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Why Do Diabetics Pee A Lot


Is Peeing A Lot A Sign Of Anxiety

Urinating Often? Here are Top Reasons: Diabetes Signs & Symptoms

So when you feel anxious, your bodys fear response can be triggered, overwhelming your bladders mechanisms for retaining urine, causing you to want to urinate, Ashwini Nadkarni, an associate psychiatrist with Brigham and Womens Hospital and an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, told HuffPost.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes

There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Each type causes high blood sugar levels in a different way.

In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas can’t make insulin. The body can still get glucose from food, but the glucose can’t get into the cells, where it’s needed, and glucose stays in the blood. This makes the blood sugar level very high.

With type 2 diabetes, the body still makes insulin. But a person with type 2 diabetes doesn’t respond normally to the insulin the body makes. So glucose is less able to enter the cells and do its job of supplying energy.


When glucose can’t enter the cells in this way, doctors call it insulin resistance. Although there’s plenty of insulin in the person’s body, because it doesn’t work properly, the pancreas still detects high blood sugar levels. This makes the pancreas produce even more insulin.

The pancreas may eventually wear out from working overtime to produce extra insulin. When this happens, it may no longer be able to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels where they should be. In general, when someone’s blood sugar levels are repeatedly high, it’s a sign that he or she has diabetes.

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How To Treat Frequent Urination Caused By Diabetes

Treating bladder problems stemming from diabetes is best approached by treating the disease as a whole.

Simply monitoring fluid intake or scheduling bathroom trips likely wont help much, as the major problem is excess blood sugar, not excess fluid.

If you do have diabetes, your doctor will come up with a treatment plan specifically for you. In general, common treatments for diabetes include:


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Why Could It Be Diabetes

One of the most common early signs of diabetes is a need to pee more often during the day. But it can also happen at night.

When thereâs too much sugar in your blood, which happens if you have diabetes, your kidneys have to work harder to get rid of it. This forces them to make more urine. The process doesnât stop just because youâre snoozing.

Diabetes can also damage your kidneys or bladder. Both can cause you to pee more.

When To See A Doctor

Diabetes History Taking Osce

If you have excess thirst or other symptoms, you may have diabetes, or your diabetes may not be well-managed.


Ask your doctor to test you for diabetes. This involves a blood test. You will have to fast for about 12 hours before the test. For this reason, its best to schedule your appointment first thing in the morning.

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Silent Symptoms Of Diabetes

More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, including 7.2 million that are undiagnosed. Additionally, 1.5 million Americans are newly diagnosed each year. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases. Diabetes has plenty of early signs, but some symptoms are subtle. Here are 10 subtle signs of diabetes:

You Have Interstitial Cystitis

A few signs and symptoms include: pelvic pain that is alleviated by urination, a persistent need to urinate, and frequent urination, says Dr. Landry.

According to Dr. Nandi, Most people will urinate up to seven times a day, but those suffering with interstitial cystitis may urinate as much as 35 to 40 times a day, and many times the actual act of urination will only produce a few drops of urine and the distracting sense of urgency may not always subside after going. This symptom will occur all day and usually throughout the night, which can cause problems with sleep patterns. Plus, pain might be present, and itll intensify as the bladder fills up, he explains.


Unfortunately, the exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not known, but many factors probably play a role. For example, there might be a defect in the protective lining of the bladder as a result, a leak in the epithelium might allow toxic substances in urine to irritate the bladder wall. Additionally, there might be a genetic cause or an infectious etiology, Dr. Landry explains.

Regarding treatment, not every patient will respond, she cautions. But your doctor might recommend the following: oral medications, nerve stimulation techniques, bladder distension , medications instilled into the bladder, surgery, or acupuncture, which might also provide some relief, she says.

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What Is Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus , also called water diabetes, is a condition marked by increased thirst and urination. It is not to be confused with the more common type of diabetes, diabetes mellitus . Four underlying conditions can lead to DI.

  • Central DI is the most common type and is caused by destruction of part of the pituitary gland that produces vasopressin, which regulates water balance and urine output from the kidneys. In infants and children, this is often an inherited condition. Other causes include tumors, infections and head injury.

  • Nephrogenic DI occurs when the pituitary produces enough vasopressin but the kidneys fail to recognize it because of an inherited or acquired kidney disease.

Maintaining proper water balance by drinking enough fluids is critical for children with DI, as they tend to lose a lot of water with frequent urination, which can lead to life-threatening dehydration. However, drinking too much water is also dangerous, as it may lead to a rare condition called water intoxication.


What Does Diabetes Doto Your Bladder

Is it Bad if I Have to Pee a Lot?
  • Urinary Retention

The diabetic bladder can lead to urinary retention, which means the bladder cannot void completely. Diabetes has damaged the bladder nerves ability to signal when the bladder is full. Once the diabetic bladder develops to an advanced stage, bladder fullness is not sensed until the bladder if overfilled to two or three times its normal size.

