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What Causes The Bladder To Fill Up Every Half Hour To 2 Hours During The Night?
Question: every night my bladder fills every 1 /12 to 2 hours. this happens only while in the prone position, never while sitting or standing.
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Without knowing the size of your prostate, I can't address if that is the issue, but I can tell you that when prostate enlargement is a problem, usually the urinary stream is hesitant and noticeably weaker than in the past.
Given that the problem is when you are prone rather than standing, I am wondering if fluid has accumulated in your peripheral tissues (usually it's in the lower legs by gravity). Then when you lie down, the fluid returns via the veins to the circulatory system, and the kidneys then make more urine because of increased fluid in the blood. This happens in people with noticeable swelling in the ankles, but happens to some extent in others as well.
Do either of these situations (weak urination or some fluid accumulation in the legs) seem to apply to you?
Awaiting your reply.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Thoughts on this.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Without knowing the size of your prostate, I can't address if that is the issue, but I can tell you that when prostate enlargement is a problem, usually the urinary stream is hesitant and noticeably weaker than in the past.
Given that the problem is when you are prone rather than standing, I am wondering if fluid has accumulated in your peripheral tissues (usually it's in the lower legs by gravity). Then when you lie down, the fluid returns via the veins to the circulatory system, and the kidneys then make more urine because of increased fluid in the blood. This happens in people with noticeable swelling in the ankles, but happens to some extent in others as well.
Do either of these situations (weak urination or some fluid accumulation in the legs) seem to apply to you?
Awaiting your reply.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My urination does not seem to be weak. When I get up to empty my bladder at night it is a bladder full and a strong steady stream, and, I should mention as clear as water and after the toilet bowl looks as though it has a clear oil slick on top. Why would fluid accumulate in my legs instead of being processed by my kidneys and sent to my bladder as urine?
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If your urination is not weak and you have a full bladder which you are able to completely empty and not have to pee a little more a short time later, it is less likely that this is a prostate problem. Is it safe for me to assume that your doctor did a digital rectal exam to confirm that your prostate is enlarged before starting on the Tamsulosin?
The oil slick in the toilet is not normal and there can be a number of things that can cause it. These include ketones which can come from the body not processing sugar properly, such as from low insulin or insulin resistance.
I think it is time to do a work up that includes a urinalysis (which will check for sugar, ketones, protein - none of which should be in the urine) and a serum fasting chemistry panel.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Thoughts on this.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
If your urination is not weak and you have a full bladder which you are able to completely empty and not have to pee a little more a short time later, it is less likely that this is a prostate problem. Is it safe for me to assume that your doctor did a digital rectal exam to confirm that your prostate is enlarged before starting on the Tamsulosin?
The oil slick in the toilet is not normal and there can be a number of things that can cause it. These include ketones which can come from the body not processing sugar properly, such as from low insulin or insulin resistance.
I think it is time to do a work up that includes a urinalysis (which will check for sugar, ketones, protein - none of which should be in the urine) and a serum fasting chemistry panel.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I'm sorry about you not having insurance. I don't know what the least expensive way to address this will be, but at the least, have a urinalysis since oily urine is not normal.
Here are my thoughts from what you've shared with me:
1. Urine is dilute (clear appearance) which means you may be consuming more water than usual and that can go with diabetes. There are other causes for both drinking more fluids and for not concentrating urine, but diabetes is up there at the top of the list. I don't know when your last blood work was done or if it was done fasting, but it may still be possible. Do you find that you are more thirsty?
2. Oil appearance in the urine can be from ketones which most commonly is from diabetes. It can also be from dehydration and some medications.
3. Increased volume of urine after lying down, without abnormal bladder/prostate symptoms (such as weak stream, urinary retention, piddling kind of urination where you just go a little and then a little more), often goes with 'third space' water retention. That can be from a number of causes including poor heart ejection fraction, but that would be noticeable with symptoms like shortness of breath.
A more innocuous cause is venous insufficiency in the lower legs which may allow for some fluid retention (you might have marks in the lower legs where the band of your socks have been for example). Then when your legs are elevated such as when lying in bed, the fluid is returned and then the result is increased volume of urine.
Perhaps going in to an urgent care clinic would be less expensive than seeing your doctor? You might want to call to check how much they would charge for a visit and for a urinalysis if you were to pay out of pocket. Even a dipstick urine test can show if there are ketones and sugar and that would probably be less expensive than a full urinalysis done by the lab. Basically they dip a treated paper strip in your urine specimen and compare color changes to a chart. It is a course test but is quick and can give a fair amount of information.
If you do go the urgent care clinic route, if they don't charge anything different for the type of 'provider' then ask to see a real doctor and not a PA or NP, which they are often largely staffed with.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I'm sorry about you not having insurance. I don't know what the least expensive way to address this will be, but at the least, have a urinalysis since oily urine is not normal.
