Excessive peeing during workouts!

[RobinfromBoston]

Just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this and if so, what to do about it.

I have a spin bike that I work out on during the winter and have been doing Spinnervals training. Workouts are going great except that in the course of a 90 minute program, I literally get off the bike at least 10 times to run to the bathroom. I'm drinking water and Gatorade during the workouts. Could I be drinking too much? Is it a result of getting older?! (I'm 46.) Any suggestions or comments would be welcomed. It's downright embarrassing!

 

[Dondare]

Just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this and if so, what to do about it.

I have a spin bike that I work out on during the winter and have been doing Spinnervals training. Workouts are going great except that in the course of a 90 minute program, I literally get off the bike at least 10 times to run to the bathroom. I'm drinking water and Gatorade during the workouts. Could I be drinking too much? Is it a result of getting older?! (I'm 46.) Any suggestions or comments would be welcomed. It's downright embarrassing!

You could simply be drinking a lot or there might be a medical problem such as diabetes or an enlarged prostate. Also it might be that you are producing metabolites that your body needs to get rid of in this way.
My advice is to measure how much you drink and also how much you pee out, and pay your doctor a visit.

 

[vadiver]

Just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this and if so, what to do about it.

I have a spin bike that I work out on during the winter and have been doing Spinnervals training. Workouts are going great except that in the course of a 90 minute program, I literally get off the bike at least 10 times to run to the bathroom. I'm drinking water and Gatorade during the workouts. Could I be drinking too much? Is it a result of getting older?! (I'm 46.) Any suggestions or comments would be welcomed. It's downright embarrassing!

That is hitting the head every 10 min. How often are you going when you are not in this 90 min program? Are you sure you are not subconciously doing it to take a break?

You probably want to see your doc and get a PSA.

 

[RobinfromBoston]

You could simply be drinking a lot or there might be a medical problem such as diabetes or an enlarged prostate. Also it might be that you are producing metabolites that your body needs to get rid of in this way.
My advice is to measure how much you drink and also how much you pee out, and pay your doctor a visit.

Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that I am a woman which rules out prostate problems. Got blood drawn a couple months ago and everything came back normal. Just curious...what metabolites might my body be producing?

Thanks all!

 

[RobinfromBoston]

Are you sure you are not subconciously doing it to take a break?

L.O.L. A couple of hours on a spinner is a long time!

 

[frenchyge]

L.O.L. A couple of hours on a spinner is a long time!

Does the problem only occur on the spin bike, or do you have similar issue while riding outside? Is there a significant amount of anxiety or anticipation involved with doing these Spinervals workouts (ie, are they really challenging, which may be causing some anxiety)? Have you tried 'just riding' at a moderate pace (without the DVD) on your spin bike for 30-60 min to see if you have similar problems?

 

[e0richt]

Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that I am a woman which rules out prostate problems. Got blood drawn a couple months ago and everything came back normal. Just curious...what metabolites might my body be producing?

Thanks all!

ok for starters, you could have a normal resting blood glucose level but still have problems with simple sugars... you probably need one of those tests that require you to drink a glucose drink and have some blood drawn over a couple of hours to determine if you are processing sugar normally... you also might want to just use plain water during your workout and see if you have similar problems...

 

[RickF]

I do not buy the metabolite argument, but I agree with most everything else that has been posted. Exercise will increse metabolism and the concentration of the metaolic wasts products (primarily creatinine and urea, but also ketones if your carbohydrate intake is not keeping up with your energy expendature) in the urine, but the volume of urine you produce should not increase. The metabolic waste from using carbohydrate as the energy source is carbon dioxide and water. The amount of water is small compared to the water lost through sweating, though, and carbon dioxide is eliminated via the lungs, not the kidney; thus, increased production of metabolic waste products, even though real, is not likely to increase the volume of urine.

Do you have edema ("oedema" for English speakers outside of the US) when you are not exercising? If so, the increase in circulation during exercise could remove the extra fluid from the tissues and return it to the blood stream, which would result in an increased volume of urine. If this were the case, though, I would expect that any aerobic exercise would cause an increase in urine volume. In fact, sitting with your feet elevated while watching television would cause an increase in urine volume.

Drinking more than you are sweating is the most likely cause. Even though your recent lab work was normal, there is an outside chance that you are in very early type II diabetes. In early stages of type II diabetes, the fasting glucose is normal, but glucose goes up immediately after eating. There could be enough sugar in the Gatorade to cause plasma glucose to go above 160 mg/dL, in which case, the kidney will spill glucose into the urine, and the osmotic effect of the glucose will pull water with it. If you had a normal hemaglobin A1c (although most physicians do not measure that unless the glucose is abnormal) or a normal glucose tolerance test (again, not usually performed unless diabetes is highly suspected), glucose in the urine is not going to be the cause. Diabetes is a longshot, but possible.

How much do you drink while you are exercising? Have you weighed yourself before and after you exercise? If you weigh more after exercising than you did when you started you are drinking too much, and that is why you need to go so often.

