Posted by katekite on August 12, 2002, at 15:06:27
In reply to Re: retinal sheen » katekite, posted by Squiggles on August 12, 2002, at 10:21:46
I don't know about the symptoms. But why don't you measure your urine output on a day when you are home all day, use a bowl or something and then a measuring cup, no need to save it all for 24 hrs just add up the amounts. Just start and stop at the same time each day so that you collect exactly 24 hrs worth. Something between 800 and 1500 milliliters is normal. More than 3 liters is definitely abnormal, the inbetween is a grey area to definitely monitor and mention to your doc (regular doc not pdoc).
I'm sure you really don't need to know my most private details, LOL, but I'm somewhere between 2.0 and 3.5 liters a day -- probably a cortisol thing since that's the only thing they've found wrong with me. Until I had to do a 24hr urine collection for the cortisol test I had absolutely no idea I was abnormal -- I had assumed I peed frequently due to anxiety and never noticed that I drank more. Now, looking back, the times I've been most emotionally unstable in the past were I think accompanied by even greater urination and really dry mouth, cracked lips indicative of dehydration. I've been hospitalized twice and both times was told over and over I looked dehydrated, should drink, was even bought drinks and sodas by the nurses and I was already thirsty and drinking on my own. If only they'd done more labwork they might have figured it out. Seems to be an intermittent problem. Anyhow..... more than you needed to know I'm sure.
If it turns out you urinate a normal volume over 24 hrs but urinate more frequently than 8-10 times a day that in itself is a finding that needs work-up: people can develop all sorts of interesting bladder things. Sometimes with menopause urination becomes more urgent. Or there are other frequency issues -- would again be something to tell a doc.
Doctors tend to want to blame increased volume of urination, in people with a history of psychiatric problems, on a pyschological reason. The truth is that true psychological over-drinking is very very rare.
Check it out and get some numbers to work with.
kate
poster:katekite
thread:116094
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020807/msgs/116171.html