Paradoxically, excess glucose in the blood leads to excessive thirst and urination, which make people urinate more frequently because they drink more fluid. Once nerve damage sets in, the sensation to void is diminished, causing the bladder to overfill with urine. The overfilling stretches the muscle in the bladder, which can weaken it leading to decreased contractility. Because the bladder doesnt have enough strength to expel all the urine out, some urine is retained in the bladder. Retained urine increases the risk of infections, which are more common in people with diabetes in the first place.

  • Involuntary Leakage of Urine

The bladder can also become overactive: the damaged nerves can send wrong signals to the bladder, making it squeeze and expel fluids without warning.

Also Check: How Do You Know If You Have Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes And Its Impact On Your Urinary And Sexual Health

Diabetes and urological health issues are closely connected. Diabetics are prone to urinary tract infections , bladder issues and sexual dysfunction. Diabetes can often make your urologic conditions even worse because it can impact blood flow, nerves and sensory function in the body. Roughly 29.1 million people or 9.3 % of Americans have diabetes.


Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose levels are too high. Glucose is the body’s main source of fuel and comes from the foods you eat.

After your body breaks down food, glucose enters the bloodstream. The cells in your body need this sugar for energy, but a hormone called insulin must be present for the glucose to enter the cells. Your pancreas, a large gland that sits behind the stomach, is what makes the insulin.

In people without diabetes, the pancreas makes the right amount of insulin to move the sugar from the blood into the cells. But, in people with type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t make insulin at all. In people with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t make or use insulin the right way. This is called insulin resistance. Without enough insulin, glucose stays in the blood. Having too much of this in the bloodstream can harm your kidneys, eyes and other organs.

The A1C test is used by doctors to see how well you’re taking care of your diabetes. This blood test gives facts about a person’s blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. The American Diabetes Association suggests an A1C of 7 percent or below.

Just Cant Wait Toilet Card And Radar Key

Feeling anxious about being out and about when you have a bladder and bowel condition can make your symptoms worse. Having a Just Cant Wait toilet card can help you feel more reassured and confident that you can access public facilities. You can get a free Just Cant Wait toilet card or order a plastic Just Cant Wait Card via post for a small charge.


It may also help for you to have a RADAR key, which means you will be able to visit public accessible/disabled facilities. You do not need to have a visible disability or be in a wheelchair to use this key. If you have a medical condition which requires you to use accessible facilities then you are eligible to do so, and can purchase a key here from www.radarkey.org. RADAR keys are available to purchase, and may be available on a discretionary basis for customers of our Bladder & Bowel Home Delivery Service.

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Peeing Often Is A Condition Which Can Be Caused Due To Other Problems By Diabetes

There are many symptoms and signs of diabetes and frequent visits to the toilet is certainly one of them. But yes, just because you are peeing more frequently doesnt always mean you have got diabetes. We need to understand the relationship between urination and diabetes.

When a person suffers from diabetes the body produces less insulin, a vital hormone which converts sugar to energy. Less insulin means, the kidneys have to step in to process the sugar in the body. Having too much sugar in the body makes the kidneys flush out more liquid from the body which is the cause of the more than usual loo breaks.

Diabetic patients face the condition of hyperglycemia which can cause sweet smelling urine. The change in the smell of urine is one of the solid evidence indicating that the person has developed diabetes. In other cases, sweet smelling urine is the outcome of Diabetic Ketoacidosis, a life threatening condition. It is caused by type 1 or type 2 diabetes.


Cloudy urine can also be one of the symptoms of diabetes. Although cloudy urine can also be produced due to many other causes which have little or no relation with diabetes.

Peeing often is a condition which can be caused due to other problems by diabetes. Those problems include:

  • Kidney infection

When To Call For Help

Is Blood In Urine A Sign Of Diabetes

If you see any of the above symptoms in your child or teen, call your pediatrician. Increased urination and odorless, pale urine should always be red flags as they may signal water imbalance.

Children with DI are also at an increased risk for dehydration if they dont replenish the loss of water, so they need to be observed for signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, sluggishness, muscle weakness, dizziness, few or no tears when crying, rapid heart beat, fever, lack of sweating and extreme thirst.

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Other Potential Causes Of Frequent Urination

There is no normal amount of times to pee on a daily basis. Frequent urination is usually defined as having to go more frequently than you normally do. If thats the case, it could be a sign that something is wrong.

Urinating more often than normal can result from a number of different factors. Diabetes is only one possible explanation. Some other conditions that can sometimes affect your bladder function include:

When To Seek Medical Advice

You should always see your GP if you’re feeling thirsty all the time.

Although it may not be diabetes insipidus, it should be investigated.

