Frequent Urination w/ Large Volume

[Sandcrab]

Looking for some insight from users who experience frequent urination. I'm a male, strugling to finally beat this condition and return to normal life. My symptoms of frequent urination invovle larger volumes of urine then what I tend to read from other users. I can void 2 cups of urine and then in 45 minutes to an hour void another cup to 1 1/2 cups. Sometimes the time frame is even shorter. This never occurs at night, and typically only lasts for part of my day. I used to experience strong pelvic pain and muscle spasms, but after PT and self massage, the pain and frequency have decreased substaintially. I've tried the IC diet fairly strict in the past and didn't notice much improvement. I have eliminated caffine which I'm not really noticing improvement, but it can't hurt to stop. Because of the improvements from PT and self massage, including reading Headache in the Pelvis, I'm wondering if this increased urination can be from a form of pelvic muscle tension or disorder? Sometimes I wonder how my body can produce so much urine output! I have been tested for diabetes several times, all negative. Are there patients with IC that produce increased amounts of urine?

The best way to describe my symptoms are like I have been drinking beer all day - I void large amounts of clear urine when I'm having a bad day. Tried to link this to diet, but have still experienced this from strict adherence to the IC diet for several weeks. I personally don't think I have IC, but it's hard to figure out what I have.

[momtoSM]

Sandcrab,

I was diagnosed with IC in October, but sometimes I too wonder, is this really what I have (or the only thing I have). The uro did see blood spots, so I guess I have it, but I don't have pain and I don't have small amounts of pee, where it's a dribble or anything. Plus, like you I have been extremely stict with my diet since the end of October. I believe the hydro helped my bladder a little and now I can sleep through the nights sometimes and can occassionaly go 4-5 hours without having to pee. I don't see that my strict diet has helped necessarily though.

I don't think I have the volume that I did before IC- but I do go every 2-4 hours so how much volume can a person get from that short amount of time anyhow.

However, on occasion, when I do wake up at night to pee, it is mostly clear and a high volume - as if I drank a beer as well. I don't get it. If I pee, say at 10:30pm and go to bed, sometimes I will wake 2 hours later and have an extremely full bladder. I don't get it!

I would love to know what others have to say as well.

Erika :)

[ltlmiss]

Men have a larger bladder than most women so you are probably reading that from women, have you talked to your doctor about this? Have you been diagnosed with IC?

[glassd18]

Well a lot would depend on how much liquids you are drinking during the day and night. That's why a journal comes in handy. You write what you ate/drank and when and how much you P or in your case PPPPPPPP. lololol Some of us tend to drink a lot of water to keep our urine dilute so that there are less irritating chemicals in it, and in turn you P more. Usually drinking close to bedtime (after 7pm) is not a good idea. In my case I have hesitancy with a dribble here or there, but sometimes I can urinate a good amount. The hesitancy is worse when I'm flaring. Are you on any medications that could cause this?

[SharonA]

Remember that it is not just what you drink that makes urine. It is also what you eat. Foods have liquids, also.

I urinate more in the mornings than I do any other time of day.

[Sandcrab]

Yes - I have visited w/ several doctors. (4 uros, 2 primary care, 1 PT) As I'm sure many users on here realize, doctor visits are not always helpful for relief from pelvic pain and frequency. I'm trying to narrow down the possiblities so I can focus on treatments that make the most sense for my condition. This condition is approaching almost 2 yrs. Things have cerainly improved w/ my symptoms, but I'm looking to continue improvement and put this behind me.

[elitynski]

Hey Sandcrab - a couple of things....

1) I PM'd you with a question since what you are explaining seems to be close to what I'm experiencing.

2) Given that you've been to 4 UROs - did any of them have any thoughts, diagnosis, opinions as to why you're voiding larger volumes of fluid??

[dreamy]

I would ask your doctor to test for Diabetes Insipidus just in case.

[ICNDonna]

Have you recently been tested for diabetes? The reason I ask is that I was just diagnosed with diabetes in September 2007 after a blood test in June didn't show high sugar.

Donna

[Allies40]

I don't have Diabetes but I do notice that sometimes I do void a lot. I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, so I know this contributes. I also have pain and spasms after I void. During my Cysto, I was able to hold 700cc, which the Doctor says is a normal amount (for a female) and sometimes at home I pee a lot, it can take 3 minutes or longer for me to completely void. Some of the doctors don't think I have IC because I can hold a lot, but some do. It's hard to know. Good luck!
-Allison

[Sandcrab]

I've been tested for diabetes fairly recent. I have had abdominal pain, discomfort, and burning for about 1 1/2 years which aren't symptoms of diabetes.

