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How a decaff teabag changed my life.

(35 Posts)
Sago Mon 07-Aug-23 08:35:00

I woke up this morning in our London hotel after a good nights sleep, we had a seamless journey down in the train from East Yorkshire and Im looking forward to our day.

None of this was as easy a few weeks ago until I cut out caffeine, tomatoes, strawberries and gin, these are all the things that send my bladder into overdrive.
Every journey and event was dominated by my endless peeing!

I could go to the loo every 10 minutes after eating/drinking an irritant at night 4/5 visits were not unusual.

I hated having to use public lavatories especially during Covid, I managed the whole journey yesterday without paying a visit.

No health professionals ever suggested the problem could be diet related.

I just wanted to share this on the off chance any of my fellow GNetters have the same problem!

I feel like a new woman!!!

MayBee70 Thu 10-Aug-23 09:38:09

Even though decaf tea and coffee have solved my problem with travelling etc I still can’t stop having to get up in the night several times to go to the loo. It’s exhausting sometimes. I have to put on my get back to sleep fast relaxation tape otherwise I struggle to get back to sleep again.

Maremia Wed 09-Aug-23 10:40:11

Very helpful comments on this thread, thanks GNs. Schumee, may I ask you about what is wrong with 'going just in case', as I do this before I leave the house?

Yoginimeisje Wed 09-Aug-23 09:55:42

Interesting thread. I suffered from terrible acid indigestion. Loved tomatoes and had lots for my lunch, but when I cut them out, after about a week my acid Ing. was 75% better. I loved sun dried tomatoe sourdough bread too, couldn't get it for a week so had normal sourdough bread, then after eating the sundried tom bread for just 2-3 days realised that even though I only had one slice, this too caused acid indig., so not eating that either sad But really shows how you can cure yourself with heathy eating!

crazyH Tue 08-Aug-23 20:29:09

‘Key in door syndrome ‘? - I need to Google it 😂

mrsgreenfingers56 Tue 08-Aug-23 20:22:37

Beansprouts make me go to the loo all the time to spend a penny and irrate my bladder. Taken me months to dawn on me.

MayBee70 Tue 08-Aug-23 19:07:52

I think a bit of padding in that area helps as well because, after years of worrying about needing a loo urgently I find that I need a bit of psychological reassurance.

Kim19 Tue 08-Aug-23 17:55:20

This is a wonderfully helpful and constructive thread. Thank you to all contributors. For all the times I've seen (in the long distant past) a doctor over a waterworks problem, my diet has never been brought into the conversation but a quick prescription for antibiotics resulted. Sad and pretty shameful really. I will certainly miss strawberries and rhubarb but...only for a little while. Many thanks.

Oreo Tue 08-Aug-23 17:46:48

Oooh, key in the door syndrome 😬I know all about that!
I hardly ever need the loo when out and about but often just pop to the loo at home, maybe too much. I find tight jeans help me not feel like I need to pee.

MayBee70 Tue 08-Aug-23 17:32:42

If I drink caffeinated tea or coffee in the evening, not only am I constantly going to the loo but I can’t sleep. A combination of sticking to decaf drinks and treating vaginal atrophy with Replens means that I can now do long car journeys without stopping off for the loo, something I didn’t want to do because of covid. I no longer get key in door syndrome, either. It was a problem that just crept up on me to the point where I just accepted it as a way of life.

fancythat Tue 08-Aug-23 17:11:22

That could be true. Thanks.

Theexwife Tue 08-Aug-23 17:08:12

fancythat it may not be so bad in the summer as you probably drink more than in winter. I thought I drunk enough tea and coffee throughout the day but as I said two litres of water made all the difference.

Wyllow3 Tue 08-Aug-23 16:53:59

I shall buy raspberries now and think hard about caffeine.

fancythat Tue 08-Aug-23 16:20:26

Theexwife

Water changed my life, for many years I suffered from a post-nasal drip, where excessive mucus goes down the back of your throat, and constant coughing which also causes heartburn. I was constantly taking decongestants and using nose sprays.

