www.incontinentsupport.org

to the other bedwetters, have any of you tried strategic waking? Like setting an alarm for the middle of the night to get up and go?

I'm not talking about a bedwetting alarm that wakes you when moisture hits it. I mean setting the alarm clock for, say, 2 am. Get up, pee, go back to bed.

My wife thinks I should try it because we read it on a few sites but I'm skeptical... I mean anything is worth a try but my timing is really all over the map. One night I might wet at 4am even though I got up at 130 to pee. Another night I might not wet the bed at all but instead get up 3-4 times to pee. One night I might wet an hour after going to bed, clean up and change and then wake up a few hours later to pee. Many night I just wet the bed once but it could be at any time of night. Very unpredictable. I wouldn't even know what a good time to set the alarm for would be and I feel like it's going to be a lot of trial and error and frustration.

I don't want to stay in diapers but I don't think this is a very realistic solution. Anyone have any luck with it?

I would rather cut down fluids if I need to, I tried the wake up and go thing, turned me into a daytime zombie from sleep deprivation, it was the last thing I needed, so when I sleep, I would rather stay asleep, the deep sleep is what your body really needs to rest, hard to get that waking up every 2-3 hours. My timing is much like yours as well, all over the map! Puffy

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Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

As a kid, my parents tried waking me periodically through the night. I was still usually wet by morning and they were probably zombies. As an adult, it might work. But speaking as someone who currently wakes several times a night to pee, I can confirm the zombie feeling. While the zombie feeling is preferable to a wet bed, I'm not sure it's preferable to a wet diaper.

Yeah that's what I'm expecting. I already don't get restful sleep due to sleep apnea. I think my wife sees the diapers as a temporary crutch u til something like this presents a magic fix or a magic pill comes along. I hope she's right but I'm less than optimistic given what I've read. I haven't even tried meds yet but my doc said we could try themail if behavioral stuff and kegels aren't sufficient. I already know they're not. My wetting has been increasing. I'm up to several nights a week now.

I hope meds work but I've read peer reviewed medical journals that said like 70% of people quit oab meds within 6 months to a year due to side effects and lack of sufficient results. That said I'm game to try them all. I just fear diapers are here to stay. My wife has been so supportive but I sense the diapers bother her a little. We have very open communication about this so I'll sit down and talk with her more.

I do kegels like 10 times a day and cool it on fluids at night but I don't want to sit there all night dying of thirst just to maybe wet the bed a little less.

In the last few months my wetting has gone from a couple times a month to as many as 5 nights a week. That combined with daytime urgency and a few small daytime leaks has gotten me the OAB label with no obvious cause.

I go back to the urologist in 3 weeks so well see what he prescribes I guess

Sorry for any typos I'm on my phone.

If it's of any use, I've been taking Myrbetriq for the past couple of weeks, and I can say the results are somewhat promising. My waking episodes are down, and are the urges during good they day. But the urges have turned into a more stabbing pain during the day.

I hoping that things continue to improve, but this has been going on long enough that I'm not going to be too optimistic yet.

The Myrbetriq has had far fewer side effects than all the other meds I've tried. I quit all the others because of the side effects.

MikeJames

With your sleep apnea, do you use a CPAP machine. I have been on one for 13 years and I sleep much better now. I was waking up about every hour before I had a sleep study and found out that I needed CPAP. Sleep apnea can be a very serious thing.

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RetiredRN

I just started my CPAP regimen a week ago, and I'm still adjusting to it. I wake up in the middle of the night more often than I used to, and I'm trying to keep that mask on my face till I get up in the morning, but its difficult. I do use the toilet more at night than I did before, I guess that's good- not sure yet. I have been a daytime wetter though, and most nights I'm dry.

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- Tom

Were you always dry at night WetDad or just since the cpap?

Thanks RN. My sleep apnea is not diagnosed yet. I need to get the sleep study done. I know I have it bc my dad had it and I snore like mad. My wife says I gasp for air all night and stop breathing. Getting the sleep study is next on my list of Healthcare needs.

From what I've read, that can actually backfire. Unless you continuously vary the alarm time, you can inadvertantly train your body to release at the same time every night, regardless of if your at the toilet or not.

Problem is, it doesn't treat the issue of why your body doesn't wake you to pee, but schedules you to get the urge around the same time. If you don't get the alarm just right, and continue it forever, you aren't helping anything.