Frequent Urination

I was diagnosed with Lupus almost a year ago. My symptoms were pretty mild, mostly fatigue and joint pain, and my Rheumatologist put me on Plaquenil and I have been almost symptom free for the last 4 months. But during this last year, even before I was put on Plaquenil, frequent urination has turned into a huge problem. I go to the bathroom easily 30 times a day. It makes work, school, even just being in the car almost unbearable. It doesn't hurt when I pee or anything, it's completely normal except for the fact that I go several times an hour. I mentioned this to my rheumy on Monday when I saw him and he said it wasn't Lupus related and I needed to talk to another doctor about it. But after doing my own research, I've found a lot about interstitial cystitis in Lupus patients and I'm wondering if that's a possibility. Has anyone else had this problem? What other kind of doctor can I go to to take care of this?

Please see a urologist. From my sister-in-law, who is one, it seems this is not unusual and that there are some fairly simple methods to control it.

Hope it gets better soon -- that would make me very very annoyed!

Frequent urination is a symptom of many other conditions, including diabetes. It's really best that you go to a doctor for this one, it could be anything. It's definitely not normal, so don't put it off for too long.

Good luck at your doctors appointment jdrea. Thanks for the replies-I've got a gynecologist appt in the next month so I guess I can ask her? I'm surprised my rheumy won't handle this problem, I think of him as my primary care doc so it's weird to me that he isn't taking this problem too seriously. He seems to think as long as my blood work is fine and pain is under control then his job is done.

for all of you that have to pee excessivly at night? (only at night) have you had your kidneys checked? Frequent urination at night is a sign your kidneys are leaking protein! That was one of my first symptoms. Also it your urine is foamy or what you could call a tea color! If you haven't had them checked since the frequent night trips than please get them checked asap! The sooner any problem is caught, the better!

Sorry I didn't get an answer from my dr today. He told me today that even though my ANA is 1:320 and speckled he feels that I am more likely to have MS than I am to have Lupus. I am so confused..... and still confused as to why I, we, go to the bathroom so much...... I wil start a new thread if I ever get an answer for this problem.......

I have this same issue... does it have to be a bad thing, though? Could it just be how some people are normally?

Another idea: do any of you that have this issue also have Sjogren's? I feel like because of this syndrome, I drink a lot of liquids which causes more frequent urination.

I am so glad I found this post because I am going through the same thing, my Rhumy brushed it off as did my primary. I am not kidding when I say if I go to bed at 11:00 I will get up 8 times befor 12 just to pee, I feel like I have completly emptied my bladder and 2 mins later I am back in the bathroom like I never went. To me this is not normal and I wish My doctors would take me seriously. maybe the next time at his office I should pee myself, maybe then he will take me seriously. probably not thought I would just have to drive home in my pee pee pants and be even more upset.

Doctors ignoring it???

See a urologist!!!! The rest of the docs don't have any training in this area at all! Better yet, see a female urologist!!!

So I had a gynecologist appt today and she was way more helpful than my rheumy! First of all, she referred me to a different rheumy, saying that she knows a lot of patients who have gone to the one I'm currently going to and have been unhappy with him, plus she didn't like how he shrugged off my frequent urination. She is going to research links between lupus and plaquenil and frequent urination, and she said even if she doesn't find anything, that doesn't mean that that still isn't the reason behind my bladder problems. She gave me a list of common foods and drinks that irritate the bladder, and wants me to keep a pee diary (lol) over the next few weeks to see if there are any triggers I notice.

Also, she told me the worst thing I can do is go to the bathroom just because I see one nearby. It's really tempting for me to use any bathroom I see, even if I don't have to go that bad yet, just because I know I will have to use it in a few minutes anyway. She said that is the worst thing I can be doing, and instead I should be trying to hold off going to the bathroom, even if it's just for 10 or 15 minutes. She said that helps build up the bladder muscles and will keep me from having to go to the bathroom so frequently.

She also said it may be tempting to cut back liquids, but that's also a bad idea. Lots of fluids are good for the kidneys, especially with lupus. Cutting back liquids can even make the frequent urination worse. I'm going back to see her in a month, and if none of these things work we will start looking into overactive bladder meds. Hope this was helpful to some of you!!!

Post Edited (ebet24) : 10/15/2010 11:12:25 AM (GMT-6)

Does anyone know what normal is? I wake up at night at least four times. I have to go at least once every two hours.

sickinterval...how often have you been waking up at least 4 times a night? Have you had blood work done since you have started waking up frequently at night to urinate?

yeah,I too,have a very active bladder.I can go 6 times in a nite,try to stay away from coffee as I dont need a diuretic.Sometimes its ok,but other times its embarrassing.If Im at someones home and drink a coffee,especially perked,Im on the toilet all the time Im there.They say "you gotta go agin?".I thought I was just imagining it,that it was just happening to me.And it always is when I dont feel that great to begin with.Then sometimes I just feel like I have to go,and dont.What a weird thing eh?I will be sure to ask my rhumy ..its not till december but ...I will ask.