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Original poster

am I going crazy?? need to pee all the time!!!

28 replies

petelly · 11/08/2010 20:47

I really need advice as I'm starting to think I'm going a bit crazy.

Basically, about 3 weeks ago I started needing to pee A LOT. I found I couldn't go half an hour sometimes. Thing is that I didn't have any pain or burning so didn't think it was a UTI. It got worse and worse and I even started leaking a little bit of wee (not a lot but enough to really upset me).

Last Tuesday, after a nightmare journey to work on the tube, when I thought I was going to wet myself, I went to a walk in GUM clinic. The doctor did a dipstick urine test and said I had a UTI and started me on amoxicillin for 3 days. I felt better by Thursday evening and Friday was fine. Saturday evening and Sunday I felt the symptoms come back. I saw my GP on Monday morning. She changed my a/b to Trimethoprim and sent off a sample to be cultured.

In the meantime, I still have this urge to wee. Not as bad as before but still there. It's making it really hard to work because I need to sit in meetings a lot and I just can't last. I phoned up today for the results and they said that it was clear!

So does anyone have any idea what is going on??? Do I have a UTI? If not, could this all be in my head? The urge seems to get far far worse when I CAN'T go to the loo eg on the tube, in a meeting. Is it psychosomatic????

I'm so so distressed, upset and depressed about this. It's so embarrassing - everyone at work now knows about it because I had to let them know why I keep ducking out in the middle of meetings Blush

I'll be so grateful for any advice.

OP posts:
Eaglebird · 11/08/2010 20:58

Have you been tested for diabetes? passing a lot of wee is a sysmptom of diabetes if I remember correctly.

Have you recently changed your washing powder?
Or started wearing a different type of underwear / tight fitting clothing that may be chafing your urethral area?

Marne · 11/08/2010 21:06

I have the same problem, GP gave me antibiotics 3 times after finding blood on the dip stick test, he eventually sent of a sample and it came back clear. I had full blood test and all came back clear, was sent for a scan (for kidney stones) and that was clear. I have had it for 6+ months. I have to plan outings around toilet stops (wheres the nearest toilet) and long trips out in the car are a night-mare. I hope you manage to get an answer as its no fun spending half the day in the toilet.

Original poster
petelly · 11/08/2010 21:21

Thanks for your answers.

Eaglebirth:
I actually was tested for diabetes a few weeks ago as a precaution for a different reason and it was fine so it's not that.

No changes in anything at all.

Marne
I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. How do you cope? It's completely debilitating. Have you been to a specialist?

OP posts:
xboxwife · 11/08/2010 22:08

God, I'm glad it's not just me. I posted something similar a few weeks ago. About a month ago I noticed that I had to keep going to the loo. I put it down to having stupidly swallowed a load of water in a public swimming baths. After a couple of weeks noticed I had sore stomach after going to the loo (no buring when weeing though) and got some antibiotics from my gp.

Took antibiotics didn't work. Still wanting to wee constantly, gp sent urine sample off and came back clear! How? Anway gp has given me stronger antibiotics which I'm taking all the time panicing about the horrendous potential side effects from these antibiotics.

I too wonder if it's all in my head. Maybe I did have a uti which original antibiotics cleared up but have now got it in my mindset that I need to go for a wee constantly..

It is so depressing. Sad

OP and others let me know if your situations resolve, I need some hope!

Original poster
petelly · 11/08/2010 22:13

xbox

That's what I suspect as well because the original dipstick did suggest a UTI. But now I start stressing when I'm in a situation where I can't go to the loo. I'm going to buy incontinence pads for complete loss of bladder control (I was wearing them for light) and just wear them for peace of mind and see if it passes - so if I'm not stressing about wetting myself in front of everyone maybe I'll get over it.

OP posts:
xboxwife · 11/08/2010 22:15

I told a friend and she said it could be a prolapse which freaked me out no end. However, pretty certain it isn't from my (extensive) internet searches wanting to wee all the time is more likely to be a uti.

I did wonder if I had an overactive bladder but find it strange that after having no baldder issues for 30 years all of a sudden I develop an overactive bladder...

