Health anxiety is back: frequent urination

[telltheking]

I have had health anxiety for ages and it comes and goes. Some usual favourites are heart problems, various cancers, diabetes, basically anything.

Now, out of nowhere I am panicking about my urination patterns. It started the other day when I went for a pee about 12 times in one day and kept needing to urinate. I then started panicking that it was diabetes or worse, maybe prostate or bladder cancer (I am 25). Now, I am hyper-focused on my bladder and it seems any time I need to pee or any odd feeling there makes me even more worried.

I have realised that coffee makes you urinate a lot. I am prone to drinking one large coffee upon awakening, which is always very strong. I also drink probably more water than the average person. Today I didn't have a coffee and I have only peed about 4 times, and have drank nearly 2 litres of fluid in total which is normal.

I kind of seem to know that it relates to caffeine but I have a serious cognitive dissonance problem where I know I am probably fine, but think the worse anyway. I can't concentrate on my work and it is really grinding me down.

Has anyone else had the above problems or can offer any advice?

[Ruizu]

I think it's the caffeine intake. I'm exactly the same when I drink tea. 1 cup of tea goes straight through me it seems and I tend to pee a lot more often than usual.

I'm now drinking things such as orange juice and water on an average amount and I don't pee as much as I used to!

[Leslie735]

Yes! I know exactly how you are feeling. Back in December I developed, what I think, was a urinary infection. The doctor test came back normal but said it could still be one. Put me on meds and sent me on my way. I've had a few in my past but this time was different. I decided to look up on google (bad!) what could cause my symptoms without it being an infection. It sent me into a panic for about 6 months or so. I read about IC, don't google! I was so scared it was pretty bad. I went to see another doctor who assured me I didn't have it (even though she didn't do any real testing) and sent me on my way. It wasn't until I found a website about TMS (tension mind disorder) that I was finally able to relax about it. Basically your mind is causing this, it's covering up what could actually be the problem, usually some sort of repressed emotion. I started to journal and uncover things in my past that could cause this for me. It's been over 9 months since the beginning and its been about 2 months now that I haven't "feared" the bladder urges. Mine would feel like I had to go when I didn't. The urges creep in here and there but I don't fear them and they usually fade away pretty quickly.