 

[RickF]

ok for starters, you could have a normal resting blood glucose level but still have problems with simple sugars... you probably need one of those tests that require you to drink a glucose drink and have some blood drawn over a couple of hours to determine if you are processing sugar normally... you also might want to just use plain water during your workout and see if you have similar problems...

A hemaglobin A1c assessment is easier and would give the same answer. It is true that in early type II diabetes, one can fast oneself to a normal glucose, but to have a normal hemaglobin A1c one would have to have a normal glucose for a week or more. If glulcose goes up immediately after meals (which is what the 2 hour glucose tolerance test is designed to test), then hemaglobin A1c would be elevated.

 

[Jim R]

I am an Internal Medicine Physician and you are probably drinking more fluids than you need. I love Spinervals DVD's but Coach Troy does tend to push fluid intake and I often finish the workouts better hydrated than when I started. Sometimes drinking even takes my mind off the pain.

You won't urinate from hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) unless your blood sugars are very high (ie. > 250-300) which would be easily evident on a blood test. You would also be urinating frequently all the time. If you just had a normal blood sugar recently, diabetes is not causing your problem.

The other possibility is a functional bladder problem possibly exacerbated by pelvic presure from the seat but then it would be evident with all your bike riding and probably at other times as well. If you have problems with bladder control, inability to "hold it" as well as before, cough or sneezing incontinence, etc. it might be reasonable to have this checked out. I doubt this is the problem though either although a mild bladder problem could make overdrinking more of a problem.

A simple test would be to look at your urine color before and after your workouts. If you urine is normal colored before you workout and then becomes clear (ie. diluted) it is from excessive drinking. The opposite would also be true - if you don't drink enough, your body will concentrate the urine more and it will become a deeper yellow color.

Try cutting way back on fluids and see what happens. If this doesn't solve the problem, I would see your doctor.

 

[bmph8ter]

How much difference is there between the saddle and the setup (fit) on your road bike versus the spin bike? I'm not sure if it would make a difference in your case, but last summer I had to be like every 15-20 minutes when riding the tandem with my wife; it never happened that much on my road OR mountain bikes. The difference was the saddle and my position on the tandem. Once I swapped the seat and made a few adjustments (seat tilt, etc) the problem went away. Good luck!

 

[9.8mps2]

Jim (the I. M. man above ) gives you your best data. ( a good one usually does)
Until me , no one was weisenheimer enough to suggest you look into getting a ride with Team Detrol . sorry, gotta go now.
Thats what I use to eval if I'm putting out enough on hills - just to the threshold of incontinence at the crest...and I'm male ...I just can't climb very well .
Do you have kids ? Your gyn HX is relevant.

 

[RobinfromBoston]

Does the problem only occur on the spin bike, or do you have similar issue while riding outside? Is there a significant amount of anxiety or anticipation involved with doing these Spinervals workouts (ie, are they really challenging, which may be causing some anxiety)? Have you tried 'just riding' at a moderate pace (without the DVD) on your spin bike for 30-60 min to see if you have similar problems?

Interesting thought but ole' Coach Troy doesn't intimidate me at all! I do, however, frequently swear out loud at him during the workout.

 

[RobinfromBoston]

I am an Internal Medicine Physician and you are probably drinking more fluids than you need. I love Spinervals DVD's but Coach Troy does tend to push fluid intake and I often finish the workouts better hydrated than when I started. Sometimes drinking even takes my mind off the pain.

You won't urinate from hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) unless your blood sugars are very high (ie. > 250-300) which would be easily evident on a blood test. You would also be urinating frequently all the time. If you just had a normal blood sugar recently, diabetes is not causing your problem.

The other possibility is a functional bladder problem possibly exacerbated by pelvic presure from the seat but then it would be evident with all your bike riding and probably at other times as well. If you have problems with bladder control, inability to "hold it" as well as before, cough or sneezing incontinence, etc. it might be reasonable to have this checked out. I doubt this is the problem though either although a mild bladder problem could make overdrinking more of a problem.

A simple test would be to look at your urine color before and after your workouts. If you urine is normal colored before you workout and then becomes clear (ie. diluted) it is from excessive drinking. The opposite would also be true - if you don't drink enough, your body will concentrate the urine more and it will become a deeper yellow color.

Try cutting way back on fluids and see what happens. If this doesn't solve the problem, I would see your doctor.

I was thinking that my problem is worse in the cooler weather; I'm drinking alot of water during the workouts without a whole lot of sweating going on.
I will cut back on the fluids...

Thanks so much all; gotta go....I think I hear Coach Troy calling my name.

Robin

 

[kclw]

Since you are riding inside you don't share the same problems as I do.

When I ride out side in the winter I have stop and pee at least 4 times in a 2hr ride. I am pretty sure it is related to cold hand and feet. But what ever the cause it is a pain the bladder.

I can wait until the temp gets about 0.

 

[RobinfromBoston]

Since you are riding inside you don't share the same problems as I do.

When I ride out side in the winter I have stop and pee at least 4 times in a 2hr ride. I am pretty sure it is related to cold hand and feet. But what ever the cause it is a pain the bladder.

I can wait until the temp gets about 0.

Shiver! Groundhog says early spring...