Spending a penny

That's interesting Fennel, I finally found out they were causing my irritating dry cough too - so my GP changed them. (I think they go for the cheapest supplier first, but these have more side effects).

Good advice from evianers.
I think this problem as we get older is partly due to the weakening of the muscles which hold the bladder in place.
Blood pressure medications also can contribute.

I once read a really interesting article, can´t remember where or when, which said that most of us, who were born in the 1950s, were brought up on the method of putting very young children on the potty before they were ready. The consequence being that we now are not able to hold our wee in, flexing the wrong muscles, or something to that effect. It is certainly the case for me, when I need to go, I need to go. Whenever I travel anywhere, I have the public toilets mapped out. The answer is not to drink anything for a while before leaving home, which definitely is not healthy. I remember my mother stopping me from drinking before going anywhere. You couldn´t do it with today´s young, who are forever sipping from water bottles. Probably better for them in the long run.

Yes, you can re train your bladder. I did at night time, when I felt I wanted to go waited for a few mins and then the feeling would pass. Now I never need to get up in the night.

If you go too often or when you do not really need to go it creates a sensitive bladder where you always feel you need to go.

My mother used to say I had 'hollow legs' when I was young, This is not quite the case now. I can usually hold it until I put the key in the door. As I don't have a downstairs loo, it's a case of trying to get upstairs with my legs crossed.

Surprised is also what you can be if you miss out the "just in case" before leaving the house and then discover that it is the case as you are getting onto the bus to face an hour-long journey.

Surprised is the missing word lol

I always double void, just wait 20/30 secs after the first one I'm always how much is left for the second it works for me.

I do my pelvic floor exercises at traffic lights. Nothing else to do

I think there is an approved technique to pass urine twice "in one sitting", as it were.

Double voiding?

It is all very well trying to hold it in but often you just can’t.
I find that going twice just before bedtime, or before going out, works well. I just can’t seem to empty out in one go.
I second doing pelvic floor exercises. I just wish I could remember more often.

I was told by a urologist to cut out the ‘just in case’ wees I was doing before I went out or before I set off home for example and only go when you really need to. However, you have to empty your bladder thoroughly (I stand up and lean forward) or a pool of infection stays in the bottom of your bladder and that’s why I was having so many UTI’s. Hope this isn’t TMI!

Best remedy is to do pelvic floor exercises similar to those after you have given birth. Tighten the muscles in the front and back passages whenever you think about it, but make certain these are done every day. It may take up to three months but works in the long run - good luck!

Yes, you can, and it means your bladder is emptied properly if you wait until its full before going.

Doing small, frequent wees can inflame your bladder and make you feel you need to go often, and doesn't always void everything, leaving 'sediment' behind.

Drinking plenty and then doing a full, dilute wee is better. (That's what I learned from the continence nurses, anyway)