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.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
Commonest cause of increased frequency of urination is UTI, both due to a STD and non STD infection. However increased frequency of urine is also seen in diabetis mellitus and diabetes insipidus. Small for size bladder is another cause and so also neurogenic bladder. Another possibility is a polyp or a growth inside the urethra. At times a hair too grows inwards and keeps tickling the urethra causing a need to urinate. You must talk to your physician regarding all these possibilities. You would need some more tests beside urine analysis to reach a confirmed diagnosis. Very diluted urine is generally seen in diabetes insipidus. If it is due to anxiety then consulting a therapist to learn behavior therapies to overcome this anxiety may help. Restrict fluid intake before going out. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.

[sammyjo777]

You might have held your pee too long in the past and it caused you to have a spastic bladder. You should set up an appointment with a specialist and see if they agree.