[pct-l] Bathroom stops

[Edward Anderson]

Dear Melanie,
 
Unfortunately, I am the exception - that you mention in your last paragraph, and I'm sure that others have a similar problem. I have no problem holding my urine during the daytime. At night, it is different. And it's not because of drinking too much. Even if I don't have much in my bladder, when my brain says that I have to pee, I have to pee. Can't go back to sleep until I do. I have had this problem most of my life (I'm 76), and have come to accept it. Of course I have discussed it with many, many, doctors over the years. If there is a medical solution, they can't find it. Cutting way back on my intake of fluids after 3:00 PM really does not make much difference - I just pee less, but just as often. I have, long ago, accepted it and it does not slow me down. By the way, I enjoy perfect health, and my body only requires 5 to 5.5 hours of sleep - while most folks seem to need about 8. We are all different. Consider yourself fortunate that you do
 not have a peeing problem.
 
Respectfully,
MendoRider-Hiker
 

________________________________
 From: Melanie Clarke <melaniekclarke at gmail.com>
To: mkwart at gci.net 
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net; mendoridered at yahoo.com 
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:40 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Bathroom stops
  

Dear PCT,

I am amazed by all the people who allow themselves to be inconvenienced by urinary frequency when the remedy is so simple.  

I think it is important to get a good night's sleep.  If I had to wake up more than once (even once is too much) I would seriously consider monitoring my fluid intake near bed time.  It is difficult for me to fathom how some people consider urinating once every 15 minutes to be normal, rather than indicative of a serious medical issue.  Never mind hiking, I wonder how these people can get any work done?  I never understood how people could poison themselves by drinking too much water (hyponatremia), I can only reason that they achieve this by shutting down all common sense. 

Too much of a good thing can be bad.  If a person weighed 300lbs, reason tells us that it would be prudent to monitor food intake, or see a doctor for glandular issues.  If a person is spending half their life over a toilet, reason should guide us to cut back on the fluid intake or see a doctor for diabetes, bladder infection or other medical issue. 

I don't want to offend anyone but please let me suggest that you would have more fun in life if you ate the right amount of food and drank the right amount of water.  (I'm still working on "the right amount of food" thing!)  There are exceptions, of course, I can understand an occasional night of revelry and drinking which results in a lot of bathroom visits but this everyday water-bathroom thing, oy! 

Toga




On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 10:15 AM, <mkwart at gci.net> wrote:

The first few days backpacking I have to pee frequently (the first day
>out almost once per hour). Then the frequency diminishes. I strill have
>to pee about 8 times a day. I use a cottage cheese container to pee into
>at night inside my tent so it doesn't disrupt my sleep as much having to
>get out of the tent. I put the cover back on the container and just
>dispose of the contents in the morning. I read the Andrew Skurka book
>where he says he uses three sheets of toilet paper a day--I ration about
>10. I've also switched from regular toilet paper to cutting sheets of
>good quality paper towels in quarters--it is more absorbent for the size
>than toilet paper. I have also used the small travel packets of
>kleenex,which do not have to be cut and our local hardware store often
>has them on special in their bargain bin at 10 packs for $1.50.
>--Fireweed
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