Anxiety and the Bathroom

I am a college student who suffers from frequent trips to the loo. I feel the urge to pee many times during the day; I've noticed that I feel more urges when I'm outside my dorm than when I'm in it (maybe because it's the 'homey' feeling the place has and the fact that I'm just down the hall from a toilet). (It's also not an infection as I've had numerous tests done and nothing is wrong with my kidneys either.) None of my friends ever have to pee when we're hanging out around town, but I always do. I feel like such a burden to them, especially since we always have to drive to find bathrooms. My doctor suggested retraining my bladder and although this does give me a better sense of security, I still find that I revert back to getting anxious when I'm out with my friends and not around a loo. And now, I also get frequent upset stomachs (stomach pain, gas, bloating, loose stools). I've been tested for celiacs disease and numerous others, but nothing is out of the ordinary. It's not a food allergy either as I've kept track of what I've been eating and have only found random triggers. I think this too is related to me being anxious if I'm not near a bathroom or not able to get to one (such as being in a class where the teacher won't let me go or the fear of other students thinking I'm weird for having to always come and go from the class.) I don't want to eat or drink anything before I go out so I can reduce my chances of having to go to the bathroom. I'm already extremely skinny and because I don't want to eat or drink much I lose weight. These problems are making my life a living hell. I don't know any other college student who suffers from these problems; I seem to be the only person in the world who has to deal with this. I don't even want to go out with my friends anymore, let alone make any new ones (it's also hard for me to make friends since I'm so shy so I'm alone most of the time) for fear of them finding me weird or a burden. I've spent months crying over this, I just can't seem to shake this problems since they always come back when things are finally going good. I feel like everyone else would just be better off without me. I've become extremely sad and I feel like a lost cause.

[silverfox67]

Don't feel that you are alone - I suffer from TB (tiny bladder) too.  I used to be skinny growing up also and quite shy.  Now most of my friends are Jehovah's Witnesses who know that we are all imperfect and are very forgiving.  They understand that if I don't get to a loo in time I will throw up.  I have a happy active life and nearly always near a loo.  (My friends take care of me.)  If your friends feel you are a burden, perhaps they are the burden to you.  You are worth more than many sparrows - says the Bible, and yet God takes care of them.  Take care of yourself and try to eat properly and take multivitamins to get healthy.  You are not the problem -

[Masona]

You are not alone in this.
I have the same problem as you have explained. Last month  my dr prescribed FOSFOMICINA EG 3g, according to my Dr, it is infection of the Virginia but no test show such infection in me. He said it is normal and trust him and took the medication. The result is that it helped to reduced the pressure of going to pee. This month, I went to explain the situation to my doctor and he gave me another prescribed drugs that I have to get by Tuesday and I ve to take it for 7days. Well if the first one cannot be of help to you, I will reply you after I ve tried the new medication and see the effect.

I leave in Italy, the name of the medicine I wrote might not be different in English. Try to google it and you will get the drug in English in you country. Here in Italy, it comes in powder  with just two in it. I took the first and the second in 24 hours later. It reduced the pressure to pee for me but it did not stop it completely that is why I went to see my dr again.

[lulufuj13]

How do you guys deal with these problems? What do you do if you're in a car for a long period of time such as being stuck in traffic? Or if you simply can't get to a bathroom? I live near the beach and it doesn't have a bathroom. So I've been avoiding it.

[silverfox67]

If you know you're going to be out where there is no loo available and you can't hold it - use the special panties that hold several ounces of pee.  it turns the pee to gel and no one knows you've peed yourself.  Just keep another pair of panties in your purse.  There are panties that you can wash and some are disposable.  I don't use them - but my mom does and no one knows she's wearing them.

[silverfox67]

Caffeine and citrus can irritate the bladder and make you want to go more often.  Try to avoid these drinks before you go anywhere with your friends.  Drink water if you get thirsty - less irritating.  And try to train your bladder to go for longer periods of time.  Hold it as long as you can and time it... and try to hold it a little longer the next time, etc.  There are little pads also that hold some pee if you should have an accident.  - But just relax and enjoy your friends and try not to think about having to pee.