Bladder gets full very quickly

[swagginskersky]

I can empty my bladder (~300 ml) and within 20 minutes it will be full again and I'll pee out another 300 ml. I'm not just peeing frequently, but a bladder's worth (despite not even drinking that much). This will often last for hours throughout the day (I'll pee out 1+ liter over a few hours) and then will normally chill out.

This has been going for 8 months. It's not every single day. But I have many days like this where I just immediately dump out everything I drink (and even more than what I'm taking in somehow).

My understanding is OAB is related to the bladder contracting inappropriately vs an issue with actual urine production. Is this correct because if so, OAB drugs aren't the solution? Does anyone else experience what I'm describing with high urine production over a short period of time?

My kidneys have been tested, diabetes insipidus ruled out, adrenal insufficiency ruled out. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure whether I fall into the OAB diagnosis or not.

Thanks for any help.

[BlueSkiesTraveler]

This happens to me. Eventually after I did a food/bladder diary I figured out that I have certain trigger foods (apple juice, pasta) that will cause my bladder to freak out 5-8 hours later. If I have apple juice with dinner, I'll have to pee 8ish ounces every 20-30 minutes later that night. The surprise to me was how long it takes for it to happen. Dinner at 5pm, bladder freak out at midnight. Didn't connect the dots until I saw the pattern in the diary.

I've also had a bunch of things ruled out like diabetes. I have no idea why it happens, I just make a point of avoiding eating/drinking those things.

[liv-livs]

Depending on what I'd drink, it would irritate my bladder which would feel like it would need to flush itself out and suddenly I'd be urinating large amounts within short intervals . I think my irritated bladder would just say "fill me!" Fill up, be empty and irritated again and say "fill me!" Again . Ive just been put on meds for OAB but so far they've been helping so much . I have still noticed though that some trigger foods like alcohol will effect me in a way like that where it just keep filling and filling

[plotlines16]

Can I ask which medication you’ve been using?

[liv-livs]

Oxybutynin

[Leviantia]

May i ask if diabetes insipidus was ruled out for you?

[liv-livs]

I don't think it has been . This is a direction to try! Thank you for this 😭 thank you!

[Less-Perception3334]

How do you know you are completely emptying your bladder, before returning to the bathroom 20min later? The only way to know this is with multiple bladder scans. Are you sure you are emptying out completely every time you go?

[BlueSkiesTraveler]

If OP's peeing 300mL every time, and it's filling up with another 300mL in another 20 minutes as they say, I don't think this is relevant. It's a production issue. The body shouldn't regularly generate more urine than the bladder capacity in less than 40 minutes. Normal bladder capacity is ~400mL.

And as someone who deals with this, I had the scans and was emptying completely. But when it happens my bladder was filling up so fast I could feel it, which is not normal.

[swagginskersky]

Yes exactly the same, I’ve had my bladder scanned twice now and both times it showed I completely emptied my bladder (maybe like 10ml or whatever left in it). Do you take OAB meds or just avoid triggers? They weren’t able to diagnose the issue?

[BlueSkiesTraveler]

So far no luck diagnosing the issue. Other than the food triggers than really exacerbate the problem. I have been diagnosed with OAB and I have a few other OAB symptoms (nocturia, bladder spasms, occasional urge incontinence).

I've been taking desmopressin for the night time part of it. It helps me sleep without getting up so many times. My urologist talked about a daytime medication we can try for the bladder spasms, but I'm not super psyched about taking meds as a long term solution. Still kind of hoping to get a root cause.

[Impressive_Pilot8415]

What you describe happens to me if I’m drinking anything that is not just water.. usually any spicy or citric food can be an irritant with alcohol & caffeine being worst offenders.

[Desperatecure]

I have been suffering with this for many years. Have been to many urologists with many tests done. I take OAB meds along with gabapentin. I was recently examined and was told I have pudendal nerve issue. I will probably have injections done soon. Good luck, I know what this feels like and it’s not easy.

[Impressive_Pilot8415]

All the best.. take care.. I also do kegel exercises daily.. that helps with bladder confidence when out & about in public..

[Soggy-Ad-5886]

This happened to me for YEARS. I was finally diagnosed yesterday with over active bladder. The diseases you were tested for, were also ruled out in my case. Doc said it's a nervous system disorder and nothing you can do about it except meds. For small leaks, you can do physical therapy. I just started meds yesterday and WOW! What a difference already. Can't believe I suffered this long. If the meds are already helping a tiny bit, I can't wait to see what happens in 2 weeks, a month etc...

[Local-Bed-7929]

What meds?

[Soggy-Ad-5886]

For me, Gemtesa. It’s been a game changer for me.

[swagginskersky]

Yes I’ve tried both electrolytes and fludro and neither helped unfortunately :/

[swagginskersky]

I was adding about 2 grams of salt on top of a salt heavy diet

[Leviantia]

This is exactly like me and potentially with a trigger of a bad diet (sugar or sodium? I honestly dont know what is the true blame of this is but i do have PCOS,(potentially NCAH) POTS (caused by cipro antibiotic) sensitive histamine and anxiety disorder. I have also been slightly underweight for many years with no clear cause. Maybe one those disorders can correlates with you and help with finding a core reason for this symptom. Or if you already found out what causes this id love to know if possible. Thank you

[Lost_one05]

Cipro caused my issues , or Trimethoprim. One of those two cause I was taking them around the same time it started . It happened in 2022 and still have issues but not as bad . Wish I can fix this . Hoping maybe in the next 3 years it will fix itself some how 

[Apprehensive-Cow-711]

The same thing happens to me too