Original poster
petelly · 11/08/2010 22:18

Same here! I always had fantastic bladder control and could last for ages without needing to go so for this to happen all of a sudden just doesn't make sense. If it doesn't pass in a couple of weeks, I'm going to insist on seeing a urologist.

I can't live like this!!

OP posts:
Pisces · 11/08/2010 22:18

I had this! I was told by my GP that I had a UTI and was prescribed antibiotics. That did not work and another GP in the practice told me that I would have to take drugs for the rest of my life as I had a stress incontinence problem but it was not bad enough for surgery.

I asked them to take my coil out as I was buggered I was going to be on AD's, permanent other drugs AND having the mirena coil too. From the moment the coil was taken out, my problem started to get better and better.Now, I have no problem at all.

It must have been the coil pressing on something in the bladder (or thereabouts). I never did fill the prescription for the drugs they prescribed and glad I didn't as I would never have known that it was the coil causing the problem.

I have had other successful coil implantations in the past, so maybe this last one got dislodged somehow or was never put in place correctly in the first place.

xboxwife · 11/08/2010 22:21

petelly, I can't live like this either! It's horrendous, and totally getting me down. I never used to think about my bladder at all and now my daily life revolves around it.

Think I too will push for referral in a couple of weeks as well, that will be 6 weeks of suffering.

pisces, sounds like you went through the ringer too. I don't have a coil but wondered if something was pressing on my bladder too like a tumour or fibroid or something...

Original poster
petelly · 11/08/2010 22:23

Pisces:
Glad you got it sorted. I don't have a coil so it's not that :(

OP posts:
TheHeathenOfSuburbia · 11/08/2010 22:33

I used to get UTIs quite a lot...

Sometimes I would find that even after I'd finished the antibiotics and the infection was gone, my bladder would still be irritated for a few days afterwards. You might just find it takes a while to get back to normal (maybe it gets inflamed or something?)

Though 6 weeks is a long time xboxwife! Good luck with getting it sorted...I managed to get a referral for ultrasound to see if there was any reason why I kept getting them, but no dice. Haven't had one for 2-3 years now though.

Lyn3 · 11/08/2010 22:44

Hi - just a thought here, I don't know your circumstances, but will just mention that I had exactly this several years ago, thought it was a UTI, doc gave me several sets of antibiotics, but it didn't get any better, so referred me on to a sexual health clinic at the local hospital, where I tested positive for Chlamydia - apparently it can be a symptom of that.... I had no other symptoms, BF (at the time - no longer with him) had no symptoms...(they didn't even bother testing him - just treated him when he went down there).. I had no idea how long I had had it before this symptom appeared, you can have it with no symptoms at all, I may have had it for years, he may have had it for years, we'd been together for several months at this point - and were just with each other, so one of us had been carrying it from a previous relationship.. not something you can really work out, where it came from I mean... but as soon as I got a course of the specific antibiotics I needed... it cleared up and felt fine in about a week. Made me very defintite on getting regular checks after that....for the few years before I got married.... the long term effects of having it can be quite serious if you don't get it treated. You can got to Sexual Health clinics and get tested, without giving your name or any background, they will give you a number to phone up to get the results... it's worth considering.. and to be honest.. even if it isn't an STD (hopefully not), the docs/nurses there are very familiar with that part of you anatomy, so are likely to be able to help/make suggestions that perhaps your GP wouldn't think of and there is no waiting list for an appointment, you just go down there....anything is worth a try surely if you are that uncomfortable?

Original poster
petelly · 11/08/2010 23:16

Hi Lyn3

I started out at a GUM/Sexual health walk-in clinic because I thought they'd be more familiar with it all but, tbh, it was really sexual health and not urological. They didn't suggest chlamydia - maybe because i've been with the same partner for more than 10 years (can't believe it's that long!) so we'd have found it out already if it was that.

OP posts:
xboxwife · 13/08/2010 19:33

petelly, just wondering how you are?

