DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m writing in regard to the woman who has a problem with frequent urination. I used to have the same problem. I would have to go so frequently that my husband sometimes followed me into the bathroom to see how much I was really going. I finally had a cystoscopy but there was nothing wrong. After a few more months, it was discovered that my body creates very small kidney stones, too small to really analyze. I was told to drink more water. I started drinking a pitcher a day (eight 8 oz glasses). Much to my surprise, I started urinating less frequently and have gotten up less often at night. I urinate more volume when I do go but it seems to have conditioned my bladder to tolerate the great amount between times. Seems that sometimes doing the opposite of what would make sense works.
DEAR READER: Frequent urination is a common problem, especially as we age. It can occur for a number of reasons such as infection, kidney stones, abnormal muscle contractions, enlarged prostate in men, prolapse, and more.
In your instance, your kidneys were creating stones, likely because of dehydration, which your body was trying to expel by signaling to the bladder the need to urinate. By increasing your water consumption, your kidneys are now better able to flush the toxins that were building up and creating the stones which thereby allows your bladder to fill to capacity, thus reducing your need to go to the bathroom.
I am often asked how much water a person should drink. The general rule of thumb is eight 8 oz glasses a day. I typically disagree with this and recommend individuals drink when thirsty. There are of course exceptions, such as having kidneys disease, etc. Beverages such as sodas, coffee, tea, and alcohol will not adequately hydrate the body, so water should be the primary drink of choice with 100% fruit juices and others following as treats.
Some people find drinking 64 ounces of water a day, too much so as an alternative to this fairly arbitrary amount, I recommend drinking enough fluids so that the urine is pale yellow. Darker yellow or orange urine is often a sign of dehydration and should therefore be avoided. (Certain medications and vitamins can also darken the urine.)
Readers who are interested in learning more can order my Health Report “Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections” by sending a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to Dr. Peter Gott, PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title when writing or print an order form from my website, www.AskDrGottMD.com.
