Two years ago I had my prostate removed due to cancer. A few malingnat cells remain which are controlled with 3 monthly injections of Zoladex. Since my operation I wake up every 1 to 1½ hours with an urge to urinate. Once I have urinated about 100-200ml and go back to bed I seem to spend considerable time falling asleep again. I have tried a variety of sleeping medications. I have had a sleep study done.
Before going for the sleep study test I meet with the sleep doctor and explained to him that its the urge to urinate that wakes me up and if he had any suggestions why it takles me time to fall asleep again.
His technician tells me I have sleep apnea even though as a medical biomedical professional I do not think so and suspect they want to sell me a face mask and breathing pump.
I would appreciate any suggestions you can make and wonder if you have had any such cases.
Thank you for your help,
George Beyrouty
Email: gbeyrouty@cogeco.ca

George,

Gee, I don't know what to tell you personally.  But I would say that either you have sleep apnea or you don't.  Apparently there's a very small amount of apneas that occur naturally in most everybody.  Over that range, it's sleep apnea.  A comprehensive sleep study will tell you if you have sleep apnea and the level of severity.  And you should get a copy of the sleep study report which is made available a few days after the study.  The data in that report will tell you not only how many apneas you experience but the type as well.  If your insurance covers this and the doctors think there is reason enough to be tested, I say go for it.  They can't fake the numbers, I'm pretty sure.

Do you exhibit any of the other symptoms of sleep apnea?  You might check out the Frequently Asked Questions forum here (FAQ) and see the lists of possible symptoms.  
Click here for link to FAQ on What is Sleep Apnea

Not everyone exhibits all the same symptoms, but if you have more than one of them, you might want to be tested, IMHO.  And if you do go get tested, you might post some of the data from the results on our forum.  Many here are pretty knowedgable about what the numbers mean.  It might help you understand the results.  

Oh, and feel free to register as a member here.  It's not required or necessary, but there a few extra nifty features you might like.  It's easy, free and safe.



Linda

I've been on CPAP about a month now. One thing I noticed is that after I've been on CPAP I get up to urinate less at night, sometimes not at all. Which has been along time, probably since my sleep apnea got bad.

Anyhow my theory and I'll stick with it until I talk to my doctor.. Is I now sleep better/deeper.  Before CPAP my apnea would essentially wake me up.  My body being awake told me to urinate.  Now I just keep on sleeping and I haven't wet the bed yet.

george.b...there are medications that you can take to help that problem...I just started some and they are working great. You have to see a doctor for them.


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*** Linda ***

I use to get up 5 times a night to urinate before getting a cpap.  That was 2 1/2 years ago and since then I have woken up about 5 times in the night to use the bathroom.  I'm supprised the FAQ link in this string did not list freqent night urination as a symptom.

As someone who has both OSA and frequent urges to urinate at night, I can tell you with complete certainty that I have to get up to pee much less often now that I've conquered the CPAP.  I'm certainly no doctor but I can only assume that the reason for this is the fact that if you are constantly being awoken by an apnea, your biological sytems never completely shut down at night.  With a CPAP and deeper sleep, your system slows down for longer periods of time thus reducing the need to urinate as often.

Rex wrote:

  I'm certainly no doctor but I can only assume that the reason for this is the fact that if you are constantly being awoken by an apnea, your biological sytems never completely shut down at night.  With a CPAP and deeper sleep, your system slows down for longer periods of time thus reducing the need to urinate as often.

I read somewhere (might have been on this forum) that there's a complicated series of events that result in sleep apnea causing all this urination.  As I recall, it was that the low oxygen to the brain during the events causes your brain to tell your heart to work harder.  That results in higher pressure in the heart, which the body misinterprets as meaning too much fluid in the bloodstream.  That in turn tells the kidneys to kick into gear, resulting in excessive urine production.

I'm no doctor either - just regurgitating what I read somewhere...


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--Frank (FJC)

a small dose of imipramine often calms the bladder, reducing the urge, which can be a painful burning thats strong enough to wake the dead!
I use it as needed, my CPAP has made no difference at all
imipramine is used for bedwetting, but dont be too enthusiastic with the dose or it amy stop all urination

a cronic bladder infection should be checked for, but be doubtful of those who claim that it mat be from a bladder infection that doesnt show in the urine

[quote="FJC"][quote="Rex"]  I'm certainly no doctor but I can only assume that the reason for this is the fact that if you are constantly being awoken by an apnea, your biological sytems never completely shut down at night.  With a CPAP and deeper sleep, your system slows down for longer periods of time thus reducing the need to urinate as often.[/quote]

I read somewhere (might have been on this forum) that there's a complicated series of events that result in sleep apnea causing all this urination.  As I recall, it was that the low oxygen to the brain during the events causes your brain to tell your heart to work harder.  That results in higher pressure in the heart, which the body misinterprets as meaning too much fluid in the bloodstream.  That in turn tells the kidneys to kick into gear, resulting in excessive urine production.

I'm no doctor either - just regurgitating what I read somewhere...[/quote]

Prior to getting my Cpap I would get up 5-7 times a night to urinae. These weren't just urges. I no longer get up in the evening.

George, have you ever been tested for diabetes?  One of the symptons is a frequent urge to urinate.  This could be in addition to your sleep apnea.

Phantombari78 wrote:

Prior to getting my Cpap I would get up 5-7 times a night to urinae. These weren't just urges. I no longer get up in the evening.

Same here - I would get up 2-4 times per night, and definitely HAD to urinate (full bladder).  One week so far on CPAP and now I'm getting up much less frequently.  I've gone a few nights without getting up at all, and the rest I've only gotten up once around 4:30am.


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--Frank (FJC)