I'm reaching out to see if anyone has experienced pelvic muscle spasms or trigger points that were causing their body to produce more urine. I notice most people have the sensation to pee all the time, but they pee very little amounts. I'm refering to frequent urination with substanial urine volume.

[Smokey]

i think even if you have a normal sized bladder but you have ic you can urinate frequently, especially if your bladder is inflamed, you are not drinking enough, you have eaten something you shouldnt have.

[Want2BPainFree]

I have a high volume most of the time. On days when I am pain free and not really that symptomatic (which comes from taking Elmiron and following my IC diet religiously), I can urinate upwards of 750ml-100ml at a shot. However, when I am flaring, I will urinate very often, sometimes 4-5 times per hour and the urge is so strong like I have a bladder that is about to pop, and I only get an ounce or two.

I do, however, drink 3-4 liters of water EVERY day. I also eat a lot of fresh and frozen vegetables. I drink the majority of this water earlier in the day to try and prevent nighttime trips to the bathroom, so during the workday, I urinated frequently with high volumes.

In addition, I have to take aldactone, which is a diuretic. You don't mention anything about meds or supplements, and I know from experience some of those, especially herbal supplements act as diuretics, even if it isn't their sole purpose.

Is it possible you are taking a potent multivitamin? or consuming a food product like Total Cereal that contains 100% of the RDA of most water soluble vitamins? That will make a bladder that is not well empty. Also, drinks like energy drinks...even the ones with caffeine but that contain herbal caffeines like guarana will do this as well.

[Pensive Girl]

i am like you.
right now, i'm taking detrol LA, which is supposed to help with frequency and the urge to urinate. but when i am NOT taking it, it's like i've been drinking, too (beer or wine, not water.) Sunday is a great example. I peed before i left for church. i got to church and all of the sudden, the sensation was back. I went to the bathroom and urinated probably about 15 oz. (actually, it was 15 oz., i was keeping a bladder dairy that day for my urogyno.) this continued all day until i took my Detrol, and then, my frequency went down and so did my volume. i've always urinated a lot. when i have frequency, it's not to void little dribbles, it's to fully empty my bladder. i've also been tested for diabetes over and over - to no avail. i recently have hesitancy and trouble urinating - but i think it's being caused by my detrol la, which i'm scared to stop because i hate the full-bladder frequency more than i hate the hesitancy and slow stream.

anyway, feel free to PM me (i think that means private message) :) maybe we can share stories. i have been diagnosed with PFD, but i think it may have been a false diagnosis because i was on detrol when he checked my urine flow.

[born2swim]

I was just wondering if your doctors have had any more ideas? When you said that you were tested for Diabetes, do you mean mellitus or insipidus? Mellitus is related to glucose/insulin relationship while insipidus is from a deficiency in a pituitary hormone called ADH (anti-diuretic hormone). Measure how much you drink and if you can measure your output, that will greatly help your doctor. I don't know if blood testing is done for Diabetes Insipidus or if you have to get a CAT scan or MRI, but if you are voiding large amounts, you need to exhaust all possibilites. If you have a ton of thirst, that is another reason.

I have found that some things ACT like a diuretic for me. Liquid tylenol causes my VOLUME to go up but pills do not. Carrots... dear lord that causes my urine volume to shoot up. Look at what things you are eating and you might be surprised at the water content for some of those things.

Good luck!

[Sandcrab]

Born2Swim - I asked the doctor about both kinds of diabetes. He ruled out insipidous because I don't have to urinate at night, and you need to be urinating more then 2.5 liters per day. I'm not producing that much urine. I'm going on almost having these symptoms for 2 years, and have really come to feel it is mucsle related. I have been slowly getting better but no where near cured of this.

[born2swim]

Sandcrab, sorry to hear that it is going on 2 years. There are things that up my urine volume (things like caffeine are obvious, but melons, carrots, and some odd things). I know that asparagus acts like a diuretic. Maybe see if there are things like that in your diet? Sorry! I wish I could offer more suggestions! At least you don't pee just a couple of ounces/void. I'd rather get the relief of emptying a full bladder than let a little dribble out!