wetting the bed after drinking alcohol

LegacyUser

This is really embarrassing, but i could really do with some advice every time i go out for a few drinks i end up wetting the bed, im female aged 25 and this is makeing my life terrible, i am a social drinker and only drink maybe once a month and not even that much, i could have 5 or 6 bottles and this would still happen, should i go see a doctor im so embarresed dunt know how to handle this

ElleEm

It wouldn't do any harm to go to the docs.
It wouldn't be that uncommon, I know a few people who have done it in the past, although they are all guys. Maybe it's just that girls are reluctant to share.

username123

Definitely speak to your GP, this is a medical issue. I know a few people it has happened to as well, although also only guys. Dont be embarrassed about it, its just a bodily function, you are as entitled as anyone else to have a few drinks so dont think the doctor will judge you.

LegacyUser

My OH does it all the time. Not only when he drinks too much but even when he has 4 or 5 pints.
Luckily we have a spare bed and he stays in there when he drinks, with a mattress protector. Not sure if its a medical issue as a previous poster suggests. I just think he has a really small bladder and literaly goes into a coma when he sleeps after drink.

What I do suggest to him is stop drinking about an hour before you are going home and make sure your bladder is completely empty before you go to bed. Not that he always listens!

He also sets his alarm for about an hour after he goes to bed and usually goes to the loo then as well.

The fact you are only doing it when there is alcohol involved is probably that you have drank too much too late.

Are you very tired before you go out? You may just be going in to such a deep sleep because you are so tired, that you don't wake up to go as you might if you hadn't any alcohol?

LegacyUser

Also my doctor is male and i am very very embarresed about telling him this

tinkerbell

OP, I have 2 bits of advice for you:

(a) See your doctor
(b) Stop drinking

Clearly if the only time you are wetting the bed is after you've been out drinking, then drinking is the problem so you should stop drinking. I mean is it really worth it? Drinking, and then to wake up with a wet bed? So just give it up.

LegacyUser

as i said in my post im a social drinker who only drinks when i have something like a friends birthday to celebrate so i cant see why i should have to stop drinking altogether when i enjoy a drink, it doesent make sense other people can drink me under the table and this never happens them, but yeah its not worth it i would prefer not drink then wake up to this every time i do!! Im sure the doctor will just tell me to stop drinking, so is there any point in going when im so embarresed

orchidsrpretty

Has this always happened to you or is it a new thing? When I was about 22ish, I went through a peroid of doing the same, it was not that I had started drinking more, it just came out of nowhere. Most of the time I would get out of bed and do it on the floor, it was so embarrassing. It stopped as suddenly as it started. I don't know what caused it, maybe I was under stress or some other underlying issue that got resolved.
Anyway, maybe try stop drinking for a while and if the bed wetting is happening when you have not drank any alcohol go see a doctor. I wouldnt waste your money going before then as they will just tell you to stop drinking.

curlzy

A visit to a Dr is warranted. I don't think giving up drinking is the answer unless a Dr tell you so, this could be a symptom of something else that needs sorting, so a Dr's visit is best IMO.

LegacyUser

its gone through phases of happening and not happening, the past 2 years its nearly every time i go out and drink, i tend to have to go to to the toilet alot when im drinking alcohol and spend more time going to the toilet then socialising in the pub

username123

anon anon wrote: »

Not sure if its a medical issue as a previous poster suggests.

A previous bf of mine went to his GP about it. It happened him when he drank a lot. It can be a symptom of something else.

We are not to give medical advice on thread. See your GP. Its unlikely the GP is going to tell you to 'just not drink'.

There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Think of it this way, doctors see people who have intentionally push things into their own bodily orifices and then cant get them out - someone going in with a bladder problem is really a yawn situation for a doc.

Stavro Mueller

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

Also my doctor is male and i am very very embarrassed about telling him this

Would it be possible for you to go see a lady doctor elsewhere if you're embarrassed?

Definitely go see a GP, but just because you go to a friend's birthday party or whatever, doesn't necessarily mean you have to drink, especially since this is the outcome.

