Anxiety = Urge to Urinate?

[notsogood]

i also suffer from this urinating problem its been going on for about 8 months now more or less constantly, im ok in my own comfort zone but when i leave the house the urge of needing a pee comes, ive hardly left the house, im only 21 and feel like i dont have a life rite now ive started to see a hypno therapist and i think it could be helping time will tell, i used to go to raves and take ecstacy and made me feel like i needed to pee and i couldt but i think thats what could of triggered this plus my mate died and lots of other crappy stuff that effected my life, the only thing keeping me going is family and friends but hopefully hypno therapy wil help me if not maybe one of u guys could give me some advise ?

[Sweetpea6]

Hi,

I have been suffering from EXACTLY the same thing for the past ten months or so. The feeling and panic that goes with it is horrendous. But I know it's easy to think that other people feel worse- like those who feel they're having a heart attack, or will stop breathing. But I know from first-hand experience how frightening, frustrating and debilitating this fear of losing control of your bladder is. It's an waful thing to go through.

The fear of 'this time will be the time I can't hold on' is terrifying- but it's a LIE! I have struggled with this fear for almost a year, and have been through some situations where my anxiety was sky-high, but it never happened! Ever! Never ever!

And it will never happen to you either. There's nothing wrong with your bladder. It's just something wrong with your thought patterns...and these can be changed.

Citalopram has really helped me. I urge you to give it another go. Seeing a CBT terapist was useful as well. For me, it's been a case of gradually building up my confidence, and breaking down the lie.

I'm afraid there's no quick-fix solution, but it can get better, and will get better if you seek help and make a plan to help yourself.

I wish you the very best of luck. Please don't give up- it will pass.

[steven67]

i have this its all to with anxiety,this is what i been told,that when the body go,s into stress state, ie anxiety the body is getting ready for a fight,so it will get rid of all its waste . piles 20 yrs,ha 5yrs ,ibs 3 yrs take care.

[selenejmr]

Hi,
I'm glad I found this site. Even though I wouldn't wish this problem on anyone, I'm glad I'm not alone. I've been experiencing panic attacks (mild) since 1978, but found if I just breathed deep a few times they went away. But, starting this past December, I've had horrible, unfounded urges to urinate. My heart will pound, I'll be trembling and I'll get dizzy and I'll have the absolute certainty that I must get to a restroom or I will wet myself, even if I went a short time ago and I know I couldn't really have to go. It doesn't happen at home and usually doesn't at work (the bathroom is right across the hall), but I've had it happen occasionally at my boyfriends (which shouldn't happen because I'm there all the time and comfortable there). It's the worst when I'm in public and especially bad when I'm with my boyfriend in public. How do you explain that you've got this weird mental thing happening and it's causing you to think you need to go? Of course, he probably thinks I've got some physical problem because I'm always going to the bathroom in public. (One good point is he drinks tons of soda, so he has to use the bathrooms a lot in public so I use them also when he does.) Less than 2 weeks ago I started wondering if the deep breathing would help me get through this like it helps with my (regular) panic attacks. I'm still working on it so I'm not sure yet. I have been trying to push myself to NOT go when I'm in those panic modes. It's been extremely difficult, since I'm so sure I have to go! I've gone into stores, knowing I don't have to go, but telling myself where the bathroom is just in case I do need it. But, then I start thinking about it too much, and before the trip to Walmart is over, I've probably parked my cart by the bathroom and gone in to the restroom.
I did find something that seemed to help. I had to have an ultrasound for a condition, and they required I drink 48 ounces of water within 30 minutes. I wasn't sure I could do it, so I practiced by doing it for several days in a row before the procedure. During that time I didn't experience the urge to urinate panic attacks. I don't know why that would effect it, but it sure seemed to. I've yet to force myself to drink that much on an ongoing basis. (Though I keep telling myself that I should.)
I think I will start to drink more water, and try to deep breath through the attacks and try to force myself to not give in to the urges during those attacks and see where it gets me. I truly hope these will go away someday - hopefully soon.

[cymraig_chris]

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[guitarpants]

Ever hear of someone peeing themselves when they are frightened? It's the same mechanism of action really. Anxiety does this to you as a few have stated above, the fight or flight response.

