Pee related question SFW!
October 12, 2008 6:52 AM   Subscribe

Why do I constantly need to pee? For the past three weeks, I've needed to pee even though there's often very little quantity when I do pee.

The doctor says the blood/urine sample reveals no problems and he doesn't think it's a prostate problem. What else could it possibly be? I realise you are not my doctor, lawyer or priest. I'm on antibiotics but they don't seem to be helping - or won't I know if they've helped until the course is over?
posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)
 
Did he do a glucose test, to check for diabetes? Frequent urinating is a symptom of the disease.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:16 AM on October 12, 2008


Has your life become more stressful lately? That can do it. I've had that happen, and indeed it's aggravating.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:29 AM on October 12, 2008


Seems like he's betting on a UTI, which would have to clear before you notice it getting better (some infections can be pretty stubborn); culturing an organism from urine isn't done overnight, he may have a definitive bug in a bit. When the course is done, if it's not better go back. If you don't think that he's got a good idea at that point, walk to a new doctor.

There are 9000 hypothetical causes of anything, so it's normally useless to take the internet approach "what causes one symptom X".
posted by a robot made out of meat at 7:45 AM on October 12, 2008


Possibly dehydration. Does your skin look at all saggy/less 'full' than normal?

My grandfather recently started having the same issue, was advised by his nurse to drink lots of Gatorade and soda to rehydrate himself (note: he is otherwise healthy. Had he had heart/diabetes related issues, he most likely would not have been advised to drink soda and Gatorade due to sodium/sugar).
posted by effigy at 7:47 AM on October 12, 2008


Just getting over my first ever UTI, and I had the exact same symptoms. If you've only been on the antibiotics a few days, give it until the end of the pills and re-evaluate to see if you think it's been taken care of. If not, like a robot out of meat says, go back or go to a new doc.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 9:38 AM on October 12, 2008


Do you drink a lot of caffeine? That can cause these symptoms.
posted by fourcheesemac at 2:59 PM on October 12, 2008


If it continues after several more weeks, consider a workup for interstitial cystitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome (you could have a mild case of one of these conditions). Also, it might be worth seeing a urologist.
posted by wireless at 3:00 PM on October 12, 2008


Is there pain when you do pee? If so, I'd bet on UTI or bladder infection, and it takes the antibiotics a few days to get rid of the symptoms when you have a really bad infection. The symptoms DO go away during the course of the antibiotics, though, so if you are on day 4 or 5 of a 7 day course and you are still experiencing pain, call the doctor back and get in for a follow up.
As mentioned in previous threads on this topic, throwing yourself on the mercy of the scheduling receptionist by saying 'UTI pain' can usually get you in pretty quickly.
posted by 8dot3 at 3:07 PM on October 12, 2008


Chiming in with fourcheesemac - stop drinking caffeine,
and, drink more water.

Not entirely sure on the mechanism for the latter, but it works for me.
It gets me back to more volume, and lower frequency.
posted by Elysum at 6:28 PM on October 12, 2008


Absolutely see a urologist if the doctor you refer to above is not one. Ask your urologist about Flomax, which is usually prescribed for BPH but may be applicable to other urinary muscle issues.
posted by Caviar at 9:32 PM on October 12, 2008


You could also be gestating a kidney stone. Please go see a urologist; they are quite painful.
posted by jfwlucy at 4:15 PM on October 13, 2008


My boyfriend had this problem for a while, and eventually saw a doctor about it. He was told (a) he just had a small bladder and (b) he was worrying too much about it, and the more he stressed out about having to go the bathroom, the more he'd have to go.
posted by heffalump at 6:43 AM on October 14, 2008


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