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User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 01:17

I've always enjoyed a drink or two. Please don't warn me about the evils of alcohol, I know its not good for you.

 I've noticed since my prostatectomy that if I have one too many, it can cause an excruciating pain down below that nearly doubles you up. It's a very sharp pain and sometimes, although you feel a real need to pee, you can't.

Is this pain called urine retention. I've heard it mentioned on here often and wondered if this is what I subject myself to by having one too many.

I was also wondering if it was the quantity of fluid that might cause the problem or the alcoholic content. I'd never be able to drink 4 or 5 pints of anything non alcohol to do a control experiment.

 

Edited by member 03 Feb 2024 at 15:55  | Reason: Additional text

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 18:13

Hi Adrian. I suppose it only becomes urinary retention when you want to pee and can't. I developed retention a few weeks post surgery and had to be re catheterised. There was no pain as such, other than the pain of an overfilled bladder when I was waiting in A&E. It occurred a few times in the following weeks but eventually went away and I've had no trouble since. Anyway, back to the ale. Yes there has been a few occasions when I've had 4 or 5 pints. It never resulted in any pain but it does tend to cause my urinary sphincter to leak like a sieve. 

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 19:19
Not urine retention - sounds like a bladder spasm. Probably just the alcohol irritating your bladder. John had this problem for years until his prostate was removed! Try to learn to live with it - especially on rugby international weekends!
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 14:14

Also in the name off science. I have suprapubic catheter and use night bags ,I therefore can see my night time output. A normal output is around 500-600 ml. If I drink a glass of wine my output is 250mls. The second night I drink a glass of white wine it is 250mls. The third consecutive night I didn't drink any wine and the output was 1200mls.

I shall be experimenting with gin and tonic on Friday.

Thanks Chris 

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 01:17

I've always enjoyed a drink or two. Please don't warn me about the evils of alcohol, I know its not good for you.

 I've noticed since my prostatectomy that if I have one too many, it can cause an excruciating pain down below that nearly doubles you up. It's a very sharp pain and sometimes, although you feel a real need to pee, you can't.

Is this pain called urine retention. I've heard it mentioned on here often and wondered if this is what I subject myself to by having one too many.

I was also wondering if it was the quantity of fluid that might cause the problem or the alcoholic content. I'd never be able to drink 4 or 5 pints of anything non alcohol to do a control experiment.

 

Edited by member 03 Feb 2024 at 15:55  | Reason: Additional text

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:10

Adrian, could it possibly be that you need to pee more often, i. e. before you feel you really have to? Bladder only holds one pint, give or take a bit, and if you are at times holding back a full (and still filling) tank you are putting pressure on your one remaining urinary sphincter. Perhaps that may cause pain and the temporary inability to pee as you are asking the sphincter to suddenly change from holding back an ocean to opening the floodgates. Just a thought.

Peter

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:43

Not sure you can actually strengthen your bladder Adrian. Certainly the pelvic floor and other muscles in the vicinity that support the bladder can be strengthened but you know that already. My surgeon specifically instructed me not to put undue stress on my urinary sphincter. I'm not sure if that was just for the healing period, or  ad infinitum. Perhaps another question there. 

Peter

 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 13:10

I had urinary retention 6 years ago and that is what led to my prostate cancer diagnosis. No pain as such just a full bladder.

Here is something counter intuitive unless you are a physicist, who understands the 'two balloon experiment'. The fuller your bladder is the less pressure your muscles can generate to empty it. So if you are in danger of having retention i.e. prostate problems, then better to pee often than hold it in.

Dave

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 14:09

I think there's more chance of you getting in trouble with the boss.........😬

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 15:19

Hi Adrian. Sorry, I have been meaning to reply. I very quickly get the pains you have been talking about when drinking pints. I can always relieve with full flow. I may try the lower alcohol beer. 👍

Jim

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 15:46

Just on ale drinking in general, I haven't really experienced any of the issues outlined by Adrian. I drink a lot less these days but I can still manage a 5 pint session from time to time. I tend to go for "session strength" beer, usually a craft ale of some sort. Lot's of decent brews at under 4% abv available these days. Strong ales and lagers not really my bag.

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 20:16

Hi Mate,

I don't drink a lot of lager because of Gout that i get every two years or so but mainly white wine and have not adjusted it in any way since my Brachytherapy in 2016 and i tell everybody it's to help with the stress but it's really because i enjoy it and a 77 i don't think it will kill me before cancer.No real problem with water works, and can still get up two to three times a night but always did before Brachytherapy.

Regards John . 

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User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 15:52

A shameless bump. 😁

Come on lads surely I'm not the only ale drinker on here.

I'm just on my first pint, warming up for the Wales v Scotland rugby game.

 

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 18:13

Hi Adrian. I suppose it only becomes urinary retention when you want to pee and can't. I developed retention a few weeks post surgery and had to be re catheterised. There was no pain as such, other than the pain of an overfilled bladder when I was waiting in A&E. It occurred a few times in the following weeks but eventually went away and I've had no trouble since. Anyway, back to the ale. Yes there has been a few occasions when I've had 4 or 5 pints. It never resulted in any pain but it does tend to cause my urinary sphincter to leak like a sieve. 

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 18:24

Cheers Chris.

I was beginning to think I was the only drinker on here.

The pain I get, I've only had it about half a dozen times, really doubles me up. Its like a really sharp stabbing pain and usually happens just before I try to pee but can't. When I eventually manage to pee it goes.

I've got a telephonic consultation in a couple of weeks time. I'll mention it to him.

