Acute urinary retention caused by long ride?

[Danny]

I recently came back from a strenuous week long cycle tour which involved spending 6-7 hours per day in the saddle with few breaks. I had had a few problems midway through the tour passing urine first thing in the morning but this appeared to clear up by the end of the week. However, the day after I returned I went into acute urinary retention (i.e. I couldn't pee) for about 8 hours which is a potentially dangerous condition.

I'm in my late 60s and was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate (BPH) about 15 years ago. I'm on a mild medication which up until now has meant that this causes me few problems.

I've done some research on the internet that suggests that prolonged cycling can inflame your prostate and cause urinary retention - see here. The good news is that you should recover after some rest. However, my GP is sceptical and clearly thinks it is a sign that my BPH is getting worse.

Has anyone else experienced this? And has anyone tried the specialist 'prostate friendly' saddles that are available online?

 

[fossyant]

What saddle do you have ? Daft question, how often do you spend doing a whole week on long rides each day. If not often then you could have caused general swelling as not used to it. The 200km ride I did last year ended with me not peeing comfortably for a few weeks. Think it caused an infection as I only peed once in the 9 or 10 hours riding.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Think it caused an infection as I only peed once in the 9 or 10 hours riding.

Sounds like you weren’t drinking enough.

 

[All uphill]

I had similar a few years ago. The short term solution was being trained to self-catheterise, and the long term solution was surgery, which solved the problem permanently.

In practice I managed my liquid intake and output carefully so I didn't need to catheterise, but I was very glad the option was there.

In my non-medical opinion tinkering with saddles, while having no emergency plan is highly risky.

 

[Jameshow]

I had similar a few years ago. The short term solution was being trained to self-catheterise, and the long term solution was surgery, which solved the problem permanently.

In practice I managed my liquid intake and output carefully so I didn't need to catheterise, but I was very glad the option was there.

In my non-medical opinion tinkering with saddles, while having no emergency plan is highly risky.

Tinkering with saddles I'd highly risky - what do you mean??

 

[All uphill]

Tinkering with saddles I'd highly risky - what do you mean??

Hoping to find a solution for urinary retention through choice of saddle.

 

[fossyant]

Sounds like you weren’t drinking enough.

Possibly, although was filling two bottles at each stop every 30 miles, but it was warm.

 

[Jameshow]

Hoping to find a solution for urinary retention through choice of saddle.

I see that makes sense!

 

[Danny]

What saddle do you have ? Daft question, how often do you spend doing a whole week on long rides each day. If not often then you could have caused general swelling as not used to it. The 200km ride I did last year ended with me not peeing comfortably for a few weeks. Think it caused an infection as I only peed once in the 9 or 10 hours riding.

A Selle Anatomica which is designed to minimise pressure on your perenium.

 

[Danny]

What saddle do you have ? Daft question, how often do you spend doing a whole week on long rides each day. If not often then you could have caused general swelling as not used to it. The 200km ride I did last year ended with me not peeing comfortably for a few weeks. Think it caused an infection as I only peed once in the 9 or 10 hours riding.

Haven't done that many long rides since January because of other commitments - but typically ride for about an hour a day, though often on an indoor trainer. I did several long rides (one 100 miles) last year with no ill effects but haven't done a week's continual touring like this for some years.

 

[Danny]

I had similar a few years ago. The short term solution was being trained to self-catheterise, and the long term solution was surgery, which solved the problem permanently.

In practice I managed my liquid intake and output carefully so I didn't need to catheterise, but I was very glad the option was there.

In my non-medical opinion tinkering with saddles, while having no emergency plan is highly risky.

I agree, which is why I posted here. One challenge is that it is difficult to know where to go to get proper medical advice on the best options going forward. Hard pressed GPs are unlikely to have much time to look into this. One American article I found suggested you should make an appointment with your urologist which would be a normal approach in the US but much more difficult with the NHS. Even if I could get a referral to a urologist the chances of seeing someone with a specialist knowledge about the impacts of cycling on BPH are low.

 

[All uphill]

I agree, which is why I posted here. One challenge is that it is difficult to know where to go to get proper medical advice on the best options going forward. Hard pressed GPs are unlikely to have much time to look into this. One American article I found suggested you should make an appointment with your urologist which would be a normal approach in the US but much more difficult with the NHS. Even if I could get a referral to a urologist the chances of seeing someone with a specialist knowledge about the impacts of cycling on BPH are low.

But if the BPH is dealt with, via surgery, then cycling won't be a problem?

That procedure is routine and GPs will be very familiar with the referral route.

 

[Danny]

But if the BPH is dealt with, via surgery, then cycling won't be a problem?

That procedure is routine and GPs will be very familiar with the referral route.

I appreciate that. Up until now my BPH hasn't been bad enough for me to be eligible for surgery but I guess that might have changed. I'm glad it was successful for you, but I know someone who who had lots of complications after his surgery so I'm a bit warry of going down that route unless it is absolutely necessary.