Urine Retention (nocturia): Why am I producing so much urine at night?

Well if you want my full story it started in Jan 2020. I am now almost a year out and can leave the house with no accidents and not having to cath in a public bathroom which is good and no pessary - in the last month on and no waking up at night to pee which i was doing 6-8 times a night. Not sure your count but that was tiring.... It is so bad though because they took to long to catch my problem I have to get prolapse surgery which will fix bulge when I feel full and help to know when to pee. My urologist and urodynamics test (first time) - they told me was as simple as nerve issue and they could fix it with a nerve-stimulating device. Do not rush into that -please! And I tried meds - but they didn't work. I waited until august first PT therapist - I was told nerve surgery was only answer, but I keep asking questions. All we did with first PT was work on my weak leg muscles. Yes I have auto immune and lynch syndrome. Put that didn't explain my bladder problem. I am sure you trust your pt but unless they are relaxing your muscles and only those you won't see improvements. I spent four months in vain with the wrong therapist. Not their problem. Not many people have the weird issues I have. If PT is working keep going - if it is not try someone else. I know that is hard I was loyal for four months after 3 weeks I was off my cath for at least two days a week and only at night at home before bed because I worry too much - am I on week 3. I never did a foley and never will. I get it is tough decision but please try to reach out directly to urology at Mayo for help not internal med. See if they will take your case - they might. Or try urogyn. Keep trying and fighting. You will find your way. i fought and didn't give up and you will too. If you need anything else I am here. This was a long road. Get more blood tests and find better doctors - find a local urogyn if nothing else please. If you can. Good luck. Keep me posted. I am alive and kickin cause I am a pain in the ass. Two years ago docs told my I was a hypochondriac - well several surgeries later and a cancer survivor I am alive so never question yourself ever! And I also have this urinary thing too on top of all of it. I follow at Mayo in Rochester for cancer and urology - local docs brushed me off! MAYO is awesome! Keep fighting.

I read not too long ago that medication will be available for this.

Thank you for sharing. I share the same drive and and am equally stubborn. This gives me more hope...

Hello,

I am a forty year-old male who has been dealing with urinary retention and voiding dysfunction for over two months. I am currently utilizing self-catherization.

I have no trouble falling asleep but wake up at least a few times during the night to urinate. This was not the case before, and my prostate is fine. It is rare I sleep for more than four hours at a time. I have kept a voiding log and noticed I am producing 50% or more of my daily urine between midnight-7am, despite the fact I do not drink anything after 6pm. Once I get up around 3am to self-cath, it is difficult to fall back asleep. I have tried a foley cath for one month and still woke up a few times each night.

No doctors so far can explain why I am producing so much urine at night. I have tested negative for diabetes insipidus. I am not retaining water in my legs. I am not overweight and continue to exercise regularly. My kidney function is normal. I have an appointment with a sleep clinician to be re-tested for sleep apnea, which I have a mild case of when I end up sleeping on my back.

Does anyone have experience with sleep apnea causing high urine production at night? If so, did getting treated for sleep apnea treat the high urine production?

Hi @terwifwoods, You will notice we merged your post to a discussion you previously created on the same topic so that members can easily see your updated story. We also added your discussion to Sleep Health as well as Kidney & Bladder

I do have to get up several times a night but I attribute mine mostly to BPH and do take medication that helps reduce the number of trips I have to make at night. I also have obstructive sleep apnea and wear compressions socks during the day for the lymphedema in my legs. I have been thinking about steam therapy to reduce the size of the prostrate and improve the urinary flow. For me, I do think starting treatment for the sleep apnea has helped with sleeping at night and reducing the number of trips to the bathroom since I sleep better.

Here is some information I found on nocturia that you may have already seen but I thought I would share it just in case.

-- Nocturia or Frequent Urination at Night: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/nocturia-or-frequent-unrination-night
-- Nocturia : https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14510-nocturia

My husband, Bill, age 88, has an enlarged prostate and Stage 3 CKD, among other health problems and is on about 11 medications (prescriptions and OTC). He has to go constantly and also suffers from starting before he can even get out of his chair. He is on both the generics for Flomax and Avodart, which don't appear to be helping. He has to go so often at night (and has suffered falls) that he has resorted to using a quart Mayo jar, which he fills and often starts a second bottle. Daytime would probably be even more. He doesn't drink anything after 6pm except for taking his night medications. Due to the CKD he is supposed to drink a lot of water.

The night peeing probably stresses him out more than anything as he never gets a good nights sleep, even with the sleeping meds he is on.

He was taking the Flomax twice a day and Avodart just before bedtime. On his own he stopped taking the second Flomax in the evening as this seemed to make the nighttime flow even worse.

The doctors over the years, other than giving him medications for it, have basically indicated it is something he is going to have to live with. Which depresses him even more. I'd love to find something that would help but so far nada! Every once in a blue moon he will have a light pee night - but usually about the same amount of pee times.

Thanks for sharing the links - I found them very interesting.

A complex problem which requires physician input. However, just for something to think about consider diet. Is he having enough fiber which will help absorb excess water and help with any constipation which can also contribute to nocturia/dysuria. Just a thought.

A complex problem which requires physician input. However, consider diet. Ensure you are eating enough high fiber foods which will absorb excess water and may help. Worth a try. Please let us know any followup.

His eating has gotten terrible. Mostly wants cereal and sweets. About once or twice a week has a bout of diarrhea. Just lately has suffered some feelings of nausea. Constipation rarely a problem, although a few years ago it was.

He has had the mega peeing problem for at least 10 years or more. The problem getting to the bathroom in time about the last few years - most of the time he isn't even aware he has started.

Doctor's have tried him on different medications but nothing seems to help. in January of 2020 he was told that he had Stage 3 CKD. His previous doctor never mentioned a kidney problem and I didn't know enough to look at his blood tests in those days in order to check. So no idea how long his kidney was giving problems.

He is now having problems swallowing - goes down the wrong tube part of the time and he has to cough it up.

Our family doctor ordered Home Health services but they were discontinued as Bill convinced them he was doing fine (so not true). Later he admitted that he just didn't want them coming even though they were very nice. Hasn't wanted friends or family to visit. Will not go places, which includes visits to the doctor if he can help it.

Hello @terwifwoods, I tried to reply to your other posting, but I'm not sure if I succeeded or not.

I have sleep apnea since 2014 and I'm also using catheters for the past month. I have not drawn a connection between apnea and urine output. I'll keep this question in mind and post updates. But I have a question for you: How on earth do you sleep while using self catheters? I find that I only get 1 or 1 1/2 hours of sleep, then I'm in agony until the next self cath. How do you do it?