TMI - will my bladder get stronger? !

LouiseSando2015
LouiseSando2015 Posts: 9 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I'm new on here and also to my weight loss goals. As part of those goals, I'm trying to drink alot more water - some days I wouldn't even drink any water apart from that contained in my coffee! Now I'm drinking approx the 2 litres recommended but I consequently feel like I go to the toilet every 15 or 20 minutes. It's also interfering with my sleep as I drink about 500mls water during the 25 minutes on my treadmill at 8pm, and then I'm having to get up once or twice a night to wee. I knew is very early days - can anyone tell me if my bladder will become stronger and be able to hold longer? I really do want to carry on with the water drinking as I feel it must be good for my body but the sleep disturbance is the worst. Unfortunately the only time slot I have to exercise is in the evening at 8pm, so changing that is not an option. I don't really want to not drink water while exercising either.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Lou

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited August 2015
    Use the urine hydration chart and not an arbitrary volume

    Hydration-Chart.jpg
  • LouiseSando2015
    LouiseSando2015 Posts: 9 Member
    Is that something that is on this site then? Sorry if I appear clueless. I only joined 2 days ago and due to 3 young children don't get bags of time to investigate etc
  • LouiseSando2015
    LouiseSando2015 Posts: 9 Member
    Ok just looked that up on Google. Thanks for that. Would still be good to know if bladder will get used to the increased water supply
  • JennieMaeK
    JennieMaeK Posts: 474 Member
    I have found that I got used to the amount of water. It took about a week or so, but I didn't have to go as often and the waking up in the night to go stopped. It'll get better :)
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    Keep in mind that you get water from foods you eat and other kinds of beverages count, too.

    I typically drink between 24-48 ounces of just water, but I also have a diet soda with lunch and sometimes coffee in the morning. In the end, I'm getting 60+ ounces of water. Some people recommend that you take your body weight (ie: 118lbs for me) and use half that number but in ounces for your goal water intake. For me, that ends up being a 59 ounces, so I'm pretty close with my 60 :)

    I pretty much follow the chart that @rabbitjb posted and I have a water bottle that I keep with me to help ensure I'm getting plenty of fluids.

    ~Lyssa
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,878 Member
    I went to a talk about urinary frequency/urges/incontinence in women. While this didn't really apply to me (I was only there because it was at my regular breast cancer support group), one thing the doctor/speaker said was that for undesired urinary frequency, it's helpful to hold on as long as you (reasonably) can, rather than urinating as soon as you feel a desire to do so. Over time, that's supposed to improve capacity.

    I know this isn't exactly what you asked, or why you asked, but I suspect it would still apply.

    As far as what you did ask: I dramatically increased my water consumption at a point in the distant past, when I was in my 40s. It happened gradually over a period of time (weeks/months?), but my body did adapt to the higher amounts as you're hoping yours will.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    If you drink water at night, you are going to have to pee at night. I also go by thirst and the pee chart above instead of a certain amount. Try shifting more of your fluid intake to earlier in the day. The bladder is an extremely forgiving organ so it will stretch but really there is no need or benefit to over hydrating to the point of multiple sleep disruptions.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sorry to tell you, I've been drinking around 2L of water a day, plus cups of tea, for a couple of years, and I still haven't got used to it. I go every 30 minutes or so :tired_face:
  • Unknown
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  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    I drink a lot. I pee a lot. You get used to it.
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    I drink a lot of water (my urologist wants me to drink 2x the recommended amount for most adults). I am also on a diuretic. I also have to make sure I pee when I get the urge, I am not supposed to hold it. So , I pee a lot and very frequently. It has not gotten better over the years.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Mine has adjusted to it. I drink more than average and notice I have to go less.
  • JustChristy79
    JustChristy79 Posts: 156 Member
    I never thought I'd adjust when I started drinking water all day. I had to go like every 20 min & I'd have to go ASAP! I, too, had only had the water in my coffee MANY days!!! But my bladder actually HAS adjusted! Yay! I don't restrict water in the evenings, so I do get up at night once or twice, but I'm ok with that.

