Bed Wetting Causes

For kids with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE), there are two primary bed wetting causes. First, they need to urinate at night. Second …

Dr. Greene’s Answer:

Children who can control their bladders during the day, but who have never been dry at night for at least a six month period, have what is known medically as primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE), the most common form of bed-wetting. Over five million school-age children in the US alone have PNE. What are common bed wetting causes?

Sadly, most children with PNE feel that there is something wrong with who they are that causes their problem. Many of them feel that it’s the result of either bad thoughts or bad actions. They feel that somehow bed-wetting is a punishment.

Similarly, many parents feel that their children’s bed-wetting is a result of a defect in their parenting. This feeling is heightened by well-meaning friends and relatives who bring up questions of emotional instability as the cause of bed-wetting.

In a recent survey of 9,000 parents of kids ages 6 – 17, 22% stated that they thought the reason their child wet the bed was laziness (survey conducted by ICR Survey Group from July 10, 1996, through August 6, 1996). I am happy to tell you that this could not be further from the truth! Primary nocturnal enuresis is a common developmental phenomenon related to physical and physiologic factors. It does not come from emotional stress, poor self-esteem, or emotional immaturity.

Bed Wetting Causes

Children with PNE have two things in common. First, they need to urinate at night. Not all children do. During the first months of life, babies urinate around-the-clock. Most adults, however, don’t need to urinate at night (although a small percentage of the population will need to urinate at night throughout life). Sometime in middle childhood, most individuals make the transition from urinating around-the-clock to only urinating during waking hours. There are three reasons why individuals continue to need to urinate at night:

  1. There is an imbalance of the bladder muscles. For example, the muscle that contracts to squeeze the urine out is stronger, at moments, than the sphincter muscle that holds the urine in.
  2. They have bladders that are a little too small to hold the normal amount of urine.
  3. They make more urine than their normal-size bladders can hold, for several reasons:
    • They may drink too much. Drinking in the two hours before bed increases nighttime urine production.
    • They may be consuming a diuretic medication, a substance that directly increases urine output. Usually these are not prescribed medications, but caffeinated cola drinks or chocolate.
    • They may make more urine in response to a chronic disease such as diabetes or a chronic urinary tract infection.
    • They may make more urine than average because of their hormonal regulatory systems. Babies make about the same amount of urine around-the-clock. Most adults make less urine while they sleep. The reason for this is thought to be a nighttime surge of a hormone called Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH). The levels of ADH found in the blood are higher beginning in the evening. One study looking at ADH levels in bed wetters, compared to controls, found that there was a constant low level of ADH in the bed wetters. The nighttime surge did not happen. Perhaps this is a reason bed wetters tend to make more urine at night.

If an individual consistently has to urinate at night, one or more of the above three reasons is the cause. The second thing children with PNE have in common is that they don’t wake up when they need to urinate. When infants need to urinate, there is no signal that goes from the bladder to the brain to wake them up. This is wonderful, since they are not yet able to walk to the bathroom and use the toilet! On the other hand, when an adult’s bladder is full at night, there is a signal that goes from the bladder, through the nervous system, up to the brain. This initiates a dream about water, or more specifically, about going to the bathroom. The dream alerts our reticular activating system, which awakens us. We can then get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, and use the toilet. This signaling mechanism comes into play sometime in middle childhood.

For many years, parents of bed-wetting children have claimed that their children were deep sleepers. Physicians have usually disagreed with this, citing evidence from sleep EEGs showing that bed-wetting children went through the same stages of sleep as other children, at the same frequency, and that bed-wetting can occur at any stage of sleep.

I have never heard a parent come in and say, “My child spends too much time in stage four sleep.” They just say that their children are deep sleepers and are difficult to wake up. About a decade ago, researchers in Canada performed a simple, but powerful, study where they put headphones on children in a sleep lab. They began the study by allowing the children to get used to sleeping with the headphones on. Then they began introducing tones through the headphones. They measured the minimum volume it took to wake each child. The study showed that the children in the bed-wetting group were dramatically more difficult to wake up than normal controls — confirming what parents have known for years!

Children who wet the bed at night both need to urinate at night and do not wake up when their bladders are full. These are the only children who wet the bed.

Understanding the causes of bed-wetting can help remove its stigma. You are also now better equipped to evaluate the suggestions people make to you. Effective therapy is aimed at the underlying causes. Most children can be completely dry within 12 weeks.

N.B. As I stated in my earlier answer titled, “Is bed-wetting genetic?”, there is help for children who wet the bed! The biggest hindrances to getting help are the absence of a skilled, empathetic physician, and shame — parents and children are ashamed to bring the subject up with someone who can help. It is up to you to take the first step! Talk with your doctor. If you find that for some reason she or he is not able to get your child dry quickly and effectively, I would call the closest Children’s Hospital to find out who treats bed-wetting issues.

Dr. Greene is a practicing physician, author, national and international TEDx speaker, and global health advocate. He is a graduate of Princeton University and University of California San Francisco.

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  1. Ethel

    My son is 14 years old and he is still wetting bed what can I do plis help

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    • Hi Ethel,

      Thanks for writing in.

      I’m sure yoiu’ve tried a lot of different methods to help your son. Did you see Dr. Greene’s Q&A about Bed Wetting Treatments? Which of these treatments have you tried and how did they work for you?

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  2. Omotolani

    Hello Dr Greene,In a long while now I haven’t bedwetted since, except when I was in school once in my life when I was 16 now again this November 6 I bedwetted and I woke up few hours before dart time without any signal of me wanting to urinate .I feel really bad I couldn’t tell anyone cos I am so very much ashamed of my IQ

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    • Omotolani,

      Occasional bedwetting may be a sign of undiagnosed urinary tract infection or an unusually deep sleep due to illness. Do you remember the circumstances of either occasion? Did you have a mild fever or were you under unusual pressure or had you been overtired for some reason?

      If this happens again, and it may not ever happen again, reflect on your physical condition. If it’s related to an illness you may need to be treated for the illness.

      I hope that helps.
      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  3. Lilian

    Am 24,and I bed wet am seriously ashamed of myself each time I really don’t know what to do please help me

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    • Lenni Doyel

      There are several different treatments. But it means talking to your doctor to get help. There are medicines like DDAVP and alarms that vibrate and make a loud noise to wake you up as soon as a few drops of moisture hit the sensor. If your doctor doesn’t know what to do, ask to be referred to a urologist who deals with bedwetting.

      BTW — the medical name is enuresis (pronounced in-your-reece-is). You can look that up on a site that has pronunciations and tell the scheduler that’s why you want to see the doctor.

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    • Ruth

      Hello Dr Greene

      I’m 22 and I bed wet. I’ve tried everything i can and have run out of ideas. Sometimes I even deprive myself of water at night and starve just to make sure my bladder is really empty before bedtime. I don’t know what more to do. I need help please.

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      • Ruth,

        How discouraging! It sounds like you need to see a urologist who specializes in enuresis. You can likely find one by calling a major hospital in your area and asking to be transferred to the urology department. They will likely know where to direct you from there.

        I hope that helps.

