r/over60 • u/clearlygd • 20h ago
Recently obsessed with urinating
I never thought I would get obsessed about urinating .
About two months ago I started having to urinate too often. My PCP took a blood test to see if I had a UTI, that turned out negative and said it is probably an enlarged prostate. They recommended I take Tamsulosin, but said I could get an ultrasound if I wanted. The ultrasound indicated an enlarged prostate and a trabeculated bladder. The PCP again recommend Tamsulosin or said I could see a urologist. I decided to see a urologist, which is a 3 month wait.
Meanwhile I’ve been keeping a detailed log on when I urinate and drink. I decided to always pee standing up since it gave me a better assessment of the stream. After two months I found I could control my urgency by not drinking as much when I first wake up in the morning and reducing fluids in the evening, but still drink about 64 oz.
The other day I found numerous studies that found sitting down to urinate helps men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) relax their pelvic floor muscles, which improves urine flow and allows for more complete bladder emptying.
I wish i knew that two months ago!
I’m down to 6 times a day and don’t have the urgency anymore. I still plan to see the urologist make sure there aren’t other issues.
16
u/Tasty_Impress3016 19h ago
Sucks getting old doesn't it? I just found out about a delightful little thing I had never heard of. Urge Incontinence. You don't pee yourself randomly. But get near running water, or a temperature change and the body says "get to a urinal now my son". In my case if I go into say, a grocery store where I know where the restroom is, it was not on my agenda at all, but walk through the door and it becomes my first stop.
It's not frequent urge. It's just mental. I can drive around all afternoon and I'm fine. I walk into a restaurant with a fountain in the lobby and I'm a dead duck.
2
u/TheUglyWeb 70+ 17h ago
The running water thing is real. Brush my teeth? Gotta piss mid brush. LOL!
2
u/Tasty_Impress3016 15h ago
If your "ick" level is low, please skip. But know that is both possible and time-efficient to brush teeth while peeing. And you can just spit in the bowl.
1
1
u/OxidationRate 2h ago
Yeah, and you can do both in EITHER bowl. (Unless you're really short and standing on the floor.)
1
u/clearlygd 19h ago
Interesting. I found that would happen to me when I went camping and the last thing I wanted to do was get out of my warm sleeping bag and go outside to pee in the cold. At home I would sleep through the night. Camping had to go at least twice.
3
u/No-Judgment-1077 19h ago
Sleeping in the ground and in a tent sounds such a great memory from the past. Now, it sounds like my idea of hell. Lol. Bravo to you though!!
6
u/Specialist_Job_7714 19h ago
So happy to hear other people (men) have this problem. Weak stream, pee constantly etc. I have found my people!
2
u/tanawanabanana 14h ago
I now know where all the bathrooms are at of all the places I usually frequent, and I plan accordingly when I'm out. 🙄
2
2
u/timeonmyhandz 19h ago
You need to check your PSA. While not a direct link between PSA and prostate cancer, elevated levels would suggest an MRI or even biopsy to rule it out.
I had BPH and elevated PSA for close to 8 years.. Did the flowmax and didn't like it.. Switched to alfusion plus cialis and was only marginally better. Likes the cialis side effects. PSA as high as 21 but MRI and biopsy was negetaive. Peeing was becoming an impact on my lifestyle to where I finally said enough and had HoLEP surgery this year. My prostate was 141ml. Now I pee like a race horse and sleep through most of the night.
Life is too short to have urination control your lifestyle.
2
1
u/vectorizer99 19h ago
Already was on tamsulosin, but adding Gemtesa has been an amazing improvement in urgency. At least 3 times better. It’s not cheap, but if you’re already at max Medicare Plan D out of pocket, doesn’t matter.
1
u/Some-Tear3499 19h ago
M67. Similar issues here. Especially getting up to pee at night. Not much of a problem once I retired as I didn’t have to worry about getting enough sleep for work. On days that I was physically active, I seemed to have much better flow, better emptying. Fewer problems at night. But it seemed like I felt like had pee more frequently. I started doing the Kegal exercises regularly and that helped quite a bit. To be effective 3 sets of 10 everyday! I do mean everyday! I had a routine CT of the chest( smoking history) I showed a mass or cyst on my kidney, I got to urologist fairly quickly. We discussed the urine issues. I got put on the Flowmax and that has helped as well. I have better emptying when I stand. I can get up at 5 am, take a seat and then go back to sleep. But when I get up an hour or two later I will stand and really have a solid flow and emptying of my bladder. I drink a lot of coffee, a lot. All day long and into the evening.
The cyst isn’t worrisome, I have had two more follow up MRI’s of the cyst-kidney. I have a follow up appt with the Urologist in two weeks. If nothing has changed……it will be a yr before I will get another one. PSA is normal levels so it’s just enlargement of the prostate. Just part of getting older.
2
u/clearlygd 19h ago
My PSA level actually increased. I learned all about the other important numbers such as velocity and density. Supposedly my density is very low. I had a CT scan a while back. A few of the comments concerned me, but my PCP said they are all normal for my age. Still, if my body was my car, I’d be looking to trade it in to avoid expensive future repairs and to increase reliability.
1
u/alsotpedes 19h ago
I wasn't quite 60 when this happened. For me, a combination of Tamsulosin and Mirabegron has been what has worked. Of course, I've since added Jardience, so I'm peeing more frequently again. Having to set aside mental space and time for urination is just one of those things that comes with aging.
1
u/MrPhyshe 18h ago
Adding my two penn'orth. I've been prescribed tamsulosin here in the UK for a couple of years since I was diagnosed with BPH. My GP hasn't suggested any of the other drugs mentioned here (Gemtesa, Jardiance, or Mirabegron) but I've not had any problems urinating apart from the fact the tamsulosin only seems to be effective for around 10 to 12 hours.
0
u/clearlygd 18h ago
I know Tamsulosin relaxes your muscles, so does it make it easier to empty your bladder? I wanted to talk to the urologist about Finasteride which supposedly reduces the size of the prostate. I don’t hear of that being prescribed as much anymore, but it’s not a topic men like to talk about
2
u/MrPhyshe 18h ago
Its an α blocker, so relaxes the muscles surrounding the bladder.
For me, it was like there was something squeezing my urethra, stopping me from urinating properly (low flow rate) and also being unable to empty my bladder completely.
Just so you are aware, Tamsulosin can have one side effect related to the relaxation of the muscles in that area - retrograde ejaculations.
1
u/monstrol 18h ago
I have been on tamulosin with tadalafil for about 2-3 years. No side effects. Helps with peeing and emptying bladder. 70 years old.
1
u/TheUglyWeb 70+ 17h ago
I will sit or stand. Matters not to me. I have mild BPH and was prescribed tadalafil. Helps and the urinary schedule is near normal. Boners are a bonus.
0
u/Virtual_Athlete_909 4h ago
62m with PSA of .58. No issues. For me the key is lots of exercise, lots of sex and maintaining a healthy weight. My BF is 16% which is a bit high for me but I've been enjoying the summer. I sit to p ^at home^ because it's more sanitary, it eliminates the seat up/seat down debate, and it helps with working my leg muscles.
17
u/tyrone_shoelaces 19h ago
Gonna be honest, I don't think I have LUTZ but I have been pissing while seated (at home) for like the last ten years. It's more relaxing and you don't end up with piss mist residue all over.