Also see your GP if you’re:


  • peeing more than normal most healthy adults pass urine 4 to 7 times in a 24-hour period
  • needing to pee small amounts at frequent intervals sometimes this can occur along with the feeling that you need to pee immediately

Children tend to pee more frequently because they have smaller bladders.

But seek medical advice if your child pees more than 10 times a day.

Your GP will be able to carry out a number of tests to help determine what’s causing the problem.

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You Have Overactive Bladder Syndrome

This can be fairly common: People with overactive bladder syndrome might experience involuntary bladder contractions that lead to frequent and often urgent urination, meaning you get that urge even when your bladder is empty.


A frustrating situation, says Dr. Nandi, as it may also lead you to wake up once or more during the night to use the bathroom. The good news is that treatment for an overactive bladder can help. Try bladder retraining, says Nandi, which involves increasing the intervals between using the bathroom over the course of about 12 weeks. This helps retrain your bladder to hold urine longer and to urinate less frequently, he explains.

Some people find success with Botox, he notes. Botox can be injected into the bladder muscle, causing the bladder to relax, increasing its storage capacity, and reducing episodes of leakage, and several types of surgery are also available. The least invasive involve implanting small nerve stimulators just beneath the skin. The nerves they stimulate control the pelvic floor and the devices can manipulate contractions in the organs and muscles within the pelvic floor, he explains. Heres how to recognize 10 other signs you have an overactive bladder.

Why Do Pugs Pee On Everything

Why High Blood Sugar Cause Frequent Urination and Thirst: Type 2 Diabetes #9

Owning a Pug can be one of the best things in the world, theyre full of affection and are usually zestful and dynamic dogs.

However, not only are they filled with affection, but they can also be filled with pee! Which is rather less pleasant.

They can sometimes go to the toilet everywhere, leading us to ask the question Why do Pugs pee on everything?


  • Final Thoughts
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    How Is Type 2 Diabetes Treated

    Sometimes people with type 2 diabetes take pills that help the insulin in their bodies work better. Some also need insulin shots or an insulin pump to control their diabetes.

    People with type 2 diabetes have to pay a little more attention to what they’re eating and doing than people who don’t have diabetes. They may need to:

    • Eat a healthy diet, as determined by the care team.
    • Get regular physical activity to achieve a healthy weight and allow insulin to work more effectively.
    • Check their blood sugar levels on a regular basis.
    • Get treatment for other health problems that can happen more often in people with type 2 diabetes, like high blood pressure or problems with the levels of fats in their blood.
    • Have regular checkups with doctors and other people on their diabetes health care team so they can stay healthy and get treatment for any diabetes problems.

    People with type 2 diabetes might have to eat smaller food portions and less salt or fat, too. Those who eat healthy foods, stay active, and get to a healthy weight may bring their blood sugar levels into a healthier range. Their doctors may even say they don’t need to take any medicines at all.

    What Causes Diabetes Insipidus

    Diabetes insipidus is caused by problems with a hormone called vasopressin , also called antidiuretic hormone .

    AVP plays a key role in regulating the amount of fluid in the body.

    It’s produced by specialist nerve cells in a part of the brain known as the hypothalamus.

    AVP passes from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland, where it’s stored until needed.

    The pituitary gland releases AVP when the amount of water in the body becomes too low.

    It helps retain water in the body by reducing the amount of water lost through the kidneys, making the kidney produce more concentrated urine.

    In diabetes insipidus, the lack of production of AVP means the kidney cannot make enough concentrated urine and too much water is passed from the body.

    In rare cases, the kidney does not respond to AVP. This causes a specific form of diabetes insipidus called nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

    People feel thirsty as the body tries to compensate for the increased loss of water by increasing the amount of water taken in.

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    Do Cats With Diabetes Pee A Lot

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    Similarly one may ask, what are the signs that a cat has diabetes?

    7 Common Signs of Diabetes in Cats

    • Increased Thirst and Urination. Due to glucose not being able to enter the cells, blood glucose levels are raised.
    • Inappropriate Elimination.
    • Change in Gait.
    • Vomiting.

    Secondly, do diabetic cats eat a lot? Increased appetite often accompanied by weight loss: Many diabetic cats have a ravenous appetite, often pestering their owners for more food after clearing out their bowl.

    Herein, how long does a cat live with diabetes?

    Eighty to ninety-five percent of diabetic cats experience something similar to type 2 diabetes but are generally severely insulin dependent by the time symptoms are diagnosed. The condition is treatable, and if treated properly the cat can experience a normal life expectancy.

    Do cats with diabetes drink a lot of water?

    The cat urinates more which makes him thirsty and he drinks more water. The common signs of diabetes include increases in appetite, water consumption, and urination, along with weight loss. If untreated, diabetes results in vomiting, dehydration, lethargy, coma, vision loss, and even death.

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