        Best, @MsGreene
        Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  4. Wyatt

    Hey Dr Grenne I have recently started peeling the bed again and I’ve used a setting alarm and I’m nervous what doin do? Ps I’m 12

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    • Hi Wyatt,

      There are actual alarms that are built to help detect when you are just starting to wet and help wake you up before you do fully. Dr. Greene has written about them here –> Bed Wetting Alarms. That could be a good place to start, but it will require the help of a parent or other adult in the process. I hope there is someone in your life that will help you with this.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies

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    • Octavia

      I have a seven year old who wets the bed it drives us crazy what San I do to help him

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      • Hi Octavia,

        How hard — on everyone.

        Dr. Greene is a big advocate of Bed Wetting Alarms. Seven is a good age to use an alarm. They take a lot of work and a commitment to using one consistently. In the long run, everyone will be happier.

        I hope that helps.
        Best, @MsGreene
        Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  5. Tonya Bettinson

    Hi I have a 4 year old daughter that is bed wetting at night. She will be dry for 3-5 days out of the week wet the bed twice than stops. This is a routine that continues every week, I’m not sure how to help her stop completely. At night we make her stop drinking anything around 7pm and she normally goes to sleep around 9 or so. My husband and I both have her use the restroom right before she goes to bed. When I was a child I had what was called nocturia which I think this is the same thing maybe. I remember when I wet the bed that I was wet every night and I didn’t have dry nights like my daughter has. SO I’m lost on how to help my daughter. I know that she feels ashamed and disappointed in herself because she is the only child her age in our family that she know that is still wetting the bed.

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  6. Daphne

    I have PNE and I’m 13. While I was reading this I just started crying because my mom also thinks it because I’m lazy, but yeah😢😢

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    • Lori Rustin

      I don’t know your mom, so I can’t know for sure, but do you think she might understand if you showed her this article? If you have PNE it’s not laziness. And you shouldn’t be embarrassed. It’s not your fault. There’s medical help available and you deserve it. Ask your mom to help you. I bet she’ll be relieved to know there’s a way to end this.

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  7. Joy

    Hi doctor greene.I seriously need your help, I’m 21 and still wet the bed pls how can I possibly be helped

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    • Lori Rustin

      Have you always wet the bed, or was there a period when you did not, then started again? What have you tried so far?

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  8. ryan

    my name is ryan i am 12 years old i will often get laughted and shamed at by my brother who often ask me why your steal peeing in the bed at 12 i will cry asking if it was a curse from god the only time it will stop is if i thirst myelf during the day but sometimes i forget i be scared when i go on my cousins house scared of wetting the bed in be emmbarsed my body isnt normal need a cure so my family members want ashame me of being to big to pee in the bed i have been peeing my whole life out in bed im scared to ask my mom to go to the doctor cause of everone and how they look at me.

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    • Ryan,

      At 12 years old, (or even younger) you deserve help. Ask your mom to take you to the doctor. And if the doctor suggests a bedwetting alarm, ask for her help using it.

      You can change this, but not alone.

      Sincerely,
      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  9. Haley

    Hello my names haley and I am 16. I have been wetting the bed ever sense my first day of actual school. I was not always a bed weter but ever sense I when to school for the first time it started out of the blue! I am only dry 1 or 2 times out of the whole month! I am so ashamed and scared of when I grow up. What if I still have this issue?! My mother said surgery may help but what would they do? I remember that when I was young I had a bladder infection but that was cured. I have not tried exursize but I can now. Not to mention I have a really powerful smell with it. It’s so frustrating sleeping over at my freinds houses. I try not to go to sleep till 1in the morning so then I don’t have long to sleep. It’s rare that I have a water dream to signal and even at that I still don’t wake up. I am at a complete loss. When I don’t drink at night then my mouth is dry and I can’t fall asleep cus I am thirsty. What should I do? What might help me control this? Who do you suggest? Why is this happening? Is there a cure? Will I have to deal with this my whole life?! D: please help me!

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    • Hi Haley,

      I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through this. At 16, this must be very painful. I’m sure you’ve tried many treatments and have seen many specialists. Have you seen a urologist? Have you seen a sleep specialist? This would be a good place to start, if you haven’t already.

      Again, I’m so sorry for what you’re going through.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  10. Jo

    My sister urinate in bed at night in some days. At these days she eats chocolate before 3 to 2 hours.

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  11. Alexandre Becerra

    It’s 4am right now and can’t sleep because my 5yr old keeps wetting the bed. I have taken all the advice I could including prayer. I want to help him but I too feel a failure as a parent . His dad picks him up from school on Wednesdays by court order which throws his routine off and also picks him up every other weekend. I get no help from him or support on anything including the bed wetting. I don’t know what else to do. I will be taking him to the children’s hospital but if there’s any advice please help. Thank you.

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  12. Monique

    Dear doctor greene i just turned 15 and i am still wetting the bed my parents don’t know what to do with me and i fear that its messing with my health and my kidneys and lungs. I even do it on my period i need help any advice or prescription. Thanks

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  13. Lynn LeJeune

    My grandson just turned 5 & wets the bed every night he’s at my son’s house. However, he’s been potty trained for about a year. My son has 50% custody so that’s a lot of work for him & low self esteem for his son. He’s been trying to wake him up during the night to break the pattern but it doesn’t work because HE WON’T WAKE UP!! It’s like he’s a zombie, sleep walking. His eyes are glazed over & he gives no participation in using the toilet. Son pulls his pants down & he pulls them back up. He won’t respond to his dad even if he yells or tries to jolt him with a shake or two. If anyone has any advice, please help!!!

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    • Patsy Smith

      It’s not the child’s fault or the parent. It is either a small bladder or the signal from the brain is not working yet. It should clear up on its own eventually. Maybe take years. Talk to your local children’s hospital to find a qualified physician that specializes in enuresis (bed wetting). The most important thing you can do is assure the child that there is nothing wrong with them.

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  14. Cindy

    Hi Dr. Greene,

    My daughter has been a bed wetter her entire life and she is now 21. Doctors all said she would grow out of it. Bedwetters in both sides of the family. Would it be worth while to still seek out treatment? And what type of doctor?

    Thanks

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    • Lori Rustin

      Absolutely! I’d call a hospital and ask for the urology department, then explain and ask who they would recommend.

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  15. Clarice A.

    When our daughter started puberty at 12,she started wetting the bed.At first it was 3 to 4 times a week,then it got to be every night!We got her pull ups and goodnites but she broke out in rashes from them,so we tried disposable diapers and the same thing happened.So we got her cloth pin on diapers and rubberpants and they have been working for her-no rashes!She just turned 14 4 months ago and is still bedwetting and wearing the cloth diapers and rubberpants.I told her that her bedwetting should stop any time now as she is fully developed.She actually likes having me put the diapers and rubberpants on her at bedtime.

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  16. govinda

    sir I’m a 22 year old and whenever I sleep after some minutes I pie on bad and I didn’t know that I don’t know what should I do 🙇🙇
    sir if you can contact me than sir please do this

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  17. giselle

    I’m 17 years old, I have diabetes, I’ve never experienced bed wetting in my life until this week it happened twice already, and I don’t know what to do?