 

Edited by member 03 Feb 2024 at 18:26  | Reason: Typo

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 19:19
Not urine retention - sounds like a bladder spasm. Probably just the alcohol irritating your bladder. John had this problem for years until his prostate was removed! Try to learn to live with it - especially on rugby international weekends!
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 03 Feb 2024 at 19:35

Thanks Lyn. 

Brilliant game this afternoon.

I've had 3 pints, just one pee and no pain so far. But I've still got last nights game to watch on record. I'll probably have another couple of pints watching that. Purely for research purposes.🙂

 

 

 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:10

Adrian, could it possibly be that you need to pee more often, i. e. before you feel you really have to? Bladder only holds one pint, give or take a bit, and if you are at times holding back a full (and still filling) tank you are putting pressure on your one remaining urinary sphincter. Perhaps that may cause pain and the temporary inability to pee as you are asking the sphincter to suddenly change from holding back an ocean to opening the floodgates. Just a thought.

Peter

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:17

Hi Peter,

I'll bear that in mind it certainly seems a plausible cause. Thank you.

I must admit I do leave it until the last minute. I was under the wrong impression that holding it back strengthened the bladder

 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 11:43

Not sure you can actually strengthen your bladder Adrian. Certainly the pelvic floor and other muscles in the vicinity that support the bladder can be strengthened but you know that already. My surgeon specifically instructed me not to put undue stress on my urinary sphincter. I'm not sure if that was just for the healing period, or  ad infinitum. Perhaps another question there. 

Peter

 

User
Posted 04 Feb 2024 at 13:10

I had urinary retention 6 years ago and that is what led to my prostate cancer diagnosis. No pain as such just a full bladder.

Here is something counter intuitive unless you are a physicist, who understands the 'two balloon experiment'. The fuller your bladder is the less pressure your muscles can generate to empty it. So if you are in danger of having retention i.e. prostate problems, then better to pee often than hold it in.

Dave

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 14:03

In the name of science, I've been experimenting. I used to drink lager about 4.8% proof and was struggling after 3 pints, often getting the sharp pains down below. I now drink mild, about 3.5% proof and, if the mood takes me drink half a dozen pints, with no problems. Conclusion its the alcohol content rather than the quantity that makes the difference. 

I may do a control experiment where I 'll have a whisky chaser with each pint of mild.

Do you think there's any chance of government funding?

 

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 14:09

I think there's more chance of you getting in trouble with the boss.........😬

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 14:14

Also in the name off science. I have suprapubic catheter and use night bags ,I therefore can see my night time output. A normal output is around 500-600 ml. If I drink a glass of wine my output is 250mls. The second night I drink a glass of white wine it is 250mls. The third consecutive night I didn't drink any wine and the output was 1200mls.

I shall be experimenting with gin and tonic on Friday.

Thanks Chris 

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 15:19

Hi Adrian. Sorry, I have been meaning to reply. I very quickly get the pains you have been talking about when drinking pints. I can always relieve with full flow. I may try the lower alcohol beer. 👍

Jim

User
Posted 15 Feb 2024 at 17:48

Mild has less fizz than lager. Stick that in the equation? 

Peter

 

 

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 15:46

Just on ale drinking in general, I haven't really experienced any of the issues outlined by Adrian. I drink a lot less these days but I can still manage a 5 pint session from time to time. I tend to go for "session strength" beer, usually a craft ale of some sort. Lot's of decent brews at under 4% abv available these days. Strong ales and lagers not really my bag.

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 20:16

Hi Mate,

I don't drink a lot of lager because of Gout that i get every two years or so but mainly white wine and have not adjusted it in any way since my Brachytherapy in 2016 and i tell everybody it's to help with the stress but it's really because i enjoy it and a 77 i don't think it will kill me before cancer.No real problem with water works, and can still get up two to three times a night but always did before Brachytherapy.

Regards John . 

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 21:02

Hey John

I have had gout for getting on for 40 years and apart from a few  attacks it has been controlled with allopurinol. Maybe I have been lucky it hasn't caused me much of a problem. It is excruciating pain though. The real last attack I had was on holiday in Kenya on safari.. no chemists and only my daily allopurinol so no access to anti inflammatories. I hobbled and limped for 4 days and just had ibuprofen for the pain ...still managed a beer and a glass of wine though . Well I was on holiday!! It was still a memorable holiday not just because of the gout attack!

I like a few beers and mainly a glass or 2  red wine and in the early days after my surgery it did cause some problems. I have always had to go for a pee in the night ever since I can remember but I certainly have to go more now if I have had a few drinks. I do find that white wine is worse which is OK as I prefer red anyway.

I wisschhh you luck!!

 

 

User
Posted 06 Mar 2024 at 21:47

Hi Jackson,

I have had a couple of friends tell me about Allopurinol and my doctor has pushed me away from it saying i am controlling my gout with my change of diet and the time between the attacks , i avoid a lot of fish like Mackerel and shell fish, Marmite ,beer and many things with yeast.I still have to have prawns. I try to stay away from my doctor apart from my yearly PSA blood test. I do all my contacts with my surgery on line as phones are a long wait and maybe other people need attention first.

Regards John.

User
Posted 07 Mar 2024 at 18:44

Really glad that you can control things via diet. I was unable to do that. I went for lunch years ago before we were married with my wifes parents  in the middle of a gout attack and they served kidneys. I felt obliged to keep quiet and eat them but I don't think I would do that now.

I can pretty much eat and drink  anything now with no problems at all.

I love shellfish as well and still eat it a lot. I have cut out kidneys though!!😂

 
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