to think that this just doesn't seem right? What is wrong with me!

[ciabattav0nbreadstickz]

I have an overactive bladder, which as a condition is generally aggravated by caffeine, alcohol and so on and makes me go to the loo very frequently.

I don't drink tea or coffee but do drink alcohol and soft drinks on occasion, I've been trying to drink water and herbal tea more, especially recently as I haven't been well.

I find though, that when I drink water it makes the problem 10 times worse! Within 10 minutes of drinking water I will be desperately needing the loo and its really really getting me down . Surely pure water, which is the 'cleanest', least irritating thing for my bladder, should not be as much of a problem as fizzy drinks, alcohol and the like?

I have medication I'm taking for this but I need to change it because it gives me a very dry mouth and makes me thirsty....which makes me drink loads of water....which means I'm running to the loo 4 times an hour.

Aibu? Do I just need to accept that this is the case and just deal with it or does this just not seem right?!

[Griphook]

Water makes me need a wee quickly after I've drunk some

[Imnotaslimjim]

Water is the quickest fluid to pass through your system,so could make it worse

could you increase your intake of high water foods? Melon, cucumber that kind of thing. It would get you the fluid you need a little slower

[museumum]

I don't know about your condition but I know if you're dehydrated then the first water you drink passes through you very quickly as the body uses it to flush out waste products from your kidneys. You need to keep on drinking for hours after dehydration to get to an equilibrium where you don't pee it all back out again. (I do an sport where dehydration is common).

[ciabattav0nbreadstickz]

Sometimes I just think I'm destined to spend my life running to and from the toilet. So fed up, had this problem literally my whole life and I can't seem to make it better

[Katenka]

I recently started drinking more water. For the first week or so I peed constantly. Then my body seemed to get used to it.

Do you consistently drink lots of water?

I would second trying to get fluid in by eating food with a high water content.

[ciabattav0nbreadstickz]

Would you still have really concentrated pee if that happened museumum?

When I drink water it literally looks the same when it comes out as it does when it goes in sorry for tmi

[Katenka]

The more water you drink the clearer your pee should be

[Dreamqueen]

Is it worse at night?

[JMJ1]

I think a pinch of good salt in the water is supposed to help rehydrate you.

[3WiseWomen]

Have you tried drinking water at room temperature, slightly warm rather than cold water (from the tap)?

[PortobelloRoad]

You need consistency with the water, also sip over time don't glug. How much are we talking here and in what time frame?

I assume you know all about bladder training etc. If you were on oxybutynin there are some mouthwashes and sprays you can get to lubricate your mouth, maybe try again with it, there are also alternative antispasmodics available.

Have you had a cytoscopy?

You need to go back to your doctor and talk about what's going on.

Also worth seeing a womens health physio, I was plagued with a minor version of this shit for years (hence my extensive knowledge), and I had a hypertonic pelvic floor that was really agrevating things. Physio can help people with IC, overactive bladder, IBS, all sorts so it's worth a shout. There is a great book called "Heal your pelvic pain" about this with exercises etc too.

I hope you feel better soon, this really was the most irritating thing I've ever gone through. I have chronic loud tinitus and it isn't a patch on the bladder stuff. Big hugs and a friendly arm pat from me

[CheesyWeez]

I have similar problems. I limit caffeine and alcohol. I was much better recently when I went on a no-sugar diet... I realized when, after 2 weeks of no refined sugar (during which time I lost half a stone and had no water problems or bladder infections) I was at a meeting with a bowl of quality street in front of me and I ate about 10 of them
Half an hour later I was rushing to the loo every 10 minutes. Painful and frequent wees.
So, I think: refined sugar irritates the bladder OR wakes up underlying water infections.
Interesting tips here about eating more foods with high water content, I'll try that too.

[WeShouldOpenABar]

Is it Vesitrim that you're on. I never had the dry mouth I was lucky but I had to come off them because they were about 70 euro a month and I just couldnt afford it, I am a bit better than before I started them but would still prefer the tablets. I am also much worse after water?!

[StillRainingInMay]

I really don't want to worry you, but have you been tested lately for diabetes? Going to the loo more frequently is one of the symptoms. Really very unlikely, but might be worth getting a test just to check.

[Magicpaintbrush]

Try switching to drinking more milk instead of water. There was a documentary on tv a few months ago about whether water, milk or juice is more hydrating and they found that milk is best in the sense that your body retains more of the liquid instead of peeing it straight out. Water and juice had the effect of producing more pee.

I hope you find a solution to your problem :-)

[wol1968]

Cheesy perhaps you should be screened for diabetes? Don't want to scare you but sometimes weeing frequently can be a sign.

[Junosmum]

I also have irritable (overactive) bladder but mine has been 'fixed' by cutting out caffeine (including soft drinks), reducing alcohol, which was helped by being pregnant and now breastfeeding, and drinking water, no squash or anything. I now drink about 3l a day. I find if I don't drink a lot I get what you are describing, so if I have a few days of little water, due to being away or out a lot when I drink water it goes straight through me.

So after all that, my advice is drink lots of water and spread it out over the day to keep hydrated and keep it up, day in, day out. I now have a bobble bottle which I take everywhere with me.

[CheesyWeez]

Thanks wol I hadn't thought of that. I was tested while pregnant but that was a while ago, I suppose it could easily have changed! sorry to hijack your thread ciabatta.

[ciabattav0nbreadstickz]

I used to take oxybutanin (sp?) but I had to switch to solafenacin (sp?) because the former made me sooooo drowsy I couldn't function.

Now I get epic dry mouth.

I have a 750ml water bottle that I try to drink 2 of a day, plus extra herbal teas (3/4?) but I find I often have to force myself to drink as I don't get thirsty very often unless I'm exercising a lot.

To those who have suggested diabetes? I think it's very unlikely, I'm not in any of the traditional 'risk' groups and I have had this frequent peeing problem literally my whole life so its not a new thing at all. Definately not pregnant either.

Thanks for the advice magic but I really don't like drinking milk :/

Portobello, what's a cytoscopy? Not been told about bladder training either, gp just gave me the pills and thats it.

[PortobelloRoad]

A cytoscopy is when they stick a camera in your bladder and have a nosy. They don't give them often, I just had one as I was in pain.

Your GP has let you down. You should have been told about training.

www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files%5C121213overactivebladder.pdf

There is a whole load of info there, you should go back and speak to them about it too.

[TowerRavenSeven]

I'm just the same but recently got one of those Soda Stream machines that carbonates water for you. I just carbonate plain tap water and I don't seem to have the running to the loo thing any more. I sip it rather than chug it though.