Scruffles

alcohol has a slang term based on fact-getting p/ssed, it comes from the diuretic effect of alcohol.
alcohol also numbs the mind and may make people forget to go to the toilet or put them in a drunken haze/stupor/coma which isnt a good combination with the bladder.


toileting mishaps isnt anything to be hiding away from,am twenty nine and am prescribed attends slip nappies due to incontinence through autism and learning disability.
society babiefies toileting but no age group owns a monopoly on peeing,we all do it which means anyone coud have an accident.
and anyone who thinks they are above people who have accidents or difficulties in the toileting department probably forget they will be a pensioner one day,bring on their weak bladder.

up for anything

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

Also my doctor is male and i am very very embarresed about telling him this

Change to a female doctor. If this is not possible you should shake off your embarrassment and see your present doctor. He's seen everything and anything and nothing will embarrass him so no need for you to be embarrassed.

You are 25 now and probably due to start having smears. Are you going to avoid them out of embarrassment and put your life at risk? Are you going to avoid having babies because of embarrassment? Making sure you stay in good health throughout your life will entail a bit of what I like to call ritual medical humilation both for men and women. It generally only takes minutes and then it's over. I doubt your GP will physically examine you in relation to the problem if that is what you are worried about. Any urology tests are usually carried out in an outpatients clinic, in Ireland at any rate.

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

as i said in my post im a social drinker who only drinks when i have something like a friends birthday to celebrate so i cant see why i should have to stop drinking altogether when i enjoy a drink, it doesent make sense other people can drink me under the table and this never happens them, but yeah its not worth it i would prefer not drink then wake up to this every time i do!! Im sure the doctor will just tell me to stop drinking, so is there any point in going when im so embarresed

It it obvious from your posts that your bedwetting is linked to alcohol, whether it's the actual effect of the alcohol increasing urine production or whether it's the alcohol making you sleep deeper so you are not recognising the need to go when asleep. Life is rarely fair and if the worst that it's dished out to you so far is that you can't drink that is unfortunate but hardly earth shattering.

A couple of informative links.

Nocturnal_enuresis

National Association for Continence

seamus

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

its gone through phases of happening and not happening, the past 2 years its nearly every time i go out and drink, i tend to have to go to to the toilet alot when im drinking alcohol and spend more time going to the toilet then socialising in the pub

Definitely then go to an doctor about it. Doesn't have to be your own GP if you're embarrassed, but if you otherwise like your GP it would be silly to not just go to him.

When you drink alcohol , you're drinking a lot more liquid than you usually would - try drinking 2 litres of water over a 2 hour period and you'll find yourself peeing all the time too.

If you're constantly needing to pee, it could be a symptom of some correctable underlying issue.

tinkerbell

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

as i said in my post im a social drinker who only drinks when i have something like a friends birthday to celebrate so i cant see why i should have to stop drinking altogether when i enjoy a drink, it doesent make sense other people can drink me under the table and this never happens them, but yeah its not worth it i would prefer not drink then wake up to this every time i do!! Im sure the doctor will just tell me to stop drinking, so is there any point in going when im so embarresed

OP, I think you're missing the whole point of my post. It is irrelevant if your friends do or don't have this issue when they drink and get sloshed. Is "enjoying a drink" worth waking up the next morning soaked in your own urine? I doubt it. It's the same with anything - people who have a gluten allergy can't eat gluten products, just because their friends can doesn't mean that they can, or like a diabetic has to watch their blood sugar levels and can't eat 20 cakes in one sitting. Maybe you have a slight intolerance to alcohol (since you say you only have this problem after a night out drinking) - who knows, only your doctor can tell you so I'd strongly suggest a visit to the doc to rule out any underlying issues.

And just because it's someone's birthday, doesn't mean you have to drink. You can still have plenty of fun while sober.

LegacyUser

no im not missing your point as i said in my previous post i would prefer not drink then wake up to this, im just looking for some advice as its hard to confide in people about such an embarresing problem, thank you everone for the advice

tony81

"Only" six bottles is still considered binge drinking for a woman, and you don't drink frequently enough to build any tolerance. Also, you sure it's not more? If you're drunk you might underestimate how much you really drank.