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  18. Kara

    We discovered bed wetting is often a combination of weak core muscles and dietary allergies (dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, or corn). If I knew then what I know now, I would’ve had my son tested for food sensitivities much sooner. In addition, he couldn’t do jumping jacks so we started with 30 snow angels a day (which helps curb bedwetting). After some time, he had the movement down and could finally do jumping jacks and his bedwetting stopped. We also had him doing 30 sit-ups a day. We discovered all this through the Brain Balance program.

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    • GREAT tips! Thanks so much for sharing!!! Would you be interested in writing a Guest Post for DrGreene.com about your experiences? If so, please let me know!

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  19. maggie

    I had this problem as well until I was around 14 years old. My father and his aunt also wet the bed until their early teens. My period started when I was 12 and my mom assumed they would stop then, but it did linger a little while longer. I’m 18 now and I could probably drink a gallon of water before going to bed and not worry about wetting the bed.

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  20. Jennifer

    My son is 9, about a year ago he had finally stopped wetting the bed every night. ( I had tried the alarm, I would not recommend that, not a good experience.🙁) But this summer he has been wetting the bed again just about every night that he is with me, however, he says when he is at his dad’s he rarely wets the bed. It seems backwards to me because he has more stability and positive interaction with myself then he does when he is at his dad’s. (I don’t know if this makes a difference but over the summer time we did one week dad’s one week with me. Now we are back to him being with me the majority of the time since school started again.) He wakes up at least once sometimes two or three times a night soaked and still having to go to the bathroom before he goes back to bed. I have read this article and some on WebMD, (I even looked up whether his qvar inhaler which he started this summer would have any effect on it, because he forgets to take that when he is at his dad’s).

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    • Lenyque

      I’m 14 and I’ve been wetting the bed all my life I think. We’ve tried medicine and waking up and the middle of the night and it still doesn’t work it’s really embarrassing. Please help

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      • Lori Rustin

        Have you tried bed wetting alarms? They are kinda hard to use, but they do work for most people. The alarm goes off right when you start to wet. At first, you’ll need someone to come and wake you up (like a parent), but in a matter of weeks, the alarm can be a signal to your brain that you are going to wet and then you wake up before you have an accident. When you reach that point you will have to get yourself up and go to the bathroom, which can be tough when you’re sleepy, but it’s a lot better than wetting the bed.

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  21. Dennis

    I wet the bed until i was 17, found i had a pituitary tumor, just wonder any correlation there.

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    • Jenny L.

      Oh gosh! That must’ve been scary. Did you get surgery done?

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  22. A jaklic

    65 yrs. old and a lifelong bedwetter.

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  23. Sandra

    Do doctors recommend putting diapers on children if they have bed wetting issues? My granddaughter is 4 years old and her mom is telling me the doctor said to start putting diapers on her at night.

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    • Deb

      It’s a diaper or your bed will be soaked. My grandson wears women’s Kroger brand size S/M. The small bags are $9.the large is Just under $20 or he wears the men’s XL Guards $9.9 Kroger brand( store brand.

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  24. LOKESH

    Please suggest me, since 1year I have been facing bed wet problem when I drink alcohol, from that I disturb more, Actually I have been taking alcohol since 7 or 8 years. Past years i couldn’t but now it seems so kindly give me a proper solution from that.

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  25. Adesola

    About the middle of this year i sort of had an infection i told my cousin who is health worker she gave me one drug known as mis pot cit which worked for d infection but i noticed i urinated alot often i would b able to hold it i will urinate on myself but after a while it stopped but all of sudden it came back again and now it’s worse once i feel like urinating before i get up i hav urinated on myself and it embarrassing because i am 20years old i stopped wetting the bed @ age 4 and i noticed it gets intense before and during my period

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    • Adesola,

      Frequent urination can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. It would be great for you to be checked by a doctor and for you to have a urine test.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  26. Kemi

    I’m 27 years old, I bedwet from childhood but not as frequent as now. It do happen before once every 5 or 6months but now twice every month. I’m so ashamed of myself that I can’t tell anyone even my parents. Each time it happens, I dream of urinating in the toilet or bathroom and when I wake up, the bed is already wet. Please help me out because its embarrassing

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    • Kemi,

      That must be so hard. I’m very sorry you’re going through this. Dr. Greene has a section on bedwetting treatment here.

      I hope that’s helpful.
      @MsGreene
      Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner and wife, but I am not Dr. Greene, nor am I a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  27. Nada

    Hello , I just turned 19 this past October and I have a big problem wetting my bed , I’ve had this problem since mu childhood and I’ve never stopped ,It isn’t like it was before because nowadays I don’t wet my bed that much , approximately 4 times a month (I noticed that it gets worse when the weather is cold) ,and throughout my life I’ve been to many doctors and psychiatrists ,I’ve took too many medicals but still it never stopped ,I don’t know what to do ,my parents think I’m doing this on purpose to gain their attention and I always tell them that it’s something I don’t have control over but they don’t believe me ,I lost so many friends because of it, I really hope I can find some comfort in here ,although I know I’m not the only one going through this ,Thank you.

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    • Jenny L.

      My parents are the same with me and I feel for you. I’ve recently turned 18 in October and I’m afraid to live in a dorm for college because of this issue. By the grace of God, only my closest friends know about this situation and all understand. Even though they have control over their bladder at night, they share their embarrassing stories of their most recent bedwetting experiences to help me feel not so alone. I still get embarrassed, but I find that setting an alarm 2 hours after you fall asleep helps you to wake up and use the restroom. It’s helped me for the past few days and because I am a heavy sleeper, it doesn’t take too long for me to fall back asleep. I hope that after this alarm system test, my body will begin to naturally wake up on its own 2 hours after I sleep. Another thing that helps is having what I call a “pee bucket” because you won’t have to travel as far to use the restroom when it’s about to start sliding down your leg or becoming a bigger puddle in your bed. I want to get this down now so that when I go to college in the summer, I won’t have to be afraid of having a roommate.

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  28. DHEEMANTH

    I AM NOW I 10 CLASS I MUST JOIN INTER IN HOSTEL I BED-WET DAILY I HAVE AN FEAR IF I AM TEASED BY THEM WHAT TO DO

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  29. Gideon

    Am 22 years, last night 01/10/2016 I wet my bed. Actually i woked up in the morning looking for answers to this issue since it has happened to me occasionally. .. I dreamt I was peeing in a latrine just to realize i was on bed it’s so embarrassing please help me out,

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    • Gideon,

      This is not an uncommon situation. A bed wetting alarm could help your brain learn when to wake up during dreams like these. Take note, this is not a instant solution. It may take several months of training, but it’s really worth it in the end.

      Best,
      @MsGreene
      Co-founder & Executive Producer DrGreene.com

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    • Amina

      My son is 17 .he don’t wet bed often but sometimes at least 2times or 3times a week he do so .So I always tells him before sleep to pee properly but that insident happens.So I have to stay alart as I feel some kind of movement at night I take the bottle what I keep near me before sleep and take off his pant and holding his penis I pee him.As me my husband and my son sleeps together my husband sometimes find that disgusting.hahaha.but I am a mother.

