Cause Of Frequent Urination And Extreme Thirst

daphniela · August 20, 2009

I was given antibotics last week for a bladder infection. It has not cured me. I am still having the same symptoms and my doctor also tested my blood sugar and it was normal. Is it still possible I am diabetic? Could I have just happened to be normal that day? If not diabetes, then what else could it be? I am only 29 years old. 4'10" 127 pounds at last weigh in at doctor. My weight fluctuates up and down. I was losing 2 pounds a week then started gaining again.

chasbari · August 20, 2009

I don't know about the diabetes but I do know that before I was dx'ed for celaic I was having all sorts of problems with excess thirst and urination... especially after meals. I was attributing it to leaky gut symptoms as I would also have visual acuity problems and heart palpitations after eating. I could never get enough water to drink but after meals I would have to go to the bathroom way out of proportion to fluid intake. I would skip eating all morning and early afternoon because of this. Once I went gluten-free all my systems seemed to re-regulate as things began to heal. Hope this helps somewhat.

missy'smom · August 20, 2009

There can be several causes for your symptoms but, if you are concerned about diabetes, the best way to rule it out is to get further testing. Ask for an A1c, that's a measure of blood sugar averages over the previous time period. You can also ask for a glucose tolerance test where they have you drink pure glucose and measure you blood sugar in response to it. A one time finger stick or fasting blood draw is not very conclusive. Just as an example, when I went in for my Gtt, my fasting BG was 89 that day. 83 is a truely normal BG. Open Original Shared Link But my BG went up to nearly 300 during the test. The lady in the lab said that the solution was equivalent to that in a soft drink.

I had a similar experience with the suspected ongoing UTI before DX. All those symptoms went away once I started managing my blood sugar.

People of all ages,weights and sizes can develop diabetes. Don't let a doctor tell you otherwise. Some people find that their problems resolve after adopting this way of life(gluten-free) but others, like myself find that it doesn't. It is MUCH more manageable the earlier it is caught though! And the earlier it is caught, the less opportunity for long-term consequences. IMHO it would be better to get a diagnosis and manage it now and then find it resolves itself later than to hope that it goes away and wait, that is if a problem is known to exist.

ang1e0251 · August 20, 2009

I, too, worried about diabetes before celiac disease. My blood sugar always tested OK. I knew I was hypoglycemic. When I broke out in a rash that wouldn't heal, I was really stumped because I thought that had to show diabetes. Then I read it also could be a sign of celiac disease!

That's what finally helped me DX myself. I still drink a lot and urinate a lot but I have done both since I was a child. The low blood sugar is better managed gluten-free and I no longer worry about diabetes. I know it can happen to anyone but I feel I am eating so much more healthy for my body now that it is less of a concern.

As for bladder infections, my sister and mom were having problems with recurring ones. My sister found that increasing her daily intake of Vitamin C kept hers in check. That worked for my mom, too.

You could have other vitamin deficiencies too. It's pretty common for those with celiac disease. Make sure you're getting enough of the B vitamins, calcium and magnesium. The right balance will help your body fight infections.

daphniela · August 20, 2009

I just went back to the doctor and got my urine tested again. There was no sign of a UTI. My white and red blood cells were normal. But I had blood and protein in my urine. He gave me more antibiotics. This time a different kind. I have been gluten free for about 5 or 6 months now so this isn't a reaction to gluten. He sent my urine to the lab for further testing. He told me he is going to see if there is an infection. My weigh in today was 124. So I lost weight again since my last visit less than 2 weeks ago.

I don't know if I should ask for diabetic testing. It runs in my family and now I am thinking kidney damage because of the blood and protein found in my urine. But the blood could be my period about to start as I haven't had one since May. I will see if I start tonight. If no period, then what other tests should I ask for. I don't know what other tests he is doing for my urine. I didn't think to ask at the time. My doctor knows I am proactive and I will just outright ask for a test if I think I need it.

ravenwoodglass · August 20, 2009

daphniela said:
I just went back to the doctor and got my urine tested again. There was no sign of a UTI. My white and red blood cells were normal. But I had blood and protein in my urine. He gave me more antibiotics. This time a different kind. I have been gluten free for about 5 or 6 months now so this isn't a reaction to gluten. He sent my urine to the lab for further testing. He told me he is going to see if there is an infection. My weigh in today was 124. So I lost weight again since my last visit less than 2 weeks ago.

I don't know if I should ask for diabetic testing. It runs in my family and now I am thinking kidney damage because of the blood and protein found in my urine. But the blood could be my period about to start as I haven't had one since May. I will see if I start tonight. If no period, then what other tests should I ask for. I don't know what other tests he is doing for my urine. I didn't think to ask at the time. My doctor knows I am proactive and I will just outright ask for a test if I think I need it.

If you are showing blood and protein in your urine that could maybe be a possible sign of kidney impact. I get both when glutened but since I went gluten-free that is the only time I have those issues. I am glad your doctor sent your specimen in for more testing. It does sound like your doctor is on top of this. I would imagine your next step would be seeing either a urologist or a nephrologist. If it makes you feel better ask your doctor for an A1C as another poster mentioned. Please do make sure the script he gave you is gluten free, check with your pharmacist to be positive or with the company that makes the drug.

