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[jessieblue]

Hello, I came here with this because I really don't know where to go and what to do.  Its really a mental problem I guess, but feels like a physical one.  I just wondered if anyone can relate?

In the past I have had bladder issues with UTIs and a sensitive bladder.  I also have severe health anxiety and obsessive thinking, worse since menopause.

Lately I have become super aware of my bladder sensations and have developed a fear round getting a uti ..... no utis since using vaginal oestrogen, but I have a fear of those symptoms returning.  I have become very obsessive about when I go and how much.  Usually I will go about 6 times per day and if I get the urge before say 3 or 4 hours since last visit it causes huge anxiety.  I don.t have any pain or burning or anything, just a feeling of needing to go when I don't and then an urgency sometimes when I really do have a full bladder.

Last night I got up to pee at 2.30.  I don't usually have to go in the night and I lay awake all night worrying that I needed to go again.  I know this is probably not a common problem, but I know how understanding you all are here and I just wanted to write it out I think.  I feel so panicky over a normal bodily function.  I also have a phobia of vomiting and diarrhea, maybe this is related to that? I have tried so hard to fix my anxiety and am now on medication, but don't seem to be able to get past this latest thing.

Thanks all. xx

[Jenty]

Hi jessieblue, Your over thinking things, on average it's normal to pee anything between 4 and 10 times daily and this is considered healthy. I lose count of the times I feel I need to pee and have to go , if I'm walking into my kitchen I think do I need to go. Night times I have to get up several times a night to have a pee.  When I get up in the mornings I pee at least 4 times in the first couple of hours! I do have it difficulty holding on to pee so when I need to go I have to go.  The bigger the fluid intake the more you will pee.

[Penguin]

Also at different times of the month you may need to pee more or less. I always pee more on the progrsterone phase and retain when that is over. Also, once you are already awake at night, it would be normal to want to pee. Your body is awake and normal functions resume. The more you think about it the more you will feel it.
I also suffer from health anxiety and hyper vigilance in a big way. It is one thing to be able to reduce body checking, eg breasts etc, but another to stop being aware of bodily functions. So I totally empathise. And I am not telling you the above thinking it will stop you noticing and worrying, more to reassure you that your body waking up (and subsequently staying awake and therefore needing to pee) is normal. If that makes sense?!

[Gnatty]

I think once you get the anxiety under control everything else will fall into place. What are you taking for it? x

[jessieblue]

Thank you all for your replies.  It really helps just to hear that it is not abnormal, even though I know its not on some level.  The last 2 years my anxiety has been unbearable.  I have tried literally everything including now medication, which I resisted for a long time.  I was already taking low dose amitriptyline at night time for my anxiety and bladder sensitivity.  I recently started sertraline too.  I am currently taking 50mg daily.  I also upped the amitriptyline to 20mg at night.  This has made me a little calmer, not full on panic mode all day as I was, but I still get so caught up in these fearful body sensations.  I can see the thinking is like a broken record on repeat, but I cannot stop it.  It is as if my mind is trying to alert me that something is very wrong.  I previously had my bladder checked out with cystoscopy a few years ago too.

Thank you for support, that alone means so much. xx

[Penguin]

I know exactly what you mean, my mind does the same, wish I had a cure to suggest that works, it'd be worth millions. Gnatty is right, the issue is your anxiety, not your bladder, try and keep talking to yourself and reminding yourself that you are safe and that this is just what you do. If it wasn't your bladder, you'd likely move on to something else, I know I do.

[jessieblue]

Penguin you are so right!  This started with obsession around bowels after having terrible campylobacter infection 2 years ago.  I sort of got past that and then fell into this nightmare of hypervigilance.  Its so hard to live with.  I do try to keep telling myself its all ok, but its like something in my brain is broken and does not compute.  Its madness I know, just wish I could overcome it. xx

[CLKD]

Drink more!  It may be that your kidneys are 'asking' for more liquids.  We have to remember that all foods/liquids will add to our overall hydration.

The 1st P of the morning will be dark and mayB smelly especially if the body hasn't had an intake of fluids for 4-5 hours.  After that, once we are up and at it, the urine should remain straw coloured all day. Any lighter and the body is getting too much !

As noted, passing urine may vary during the monthly cycle even on HRT.  The idea of 2+ litres of bottled water per day was pushed by the bottled water Companies.  Keep an eye on the colour and you'll be fine.

[jessieblue]

Thanks CLKD, its weird, I drink hardly anything really, 3 cups of tea and maybe 2 glasses of water a day, but my urine is generally pretty pale.  If anxious I pee more and it will be almost clear.  I think it worries me because .... where does it all come from if I am not drinking much?

[CLKD]

Nerves.  When I'm going down from a panic attack which can last for as long as 24 hours, I pee: every 10 mins, in great quantity!

Don't over think.  The body regulates itself in general.

[Gnatty]

Sertraline is wonderful for anxiety. It takes a little while to fully get working but hang in there. I really believe you will soon be feeling so much better x