Peeing pressure research

About four years ago I had treatment for prostate cancer but before that one of my symptoms was that I had to pee frequently and the flow of urine was very weak.

I was prescribed tamsulosin which I believe is some sort of adreno-blocker which helps relax the muscles which enable you use to retain urine when you do not wish to pee. I am still taking these tablets daily as even with them I still suffer from a very weak flow of urine most of the time.

However I have noticed that after race or a very hard workout in the gym I often pee with a considerably improved flow. I mentioned this to my urologist who seemed mildly interested.

I wondered if this phenomenon was one which only affected me or whether it was common to a lot of other runners.

If a lot of runners have observed it, it could indicate a useful line of investigation for the medical professin to pursue to provide a more effective treatment to improve peeing performance.

I am also interested in whether tamsulosin and other drugs like this affect running performance as the name suggests that they may affect the production of adrenaline.

I have tried not taking it for a day or two to see if I run any quicker but haven't noticed any difference before having to resume taking it.

Any comments from anyone else on this subject would be very interesting to me.

Anyone who would like to anonymously register that they have had similar experience to me can email me direct.

If there is sufficient interest I will try to get the matter looked into more seriously. I will not pass on anyone's details without consulting them first.

BO

hm
not aware of much literature on this
but not a urologist
however-i personally find my stream is reduced after a long run and thats not just due to reduced volume

mighrt have a dig about-but as theres virtually nothig on runners trotts im not holdig out much hope for this one

Hi Hippo,

I always reckoned runners trots was due to the general shaking about of ones insides and faster passage of food through the system as the muscles controlling the process getting progressively weaker as the body as a whole gets more fatigued.

I don't seem to run far or fast enough to get the trots nowadays although when I did suffer my father once sent me a postcard with a sketch on it of his vision of me "caught between two stools" on a long run.

BO

snigger

Looks like it only affects me.

BO

I find something different: yesterday I did a long run (19 or 20 miles) in quite warm weather, drank plenty of water (about 5 pints?), but didn't pee (or feel any need to) for hours afterwards. Then I had to get up twice during the night, as it all caught up with me.

I tend to think that intense exercise causes the body to secrete some hormone that temporarily reduces kidney activity in order to conserve water?

PH ought to know!

well actually i dont
but im scaring myself doing a literature searh


about ultra running real function and plasma volume
ULP!

Mike
you seem to be physiologically normal

and the hormone might be urodilatin


improves sodium conservation apparently
fasciating
ouch-my head

Hi Mike,

I think there may be two factors here. Like you I get quite dehydrated on a long run in hot weather and have to drink a lot before I start to pee again.

Its when I exercise really hard in the gym or in a 10k race that I appear to get an significant improvement in peeing pressure or apparent peeing pressure resulting in a much stronger flow. I don't know whether I would get the same effect after a half marathon as a) I wouldn't run it as quickly (comparative term) and b) I would be more dehydrated at the finish. I don't know if you can reabsorb fluid from the bladder if you get dehydrated enough but I'm sure Hippo does.

BO

BO
I cant find anything at all about this in the literature

Hippo,

Just confirms my suspicion that I'm unique. (hmm).

BO

<sidles in wearing dark glasses and false moustache>

I'm on a daily tamsuwhatsit as well - Flomax, yes? In my case just for overly tight muscles, similar to BPH symptoms but without the prostatic enlargement.

What I've found is that I usually need to pee shortly after starting running. And yes, I get a better flow than usual. I've just assumed that the jogging and sloshing motion has prompted the bladder to empty in the same way it often prompts the bowels as well.

Yes, Flomax, Maxiflo, Omnic all seem to be trade names for the capsules. You're right they are nothing really to do with the prostate. I think it was the peeing problem which led to the prostate diagnosis so I kind of associate the two in my mind.

Looks like there isn't much supporting evidence for my theory so I think I'll drop it.

BO

<Paging Doctor Benz...>

There's also this, however. I'm on Rosiglitazone (which is a thiazolidinedione) for my diabetes, and I now find

"Thiazolidinediones expand body fluid volume through PPAR gamma stimulation of ENaC-mediated renal salt absorption"
Nature Medicine Article (01 Aug 2005)

... so there

Clever cloggs!

Seconded

Rosiglitazone ....
Thiazolidinedione ....
Enacmediated Renal ....

they sound like Chelsea midfielders.