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  30. Erika

    Wow, I never realized that over five million school age children in the US struggle with PNE. My daughter has wet the bed for several years now and we are looking into getting her some help. It is comforting to know though that it is not hers, or our fault. Sometimes we feel the need to take the blame, but it really is no ones fault. We are going to do our best to get her the help that she needs!

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  31. Carmen g

    Went to a urologist at age 20 and they gave me a med called minipress? That contracted my urethra. Took it every day for 4 months. It worked for 20 years however I can feel that I may need to try it again. Worth a shot. I had no side effects

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    • jaed

      and did you stop wetting the bed at night after using that medicine?

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  32. Beverly

    My father was a bedwetter as a child. My poor mother was saddled with 3 prolific bewetters out of her four children. Can you imagine all the urine soaked clothes, sheets, and towels? We had a very white bread, Mayberry sort of upbringing so that whole emotional problem idea didn’t apply. We had our fluid intake restricted before bed, slept on those alarm mats… nothing helped. The trauma was being a bedwetter, the shame felt, the self-hatred. Finally it just stopped over a very short period of time. The oldest child and I stopped at 18, the youngest at 16. I lived with so much shame for so long until, in my mid-twenties, I came across an article about a hormone that some children’s brain didnt produce until after puberty. The relief I felt was enormous. It all made sense, we had all stopped bedwetting as teenagers as if some switch had been turned on. Though there are other causes for wetting the bed, you teenagers could very well be near the end of your suffering. Once that ADH kicks in, the wet nights could be over. I’m 51 now, but remember oh so well just what you are going through. My best to you.

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  33. Atharv Nimsarkar

    Im Atharv Nimsarkar of india im 14 yrs old and i have bed wetting since childhood and now it is going on i feel very bad at the time of toilet at night i am not able to wake up and i wnt to remove this problem from my body so how can i remove this problem?

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    • Monique

      Oh sweet heart. Don’t wprry, ot will happen. Your brain needs to make a hormone or chemical to make it stop. There is no perfect cure other than time. Bless you young man!

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  34. tameka

    my son is 8 yrs old and for the past 2 years he has wet the bed consistently, sometimes even 3 times in one night. he is a deep sleeper and i say that because when we are able to wake him up he barely knows where he is, stands in front of the toilet like a zombie, you can snap in his face and everything.

    my question is how is a bed wetting alarm supposed to help? we set his clock to go off and if he doesnt have to go he wont get up unless we wake him up. sometimes he wets the bed before the clock even goes off? does the bed wetting alarm somehow know that he has to go and he needs to get up?

    Added:
    • Most bed wetting alarms have sensors that detect the first few drops of urine. Then a loud alarm goes off. The bed wetter doesn’t usually wake up, but the parents do and they can help the child go to the bathroom and finish emptying his or her bladder.

      After a while, the child’s brain learns that when the alarm goes off, he or she needs to tighten the muscles that stop bedwetting until a parent comes and helps.

      The next step is the child learns to sense when the bladder is full — this would be right before the alarm would go off. At this point the child either gets up and uses the bathroom, or learns to tighten the muscles until morning.

      The process can take 3 months or more and the first few weeks can be really tough.

      Most parents who make it though the process do see real change, but those can be really long, tiring nights during the brain-training period.

      Added:
      • Zoie

        Kemi, this exact thing happened with my daughter and she saw so embarrassed. This usually happened around the same time of night…give or take an hour. So I set an alarm clock and she got up to go and if I happened to wake up I got her up…. Took a few months but it finally worked…
        Hope this helps Zoie

        Added:
  35. B

    I think one of the reasons I wet my bed while sleeping and the only reason for me is keeping the air conditioning on and sleep.

    Added:
  36. DLP

    i am 52 i have wet my bed and pants off and on since childhood . i wet the bed nightly and peed my pants in public several times it reaaly embarasses my husband he makes fun of me and yells at me please help me ,i feel like a child sometimes he thinks i am lazy
    deb in texas

    Added:
    • Dear DLP,

      I’m so sorry you’re going through this. How hard. I know you’re not lazy.

      What doctors have you seen? Internist, urologist, gynecologist? You need help from a qualified, caring physician. If the first doctor you see isn’t helpful, try others. You don’t need to suffer any longer, but it will take some work to get to the bottom of this.

      Best,
      @MsGreene
      Co-founder and Executive Producer, DrGreene.com

      Added:
  37. Jess

    I’m 26, going on 27, and this happens to me as well. It’s not frequent but happens about every other two months. I even had it happen three times in a row. It’s really embarrassing. My parents think I’m too lazy and I frequently tell them I just “sleep deeply”. I can’t wake up in time to get to the bathroom.

    I do notice that my brain does send that “signal.” I do get images of using the bathroom and sometimes it seems very realistic and I feel I am using the restroom, only to wake up seconds later and, well, it’s too late.

    I keep thinking something is wrong with me. I can take hour naps in the day and be dry but at night, it’s a different thing. I have cut back on drinking but that makes my body worse since I then run the risk of dehydration.

    Thankfully, this only happens at home but I have had some close calls while out at school or at other places. I either barely make it or otherwise. I don’t like this… And I hate to upset my parents.

    I have tried setting personal alarms. I sleep through them sometimes. I stay awake at night, in fear of wetting my bed, and have trouble sleeping as a result. I feel ridiculous and childish. I wish I could just get rid of the issue altogether and just be normal. Pretty much the same as everybody here.

    I have tried getting help in the past but it’s no use. I feel like a disappointment and shame. One reason I don’t want any kind of boyfriend or friends in college since this issue is conflicting with my personal life… I keep wondering if it’s apart of BV or some urinary infection. Because this issue isn’t as frequent. Ever since I was like 14, this has happened but not every single day. I don’t think the special alarms will help if normal alarms don’t but I’m willing to try anything to help me.

    Thanks for understanding and listening.

    -Jess

    Added:
    • Zoie

      Hi Jess, I’m sorry to hear that you are going through this, it can’t be easy. Big part of this may be stress, let’s take a look at this in an honest way;
      – you are deeply embarrassed
      – you don’t want to upset you parent
      – you don’t want a boyfriend or friends in college
      I’m sure this is affecting many sides of your life… Go see a doctor and make sure that doctor listens to you. Talk openly and calmly with your parents…
      All the best Jess… Zoie

      Added:
  38. A

    I have this weird issue where sometimes within the week before I get my period, I wet the bed once or twice. I’m almost 17 years old and as a child I consistently wet the bed but now it’s just in this timeframe. Any other time in the month I’m fine and don’t have any issues. Any answers?

    Added:
    • Hi A,

      I haven’t heard of this before, but take note, I am not a doctor. Perhaps some of the doctors who log on here can weigh in.

      This does sound likes it’s triggered by your hormones. We know hormones impact sleep. We know some people who wet the bed are very deep sleepers. Any chance you are sleeping more deeply during that time period? If (big IF) that’s the case, perhaps you could try a bed wetting alarm in the week before your period. You may benefit from training your brain to wake up from deep sleep.

