Peri question - frequent urination?

[dgirluk]

I suspect I'm in peri, but can't talk to anybody about HRT yet as I have an operation coming up and can't take anything oestrogen before it. It's on the list for next year though !

But over the last couple of years my weeing has got out of control! Gradually without me really noticing (I guess during lockdown) I get up 2-3 times night to pee, sometimes on a 2 hour drive I have to stop a couple of times or there'll be an accident, etc.

Sometimes it's fine and I can do a meal out without going at all.

I haven't had children, and it seems to go through phases of being bad (although I"m always up 1-2 a night minimum).

Could this be peri related? Has anybody had this and HRT has helped? It's getting to be a bit life limiting!

Lifestyle limiting, not life limiting!

You need to get a sample tested to rule out uti or diabetes asap. Then consider vaginal atrophy and local oestrogen such as vagifem. Are you thirsty? Losing weight? If you are waiting for surgery you need a proper health check now.

It's not diabetes - sadly no weight loss, no thirst, blood sugar has been fine when tested. It's been gradually coming on over years.

Surgery is Friday and believe me I've had a really awful summer of unrelated health conditions, so lots of checks already done!

How would vaginal treatments help urination? Sex etc. are all fine.

(summer checks included kidney/UTI type tests as well).

I have had similar and it seems to fluctuate over the month which makes me wonder if hormones are a factor. Are you drinking enough water? It's counterintuitive but I have found if I have drunk less water to avoid needing to go to the loo I end up needing more. Make sure you drink lots water, it's helped me. Also when you are weeing, stop when you're full flow, it's a good way of seeing how good your pelvic floor is.

Estrogen affects the bladder, lack of it is causing you to need to pee too often. Vaginal estrogen stays where it is put so to speak. I've been there, started vagifem and ovestin cream, the urgency and frequency stopped after about 4 months treatment. I would get on it as soon as, so that things do not get a chance to progress.

Thanks both - drinking more is something I can try although only when I'm at home ! I'll check the pelvic floor too.

Tootsey - are you saying that the vaginal oestrogen helped with your urination? I thought it would help with vaginal symptoms if applied there, and you'd need gel or patches or whatever for help elsewhere?

I'll be onto the doctors once these surgeries and tests are out of the way for sure.

I had exactly the same and my GP advised me to cut out caffeine. It worked almost overnight.

@dgirluk The bladder walls are directly behind the vaginal walls. When you use vaginal estrogen, it is also absorbed by the bladder tissues. Vaginal estrogen is prescribed for genito-urinary syndrome (now called GUS) which includes dry vagina, itchy vulva, frequent weeing, and the rest!

It may take a few weeks or even months to get really good improvement, but you have to keep going with the treatment and stay on it forever, or your symptoms will come back.

It's not counted as HRT, - it's called 'topical vaginal estrogen' - so you could have started it before surgery.

Also, many types of HRT are now permitted before surgery. The most modern types carry no risk of blood clots compared with the tablet-types of HRT, so many women having surgery don't need stop HRT.

Goo d luck with your operation.

Thanks Xmas bells ! The paperwork said specifically I had to stop all oestrogen - but the surgery is tomorrow so no time now anyway :) Thanks for the explanation about bladder walls and them absorbing if you use vaginal oestrogen - that does make a lot of sense.

Crappydo - caffeine doesn't help for sure - if I know I need to be out then I avoid caffeine completely, but it's not the only thing going on.

Thanks everybody

I hear what you say- but for anyone else reading, some of the info about stopping estrogen is outdated . There have been women on forums who have said their surgeons were fine with them carrying on with transdermal HRT (not that's what you'd be on anyway!)

Vaginal estrogen is most definitely allowed before some surgery - like prolapse - and it's sometimes prescribed exactly for that reason- to help tissues thicken up and heal before the op.

The bladder lining thins when estrogen levels fall and this is what makes you want to wee all the time ( as the urine irritates it.) Estrogen makes the lining thicker again by plumping up the cells.

That’s really worth knowing thank you ! If I had to have other surgeries that’s really helpful.

I have other symptoms I suspect are peri related too, so it could end up being oestrogen gel or whatever - would that be done “as well as” vaginal oestrogen potentially?

Thanks again for your helpful posts :)