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How to reduce your peeing at night.

Posted , 8 users are following.

JerryR
JerryR

Recently I have been taking an over-the-counter Motrin (Ibuprofen) 200 mg every night to reduce the number of times I have to wake up to pee at night.  As a result of the Motrin, I have reduced the times I have to get up from 2 to 4 times a night, to zero to 1 time a night.  I am totally delighted with this result.  In searching the internet on Google, I have found other people who also report this very beneficial effect with either 200 mg or 400 mg of Motrin each night.  Or they take other NSAIDs like Aleeve or Volteran, etc.  Also I drink no fluids after 9pm.

A few caveats:  (1.) NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and/or bleeding, so take your pills with a decent amount of water or some food.  And (2.) it is said that NSAIDs can harm the kidneys.  So if you have kidney disease, (a.) you might not want to take much NSAID, (b.) you might want to check your kidney function yearly, and (c.) you probably should discuss this with your doctor.  But remember, medical advice says a normal person can safely take up to 2400 mg of Motrin per day - and that's a lot.  Or you could take it only a few times a week.  And I want you all to know I am not being rewarded by Motrin in any way - I am just a very happy user!!!

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • Sansrx
    Sansrx JerryR

    Posted

    I pray never to give in to any kinda drugs over the counter n otherwise.

    Stopping any fluids after 09:00 pm is exemplary.

    Congrats.

  • cartoonman
    cartoonman JerryR

    Posted

    Another approach, of course, is CIC at bedtime.  I spend more than half my nights in bed, without needing to get up at all in the "wee" hours!  :-D  

  • derek76
    derek76 JerryR

    Posted

    This has cropped up many times over the years. You should search 'Ibuprofen and urine retention'

  • john_14065
    john_14065 JerryR

    Posted

    Jerry, I have been using ibuprofen/motrin for a month with the same excellent results as you. 

    I've been on Flomax for quite awhile but it never seemed to have any effect on me, good or bad.  But as soon as I started to 300mg ibuprofen with dinner (7-8pm) my sleep interruptions immediately dropped from from 3-4 times a night to 1 and sometimes 2, a huge improvement for me. 

    After 5pm the only liquids I take are a half a glass of water with dinner and overnight I'll drink maybe 1/3 glass to counteract a dry mouth.   I make sure that when I urinate the next morning my urine is clear and yellow, indicating that I am not dehydrated and am getting enough liquids. 

    In the past I have had stomach problems from anti-inflammatories so I am very cautious.   I always take it with food and every few nights I add an anti-acid like omneperozole.  Drinking milk, or eating yogurt also protects the stomach.

    I had some burning sensations in my stomach a few days ago and stopped taking it.  The benefits continue.

    though.

    While my nights are much better I still have frequency and urgency problems during the day.   This leads me to believe that my problem is an inflammation and ibuprofen is definitely helping.

    One other insight, the condition of my bowels is also a factor.  When I'm constipated and I apply too much pressure on my bowels I seem to cause blockage of my urine.  For the next days I have difficulty starting and have frequent interruptions.  So when I do get up at night, instead of 2 minutes to pee it can be 20, 30 60 minutes to empty my badder enough to get some more uninterrupted sleep. And by that time I am awake and it will take longer for me to go back to sleep.

    I'd love to hear from other men who are having these experiences.

      

    • JerryR
      JerryR john_14065

      Posted

      Very interesting information John.  I assume the decreased pee is from decreased urine production after reading that Motrin decreases blood flow to the kidneys - but I haven't done any research in this area.  I could just measure night-time urine with and without the Motrin.  Happy New Year

    • john_14065
      john_14065 JerryR

      Posted

      I hadn't thought of decreased blood flow.   I've used motrin so many times for inflammations that I just assumed thats what it was.   

      It's really important to minimize intake of all drugs.  That's why I'm currently not taking motrin and seeing how long the benefits will continue.  Last night I was awakened once.  I hope it continues.

    • derek76
      derek76 john_14065

      Posted

      Are you going to continue to live that that when there are a wide option of surgical procedures available ? 
    • JerryR
      JerryR derek76

      Posted

      Derek, by any chance are you a urologist?
    • derek76
      derek76 JerryR

      Posted

      No chance but I have followed prostate NG's and Forums since my BPH began in 1994.

      I tried various remedies as I would not have the TURP option offered then. I waited for a good laser option to come along and had GL/PVP on my 75 grm prostate in 2004. When my prostate regrew to 135 grm I had Thulium/Holmium laser in 2013.  Both successful as expected and done in the UK as an NHS patient.