      Again, let me stress, I’m not a doctor, but hope this tip might help.

      @MsGreene
      Co-founder and Executive Producer, DrGreene.com

      Added:
    • Jess

      Hey A, I experience this sometimes myself. It’s usually about a week or two before my menstrual hits. I wish for help too because it’s really embarrassing. I hope and pray we can both get answers for this.

      Added:
  39. cherisa

    I am 24 years old. I have wet my bed and to a lesser extent, my pants, my entire life. I’m so sick of it but I don’t know how to make it stop. I don’t have dry nights. I have a very understanding boyfriend who I thank God every day for. For a long while, we tried to fix the problem together. I sleep thru alarms and we can’t afford diapers for me most of the time. He tried waking me to go pee at night. It seldom worked. Most of the time, I was either already wet though we tried varying wake up times. Once or twice he said I flooded my pajamas while he walked me to the bathroom. I have no memory of any of this. I’ve tried bed-wetting meds with zero effect. I’ve been cleared of all possible physical issues. Still I continue to wet my bed nightly. Much of the time I am dry during the day with no problem but sometimes I have weird episodes where I am almost overwhelmed almost out of nowhere with a nearly uncontrollable urge to go pee. I almost always have an accident when this happens. As hard as I try I just can’t hold on. The urge is too strong and too sudden. This might happen anywhere from 2-4 times a month. I hate it so bad. It’s humiliating as hell. Yesterday, I completely soaked my pants in a grocery store bathroom. I tried so hard to make it. I barely got inside the bathroom and then had an accident all over the floor. I hate my boyfriend having to deal with all this cuz I can’t learn to be dry at night like a normal adult. I love him deeply but feel so guilty that as hard as he has tried to help me I still can’t stop wetting. I feel like a stupid helpless child when I wake up with soaking wet pajamas and sheets. I need help but nothing I’ve tried all these years seems to help. ??

    Added:
    • J Nylnd

      I feel your pain almost to a T! I’m 24 as well, and have a spouse that puts up with my nighttime escapades. I am a KO’d sleeper; do not wake up even during an earthquake–true story! It is completely frustrating and simply humiliating. I wish I just felt the urge and woke up like a normal person.

      Added:
      • Joe

        I feel your pain almost to a T! I’m 24 as well, and have a spouse that puts up with my nighttime escapades. I am a KO’d sleeper; do not wake up even during an earthquake–true story! It is completely frustrating and simply humiliating. I wish I just felt the urge and woke up like a normal person.

        Added:
      • Katherine

        My names Katherine. I’ve never shared my story except with my husband. I was so severely abused (beaten with a belt) for potty accidents and bedwetting that I’m actually afraid of the bathroom and I have to talk myself into going to the toilet when I need to. The fear is so awful and crippling. I think partly because of this fear I never totally stopped having accidents in my pants because I would hold and hold, desperate to avoid the bathroom. I also still wet the bed more often then not. Literally realizing I need to pee can bring on a huge panic attack and I have to try to calm down and get thru that and then force myself to go to the toilet. But sometimes by the time I can make myself go in, its too late and then I sometimes have flashbacks of the beatings I got every time I had an accident. My husband and I have 2 kids, ages 8 and almost 5. Girl and boy. My hubby handled the toilet training almost totally on his own. It was way too triggering for me and I didn’t want my babies to end up as afraid as I was. My son trained fully, day and night by 3. My 8 year old daughter still struggles a little with waiting too late but its definitely made her more compassionate. The other day I was triggered so bad with flashbacks etc and I was just too scared to go pretty much all day. I ended up crying cuz I knew if I didn’t pull it together soon, I was going to go in my pants. I had to both pee and poop BAD. But i just couldn’t do. I was so panicked. Finally I tried again. 430 pm. Hadn’t gone since the night before when I woke up wet. I tried. Ran to the bathroom. Too late. The all too familiar feeling of my panties getting wet and urine pouring down my leg. The poop came at the same moment. Too fast for me to hold it back. It was soft and very messy. I started crying. I hate everything about this. At that moment my kids came home from school. My daughter heard me crying and saw my soaked pants. “Its okay, mommy. Remember I had an accident at school last week. You just need dry pants.” So sweet and matter of fact. Then goes and brings me back some pants, underwear and socks. I’d give anything to get past this and have fewer accidents. 😢

        Added:
        • Lori Rustin

          I know this doesn’t help, but my heart goes out to you. What have you tried?

          Added:
  40. Corrie

    My step daughter is eight and wets the bed every night so she is always having to use pull ups. We tried no drink method and waking her up ..but by the time we get to her within a 30 min spand she pees right away! What should you suggest we do.

    Added:
  41. Kat Aly

    Thank you for the info… My husband and I have been frustrated at my six year old daughter. Different than some of the other cases here, but wanted to see if someone had any input. Like I said, she is six (almost seven) and has been daytime trained since two. Last year we (at my husband’s suggestion) tried an alarm for her. My word, I can’t even describe the terror it put into her. The first few times we used the audible alarm, which she woke up screaming like she was being attacked. Woke up (as the alarm info warned us) the entire family. Finally switched to the vibrate only function. Same thing, screaming bloody murder, she actually ripped the thing apart trying to get it off in her sleep.

    We’ve tried waking her a few times in the night and taking her to the potty. She would be completely asleep, have to literally carry her limp body to the potty and sit her on it. And sometimes when we’d wake her that would freak her out too (helping her take off her jammies when she’s asleep, would freak me out too!). And even when we did, sometimes we’d be moments too late, sometimes she wouldn’t go at all but would wet five minutes later.

    The interesting thing is, she does not care AT ALL about what others think about her bed wetting. I guess that’s good in some ways, but why doesn’t it? And then many times she’ll pee in her pull-up BEFORE she even lays down at night, which frustrates us, since then it seems like straight up laziness! Does ANYONE have suggestions? I can handle the inconvenience, etc, but just want to make sure in helping her grow into a mature young lady, emotionally and physically!

    Added:
    • Clare

      This sounds a lot like my son. He’s almost 5, and has never had a dry night. He is a crazy sleeper, and has a history of night terrors. We have tried a wetness alarm and getting him up to go to the bathroom. If he is woken, he starts screaming and doesn’t stop for a really long time. If we get him to the toilet, he does not use it, but either stays asleep or screams hysterically. My husband and I were both wetters, but the alarm helped me and getting woken up at night helped my husband. Neither seems to help our son.

      Added:
      • Hi Clare,

        I recently heard a talk by some folks out of Stanford who developed a device that helps to curtail night terrors. I don’t know if this would help with your son’s bedwetting, but I will pass it along, just in case. LullySleep.com.

        We have no financial relationship with Lully Sleep, but I was impressed enough that I asked one of the co-founders to write a blog post for our guest blog.

        This is not a recommendation, but it sounds like you’ve tried a lot of different options and thought this is one you may not have heard of before.

        Best,
        @MsGreene
        Co-founder, DrGreene.com

        Added:
  42. Cliff.Brock

    Cliff. Born 1961

    I am a male of 54 years old. no, I am not still wetting the bed. Although I did not stop until I was 17yrs old. I to like many other people was confused about why i was a bed wetter, and for so long, when. everyone around me did not or so it seemed. During my childhood I experienced abuse both physically, emotionally and sexualy.