I was talking to an assistant in Boots about it and she said to drink more water. I now drink two litres a day and it cleared up instantly, it also helped with constipation and my skin looks so much better.

Ooh, interesting.
I was diagnosed with this early last year.
I used nose spray initially.
But I dont like taking medication in general so set out to find out what I could do myself.
Weirdly, I worked out that if I kept my chest warm, kept my chin at a certain angle at night, and my left chin warm, that cut out the worst of it.

I dont drink a whole lot of water.

The whole thing is not so bad in warm weather. Bearable.
But I will try the water suggestion this winter.

nadateturbe Tue 08-Aug-23 15:04:10

I drink rooibos tea. Apparently mothers in S Africa use it for colic.
Wyllow3 I can't eat strawberries.

HowVeryDareYou2 Tue 08-Aug-23 15:03:35

I was treated for 15 years for an overactive bladder (weeing 20-30 times daily) until a few years ago, when I asked to be referred to a Urologist. He advised cutting out all caffeine and fruit juice, and the difference has been unbelievable.

TheMaggiejane1 Tue 08-Aug-23 14:51:57

How interesting Sago, I have been on a acid free diet for a month now following an horrendous bout of GERD. It suddenly occurred to me after being on the diet for 2 weeks that I hadn’t given my normally overactive bladder a second thought. I’m now having to weigh up how much tasty food and alcohol is worth compared to pain free days and, as you point out, the freedom of being able to use public transport again!

grandtanteJE65 Tue 08-Aug-23 14:17:25

Watch out for rhubarb too if rheumatism or related conditions are a problem!

My godson as a baby suffered dreadfully from ear infections until his paternal grandmother declined a glass of a well-known brand of blackcurrant juice in his home. This made my godson's mother wonder if the child, like his grandmother was allergic to the stuff - and would you know it? He was,

So stuffed noses, frequent colds, earache, urinary infections, coughts or just needing to wee constantly can all be caused by some form of allergy.

So if your doctor has assured you there is nothing wrong with you and the problem still exists, keep a diary of what you eat and drink for a month or so. Doing so, frequently high-lights whatever is the cause of your reaction,

Theexwife Tue 08-Aug-23 13:25:24

Water changed my life, for many years I suffered from a post-nasal drip, where excessive mucus goes down the back of your throat, and constant coughing which also causes heartburn. I was constantly taking decongestants and using nose sprays.

I was talking to an assistant in Boots about it and she said to drink more water. I now drink two litres a day and it cleared up instantly, it also helped with constipation and my skin looks so much better.

spabbygirl Tue 08-Aug-23 13:15:52

I'm just discovering how its better to manage some health conditions without medication I have diverticulitis where you get huge pain and infections in the large colon, usually it gets worse and worse & then dr prescribes strong antibiotics & they have side effects too. But recently I have eaten an alkaline diet and when I did get a problem I ate half a teaspoon of Mauna hone and it went within an hour! I do think its worth changing things in your life too.

grannybuy Tue 08-Aug-23 13:00:38

I have found that since I stopped taking a statin, I have been more ‘ continent ‘.

Angharad19 Tue 08-Aug-23 12:14:15

When I had a kidney stone when I was young and didn’t drink enough water, I was in Barcelona and had an excellent doctor who put me on a bland diet and forbade spirits, caffeine, tomatoes, strawberries, rhubarb, gooseberries. It worked. I am a lot older now and it never happened again.

Lostmyglassesxx Tue 08-Aug-23 12:13:54

Tomatoes are high in histamine
And histamine intolerance causes inflammation

Bijou Tue 08-Aug-23 12:05:41

I try to cut out coffee because of weak Bladder.
Oranges and tomato’s make my arthritis worse.

Soozikinzi Tue 08-Aug-23 12:01:54

My mum's arthritis in her handsvwas always worse after tomatoes .

Schumee Tue 08-Aug-23 11:23:22

I used to be a “continence nurse” it is really surprising how many foods and fluids can irritate your bladder but equally not drinking enough and going just in case can make overactive bladder worse