Posted by tommie on May 24, 1999 at 17:18:32
My husband was a bedwetter as a child. It ceased totally around the age of 12. He is in his mid-50s now, and within the past two or three years has had several episodes of nocturnal enuresis. These episodes are usually accompanied by dreams that he is urinating. Is this a common occurrence, or is a medical checkup indicated? He is a VERY heavy sleeper, snores loudly and quits breathing for periods of time during the night. He has been on high blood pressure medicine for about two years, but takes no other medications. His health is generally good. He is embarrassed and concerned about this, and we have not been able to find much information that addresses adult bedwetting.
Thank you.
Posted by HFHS M.D.-KR on June 02, 1999 at 08:39:30
---------------------
Dear Tommie,
Nocturnal enuresis (nighttime wetting ) is a common problem that affects many families. The incidence of nighttime wetting decreases with age. At age 5 yrs old, 10% of children are wet. By age 10, the incidence decreases to 5 %. By the time children reach adolescence 1 % still have this problem. Most children therefore will grow out of it.
In your husband’s case, he did seem to have resolution of the wetting and now it has returned. This may indicate a new problem. In men wetting can occur due to problems related to the prostate. It may be that your husband does not empty his bladder completely due to enlargement of the prostate. This condition is called overflow incontinence. Another possibility is that the blood pressure medications are causing him to make large amounts of urine at night. These medications are commonly called ‘water pills’ and include Lasix, Maxide, And Hydrochlorothiazide to name a few.
A thorough examination by a urologist may help to assess the problems mentioned above. Most people with night time wetting are very sound sleepers. However, studies have shown that bedwetting is not a sleep disorder, meaning that deep sleep is not the cause. It would be wise to look for alternative causes of the enuresis in this case.This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653 6568).
HFHS MD-KR
*keyword: bedwetting, enuresis