    My upbringing was dyfunctional, volatile and most importantly with out love. I attended ten different secular schools, children’s homes constant moving around. where I also experienced abuse and a lack of and understanding or sympathy for my condtion. Doctors were mistified.? One doctors advice in Chingford Essex was that I should “tie a not in it”. Most of the problems associated to this problem, in my opinion is that there is a lack of a Calm, peaceful, reassuring caring loving home. Certainly parents constantly arguing does not help.

    I hope this helps someone of similar experience.

    Cliff..

    Added:
    • Christina

      Hi cliff my up bringing was the same as yours and I was doing the same bed wetting

      Added:
  43. J. MILLER

    My son is 7. He was potty trained early but still had to wear pullups every night. Recently in the last 2 weeks he has been dry about 4 times, which is the most that’s ever happened. Ever since he’s been potty trained he does have to pee a lot during the day. It’s gotten better but if he drinks he has to pee. I have to let the teachers know at school that he pees a lot. His doctor says he will grow out of it. I feel like his bladder doesn’t hold a lot and he just doesn’t wake up to go during the night. He’s been getting really irrational with himself when he wakes up and he’s wet. Do you think the alarm would benefit us or any other suggestions.

    Added:
  44. some guy

    I’m 15 and I still wet the bed. I have a Hispanic family so my mom would scream at me, get furious with me, but I didn’t know what was going on. My siblings make fun of me and I just want some help. Please help me.

    Added:
  45. mumu

    i am 21 years old girl . i do not understand my situation at all , during the day i can sleep even five hours and when i wake up i find nothing {no wetting my self out} but only night hours when i sleep even just one hour i got my self in a situation of bed wetting heavily. i have tried many ways like tradition medicines of many kinds or like to stay awake may be until 2;30 and when i sleep same thing happen so it doesn’t matter which time i sleep BUT amazing thing is usually around 4 o’clock if it happen i wake up and change the clothes and go to toilet then sleep gain i have never wet the bed till even 8 o’clock .. hence it is only at any time i sleep till around 3;30
    I feel so awful to my self and grief always like am i born to suffer this way.. please help me out

    Added:
    • mrs.svl

      My daughter has ten years old.she still bed wetts. She is in deep sleep she didn’t wake up.please give me some suggestions to help my daughter. This my humble request.

      Added:
      • At ten years of age, an alarm might be a good choice for your daughter. Dr. Greene has written extensively about bed wetting alarms. You can read more here –> Bed Wetting Alarms.

        Hope that helps,
        @MsGreene

        Added:
      • Becca

        My son is 8 & still almost nightly and sometimes in the he’d wet himself not at school but at home, I tried the pee alarm which he’d just sleep thru, heavy sleeper like me, but his Dr. Gave us a pill it is called DOAVP, and there is a generic it has really helped, he once in awhile will have a wet nite but he even got up in the nite to go! Some Drs say it can be constipation which is prolly my fault, I should do more fruit n veggie snacks. Fresh fruit or frozen is the best, but trust a can of green beans can do wonders, I guess the intestine pushes against the bladder, so I currently trying to change eating habits but also a childs dose of miraLax, stool softener again half of adult dose or less, those are to get a possible clog out, and cleanse her system. I read enemas work the best but I don’t think I can get him to do it. Google it, there are several sights that are dedicated to the connection. This too will pass! I know about setting an alarm every hour, that one was to hard on me, and that’s when we got the pill, which we are slowly going to wean him off of. Now it the other end I’m trying to get to work, if there is a link with him, it will help and fast. Good luck! Becca

        Added:
  46. AnonymousGuru87

    There are demons amongst us. Evil and temptation, amongst others. These demons enter our body without our knowing. You are the select few that maintained this gift that God has blessed all of us with… to rid and cleanse your body of this demon. Most have lost this. This process, which almost all of you would find embarrassing, is the only process for removing this evil.
    Almost every single one of us has been given this gift from birth. This is why children are the most innocent. Not because they don’t know better, but because their removal of this evil is more frequent. Look back into your life, and remember the last time you “wet the bed.” Ask yourself, is this the last years of your life that you remember being innocent.
    Furthermore, it is my belief that the demons who’ve entered our bodies have tricked us into being impatient, lazy, disgusted, and materialistic. Impatient, not being resolved enough to deal with the “bed wetting” situation. Lazy, not wanting to clean the “mess.” Disgusted, thoughts of abnormality and “nastiness.” Most of which, materialistic, not wanting to replace our bed and or bedding. All things that we have come to believe are just and need not of a second thought. Demons have used these three simple evils to influence us to teach our children how not to “wet the bed” (Cleanse our body of evil).
    In conclusion, AFTER the surprise or reactions that you may get for “wetting the bed,” do you notice a brief moment, maybe even an elongated moment, of a calmness amongst your storm? Also, for the non-believers; Are you really making your own decision, or is the Hiden-Demon whispering one, if not all, of the four evils I have mentioned above? After all, urinating is our bodies natural cleansing method. Please, do think about this, and allow your body to cleanse the evil.
    Hopefully some methods to help you cope and or deal with the cleansing. For the impatience, simply leave the “mess” for just a moment to take a shower, or a bath if desired, (calmly of course) and re-dress. If you’re still not feeling up to cleaning, this is laziness. Recognize this, because laziness is a fatal flaw for all of us. Try doing at least 10 or more jumping jacks and or push-ups; not too much; just enough to get your blood flowing. Afterwards, you should feel the laziness dwindling. Proceed to stripping the sheets, and decide whether or not you want to wash them immediately or later. There is no pressure to wash the sheets immediately. Disgust… for this, the solution is simple. Just like “Tinker Bell” would say, “think happy thoughts.” Think of all of the things that make you happy, and maybe even one of my favorites, recite to yourself stupid little jokes that are so silly, you can’t help but giggle. Maybe even some laughter in your VICTORY over the demon for possession of your body. **Doing this from the moment you realize that you have cleansed your body, will help you throughout the challenges all of the other evils throw at you.** Materialism; “The big kahuna.” Things you might think to yourself, amongst others of course…. Oh my God. My sheets are ruined. I just bought them. What the “heck?” My bed. What am I going to do? My bed is destroyed. I can’t afford to replace anything. This is unsanitary. I can’t clean all of this out. Everything has to be replaced. (Shaking my head)
    Just think to yourself; is this really the end of days? Is your life suddenly and physically going to end, or will time press forward, and will all this just be a simple memory faded into your vast collection of memories. Memories of importance are only important because you made them so. Go easy on yourself. You did something great today. Remember the greatness, and don’t cloud it with misjudgment. Lift your head high, because YOU were in a battle for possession of YOUR body, and YOU are victorious!!!!

