Urination Urgency

[Boxer215]

I am a 74 year old male & have developed the above which seems to be getting worse. By the time I reach the toilet I am leaking, I urinate freely but it is not getting to the loo in time that is upsetting me. I don’t want to go to the GP, any thoughts please?

[Creations]

Please do go to the doctor. This can be a symptom of many things and needs checking out.

[kaliska0]

Asking the internet and other people is good when medical professionals can't figure out the cause of your symptoms or offer a sufficient treatment. That doesn't apply here.

Odds are you need a doctor and this is not an issue that any person without medical training and a full examination can determine the cause of with certainty. Infections, onset of diabetes, prostate issues with some mild but also including cancer and other very serious problems, organ prolapse, chronic inflammatory disorders that will only get worse and may impact more of your body, issues with hormones and with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine are some things that can lead to urinary tract symptoms and need a medical professional to rule out. Around 1 in 12 men suffer some level of urinary urgency or incontinence as they get older and only 22% seek treatment. Unlike women where on average 45-60% see a medical professional when they start experiencing symptoms of urinary tract disorders.

Acetylcholine issues can sometimes be helped with anticholinergics and all the first generation antihistamines are anticholinergic. So benadryl, unisom, dramamine, chlortabs/chlortrimeton.... I have no idea if those a strong enough and the problem could be numerous other things that are even more easily treated or even more serious. It might all be solved with some over the counter pill or minor diet or behavior change but in this case it's not a good idea to test out possibilities instead of immediately consulting with a doctor.

Unfortunately with age muscle weakening also commonly leads to urinary issues. There are some medical treatments that can help or else doctors and physical therapists can teach various stretches and light exercises to help maintain enough pelvic muscle tone and control to avoid incontinence.

From experience even if it turns out to be something mild and not at all life threatening you can avoid years of misery and increasing problems with eventually some really embarrassing moments if you see a doctor. The symptoms that started when I was a teenager and are related to a chronic inflammatory disorder have been mostly nonexistent for more than 10 years now after I decided to stop guessing at causes or solutions. Unlucky it's a chronic condition I have to be careful of and take medication or supplements forever to not wet the bed or leave a puddle in the hallway because I failed to reach the toilet in time but lucky it's one that will never cause me serious health issues so I did not make it worse by not trying to find a doctor that would investigate my symptoms sooner.

You really do need to rule out serious things first. That requires a discussion with a medical professional and likely at least a urine sample for testing. Otherwise something treatable may turn into something very bad. Even a common urinary tract infection that many people experience multiple times in their life can result in permanent damage and never fully recovering urinary control or having lingering abdominal pain if not tested for specific bacteria and prescribed the right antibiotics by a doctor.

A few years ago while at my mom's house during holidays my grandpa smelled horribly of urine and his eyes were slightly yellowed. Yellowing in the whites of the eyes is nearly always a serious liver problem and needs immediate medical evaluation. I thought there was no way he wasn't currently seeing a doctor regularly and being treated for his obvious health issues so I didn't say anything. I don't think it was even a full year later that he drove himself to the hospital because of the pain, difficulty moving, and disorientation he was experiencing. They couldn't believe he was walking around much less driving because it turned out he had been ignoring cancer that had spread to so many parts of his body I'm not sure they knew where it started. They removed some bone cancer from his hip and otherwise just did supportive care because the doctors thought he'd only live a few more weeks.

4 months later he was asking when he'd finally get to go home. He lived closer to 8 months after finally going to the hospital but his mental state rapidly declined. I think by the time he sought medical help he was beyond the point he could even understand his situation. My mom said my great grandpa lived to be over 90 and my grandpa had told her he would remain active and independent as long as possible so he would live at least as long as his father. He was a few years short of 80 when he died. It's hard to say what would have happened if he'd had his symptoms investigated and treated sooner since by the time he decided his symptoms were serious things had progressed so far it was difficult to even figure out what problems were worth attempting to treat.

My grandma also ignored initially minor seeming symptoms and died of cancer that was typically easy to surgically remove with minimal odds of return if she'd simply gone to a doctor or done the recommended screenings. My dad had prostate cancer but immediately sought treatment for symptoms and for the most part seemed to only suffer likely considerable but very short term discomfort and a large amount of weight loss before recovering to better than his previous health.

It's possible muscles are just weakening or nerve signals are not being sent properly as you age. It happens to many and is frequently managed at home with only medical advice for ways to reduce symptoms and managing them without any prescription medication or much need for repeat doctor visits for that issue. It's possible it's one of those easy to solve problems but only with a doctor to diagnose the exact cause and provide a prescription treatment even if it's only needed very temporarily. It's also possible it's a very bad thing and no reason you could have for avoiding a doctor is worse than if you don't get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. There's no way to know without seeing a medical professional.

[Boxer215 in reply to kaliska0]

Thank you very much for your sound advice & all the best to you.

[Jaybird19]

do follow the advice given , and in the meantime try investigating tena who sell incontinence pads and pants for both men and women

[Boxer215 in reply to Jaybird19]

thank you

[Hidden]

hope you do go to doctor but in meantime to help avoid the leaks and that upsetting you, when my little boy had an “issue” he just couldn’t get to the toilet in time, I got him a special bottle that he could wee into. I’m sure you’ll find one on Amazon or Boots. Just a thought to help with the nighttime rush to the loo. Comes with a lid. 👍

[Boxer215 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you