Hi, nice to meet you... I need to pee.

July 3, 2008 7:31 AM

Is my weak bladder just a weak bladder, or a sign of something else?

I pee a lot. I know a lot of people do need to pee regularly when they are well hydrated / beerdrated, but I really do seem to need it far more than anyone else I know by a lot. It is only especially noticable when I drink alcohol, mainly because I try and not drink too much water or tea during the day because the constant toilet going annoys me, but it does happen with all types of drinks.

It is often embarrassing for me, especially when I am drinking with a small number of people, and when they are new acquaintances. Generally I will go to the toilet 2 or 3 times in the space it takes most people to go once, and this is even when I wait for a fair while from when the feeling hits me. If I went as soon as I felt like I needed to, I would probably go every 5 minutes, which is annoying to me personally, and embarrassing when I'm not around close friends.

One thing I have noticed, is that usually in these situations, I will pee with barely anything in my bladder. Though there are times when I pee and there is a lot more, but I feel like I need the toilet a lot less.

Am I just cursed with a small, weak bladder? Or is there anything more sinister at work here (I have heard it could be a sign of diabetes, though of course, IANAD). Is there anything I can do to try and help myself with this annoying problem?

posted by lukeo05 to health & fitness (7 comments total)

The most likely cause depends how old you are.

This is definitely worth a trip to the doctor who will check your urine, maybe run some blood tests, and could arrange referral to a specialist, possibly a urologist.

Once you've been checked out there are lots of simple things you can do to help, including trying something called bladder retraining, or considering starting a medication like oxybutynin or solifenacin.

Here's a recent similar question with lots more advice.
posted by roofus at 8:05 AM on July 3, 2008

With regards to my age... I'm 20, so I don't think it is getting older kind of thing.
posted by lukeo05 at 8:55 AM on July 3, 2008

I feel a constant need to pee when I am stressed out, are you stressed?
posted by Iteki at 11:24 AM on July 3, 2008

Stressed, or cold? Or in the habit of peeing becasuse at one point you noticed that this would happen in these situations.

How are you on long car trips? Meetings? Movies? Can you sleep through the night?

See a doctor, and please please do not limit your water/liquid intake. That is not good.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 2:52 PM on July 3, 2008

See a urologist.

I've been like this as long as I can remember (I am now 27, pretty healthy female.) It wasn't until about a year ago when I started experiencing prolonged UTI symptoms with no UTI in my system that I went to see a Urologist. I was diagnosed with IC.

This site was helpful

So glad I went as I now understand why my bladder does what it does, and have medication to help ease the symptoms. Good luck.
posted by snotloc at 4:22 PM on July 3, 2008

I apologize, I'm not familiar with how to insert links, I guess.

http://www.ichelp.org/

Thats the "helpful site" noted in my reply above.
posted by snotloc at 4:23 PM on July 3, 2008

Regarding your age, I have the same problem and it started when I was around 16-17 (I'm 23 now). Is this something that's been an issue your entire life, or did it start recently? Because if it started within the past few years, it may be completely normal. I went to a doctor when I first noticed the change because I had heard the same thing about diabetes, and after running some tests the doctor said it was probably just a part of getting older. According to him it's not just 60-year old men who start having to pee frequently. I agree with the advice to see a doctor, though.
posted by btkuhn at 6:05 PM on July 3, 2008