    Added:
    • Ladykw

      Ummmm…. if this is the case, why do the demons habebto be released in the bed and not the toilet??? Just curious

      Added:
  47. Amy

    I just want to thank you all for sharing your stories. I was beginning to believe I was the only one out there with these problems. My step son for 2 years has peed pretty consistently every night. I can only recall this one time where he didn’t pee for 4 days straight. His father and I do believe he is lazy and just doesn’t care, but then other times when you do try and catch and wake him, it’s like he is catatonic and doesn’t know what’s going on. We have tried everything from no drinks after 6, to waking him up every 2 hours, to putting pull ups on him. We have also gone to his doctor and he is no help at all and tells us he will grow out of it. Hopeless parent looking for suggestions. Thank you all for reading and sharing your stories.

    Added:
    • How frustrating, Amy. Have you tried bed wetting alarms? They are a huge commitment for the parents, but given enough time and consistency (usually three months of consistent work, every night before you see results) they can work.

      Added:
    • Becca

      Ask your Dr. For DOVAP there’s a generic um I’ll spell it wrong but you can look it up its like Depressmoison, that’s wrong. But have to stress to your Dr how you’ve tried the pee alarms, waking at nite, let them know your beside yourself. Also, google the link between bedwetting and constipation in children, I’m trying that one now, to help wean off this med. Well when it is the time! Good luck!

      Added:
  48. Some guy

    Im 17 and i wet the bed….i thought it was because i drank too much. So i had an experiment…..i was to drink absolutely nothing for a whole day and go too bed. I did and i woke up in wet sheets! So i did another experiment…..i was to drink four gallons of water at twelve in the afternoon and at the end of the day, go to sleep. And again WET SHEETS! Is there a medication i can take in order to stop this!?…. It would save me alot of sanity and my moms detergent… Please help!… (-_-)

    Added:
    • Hi Some Guy,

      Yes, there are medicines that can help, but the key is to figure out the core reason and get the best treatment for the cause. Most pediatricians can help you figure it out, but if your doctor isn’t helpful, you can ask him or her to refer you to a urologist who specializes in bed wetting.

      Don’t give up. There is help!

      @MsGreene

      Added:
    • Becca

      Go to Dr ask for DOVAP, there’s a generic (look it up to make sure you think it will help). Also, google the link between bedwetting and constipation, you’d be surprised. Good luck! And please look those up

      Added:
  49. Steve Miller

    Great post. There are many alarms available today. In addition to the two sites Dr. Greene mentioned, there is a new site I found – http://onestopbedwetting.com
    It has a large selction of bedwetting alarms and comes with personalized advice from specialists.

    Steve

    Added:
  50. Anonymous

    Well am 16 and I am still bedwetting. I don’t know what to do. I am fed up. My mom always thinks am just too lazy, so am irritated?? Someone pls help me?????

    Added:
    • How tough. What have you tried so far?

      @MsGreene

      Added:
    • tiff

      Im 14, got da same problem. Im pretty sure its from drinking soda and eating chocolate (for me at least) so unfortunately i have to limit myself on those from now on XD

      Added:
  51. CHUKS

    I FRIEND OF 24YRS WHO USE TO BED WET WHEN EVER SHE IS STRESSED UP HER SELF. PLZ DO U A TIP OF SOLUTION ON HOW IT WILL CALL IT A STOP?

    Added:
  52. Unknown

    Hi I’m 14 and I’m a bed wetter I don’t pee all the time but most of my life yes this week it only happened once it use to be an everyday thing for many years for the past two years or so it’s not that rare but I don’t really do it anymore my mom told my doctor and well they said is she happy at home , not all the time I’m not always happy today I cried and stuff bc well it’s personal and well when I peed 2 days ago I was next to a fan w the windows open was it bc I was cold ? And usually my mom gets mad at me and we’ll she never like supported me throughout this she usually just gets mad at me and we’ll I just want to know why ? It gets me so scared to even sleep over at my cousins house bc what if I pee ? I told my cousin once and she even offered me a diaper . And well I didn’t pee that night so idk but I just wish it would stop

    Added:
  53. SampsonDog

    Although, some websites like WebMD and this one will tell you that this condition is not related to anxiety or stress, they are wrong. I wet the bed constantly from 1st grade to 8th grade. I fully believe my bedwetting was emotionally linked and linked specifically to the anxiety and stress that came with extreme, daily bullying at school. I find it extremely ironic and interesting that there is a picture of a school bus in this article because that is where the majority of the bullying took place. The day I finally took my last step off that bus knowing I would be attending another school (the end of my 8th grade year) I NEVER WET THE BED AGAIN. If you are in a bad place and are a bed wetter and are being bullied at school; please message me on Facebook. I know that there are hundreds of kids who commit suicide each year because of this and I fully believe that all these school shootings we hear about now are linked to bullying. Please I want to let anyone know that you are not alone.

    Added:
    • Thanks for speaking up, but so sorry about what you went through.

      Added:
    • Daniella

      I’m 31, I don’t use the bathroom at all. I use my diaper as the bathroom. Is that good or bad?

      Added:
  54. Private

    Hey, I’m female and 15 years old. I’ve wet the bed my whole life. I usually do it 4-7 times a week! And I’m honestly sick of it, especially in winter. Do you have any tips or advice to help with my condition? Any referrals, just anything in general to help!?! It would be muchly appreciated!!

    Thanks

    Added:
    • By now you’ve probably tried a lot of things. What are they and what was the result? Did some of them work temporarily?

      Added:
    • Jesse

      You are getting cold in the winter and probably in the summer due to air conditioning, your body is warming itself. I used to be the same way. Once the urine gets cold I would wake up, even had dreams I was on the toilet. I don’t know why it works but the elders swore by it, eat raw potatoes and drink less at night. Good luck and you will grow out of it.

      Added:
      • Gideon

        Did you saw raw potatoes

        ?????

        Added:
  55. ann

    My boy is Ten years and still wet his bed every night. He said he doesn’t feel it when he is full. It’s been so from when he was 8 years. I’m worried

    Added:
    • Unknown

      I’m just saying I’m the same way my mom always gets mad at me for not getting up at night when I have to pee but I swear I never ever feel it and I’m sure your son doesn’t either . Go seek a doctor he might be shy or embarrassed but it’s best for it talk to multiple doctors maybe go just here the respond

      Added:
  56. Kristan

    Hello,
    So I have a 7 year old little girl. She is my second child of 3, and all have been completely potty trained since the age of a year and a half. No bed time wetting or daytime. About a year and a half after I had my third baby my lil girl started wetting the bed every night. I have tried everything. How can she go 4 and a half years . If I do, would that help? The prescribed nasal spray didn’t work. I don’t know what else to do.

    Added:
  57. Stephanie

    Help!!!
    My son is six years old, he is autistic (high functioning) he had been potty trained for a year and a half before the bedwetting started. I heard flonase could help…is this true???? Why has this started out of the blue and what should I do?

    Added:
  58. JaChelle

    Please help me understand. I used to wet the bed from tge ages 6- 13. And then it stopped. Now I’m 16 going on 17 it just now it came back. Im not stressed out or anything I just don’t understand what’s going on. I don’t know if I left a wet towel on the bed or not because my pants are dry except on the side I was lying on. I don’t know if I had a wet dream or not but I just need some answers because this is starting to get out of hand. PLEASE HELP!!