The Fluffy Assassin · August 21, 2009

daphniela said:
I was given antibotics last week for a bladder infection. It has not cured me. I am still having the same symptoms and my doctor also tested my blood sugar and it was normal. Is it still possible I am diabetic? Could I have just happened to be normal that day? If not diabetes, then what else could it be? I am only 29 years old. 4'10" 127 pounds at last weigh in at doctor. My weight fluctuates up and down. I was losing 2 pounds a week then started gaining again.

You might want to get your thyroid function checked. I'm having similar problems (copious if not frequent urination, body temperature regulation difficulties) and if they don't clear up soon, diabetes testing and thyroid testing will have to be my next move.

Edit: Probably a crazy idea, but I had another thought. In my case, I've always been extremely cold-natured, never sweating, sometimes wearing sweaters in the summertime. It's just possible that I (and maybe you too if you had that condition) am (are) just becoming normal for the first time, and thus need a lot of hydration to cool down (and thus are urinating more). Anyway, a more cheerful thought than diabetes or thyroid trouble.

daphniela · August 30, 2009

I went back to the doctor. There is still blood in my urine. He did another blood sugar test. I came came back 128 which is normal. They said they aren't concerend till it is 150. My urine came back from the lab without an infection. My doctor doesn't know what is wrong and sent me to see my OB.

I have had my thyroid checked before and it is normal.

missy'smom · August 30, 2009

daphniela said:
I went back to the doctor. There is still blood in my urine. He did another blood sugar test. I came came back 128 which is normal. They said they aren't concerend till it is 150. My urine came back from the lab without an infection. My doctor doesn't know what is wrong and sent me to see my OB.

I have had my thyroid checked before and it is normal.

When was it 128-after a meal-one hour?, two hours? or in the a.m. after fasting overnight?

EDIT: 128 could be normal or not depending on when it was taken. What kind of test? There are several and they all give different data and have different meaning. The reason I ask is if BG is still 128 two hrs. after a meal that is not normal nor is 128 fasting. Both are elevated. 140 is the point at which damage to the tissues in the body starts to occur. Once in a while is not to be alarmed but frequently and you start to have trouble over time. If the doc. is thinking not to worry until fasting BG is over 150 then that's too late in my opinion. So many docs. put it off and accept too high numbers for too long so that's why I am a little persistant in asking. I'm not saying you have it but it's important to carefully rule it out. It sounds so scary but it's not the end of the world if someone has it but early intervention is key!

Thanks for the update. Many of us wonder out of concern how people who post are doing.

Good luck to you. I hope you get to the root cause of your problem so you can feel better.

daphniela · August 31, 2009

missy said:
When was it 128-after a meal-one hour?, two hours? or in the a.m. after fasting overnight?

EDIT: 128 could be normal or not depending on when it was taken. What kind of test? There are several and they all give different data and have different meaning. The reason I ask is if BG is still 128 two hrs. after a meal that is not normal nor is 128 fasting. Both are elevated. 140 is the point at which damage to the tissues in the body starts to occur. Once in a while is not to be alarmed but frequently and you start to have trouble over time. If the doc. is thinking not to worry until fasting BG is over 150 then that's too late in my opinion. So many docs. put it off and accept too high numbers for too long so that's why I am a little persistant in asking. I'm not saying you have it but it's important to carefully rule it out. It sounds so scary but it's not the end of the world if someone has it but early intervention is key!

Thanks for the update. Many of us wonder out of concern how people who post are doing.
Good luck to you. I hope you get to the root cause of your problem so you can feel better.

I had just ate before going to the doctors and I was waiting for maybe an hour and I walked there which takes about 20-30 minutes. He just did a regular blood sugar finger prick test. I am going to the hospital today. I don't want to wait to see my OB. I can't get in till the 8th and I am thinking that is too long especially since it seems like my symptoms are not changing and I feel sicker and sicker by the day. When I get to the hospital what tests should I ask for? now I am getting back pain and severe cramping after urinating.

missy'smom · August 31, 2009

128 1 hr. after a meal is nothing for concern. Meals vary in composition and so there can be variances in blood sugar-some people with diabetes can achieve 128 1 hr. after a meal, without insulin or meds but, that is often a meal without the usual carbs-mostly meat and veg. add in any amount of the usual carbs and they go over the safe threshold. The more data you get the better picture of what is going on IMHO whether you are investigating diabetes or something else. As for diabetes, An A1c, which involves a blood draw(as usual from the arm) is a measure of average blood sugar over time and will give a better picture than a one-time finger stick. That would be a good place to start. I'm not sure if you need to be fasting for it to be accurate but you can look it up on the website I posted a link to earlier. You need to be fasting overnight for a glucose tolerance test so that is something that would need to be scheduled. They have you drink a solution and then do blood draws every so often over the course of two hours or more to see how your body responds to the glucose(blood sugar levels) and they can also check insulin levels at the same time so even more data, but they don't always do that. Whether you go further with testing now or not, it's good to be aware of and keep an eye on given your family history. You have to do what YOU think is right and advocate for yourself! You know your body best. Demand tests if you think you need them, whether diabetes or something else. My experinece is with diabetes so that's what I can share but there may be other things to look into as well. You deserve to get help and answers and don't deserve to have to put up with symptoms. Ask questions and ask for test results.

psawyer · August 31, 2009

The A1c test measures your average blood glucose level over the past three months. It does not matter when the blood for it is drawn. You don't need to fast.