Gastroenterology & Hepatology Questions Gastroenterologist

Why does night time urination set off stomach bloating, cramping, and reflux symptoms?

I am a 63 year old male. I take pantaprozole for a hiatal hernia, rousavastin for cholesterol, and tamsulosin for excessive urination. I also take Miralax to help pass material. Every night about 2 or 3 am I get up and dispense a large volume of urine. Within seconds, my stomach is filled with gas, bloating, sometimes cramping, sometimes nausea. I experience belching and nasty flatulence for the rest of the evening, which usually carries over to the rest of the day. I don't seem to have normal stools. Either small flimsy-looking light-colored stools or explosive diarrhea. I have a constant dull pain in my lower abdomen. I have had 2 abdominal scans, an upper GI, a colonoscopy, a bladder fill test, and urinary tests, all negative. A colorectal specialist believes I may have non-relaxing Pubo Rectalis Syndrome, and increased my insoluble fiber intake to 20 grams a day, in addition to therapy to teach me how to relax the rectal muscle, but has no answer for why my gas symptoms are initiated by nighttime urination. Despite the fiber and bowl exercises, I remain feeling miserable.

Male | 63 years old
Complaint duration: 2.5 years
Medications: Pantaprozole, rousavastatin, tamsolusion, Miralex
Conditions: excessive urination, incontinence (urinary and rectal), bloating, cramping

2 Answers

The nighttime urination probably has nothing to do with your G.I. symptoms that occur at night. This needs to be further evaluated by your gastroenterologist. When you wake up the symptoms start and are coincidental with the need to urinate.
This seems like a very tricky and complex case. It appears that a full bladder may be making it difficult for the colon to empty, so, after the bladder releases a lot of urine at night, then the colon is able to evacuate better. Very hard to diagnose this, as it is a dynamic process that cannot be easily proven on X-rays. But overall I would guess that if the bladder is able to empty more readily during the day, then you would not have these problems at night. I recommend that you focus first on getting the bladder to function better and empty more fully during the day.