Medication to induce urination after anesthesia?
December 10, 2024 9:03 AM Subscribe
Two years ago I had surgery. I was supposed to go home from the hospital the same day, but I couldn't urinate so they kept me overnight.
I had an awful, catherized night.
Not long from now I'm having my knee replaced. I'm supposed to go home the same day. I just had my pre-surgical tests and told the very nice internist about what happened to me two years ago. She suggested that there might be a medication my urologist could prescribe to help with urination after anesthesia so that I could go home the same day. I emailed my urologist but haven't heard back yet.
IS there such a medication that would make it easier to urinate after anesthesia? Or is the nice internist deluded?
I had an awful, catherized night.
Not long from now I'm having my knee replaced. I'm supposed to go home the same day. I just had my pre-surgical tests and told the very nice internist about what happened to me two years ago. She suggested that there might be a medication my urologist could prescribe to help with urination after anesthesia so that I could go home the same day. I emailed my urologist but haven't heard back yet.
IS there such a medication that would make it easier to urinate after anesthesia? Or is the nice internist deluded?
Spironolactone is a diuretic used to treat edema. I have a friend who is on it and he complains of urinating constantly. I believe it requires a Rx but it's pretty affordable and can be taken for a short period of time.
posted by hairless ape at 9:21 AM on December 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by hairless ape at 9:21 AM on December 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Something you might try to see if it works on you: there's a pressure point over the tailbone, if you kinda put a finger right at the top of your butt crack and press or massage or kinda gently scratch, that can create a significant urge or literally make you pee uncontrollably depending on your personal physiology. If you're going to test it, do it in the shower or on the toilet.
I diuretic is likely what the doctor was talking about. You may still have to hydrate vigorously after surgery but it should make things flow pretty quickly.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:34 AM on December 10, 2024
I diuretic is likely what the doctor was talking about. You may still have to hydrate vigorously after surgery but it should make things flow pretty quickly.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:34 AM on December 10, 2024
Essence of peppermint worked for me.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:42 AM on December 10, 2024
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:42 AM on December 10, 2024
Additionally to the diuretic, it wouldn’t hurt to try to hydrate a healthy amount in the days leading up to surgery and watch your sodium. Salt makes your body hold on to fluids.
posted by mochapickle at 10:23 AM on December 10, 2024
posted by mochapickle at 10:23 AM on December 10, 2024
IAAD, NYD. This is not medical advice.
A diuretic is almost certainly not what the doctor was referring to.
After general anesthesia, urinary retention - the inability to urinate - is relatively common. It is generally not because the body isn't producing urine (which a diuretic could potentially help), but because the bladder is not able to effectively release it. That's why a catheter "helps" - there is urine in the bladder that needs to leave the body, but because the bladder isn't contracting in its usual way, one needs an established path for the urine to leave the body.
When urinary retention is caused by medications, as it is with general anesthesia, the treatment is to wait for the medications to wear off and keep the patient safe in the meantime – typically by leaving a catheter in place so the bladder is able to drain.
Another common cause of urinary retention in people with prostates is benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate), which can be treated with medications like Flomax. It's theoretically possible for a sort of perfect storm situation where someone with a little bit of BPH that usually doesn't cause issues gets anesthesia and then the BPH becomes a problem, and in that scenario something like Flomax could potentially be helpful.
posted by telegraph at 11:41 AM on December 10, 2024 [8 favorites]
A diuretic is almost certainly not what the doctor was referring to.
After general anesthesia, urinary retention - the inability to urinate - is relatively common. It is generally not because the body isn't producing urine (which a diuretic could potentially help), but because the bladder is not able to effectively release it. That's why a catheter "helps" - there is urine in the bladder that needs to leave the body, but because the bladder isn't contracting in its usual way, one needs an established path for the urine to leave the body.
When urinary retention is caused by medications, as it is with general anesthesia, the treatment is to wait for the medications to wear off and keep the patient safe in the meantime – typically by leaving a catheter in place so the bladder is able to drain.
Another common cause of urinary retention in people with prostates is benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate), which can be treated with medications like Flomax. It's theoretically possible for a sort of perfect storm situation where someone with a little bit of BPH that usually doesn't cause issues gets anesthesia and then the BPH becomes a problem, and in that scenario something like Flomax could potentially be helpful.
posted by telegraph at 11:41 AM on December 10, 2024 [8 favorites]
Response by poster: My internist prescribed Flomax. Said to start taking it a couple of days before surgery.
posted by DMelanogaster at 6:08 AM on December 11, 2024
posted by DMelanogaster at 6:08 AM on December 11, 2024
« Older Application Tracking Systems + Unconventional... | Calming Crazy Cat-Can't Clip Claws Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by obfuscation at 9:08 AM on December 10, 2024 [2 favorites]