Here are my thoughts from what you've shared with me:
1. Urine is dilute (clear appearance) which means you may be consuming more water than usual and that can go with diabetes. There are other causes for both drinking more fluids and for not concentrating urine, but diabetes is up there at the top of the list. I don't know when your last blood work was done or if it was done fasting, but it may still be possible. Do you find that you are more thirsty?
2. Oil appearance in the urine can be from ketones which most commonly is from diabetes. It can also be from dehydration and some medications.
3. Increased volume of urine after lying down, without abnormal bladder/prostate symptoms (such as weak stream, urinary retention, piddling kind of urination where you just go a little and then a little more), often goes with 'third space' water retention. That can be from a number of causes including poor heart ejection fraction, but that would be noticeable with symptoms like shortness of breath.
A more innocuous cause is venous insufficiency in the lower legs which may allow for some fluid retention (you might have marks in the lower legs where the band of your socks have been for example). Then when your legs are elevated such as when lying in bed, the fluid is returned and then the result is increased volume of urine.
Perhaps going in to an urgent care clinic would be less expensive than seeing your doctor? You might want to call to check how much they would charge for a visit and for a urinalysis if you were to pay out of pocket. Even a dipstick urine test can show if there are ketones and sugar and that would probably be less expensive than a full urinalysis done by the lab. Basically they dip a treated paper strip in your urine specimen and compare color changes to a chart. It is a course test but is quick and can give a fair amount of information.
If you do go the urgent care clinic route, if they don't charge anything different for the type of 'provider' then ask to see a real doctor and not a PA or NP, which they are often largely staffed with.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Had blood work late last spring or early summer with no indication of diabetes and the overnight urine problem goes back longer than that blood work. What you said about venous insufficiency sounds more likely because lines where my socks had been can be seen on my legs after removing the socks. Not just th bands of the top of the socks but even the vertical ribs of the socks.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
When the problem is venous insufficiency, something you can do to decrease having to get up to go to the bathroom after you are asleep is to elevate your legs for 30-60 minutes before you go to bed. This will help return the fluid from your lower legs and you can urinate some of it out before you go to bed for the night. Support stockings during the day help some people too.
It doesn't answer the issue of very clear (like water) urine with oil. As I mentioned, it can be due to a number of things. If you have a very low carbohydrate diet (such as Paleo), consider adding back some carbohydrates to see if that helps it resolve.
If you take vitamins, it's also possible you aren't absorbing these, and consider holding off on them for a week or two to see if that makes a difference.
If you have any signs of liver or kidney disease (you would usually have other signs and symptoms such as nausea, skin yellowing, abnormal metabolic blood work) then you should not wait to have a work up.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
When the problem is venous insufficiency, something you can do to decrease having to get up to go to the bathroom after you are asleep is to elevate your legs for 30-60 minutes before you go to bed. This will help return the fluid from your lower legs and you can urinate some of it out before you go to bed for the night. Support stockings during the day help some people too.
It doesn't answer the issue of very clear (like water) urine with oil. As I mentioned, it can be due to a number of things. If you have a very low carbohydrate diet (such as Paleo), consider adding back some carbohydrates to see if that helps it resolve.
If you take vitamins, it's also possible you aren't absorbing these, and consider holding off on them for a week or two to see if that makes a difference.
If you have any signs of liver or kidney disease (you would usually have other signs and symptoms such as nausea, skin yellowing, abnormal metabolic blood work) then you should not wait to have a work up.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The blood work did show the presence of some type of ketone that indicates my kidneys may not be 100%.
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Ketones in the blood typically indicate one of the following:
- A starvation state which can come from diabetes or from actual starvation.
- Aspirin overdose
- Low sugar or an endocrine problem that causes low cortisol (and thus low sugar).
- Excess alcohol consumption
- High fat intake (dietary)
- Growth hormone deficiency (rare)
- Recent vomiting or diarrhea
- Hyperthyroidism
- Certain rare inborn errors of metabolism (cystinuria)
- Some Parkinson medications
- Stimulant laxatives (eg, Ex-Lax)
I am wondering if what was seen on your labs was a high creatinine level rather than ketones? That is more indicative of kidney function.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
Ketones in the blood typically indicate one of the following:
- A starvation state which can come from diabetes or from actual starvation.
- Aspirin overdose
- Low sugar or an endocrine problem that causes low cortisol (and thus low sugar).
- Excess alcohol consumption
- High fat intake (dietary)
- Growth hormone deficiency (rare)
- Recent vomiting or diarrhea
- Hyperthyroidism
- Certain rare inborn errors of metabolism (cystinuria)
- Some Parkinson medications
- Stimulant laxatives (eg, Ex-Lax)
I am wondering if what was seen on your labs was a high creatinine level rather than ketones? That is more indicative of kidney function.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh
General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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