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Getting up 4-6 times a night to urinate. My sleep is suffering!

Posted , 4 users are following.

a20121997
a20121997

Hello,

first of all let me make clear I have a doctor's appointment coming up regarding this issue, but I am quite desperate so I am looking for advice up to the appointment.

I am 21 years old.

My problem is that I wake up around 4 to 6 times aduring sleep, with the feeling I need to urinate. However, all I manage is a very brief stream or a couple of dribbles. After this I feel emptied and return to sleep, only to find myself awake an hour later with the same slight urge to urinate.

Interestingly, I do not have urination problems during the day. I can easily go 3-4 hours without urinating when I am busy (university, excercise, etc.) and I have a normal, "powerful" stream when urinating. But maybe I am just distracted during the day, giving the illusion that all is well.

The problem starts to arise when I get into bed at night. I always go to the toilet last thing before I head to sleep, but it almost seems like as soon as I am laying in my bed, my bladder becomes much more sensitive/overactive and I get the urge to urinate quicker. I don't know if this may be a psychological thing, since it has come to the point where I get slightly anxious before sleep, because I know I will likely have a couple of bathroom trips during the night. I try not to drink anything 3-4 hours before bed (unless thirsty), but this does not seem to have much of an impact.

I don't know if the problem is:

  • urine retention/incomplete emptying of the bladder
  • overactive/oversensitive bladder
  • some kind of disruption regarding nocturnal secretion of ADH (antidiuretic hormone)?
  • BPH (enlarged prostate), although unlikely at the age of 21?-
  • or maybe even sleep apnea (although I have never gotten any comments regarding breathing/snoring from anyone sleeping in my bed). But sleep apnea is also linked to nocturia.
  • pretty sure I don't have a UTI (no burning/pain)

Ultimately, I don't know if I am waking up at night and then finding out I need to pee, or if I am waking up at night, strictly because I need to urinate. I would assume the latter.

In the meantime I am trying kegels, bladder retraining (waiting longer between voids), and tracking my fluid intake and bathroom trips. My diet is very healthy and I don't drink alcohol often and have started eliminating tea.

Any advice would be highly appreciated, thanks!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • gemma11749
    gemma11749 a20121997

    Posted

    hiya I've the seem problems but I urinate a lot during the day too but has soon has I lie down I have the urge to urinate my problems have been going on for years. I've been reffered to a urologist mention to your gp to see if they can reffered to to a urologist

  • Amanda86048
    Amanda86048 a20121997

    Posted

    Hello! Sorry you're having these issues, I can sympathize. I was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis about two years ago and can relate to your nocturnal bathroom habits. My doctor told me I had to retrain my bladder because even after modifying diet and taking medication daily, I still woke up several times a night to pee. When you urinate often and your bladder isn't full, your bladder starts to redefine what "full" is; you're actually diminishing it's capacity. During the day, urinate on a schedule (every 60 minutes, or whatever is slightly longer than how often you go currently) and gradually increase that time over weeks, months. And when you wake up at night, try your hardest to roll over and go back to sleep. It isn't easy at first but right now your body thinks "When we wake up we HAVE to pee, no matter what." Also try not to get back out of bed before you fall asleep. It took about a month for my nightly trips to reduce (2-4) and now I generally don't get up at all during the night, even though I wake up (insomnia).

    • a20121997
      a20121997 Amanda86048

      Posted

      Thank you Amanda, for the reassuring comment! I will definitely try retraining my bladder.

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