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Conditions

Nocturnal Enuresis

Waking up to the problems of nocturnal enuresis (Photo courtsey of Kristian Thorjussen)

Wetting the bed during childhood is so common that it almost feels like a rite of passage. However, while most of us can leave those damp nighttime disruptions behind in childhood, wetting the bed at night affects about 1 person in 100 throughout adult life. Not only can this problem send your dry cleaning bills through the roof, but it can also limit you in terms of relationships, holidays, business trips, and any activities away from home. Furthermore, even though it’s called “nocturnal enuresis”, it can actually happen at any time you are asleep – for example, if you doze off during a train journey. Waking up in an empty carriage, with a sodden copy of The Times on your lap and a number of hastily vacated seats around you, is a million times more embarrassing than going to see your GP, who will be able to advise you on treatment.

If you are worried about your child wetting the bed, watch how Taylor and his mum coped with the condition in the Clinic Consultation: Bed Wetting video.

Comments and Questions

The EB doctors have been looking at your comments and have answered some of the common questions below. Remember that it is always best to check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.

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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

hi i have been wetting the bed all my life, im 25 now i cant go on holidays with my friends or sleep over anywhere, i am very very embarrassed about it. my doctor gave me tablets which worked but wont prescribe anymore, he wants blood tests done which i have to fast for.please please can you help me, im at my wits end





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I have suffered from nocturnal enuresis since I was born and I am now 67 years old, I have been wearing nappy pads and plastic pants all my life, even when my GP gave me some tablets to stop it, I was still wetting the bed or pad and pants, my wife of 47 years, as always helped me, by washing my pants and purchasing them for me, I get the pads supplied by the NHS continence team via a district nurse, my main problem is when I am visiting friends or going to stay at a hotel whilst on holiday, because insurance wont pay out for night time accidents, to hotel bed mattresses, I do inform the hotel concerned and I have only been refused once in twenty years, they are very good by supplying a plastic mattress cover and sometimes plastic pillow cases, but its still embarrassing to have to tell them that I have wet there bed, I want to know if there will be any real cure for this problem, or will just have to carry on and bear it for the rest of my life.





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I am 17 and i have been ill lately with the flu which makes me feel weak. I thought i was beginning to improve yesterday but when i went to bed last night i was dreaming of going to the toilet and i wet the bed. Usually when i dream about this it causes me to wake up and i go to the toilet but this time i just wet the bed. i haven't wet the bed since i was about 12 years old so i was quite embarrassed. What i was wondering is, do you think it happened because i was ill or am i just having a relapse. Thanks





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I wet my felf in poblik





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Hi I'm 23 with 3 children 4,3&9months engaged 2 their daddy n we have been 2gether 7yrs nowv& I still wet the bed I'm sick of waking up wet etc I don't even know I've done it and it's having an effect in my relationship my kids have started 2 notice and it's not right. Please help I'm beside myself with guilt thinking its my fault gp don't care & it's got 2. Point where I need something 2 work. My parents thought and GP too when we seen them that it was something 2 do with my real dad walking out my grandparents dying working 7months of each other when I was 4/5 my sister being born eldest sister moving 2 new Zealand being abused for 9months at 15/16 yrs old but I still can't seem 2 get this problem gone I have overcome all this that's happened & built my life but this 1 problem still gets me down !!! Please help I'm begging x





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Hi I am 18 years old and have been wetting the bed for around 8 years . I have tried bed alarms, trying to get up, desmopressin, desmo melts, and tovia I have tried drinking more and drinking less, nothing is working and its really getting me down please someone help!





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Hi I'm 27 and have wet the bed my whole life tried all sorts of stuff but hasn't worked





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Im 13 and i still wet the bed ive tryed to get up in the night but i just cant what can i do help me





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Go to the doctors i wet the bed till 15 and went to the doctors and found my bladder was going into a baby bladder so they gave my medication to help bed wetting and it helped xx

please please help! , i haven't slept through the night now for 3years and i can't cope with it any longer ,the reason i can't sleep any mite is because i have to really have to get up ever 2 to 2 and a half hours to urinate, right t through the night every night! ,my Doctor wont help me he seems to think its all in my head,, i did see another Doctor and he gave me OXYBUTININ , which didn't work and the side affects were to severe , i had to stop taking them , please can you tell me what its wrong with me and can i get treatment for this,thank you . Karen Goodall .





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My son is 15 and has always wet the bed I've never told him off for it,after going to doctors and seeing nurse time and time again we were finally referred to see someone at the hospital he now takes desmopressin at night drinks no later then 7pm at night he may have an accident once a month if that.





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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