It can also be an OCD issue. I dealt with this in my early teens. I would have to go every 10-20 minutes. It was mostly because I would think about it often and I would worry and concentrate my attention on whether I felt like I had to pee or not. When I was finally distracted enough and stopped caring it went away.

[still suffering]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so relieved that I am not the only one who is suffering with this problem.

About 4 years ago I started suffering with exactly the same problem. I visited doctors, a specialist that dealt with incontinence with old people and 2 different urologists. The specialist for old people, had me recording what I was drinking and peeing out for several weeks (quite a challenge when at work ... but I managed). Anyways what she said was that on average, we should be peeing out about 600ml first thing in the morning. To say she was both surprised and shocked when she saw that I pee'd in excess of 1400ml, would be an understatement. She then went on to ask if I ever woke in the middle of the night and then turned over and went back to sleep, to which the answer was yes. She told me off for this and said on no account should I do this and instead I should go and empty my bladder, as things would get much worse later in life (I was 35 at the time).
The doctors gave me various drugs, which did nothing and the first urologist, interviewed me and then proposed some special tests, which would involve filling me up with fluid and then doing all sorts of measurements, but I would have to wait for the head of the unit to return from vacation for this. In the mean time I went back to the GP, who then referred me to a different urologist and this turned out to be a blessing. Basically he listened to everything I told him and he said try this ... throughout the day at regular intervals, clench the muscle that would normally make you stop peeing, hold this for 30 secs and then release ... repeat this exercise a minimum of ten times per session. I was very sceptical, but gave it a go anyway. I was amazed, within 2 weeks, the problem had disappeared. I have since been told that this is similar to the pelvic floor exercises that women are asked to carry out after birth.

Unfortunately, the problem returned about 2 weeks ago (after having been without the problem for nearly 2.5 years). I am now doing the exercises again and the problem seems to have eased a little.

One other thing that I also found helps is when I pee, I use the cubicle and sit down (strange I know), but I take my time and let every bit of fluid leave my bladder, right down to the last drip ... this sees me good for a while also.

The worst situation I have experienced is when on an aircraft and they put on the seatbelt sign, when coming into land ... there is nothing you can do, until they are down and at the terminal, at which point you quickly walk to the nearest loo. Top tip ... keep track of when you are due to arrive, or wait for the annoucement from the pilot when they will start there descent and then use the loo, this should see you get through the experience with few problems.

Hope this is of help to some.

[Hel_is_heaven]

Hiya,
I also have the urge to urinate it seems the anxiety makes it happen more.
Worse for me, as I suffer from IBS, is the feeling that I might mess myself.
I don't think we should be embarassed to talk about these things as lots of us suffer from the same thing.
The thing is we are caught in an awful vicious circle. We have the thoughts, which cause the symptoms, which cause the thoughts, which cause more symptoms, etc etc.
I find citalopram helps by breaking that circle if only a little, it helps my background anxiety, which then means I am able to control my thoughts slightly better because I am not consistently anxious.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a great one for changing the way you think. Counselling helps a lot as well.
As for other things, well you could start by wearing an incontinence pad for the journey. I know its awful but sometimes it just helps.
Also perhaps research the journey you have to make and mark off where the loos are so you can make a stop or two along the way?
Also you could prepare by not drinking coffee or tea about 2 hours or so before a journey so you don't need to pee.
Distraction is a great one to help not focus on the feeling of needing to urinate. Take something that you will need to concentrate on. Can you drive? Can you do the driving? It would help with feeling like you are in control and that you can stop when you need to.
It is also a good idea in general day to day stuff to keep your bladder full as long as possible - without causing damage to yourself - to exercise your muscles.

I hope some of this helps.
Helen x

[shyoldguy]

Hi,

I've had similar problems and also IBS. It's difficult I know when doctors don't know what to do. I think with anxiety the mechanism of urinating etc seems to go a bit wrong. One think I learnt from an NHS therapist was to retrain my, ahem, bowels by not "going" immediately when I had to rush to the toilet. This eventually reduced the association of anxiety with having to go to the toilet. If you see a CBT therapist they may mention this. Hope this is of some use.

[Username1]

There is a way to help cope with the urge, by using electrodes that sort of desensitise the bladder and stop minor urges from reaching/alerting the brain, in theory. This will help to retrain your bladder and become less sensitive to those minor bladder movements.

Machines can be like this: NEUROTRAC PELVITONE - PELVIC TONER

See a physiotherapist about this!