Might be an idea to sleep in the bath tub if you need to drink 6 bottles on a night out.

LegacyUser

no i dont fancy sleeping in the bath tub i dont think thats very good advice, well im sure most people can drink 5 or 6 bottles and alot more and wake up to a Dry bed, thats my point and my problem, that it shouldnt be happening all......

LegacyUser

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

........Im sure the doctor will just tell me to stop drinking, so is there any point in going when im so embarresed

Firstly I have similar problem. It started when I was a little older than you are now so I have lived with it for a while now. btw i am male so it can happen to male and female.

Definitely go to your doctor. I am on meds ( detruisitol) which definitely helps. More importantly, incontinance can occasionally be a symtom of other conditions, such uti, which might need to be treated.

As Scruffles advised on an earlier post, don't dismiss using Tena or Attends, especially short term. They would be especially usful to you as you can predict fairly accurately when you might need protection.

it is possible that this might be become a long term problem with no real underlying disease process, and will become a matter of "managing" the problem rather than "curing" it. This was my experience but yours could well be diferent.

So don't waste time, get to your doctor.

judgefudge

tony81 wrote: »

"Only" six bottles is still considered binge drinking for a woman, and you don't drink frequently enough to build any tolerance. Also, you sure it's not more? If you're drunk you might underestimate how much you really drank.

Might be an idea to sleep in the bath tub if you need to drink 6 bottles on a night out.

In fairness I'm a woman in my twenties and 6 bottles is not excessive compared to what most people my age drink, male and female. I'm not saying that's right, but it's life. So there is no need to condemn the OP.

Like others said, I would advise you go to the doctor. Unfortunately for you you'll just have to cut out alcohol while this continues. It's a pity but there's worse things in life!

tony81

judgefudge wrote: »

In fairness I'm a woman in my twenties and 6 bottles is not excessive compared to what most people my age drink, male and female. I'm not saying that's right, but it's life. So there is no need to condemn the OP.

I wasn't condemning the op! I def think a gp visit is in order. But there's no point saying "I'm not going the the doctor in case he tells me to quit drink", or intending to ignore the doctor's advice if she doesn't like what she hears.

up for anything

SADGIRL25 wrote: »

no i dont fancy sleeping in the bath tub i dont think thats very good advice, well im sure most people can drink 5 or 6 bottles and alot more and wake up to a Dry bed, thats my point and my problem, that it shouldnt be happening all......

Most people! However, it seems like you arel not like most people and 5/6 bottles of whatever it is you drink is enough to put you into a deep, deep sleep where you are deaf to the call of nature.

You need to lose the 'it's not fair' attitude and either go to the doctor and deal with the problem or accept that alcohol shouldn't play a part in your life. I'm beginning to find it difficult to believe that you are 25 and not 15. Sorry if I sound impatient with you.

LegacyUser

i never once said it wasent fair in a post i asked for advice and that is what the boards is for last time i checked?! also i can deal with alcohol not being a part of my life like i said i dont drink very often, and was only ever a social drinker. thanks all for advice its helped alot i will be going to see a doctor

woodchuck

If you don't want to give up drink entirely I'd try the following:
- Drink nothing/less towards the end of the night.
- Stay up for a while after you get home.

If you give yourself time for the liquid to work it's way through your system (ie lots of peeing before bed!) before you fall asleep you might not have this problem.

Also as someone else said if you're in alcohol induced slumber it could just be that waking up is the problem as opposed to it being a bladder issue. For this reason I'd also try to sober up as much as possible before sleep. Like I said; drink less towards the end of the night and maybe have something to eat when you get home.

AhInFairness

Go to the doctor. There is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about OP.
A friend of mine had the same problem and it turned out to be diabetes. Get yourself checked out for peace of mind alone.

If the doc finds nothing physically wrong with you then perhaps you can then look at cutting out the drinking. Refusing to take your health seriously because of feeling embarrassed is ridiculous. Your doctor is a professional who has seen and heard a lot worse than someone wetting the bed after alcohol.

A little bit of growing up would go a long way here.