What to drink?

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I have been newly diagnosed with an Overactive Bladder. I have been told to change what I drink. In reading this web site there is an extensive list of what not to drink. My question is: Other than water, what should I be drinking? Thanks in advance for all of your help.

 

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I would recommend you experiment and find out what irritates and aggravates you. I personally am not willing to give up my beer and tea.

 

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For me, carbonated/caffeine drinks are the worst!! Alcohol makes me go allot more but as long as it’s not carbonated I won’t get the pains associated with my issues. I get spasms in my bladder at times and they can be painful but for the most part caffeine irritates me the most. Water is healthy but you will end up going more, so like squander said experiment and find your balance with the things you enjoy

 

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I would recommend you experiment and find out what irritates and aggravates you. I personally am not willing to give up my beer and tea.

I feel that way about my coffee, but I know the caffeine is not good for me.

 

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Like Squander, I just cannot give up my beer before supper, they question me, but I don't want too, I pour the water all day till about 3ish, I have 12 ounces of coffee in the morning, and a small cup at 3pm, yes they ( PCP and urology) question me, but I haven't given them up, I'm feel I'm hydrated, and I move into the evening slowing down the hydration, it has helped my incontinence some, yes as my PCP wrote in my history, "often he wakes wet". But I need to live and enjoy too.
Good luck you can live with this, but tell your family you need, and want to give hugs!

 

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i am real bad. i don’t give up anything. i also love things like asparagus that is aromatic in pee for some people. i always hear give up coffee and tea and like mentioned above - beer. but doctors keep telling me to drink lots of water. with lots of water there is a problem anyway. but if you can give up things and find replacements i guess beer tea and coffee are the things to give up. with diabetes and high bp and cholesterol i’d have to give up everything. that does not work for me. i gotta find a balance. happiness is necessary too. sorry! i always take the “other” side. thats just me the misfit.

 

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I cannot give up my decaf coffee. I drink about 24 to 30 ounces most days. I’m also diabetic so I basically have given up sweet things. I don’t drink alcohol. I use virtually no salt. I eat massive amounts of vegetables. I have given up sooooo much, and I just will not give up my coffee. The last urologist I saw treated me like crap because I was “not willing to make lifestyle changes”. Yes, I’m a fat, elderly woman. That does not mean I don’t eat more healthy than he does! Aside from my decaf, I drink water. Period. I asked the urologist before this last one if he could state that I would no longer be incontinent if I gave up coffee. No, but he might not have to give me as much chemical (Botox) to counteract another chemical (coffee). Well, there you go. I need and deserve a life with some pleasure.

 

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I can’t believe coffee can have that much effect on incontinence!! I say find a new urologist and go from there. We have to be our own advocate for our health and happiness!!

 

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@LeeC we do the best we can and none of us are perfect.

 

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I can’t believe coffee can have that much effect on incontinence!! I say find a new urologist and go from there. We have to be our own advocate for our health and happiness!!

If you read this website coffee is listed as something not to drink.

 

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I cannot give up my decaf coffee. I drink about 24 to 30 ounces most days. I’m also diabetic so I basically have given up sweet things. I don’t drink alcohol. I use virtually no salt. I eat massive amounts of vegetables. I have given up sooooo much, and I just will not give up my coffee. The last urologist I saw treated me like crap because I was “not willing to make lifestyle changes”. Yes, I’m a fat, elderly woman. That does not mean I don’t eat more healthy than he does! Aside from my decaf, I drink water. Period. I asked the urologist before this last one if he could state that I would no longer be incontinent if I gave up coffee. No, but he might not have to give me as much chemical (Botox) to counteract another chemical (coffee). Well, there you go. I need and deserve a life with some pleasure.[/quote

Quality of life is as important as how long you live. That is what I am working on now. Don't apologize for your lifestyle decisions!

 

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Drinks don't effect my incontinence really. I worked at Starbucks for 3 and a half years and got into the habit of drinking coffee. Now I only do 1 or 2 cups a day. I have a paralyzed bladder due to nerve damage so it doesn't really matter what I drink. The only effect it really has is keeping my bowels regular but at the moment I'm on pain meds so I'm having issues with that.

 

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@justej excuse the pun, but I feel your pain on the p as in meds. I was on Trammadol for many years and I have always had constipation anyway (except for one bout of colitis, but I digress), the Trammadol made it much worse. I'm off of them now, thankfully. I've seen ads for something that will help if you are on them long term.

 

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@squander - yea tramadol is what I'm taking now. I finally had a bowel movement this morning (thanks to my cup of espresso!) So I'm feeling somewhat better. I hope I am not on them long term but only time will tell.