Why am I drinking so much water at night?

[user73]

and should I speak to the GP?

I have always woken up at leats once in the night thirsty and I drink quite a lot of water in general. However this need is escalating.

Yesterday evening i had two glasses of water in the two hours before bedtime. I then had another three glasses throughout the night. I woke up seven times in total with a really dry mouth really needing a drink (and needed to go to the loo twice).

Im 52, fairly healthy, not overweight.

any thoughts?

First thought is diabetes so yes I’d see your GP

Yes, could be diabetes, speak to your GP.

Drinking that much water, type 1 could be a possibility. Try and see them this week.

I would say maybe diabetes but do you snore?. Sounds a silly question but I was diagnosed with sleep aponea years ago. I was waking up at least 5 times a night and drinking loads of water which is a symptom. See the doctor anyway.

Get your blood sugar checked I was like this and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

This was the only symptom my husband had when he first had diabetes. Always best to go see a GP

If it is relatively recent, could it be as simple as dry air in a centrally heated house? I kept waking up with a sore throat and realised that was the cause (even with a window ajar). I hung some wet towels on my bedroom radiator in the evening and seems to help a lot.

More likely type 2 (I've been diabetic since I was 14) given age. High blood sugar from type 1 or 2 can make you very thirsty if unmanaged.

yep get yourself an appointment with a GP.

If Diabetes gets ruled out, look into doing a home stand test for POTS/dysautonomia, that makes you thirsty a lot because your body doesn’t hold onto water like it should. Electrolytes help a little with a thirst,but it’s still quite an issue for me. There’s med options like fludocorsitone that can help with fluid retention if you did get a diagnosis.

I'm T1D and unqwenchable thirst where your mouth feels drier than the Sahara, combined with rapid weighloss. ( diabetic ketoacidosis) are important symptoms which need to be checked out.

Even if weighloss and vomiting has not occurred yet, you need to get checked out OP and don't delay, just call NHS 111, or go to a walk in clinic a simple finger prick test will confirm the results.

I also wonder about snoring. Apparently I have suddenly started snoring like a freight train since menopause; I also have recently acquired post nasal drip - thanks hormones! It makes me much thirstier overnight. Maybe check for this / sleep apnoea, once diabetes etc has been ruled out.

How much are you drinking during the day?
if you're not getting the recommended 1.5-2L of fluid then you'll be thirsty at night.
Do you sleep on your back? Do you snore?
Is your diet high in salt? Do you drink alcohol in the evening?
I mean it could be well Diabetes but I'd expect you to be thirsty all the time and not just at night... whatever the explanation you need to get to a doctor and have come tests.

Reflux/ silent reflux can cause a dry mouth at night.

Also ask them to check your calcium levels. If they show as high in blood they’ll monitor them in urine (for 24h or 48h), then scan parathyroids. I had similar symptoms (maybe not as bad as yours). Needed to have a dodgy parathyroid removed (minor surgery). All fine now. I had never even heard of them - they regulate your calcium levels and you have four.

Have you tried taking piriton at night? This stops my kids from mouth breathing and dries up the post cold post-nasal drip he gets.

Are you drinking a lot in the day too? And do you still need to go to the loo if you don't drink? There is a condition caused AVP deficiency (it used to be known as diabetes insipidus but they changed the name as it has nothing to do with diabetes). It arises from your pituitary gland producing insufficient vasopressin to regulate fluid levels.

I have it and it was the thirst I clocked first, I didn't realise that I was going to loo so much as well. I was getting through 8l of fluid per day and up multiple times in the night.

Other signs are a real craving for ice cold drinks and almost transparent urine (and lots of it!!!).

It definitely sounds as if you need a GP appointment, whatever it is. Worth reading up on AVP-D if you have any symptoms as GPs often haven't heard of it (it took ages for me to get diagnosed).

Are you eating very salty food?

Adults can be diagnosed with Type 1 as well

I am aware...but said given age more likely than not (if it is diabetes) that it would be type 2.

It's a common misconception that type 1 only occurs in children. It could absolutely be type 1. I was diagnosed at age 32 and my uncle in his 50s.
OP go and get your bloods checked asap, if it is type 1 it can get serious quite quickly.
Hope you get to the bottom of it x

also ask about Sjogren's Syndrome, it mostly affects women in your age group and up, dry mouth being one of the symptoms

Yes, this.

A friend was diagnosed as Type 1 diabetic in his late 40s.
See your GP without delay.

Classic diabetes sign drinking at night. Just get checked out to rule it out