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.
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More water lessens frequent urination
Causes of frequent urination
DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 25-year-old active female. About 10 months ago I began experiencing frequent urination, having to urinate every 30 minutes to an hour and either once or twice at night. I stopped drinking fluids after 7 p.m. That didn’t work.
I went to see a doctor several times who thought it might be a urinary tract infection. I was tested four times and every culture came back negative. I finally went to a urologist, who said I was retaining too much fluid and who put me on some medication. Nothing has worked. Is there anything you can recommend?
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Daily Column
DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 76-year-old male. I used to get up two or three times a night to urinate. After reading one of your columns in which you passed on a reader’s success with vitamin B6, I purchased a bottle. IT WORKS!
After three weeks of taking 200 mg per day, I was no longer getting up. If I consume a large amount of liquid late in the evening, I get up only once. It also comes with the added benefit of no headache in the morning because of a lack of sleep.
Thank you so much for passing on this information. It has truly made a great difference in my life.
DEAR READER:
I have had no experience with this alternative therapy but it appears to be harmless. I am glad you had positive results. However, as with every alternative remedy, I expect many patients will write me with negative comments. No therapy works for every person but for those it does, stick with it.
Night time urination is a common problem, especially as we age. It can have many causes from simply drinking too much liquid at night to a weakened bladder to bladder infection or cancer. It is always important to have thorough testing for persistent, frequent urination to rule out a serious cause. Home remedies are only acceptable for the treatment of benign causes.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections”. Other Readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
Daily Column
DEAR DR. GOTT:
Many months ago, my father developed pain in the prostate area after bike riding. Many doctors and diagnoses later, he is still having pain. It starts in the prostate area and radiates down his left thigh. He has discomfort when sitting and frequent urination. The last opinion we got was that it was caused by muscle damage which was causing the muscle the contract and put pressure on the prostate nerves. Do you have any suggestions?
DEAR READER:
As a former bike rider, I can assure you that, at times, this activity can cause problems that are troublesome.
If your father has not been examined by a urologist, he should be. The pain your dad has could well be secondary to traumatic muscle injury that may take several months to resolve — longer if he continues to ride.
His symptoms may also indicate a urinary tract or bladder infection. A simple culture and sensitivity urine test can shed light on this possibility.
If the urologist can find no cause within the prostate and bladder, I recommend your father see an orthopedic specialist. Perhaps while riding, he may have herniated, bulged or torn a disc, putting pressure on the nerves to his lower body. Sciatica, for example can cause the same symptoms your father is experiencing.
Let’s discover the cause of his pain while he is standing around looking gloomily at his bike.