Original poster
petelly · 13/08/2010 20:20

Thanks xboxwife. I had a great day yesterday - managed to get to work on the tube, sit through a meeting and home again without feeling that I was going to wet myself. But today, it's back again :( And I was working from home so wasn't stressed about it which means it's not all in my head. We're going away for a week tomorrow and if it's still there when I get back, I'll ask for more tests or a referral.

How are things with you? Have you seen your doctor again?

OP posts:
xboxwife · 13/08/2010 21:04

I'm a bit like you petelly, had an okish day yesterday but then today had a couple of cups of tea and had to go for a wee about 4 times Sad. I empty my bladder, make sure it's completely empty but then need to go again a few minutes later. It is driving me insane.

Going to finish current course of antibiotics then go back to gp and demand referral. Really worried I have interstitial cystitis, seem to have the symptons - constant need to wee and stomach pains. Apparently it is incurable and difficult to diagnose.

But like you I wonder, where the hell has this come from?

purplepeony · 13/08/2010 21:50

I really strongly advise you to browse this site
www.cobfoundation.org

sometimes people with UTIs find their bladders take ages to settle. You should avoid all tea, coffee, fruit juices, alcohol, fizzy drinks etc etc- just drink water or weak herbal teas.

Also, some people find that curries and spicy foods upset them, and acidic fruits.

I have IC but it flares and then settles down - have had it ever since a UTI 25 years back.

I have to take great care with what I eat and drink.

Hope you feel better soon.

Original poster
petelly · 21/08/2010 23:22

Any news xboxwife? Have the antibiotics helped?

We had a week away and I think (hope hope hope) it's sorted now. Back to work on MOnday so I'll see if I am a complete nutter and it's all in my head!

OP posts:
xboxwife · 23/08/2010 16:04

how are you getting on now you're at work petelly? I've had some improvement but can't stop fixating on my bladder which isn't helping... When I don't think about it I'm OK but as soon as I do well then I start worrying.

Have become obsessed with the number of times people go for a wee, noticed my dh goes loads and my friend told me she has had this problem her whole life Shock.

fingermousey · 24/08/2010 17:52

I had this and it was thrush (not vaginal more on the outisde entrance to the urethra) I used canesten cream for a few days and it worked have never looked back.

von81 · 25/08/2010 11:11

Maybe its because your bladder got used to being emptied all the time, its full button might be broken lol, Id try to wait when u feel like u need the loo and strengthen your bladder again

Original poster
petelly · 26/08/2010 20:19

xboxwife

I think it's better but I'm also fixating and getting anxious when I know I can't get to the toilet so I do have to make sure I go to the loo before any meetings or if I need to go on the tube - I'm hoping I'll start to relax about it and it should be alright.

I think some people naturally just pee more or have weaker bladder - a lady in my office told me that she has to go a lot and often sneaks out of meetings but that's normal for her. It's definitely a bit easier for men though!

OP posts:
nappyzoneloveschinesefood · 26/08/2010 20:30

i too had something similar to this earlier in the year, i tested positive for utis got ant b's still had it then test would be clear so i would panic and google allsorts go back test positive for uti, then had swabs and even admitted to hospital where uti was clear again - i got my self in a right upset state over lower abdominal pain. They did an internal scan and queried a possible ruptured cyst as was residual fluid so packed me off with more anti bs and pain killers. The more i worried aboutit worse it was. Anyhows after i had my hospital admitance i had a message from docs that said i had thrush showed up from swabs taken week before. I hadno common itch or burning symptoms of thrush but did the canesten pessary thing and cream and 2 days later iwas right as rain - doc still unsure if al coincidence and was a cyst but thats my story. Just dont google and dont panic but do persist at docs. Hope you are better soon Smile

madamearcati · 26/08/2010 23:14

After a UTI has cleared up,I find it takes a while for bladder to get back to normal

teta · 28/08/2010 15:03

I had years of suffering from UTI's.I realised that biological washing powder was one cause and the second one was coffee.One cup of coffee makes me wee about 7 times .Try washing underwear in non-bio and ironing pants gusset with a really hot iron.