As the prostate gland enlarges, the worsening symptoms of BPH can be a terrible nuisance. Here are some commonly held beliefs or recommendations that you may have heard.
One of the biggest nuisances is having to wake up from your sleep to urinate (Nocturia). Urinating once or twice thru the course of a night is common after age 50; however, more than 3-4 times per night is a nuisance. One common- sense household remedy for nocturia is to drink less fluids in the evenings. It is true that if you drink a lot before bedtime, you may have to get up more frequently thru the night. Controlling intake may help with symptoms, but it doesn’t necessarily fix the underlying problem.
Factors other than evening fluid consumption affect the nightime urinary pattern. Your sleep cycle is also very important. Certain hormones that physiologically restrict nightime urine production are released only during certain phases of the sleep cycle. Poor sleep patterns can disrupt this rhythm and allow excessive urine production during the hours that you would prefer to be asleep. Make sure you do everything possible to maintain a healthy sleep cycle as you get older. PH and MINI
During wintertime men often experience a flare-up of “prostate trouble.” It has nothing to do with the frigid weather per se; however, it does have to do with “winter cold” management. Most Over-the-counter “cold” medications have a decongestant in them. While decongestants dry up runny noses, they also will “swell” the prostate. Common decongestants include pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine. For many men who teeter on the edge of having problems with an enlarged prostate, taking a dose of a decongestant can push them over the edge and bring on a major strain in urination. If you have a lot of BPH symptoms, it is best to avoid decongestants. This same concept applies to men who have “hay fever” and sinus allergies and use decongestants to control these problems.
Certain aspects of a person’s diet and lifestyle may also aggravate urinary patterns and cause frequent urination.
In treating hypertension, many people take blood pressure medications. One class of anti-hypertensives is called diuretics (Hydrochlorothiazide, Lasix, Furosemide). Diuretics trigger the kidneys to make more urine. This treats hypertension by ridding the body of excess fluid in tissues, but in doing so creates more urine and more frequent urination. Depending on when you take this type of pill, you many notice frequent urination for several hours. This is the desired effect of the pill; however, if it acts at night it can be a nuisance. Ask your doctor if the timing of the pill is critical and adjust when you take it to control the symptoms. Never start, stop, or adjust blood pressure medication without your doctor’s approval.
Many diseases can affect the patterns of urination. Depending on a person’s medical history, the results of urinalysis, and physical examination, your doctor may conclude that something other than BPH is the cause of the problem. Other common diagnoses that can affect the bladder include Urinary Infection, Diabetes, Urethral Stricture (scar), Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Neuropathy and Parkinson’s Disease. Some diabetic medications, including Jardiance and Farxiga, can dramatically increase the frequency of urination. If so, ask your medical team if other medications can be substituted.
TOP TIPS FOR ENLARGED PROSTATE
- Avoid CAFFEINE (Coffee, Tea, Colas, Chocolate
- Avoid ALCOHOL (Beer, Wine, or Liquor
- LOSE WEIGHT as extra weight places extra pressure on your bladder
- STOP SMOKING as Smoking causes bladder muscle irritability
While it is not critical to strictly follow all of these guidelines, you may be amazed to see the improvement in your urinary pattern if you can adopt a few lifestyle changes.