    Peeing won't always be your full time job. Give it time. : )
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    Hi Lou,

    I try to get my water in by dinner so my bladder doesn't wake me at night. Do you have to drink a full 500 ml while on the treadmill? How about chewing gum and reducing water?

    Also, I attempt to pee a lot right before bed to try to get it all out - at least three times while I am winding down/reading, etc.

    Good luck!

    KK
  • pearso21123
    pearso21123 Posts: 351 Member
    I haven't noticed my bladder adjusting- sometimes I have to pee so often I'm embarrassed and hope nobody notices how often I leave my office at work. On the flip side, if I have a really "bad" day of having to run to the bathroom, I get excited because it's probably going to be a good weigh-in in the morning.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Not for me. I have to pee all the time and I live in the city where it is hard to find restrooms. I have some mapped out where they don't notice if I run in and out without buying something.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I have a sensitive bladder also. This is what helped me , it may not apply to you though. Everyone is different.
    Anyway I reduce my water intake after 6pm. I only drink after 6pm if I'm thirsty. Then I'm not being woken up all night.
    And I realized I was over doing it at first, my body didn't really need all that water I was drinking. Everyone is different so pay close attention to your body and you'll find the right amount for you
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    I have the same problem as you! I've increased my water intake and I do find myself having to run to the bathroom once every hour. I'm sure my colleagues think I have some kind of 'issue' haha! It doesn't bother me too much - I quite like knowing I'm hydrating my body. If my bladder becomes stronger after a while then fantastic, if not - never mind :)
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    "AnnPT77;33815157"]I went to a talk about urinary frequency/urges/incontinence in women...one thing the doctor/speaker said was that for undesired urinary frequency, it's helpful to hold on as long as you (reasonably) can, rather than urinating as soon as you feel a desire to do so. Over time, that's supposed to improve capacity.[/quote]

    I agree with what the doctor said in his speech. When I first started paying attention to my water consumption on a daily basis and was consistently trying to meet the 8 glasses of water a day I felt like I was going to the bathroom every 20-30 minutes or so. Often, when I woke up in the morning the first place I always went was to the bathroom. Sometimes my bladder was so full and I had to pee so badly that I would actually wake up well before my alarm clock would have woken me (1-2 hours early) just to run to the bathroom. Then I heard or read that same comment about not giving in to the urge to use the bathroom every time you felt that urge as a way of exercising your bladder because it is a muscle. Instead of giving in to the urge to use the bathroom every time I had it, I consciously started pushing myself to wait a little longer to relieve myself in order to exercise that bladder muscle and I have to report that I no longer run to the bathroom every half an hour. I also sleep through the night now without being woken up by bladder pain and the urge to use the bathroom first thing in the morning like I used to which I absolutely love! So exercising your bladder muscle by consciously choosing to wait to use the bathroom really does work - just be sure to not overdo it - I've heard that if you hold it too long you can give yourself a UTI!
  • LouiseSando2015
    LouiseSando2015 Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you everyone for the helpful replies. It seems yes, we are all built a little differently so with that info/advice I will try to do things a bit different and user trial and error and time to see what works for me.

    PS not sure if I need to change some settings somewhere but I couldn't see the urine chat referred to in rabbit's message. I'm new so I could be being blind tho xxx
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    No, You Do Not Have to Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day.html
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I drink a lot of water, but I try to time if carefully, as sleep is a precious commodity to me. I try not to drink much within an hour of going to bed. As far as peeing all the time, you get used to it eventually.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member


    http://www.jhbodyfire.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hydration-Chart.jpg

    LouiseSando2015 wrote: »
    Thank you everyone for the helpful replies. It seems yes, we are all built a little differently so with that info/advice I will try to do things a bit different and user trial and error and time to see what works for me.

    PS not sure if I need to change some settings somewhere but I couldn't see the urine chat referred to in rabbit's message. I'm new so I could be being blind tho xxx

  • LouiseSando2015
    LouiseSando2015 Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you
  • titotito48
    titotito48 Posts: 120 Member
    I exercise in the morning before work so I drink a lot of water in the morning. So I have to pee a lot at work which is annoying. Then I try to get the rest of my water in as soon as I get home so I'm not peeing all night.
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