Female age 64, have started ‘dribbling’ few drops of urine a couple of times a night in bed, while sleeping & while awake. Bladder isn’t full, no urge to pee before or even after (though I do get up & go, there is literally no real urge to do so).
No leakage during daytime whatsoever (yet). I even got my bladder good & full then had a deliberate good few coughs but…..nothing! I could ‘hold it’ just like normal. No drips, nothing. Have been sneezing a bit but nothing then either.
I can’t understand it, nothing on internet that can explain this. No sign of any infection. So why might I be dribbling urine each night?
Apologies to those who are struggling to manage so much worse, this sounds so trivial in comparison, but it is worrying me after a week of it & no sign of stopping. I don’t seem to ‘fit’ in any continence category. Can’t see GP until mid January.
Hi,
Sorry to hear you’re struggling with this. As you have no leakage throughout the day, you need to be checked for any underlying conditions and monitor what you eat and drink before bed.
Are you drinking a lot of liquid before bed or is this something you are modifying?
Do you have frequent ankle swelling? In many women with this problem, there can be a water shift. The water sitting in your ankles can get back into your system, into the kidneys and out the bladder.
It could also be possible that there is something wrong with your urethra, as a healthy urethra should stay closed until your brain signals it to open. You should ask a Doctor for a scan.
I would suggest keeping a diary and tracking what you eat and drink in the day. You can take this to your GP appointment and see if anything lifestyle changes are necessary.
Do you need any suggestions on protective nighttime products?
Thank you. I have a glass of water with dinner about 18:30. Nothing afterwards (not on purpose, I’m just not thirsty). Food is normal everyday stuff, nothing out of the ordinary or overly spicy. Rarely drink alcohol, & drink de-caf skimmed milk latte. No ankle swelling. Been researching menopause symptoms. Taking HRT for 11 years, lowest dose available & cutting the tablets up into ‘thirds’ for several years now – my GP says dose is so low it’s negligible but I swear just that little bit is still keeping my night flushes under control. BUT, I’ve been researching estrogen deficiency on the bladder & vagina. I think my tablet dose is so very low that I need a topical estrogen cream to help keep vagina, urethra & bladder healthy, as this can be the cause of ‘leaking’. No product recommendations needed at present, a pantyliner is just about sufficient & the local Tesco also sell Tena Lady products. Thank you very much for quick response & advice, I know this is minor compared to some, but distressing nonetheless. Much appreciated support.
Hi,
That’s no problem. Yes, definitely ask your Doctor if you need estrogen cream due to insufficient dosage.
If possible, try and urinate twice before bed. Go to the toilet within half an hour before bed, then when you are about to lie down, visit the toilet and try to urinate again.
Would you consider getting a bed wetting alarm? This works through waking you up when you begin to wet yourself, preventing uncomfortable leaks. Let me know if you’d like to know more about these.
Let me know if you need a TENA Lady Product recommending.
We do have a team of professionals on this topic who may have more guidance on this. It would also be interesting to hear other people’s experiences of menopause and incontinence.
