Nocturia - How many times is too many times to pee at night?

***icnmgrjill*** · 09-15-2009, 10:22 AM

Beyond the Abstract - Nocturia frequency, bother, and quality of life: How often is too often?
A population-based study in Finland, by Kari A. O. Tikkinen, MD and Theodore M. Johnson, II, MD, MPH

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - It seems logical if you wake up from sleep to urinate at night, the more times per night this (nocturia) happens, the more problematic nocturia is. Yet talking to patients convinces clinicians of the high degree of variability in bother caused by nocturia. There are patients highly irritated with one nightly void while others indifferently mention that they are up four times per night urinating but are not troubled. Traditionally, one nightly episode has been regarded as clinically unimportant, yet the research evidence for this belief remains weak. In 2002, the International Continence Society identified nocturia as the complaint that the individual has to wake at night one or more times to void.

So how many nighttime voids is too many? Information from the population-based FINNO Study (random sample of 6000 Finns aged 18-79 years, 62.4% responded, 53.7% female) was analyzed to address these questions.

In general, both men and women were equally bothered by their nocturia. The study also showed that nocturia and bother from nocturia were highly, but not perfectly, correlated. A majority of individuals with one nocturia episode per night mostly considered the problem of "no bother". Slightly less than 1% of those with one nocturia episode considered this to be a "major bother".

Having two nightly episodes might also be a reasonable "cut point" as it was at this level of nocturia that a majority considered nocturia a "small bother". Only when respondents began to have three nightly nocturia episodes did the majority call nocturia a "moderate bother" or greater (a "major" bother). The scores on standard generic quality-of-life instruments showed a significant difference between 2 nightly episodes and 0 nightly episodes, and also between 3 nightly episodes and 2. Having 2 nightly episodes and one nightly episode were not distinctly different.

In summary, these population-based data suggest that one nightly nocturia episode for most individuals is not consequential. Also, there seems to be a meaningful difference between having 2 nightly episodes and no nocturia. There was also evidence to support that reporting three nightly nocturia episodes was worse than having only two.

Written by:
Kari A. O. Tikkinen, MD and Theodore M. Johnson,II, MD, MPH as part of Beyond the Abstract on UroToday.com. This initiative offers a method of publishing for the professional urology community. Authors are given an opportunity to expand on the circumstances, limitations etc... of their research by referencing the published abstract.

Reprinted With Permission of UroToday

**Glenda2** · 10-24-2009, 04:15 AM

I get up to go 5 to 7 times a night.

Usually Once an hour.

I hate that.

Now I have bad insomnia. Sooooooooo Tired.

**nottoc4** · 10-24-2009, 04:26 AM

At my worst I was getting up 7 to 8 times a night.I was always so tired from not getting enough sleep. My Primary Dr. finally gave me Ambien so at least I could fall back to sleep when I did get up.I have really been doing well with the IC for the past 6 months and 1 or 2 times a night is where I am right now.
I am still on the Ambien.

**purpletomorrow** · 10-24-2009, 04:36 AM

Be careful with the Ambien; I used it the same way, consistently, and it stopped putting me to sleep and gave me horrible rebound insomnia and crazy feeling.

Apparently they warn in the package not to use it every night in a row.

Now I take Remeron and it makes the IC much less painful and I always get a good night's sleep.

**Bekah79** · 10-24-2009, 07:00 AM

I get up to pee 4-6 times a night between 11pm and 6am. This is driving me crazy. When I cut back on fluids I get dry mouth and my burning gets worse with my urine more concentrated.

**lalarainbow** · 10-24-2009, 07:21 AM

I am up anywhere from 4 to 10 times or more.. Just depends -two hours is about my limit.. sometimes if I can't sleep it is a whole lot worse.. like every 15 mins.. it is frustrating and makes me feel so tired...

**LithEruiel** · 11-19-2009, 03:17 PM

I think getting up at night at all is a major bother...I miss the days when I could sleep 12 hours without getting up and when I could go all day without a bathroom break...

**Glenda2** · 11-20-2009, 03:58 AM

I have Insomnia so bad I just want to crawl under a rock and die.

Primary care doctor sent me to a sleep neurologist and she tried me on >

Ambien
Lunesta
Rozerem

Keep me wide awake , nasty wicked side effects.

Even OTC sleep aides were useless. Only contain Benadryl.
Tried 30 mg's of Melatonin.

Pills Hate me for some reason.

**lttlewun** · 11-20-2009, 04:54 AM

I consider myself very lucky. I never have to get up at night to go the bathroom. I thank God that I can get a good nights sleep w/o having to take any sleep meds.

**Glenda2** · 11-20-2009, 08:24 AM

In the last few days My trips to the bathroom at night are only about 3-4 trips.

But if I am fortunate enough to fall asleep , my achey full bladder wakes me up and I have to run for the potty.

**nottoc4** · 11-20-2009, 08:29 AM

We recently spent 4 nights at the other end of the state and I forgot to pack my Ambien. I had a hard time falling asleep and woke up more times than usual and didn't get out of bed unless I had to pee. The next night I took 1/2 of a Flexeril and had no problems falling asleep but still woke up about every hour during the night. I did that for the two nights until we got home and was very happy to have my Ambien back.

**mary124** · 11-20-2009, 08:32 AM

When I was taking Elavil I was getting up about 5-6 times a night! (then get up around 6:00a.m. to go to work); was ok with that till around mid week and then you can tell that I was very tired. I am now off of Elavil and I still get up but only once maybe twice a night.

**LithEruiel** · 11-20-2009, 08:38 AM

Hmm Glenda, if the sleep meds are making you wide awake, maybe a stimulant would put you to sleep, lol...but they do have the opposite effect in some people! I hope you find something that works soon...I know it's terrible to not get any sleep.

**CathyKi** · 11-20-2009, 12:38 PM

I go every hour when I flare. I would like to get a catheter bag so I could sleep. Do you think my doctor would prescribe one and would it help?

**123456** · 11-20-2009, 12:56 PM

If anyone is having problems sleeping/peeing at night, I suggest asking your doctor for Ativan/Lorazepam. It is an anti-anxiety, muscle relaxer and sedative. You don't have to take much and it is better than Ambien and Lunesta. My primary gives it to me at .5mg. I'm allowed to take it 3 times a day, but I just take 2 at night. Just like the others it can be addictive, but for the sake of your sanity, it's worth a shot. Also, it is what an ER doctor gave me when I came in as an undiagnosed IC patient.