Talking to Your Doctor About Incontinence

Incontinence is a big problem for many people, both young and old. It can be very embarrassing, especially if you are unprepared for it. It’s a good to talk with your doctor about the incontinence problems that you are having because it can mean that there’s something else that is going on with your body. Here are some tips that you can use for talking with your doctor about incontinence. When you remember these tips, you will find that it’s much easier for you to talk with him or her and that you aren’t so embarrassed about it.

·         Write down frequency – The first thing that you want to do is to write down how often you have problems with incontinence. This is going to help them to know how bad the problem is and look for a pattern that there might be. You may not know that there is a pattern, but doctors often see things that we are unable to see.

·         Write down any triggers – The second thing that you want to do is to write down anything that seems to trigger the problem with incontinency. Think of the times that it happens to you and what happened during the day. Were you under a lot of stress? Did you laugh? Did you cough? What was happening when you had the ‘accident’?

·         Medical history – The third thing that you should do is take your medical history with you. If you are a woman and it’s urinary incontinence, it could have come on because of childbirth. If you are an older man, it could be because of a prostate problem. If you are going to a new doctor and they don’t have your medical history, things that you have done or you have had done can make a difference, as to why you are incontinent.

·         Diet – The fourth thing that you want to talk about is your diet if you are having trouble with something other than urinary incontinence.  If you are having trouble with bowel incontinence, it could be because of something that you are eating. Make sure that you are writing what you are eating down both when you have trouble with incontinence and when you are not having trouble with incontinence. 

·         Relax – The final thing that you should do when you are talking to your doctor about incontinence is to relax. Don’t be embarrassed. Many people have this problem and you are not going to tell your doctor anything that he or she hasn’t heard before.  So make sure that you are telling the doctor everything and being very honest when you have your discussion. 

These are the five things that you should remember when you are talking to a doctor about an incontinence problem. They are going to help your doctor to figure out why you are having the problem and what can be done to help.  You have to tell the doctor everything about what is going on. Otherwise they may miss something that could give them the answers.

Your doctor could recommend an incontinence clamp, an absorbent brief, a catheter or some other solution. Many incontinence supplies may be purchased at medical supply companies that offer wholesale prices, to help keep the cost down. Keep a copy of your prescription, as these are required by law when buying some products.