    • slydog
      slydog john_14065

      Posted

      Hey John,

      I had an experience similar to yours.  The ibuprofen helped for a while but I started to get constipation which, indeed, did make peeing longer and harder.  Mine was a combination of my prostate growing larger (unbeknownst to me) and it started to restrict my bowel movements which, in turn, served to affect my ability to pass urine.  It's kind of a double bind.  The problem is that when you're constipated and your urine flow is slow, your bladder is possibly stretching.  You can urinate just enough to drop the bladder meter to below full but you get up time and again as your kidney processes during the night.   You probably need to consider going to a urologist for some testing. 

      I eventually had surgery (this past summer) where they removed about 70% of my prostate via a TURP.  Urine flows freely now but my bladder stretched considerably over the months I dealt with all this.   It will likely not contract to it's original size which means my bladder capacity may remain greater than normal.  Typically the bladder holds about 450 ml of urine.  Mine was holding over 1000 ml with considerable discomfort but I'm sure it was holding 700-800ml as it's "new" normal.  The Dr. told me after the surgery that my bladder was large and floppy.  Not a pretty picture.  It's basically a muscular organ.

      I'm not saying you're just like me but I would definitely go in and see a urologist soon and get some tests for how much you're actually retaining after you urinate.  You don't want to wait long to find out these answers.

      all the best,

      Doug

    • hank1953
      hank1953 slydog

      Posted

      Hi Doug, are you still retaining urine, after TURP ? Do you know how much ? Hank

    • cartoonman
      cartoonman slydog

      Posted

      Slydog,   FYI... JimJames (on this forum) developed a way of getting stretched-out bladders to contract.  Maybe he'll step in a comment.  My bladder was holding TWO POINT FIVE LITERS when BPH got me into the ER 3 1/2 years ago.   I declined a TURP, started CIC.  Had a Uro-lift 2 years ago.  Good for about 4 months, then back to CIC.  My bladder was holding 1,000cc regularly.  Using JimJames' method, I was able to "retrain" my bladder, which was "numb" when I started the process.  Eventually, I started getting signals at 350cc, then 300cc, that it was pee-time.  Now I often get those signals at 250cc.  Although I have on a few occasions (usually when driving or otherwise unable to get to a pee-spot) I have held as much as 600cc, it is uncomfortable and I know what's happening.

      My point is, the urologists don't know everything.  My guy told me there was nothing I could do about "flaccid bladder;" JimJames showed me otherwise.

      Just because the doc says it's "the new normal" doesn't make it so!

       

    • slydog
      slydog cartoonman

      Posted

      Cartoon man, 

      Thanks for the info. I agree with you. I’m interested in knowing more. 

    • slydog
      slydog hank1953

      Posted

      Hank, So far I’m not retaining at all now. But I’m interested in Cartooman’s info on bladder reduction. I think my bladder’s size still affects my bowels 
    • slydog
      slydog cartoonman

      Posted

      BTW, I almost fainted when I read 2.5 liters. At 1200 ml, I actually thought I was going to die in the ER. They couldn’t get a catheter in. That was a bad night. 
    • hank1953
      hank1953 slydog

      Posted

      If you are not retaining, I would not recommending CIC. Cartoon, Jimjames, and I , we do CIC because we retain. However, how do you know you are not retaining, with a stretched out bladder like that ? Did you have it scanned or measured somehow ? I was retaining for a long time without knowing it. Hank
    • cartoonman
      cartoonman slydog

      Posted

      Slydog... YOU almost fainted?!?   I can't tell you how off-the-wall it was for ME!!!  :-)   If you are not retaining, then no, you don't need to CIC, as Hank says.  However... I also agree with Hank's question:  how do you know that you're NOT retaining?  Did they do a post-void retention test?  If so, they should have told you they did it, and what amount, if any, you were retaining.  Critical information!

      I mentioned CIC because I retain, like the others.  In my case, nothing comes on its own, unless I am holding more than 600cc, and I almost never have that happen!  So CIC is what I do.  Before I did the JimJames World-Famous Dive Bomb/Extra-Cathing Method, I was in fact retaining (comfortably) 1,000cc during the day.  I cathed only, per doc's instructions, at night and in the morning.  I switched about 2 years back, I thin, and slowly my bladder bounced back.  Even though the doc said it wouldn't.  

    • slydog
      slydog cartoonman

      Posted

      So far, they’ve just checked me w ultrasound. Next time I go in, they will do a retention test.  Probably in March. 
    • cartoonman
      cartoonman slydog

      Posted

      From my experiences and from what I NOW know, I would push for a retention test immediately, in order to consider my future course of action.  March is a long way off, imho...
    • derek76
      derek76 slydog

      Posted

      After  I had my GL in 2004 the Uro told me :

      That the Median Lobe was not bad and that the Lateral Lobes had been my problem. He described them as looking like a floppy saggy bottom pressing against each side of my bladder

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