    Added:
  59. mayat

    hi dr greene….am 19 years old
    i do wet the bed sometimes at night only…i don’t know what to do about it..i can’ t talk to anyone about it because i am embarrased…it affects my social life because i am in the university and i find it difficult to stay in the hostel or spend a nite out at a friend’s place…i really need help to know what exactly is wrong with me because it is really affecting my life

    Added:
  60. Elizabeth

    Hello,
    My son has been fully potty trained for over four months, night and day, He had been keeping his pull up dry during nap and night time, I started putting him in underwear at night and he did well. I noticed this past weekend he would wake up in the morning soaked. This seemed unusual to happen all of a sudden. He is not sick, nor does he seem to be coming down with anything. His dad lives away monday through friday for work, and comes home during the weekends,I am not sure if the cause of this has something to do with that ,I do not really know if its an emotional factor or what? Please help!

    Added:
    • sj

      I’m not sure if it will solve this, but after my daughter goes to sleep at 8, I get her up when I go to bed, usually around 10pm, to go to the bathroom. This helps empty her bladder of anything she drank at dinner time or just before bed. Obviously, she goes to the bathroom before she falls asleep at 8 to, but I find she usually has a relatively full bladder at 10 when I have her go. Good luck!!!

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  61. zel

    My child never peed in bed, but now, when he turns 3, he does, but not at our home. It’s just when we go sleep somewhere else. What is the reason?

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  62. kakoli mondal

    Hi Dr. I am a staff nurse, my son is 8 years running, wets hardly once or twice in a month at night as well as day time in coaching class. His abdomen is enlarged than other boys since infant period, gripping teeth at night. We all take tab albendazole 6 month interval as we live in worm infested area. Family history of enuresis up to 10 years present. Milestones are normal. He suffered from throat and cough, fever, spread redness after DPT vaccination. What can I do to stop bed wetting?

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  63. Concerned Grandparent

    I’ve unsubscribed to this newsletter, because I have not received a response.

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    • I’m sorry you weren’t able to find the help you need at DrGreene.com. I suggest you log on to HealthTap and post your question there. They have a large number of doctors answering questions and may be able to help you.

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  64. Concerned Grandparent

    My daughter recently got engaged to a man whom has an 8 year old daughter. My daughter has 2 sons, 3 & 1 1/2 years old. The 8 year old has had many issues growing up.

    Her biological mother abandoned her very early on. She has had 2 women live with them over the years and one other step-mother. The 8 year old still wets the bed and herself during the day. She has stolen from her father, a store and I caught her trying to steal from me. Now she is stealing food from the pantry and storing it in her room. She has done this before.

    She no longer has friends at school. I’m not sure exactly why, but she never meets a stranger. When she gets upset she screams and jumps up and down, like a tantrum. I’ve never seen an 8 year old do this before, but she does it very often.

    She has researched the internet for pictures of nude men (boys). When my grandson goes to the bathroom, she tries to peek in. It’s very disturbing to me.

    She has ADHD and is on meds for that. She has also seen a psychiatrist for these other issues, but she would only see her once a month and nothing is happening with her getting better or them accessing her and determining what is wrong.

    At first I thought she is just doing these things for attention, but now it’s just getting old and she doesn’t care that she gets in trouble for doing bad things. My daughter has tried loving her and giving her extra attention. She would fix her hair for school and it would look so cute and then the 8 yr old would just pull it all out right before school.

    I know her father has spoiled her some, since he has been on his own with her from an early age, but I think she may be bipolar. Should we seek a professional that will do a more extensive evaluation quicker?

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    • Carla

      As a former foster parent, this sounds very much like the 8 yr. old was sexually abused or observed sexual activity at an earlier age. I would suggest she get a physical and into therapy.

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  65. Hope

    My daughter is 7 years old. Her father is very sporadic with seeing her and recently (6 months ago) lost the ability to see her without supervision due to drug use and a court order. He only calls her about once every 2 weeks, sometimes less than that. I’ve noticed a connection with her bed wetting and those phone calls. She only has accidents on nights after he has called her or when she has been asking about why he hasn’t called her. She had far more frequent accidents when she was seeing him regularly, but that hasn’t happened for almost a year.

    I read how stress can be a cause of bed wetting, as well as your other post on sexual abuse. When she did have visits with her father, she would always come home subdued and quiet. Often times even wetting the bed several nights in a row after a long weekend with him. She would tell me stories about how her daddy would tell her to tell him if anyone touched her down there because he would hurt them if they did. When I was still married to him he was abusive to me and I even had a DVO against him. She has never had bruises when coming home from him, but I know he was verbally abusive to me as well. Should I be concerned?

    I have brought as much as I can forward to the judge on our case and there is an order for her father to only get 1 hour supervised visits, but then what? Should I take my daughter to a specialist for bed wetting? Or do I need to find her a counselor to speak with? If I should be concerned with him, I only have so much time before he has unsupervised visits again. He always plays the victim at our hearings. Claiming he just wants to see his child. I always speak to her safety, but only after he was arrested was I able to get a stop to his overnight visits. This has been a battle for the past 6.5 years.

    I want my child to be safe and happy, but I don’t know what to do about the bed wetting and her estranged father. Any advise you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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  66. mrs flisher

    My 8 year old daughter keeps wetting the bed. Some time she wets 3 or 4 times a night and she will be sick as well. I took her to my doctors, but they have not suggested anything. Please can you help at all? I have tried everything I can think of.

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  67. Jamie

    Dr. Greene, I am a bit older (19) and have never considered myself a bedwetter aside from several accidents when I was between 5 and 8. I’d be dry for several years, but then out of the blue I’d have an accident. I’m sure one or two accidents a year don’t make you a bedwetter, but what would be the cause of this? Even stranger, and lucky for me, is that they seem to be incomplete accidents. In other words I’m jolted awake 1-3 seconds after I feel myself start to pee in my dream, where I am surprised that I have no more urine to pass, so I don’t even need to hold anything or run to the bathroom. You said bedwetters wet when their bladders are full and released while sleeping. If my bladder isn’t full how can I be having small accidents like that?

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  68. DryBuddyEZ

    Good post! I would advice parents to never use any form of punishment for your bedwetting child. Also, use a bedwetting alarm to help their kids learn how to wake up when wetting is occurring.

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  69. Katherine Anthony

    I have a baby boy after 10 years. He’s going to be 1 year next month, I went through Caesarean section, but I cannot lose my baby weight after my delivery. I’m breastfeeding my baby since delivery. I was thin before my pregnancy. What is the reason and what I should do to reduce my weight? Thank you.

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  70. sara mc

    Hi Dr, Greene, my 9 yr old daughter is a bed wetter and now is getting horrible looking rashes on her inner thighs? Hydro cort is not working…what do you think this could be?? Thanks – you are the best!!!!!!!

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  71. Alan Greene

    Kerron, wetting the bed every night can be discouraging. If it’s always happened (PNE, as described above) it’s the intersection of two things: needing to pee at night, and not waking up when needing to pee. This happens for around 1-2% of all 14-year-olds. It’s worth seeing a doc who treats enuresis to see what can be changed to solve this.

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