been an hour break, and there was a few 90 min breaks. Then near the end back to the 30 min or so ones.
The biggest problem was not always being able to fully empy the bladder.
What would make me happy? Well being realistic, just having to pee every two hours would be great. That or something close to it happened one night. Then next night i think i was really bad.
I will talk to my doctor about seeing an urologist.
I am also going to have a go at pelvic floor execrises.
Thank you folks.
Click to expand...
As I now recall my other half also had a cystoscopy (camera up the p---s) to see what was going on as well as a CT.
 
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