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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have urinary incontinence, you're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a urologist or a urogynecologist if you are a woman.
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well-prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to urinary incontinence.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Bring a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Bring a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For urinary incontinence, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Other than the most likely cause, what are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Is my incontinence likely temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
- What tests or procedures do you usually conduct for urinary incontinence?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What Web sites do you recommend?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first experience symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- How often do you need to urinate?
- When do you leak urine?
- Do you have trouble emptying your bladder?
- Have you noticed blood in your urine?
- Do you smoke?
- How often do you drink alcohol?
- How often do you drink caffeinated beverages?
- How often do you eat spicy, acidic or sugary foods?
- Urge urinary incontinence/overactive bladder. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/urge-incontinence. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Non-surgical treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/stress-incontinence/non-surgical-treatment-for-female-stress-urinary-incontinence. Accessed May 16, 2009.
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- Interstitial cystitis/Painful bladder syndrome. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/interstitialcystitis. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- How medications affect your bladder. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/urge-incontinence/medications. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Facts and statistics. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/media/media-kit/facts-statistics. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Urinary incontinence: What every man should know. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/what-is-incontinence/what-every-man-should-know. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- What I need to know about prostate problems. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#prostatitis. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Urinary incontinence in women. National Association for Continence. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uiwomen/index.htm#evaluation. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/cystoscopy. Accessed May 16, 2009.
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- Karsenty G, et al. Botulinum toxin A (Botox) intradetrusor injections in adults with neurogenic detrusor overactivity/neurogenic overactive bladder: A systematic literature review. European Association of Urology. 2008;53:275.
- Artificial urinary sphincter. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/uploads///pdf/educational%20brochures/OnlineAUS.pdf. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Surgery for urinary incontinence. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp166.cfm. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Surgical treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/stress-incontinence/surgical-treatment-for-female-stress-urinary-incontinence. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Khan F, et al. Surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Cespedes RD. Is injection therapy for stress urinary incontinence dead? No. Urology. 2009;73:11.
- Christofi N, et al. An evidence-based approach to lifestyle interventions in urogynaecology. Menopause International. 2007;13:154.
