This guide provides you with all the information you need at your first doctor’s visit for an overactive bladder. Read on to find out more.

An overactive bladder involves the strong urge to pass urine even if you don’t need to go. You may need to pass urine more often both during the day and at night.

You may also experience urinary incontinence, which means you might leak urine when you feel like you need to go and are not able to control it.

We’ve put together a guide that will walk you through what you might expect at your doctor’s visit if you have an overactive bladder.

Read on to learn more about assessment, potential treatments, and lifestyle modifications that can ease symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Discussing your experience with an overactive bladder might be uncomfortable at first, but your doctor or another healthcare professional can give you appropriate advice if you can talk about your symptoms in detail. You might find the following tips useful:

  • Look up more information online about your condition and try to be as informed as possible about what’s happening to you. Your personal experience of the condition can be different from someone else’s journey or treatment plan, so try to track and document these differences.
  • Try to keep a diary of your symptoms and track how you’re feeling at specific times of the day. This can help your doctor create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
  • Be open about your symptoms and experiences no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Your doctor is there to help you, and any information you can provide them will benefit your treatment plan.
  • Bring someone you trust to your appointment. If you’re feeling anxious or uncomfortable, bringing someone with you can offer additional support. You might feel like you need someone to advocate for you or add their own queries if you’re feeling overwhelmed — your loved ones can pitch in if you need help.
  • Ask as many questions as you need. It’s very important to establish a relationship with your doctor where you feel seen and understood so don’t hesitate to ask for clarifications or speak up if things seem unclear or if your treatment plan doesn’t appear suitable for your needs.

Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms. They might need to run some tests and have some follow-up appointments to discuss their findings. Your first visit with them may involve:

  • Looking at your health history: Your doctor may ask questions about your symptoms, including how long you’ve had them and how severe they are. They might also ask about your family health history and whether you have any other conditions or take any medications.
  • Doing a physical exam: Your doctor might check the health of your pelvis, or they might check your rectum.
  • Asking you to keep a diary of your symptoms: This can involve writing down the frequency and severity of your symptoms, or how often you leak urine.
  • Ordering additional tests: Additional tests your doctor might need to run can include:

Questions your doctor might ask during your visit

Your doctor might ask some of the following questions during your visit:

  • How often are you experiencing your symptoms?
  • Do you experience urinary incontinence when you laugh or cough?
  • How often do you need the toilet during the day?
  • How often do you need the toilet at night?
  • Do you have any difficulty passing urine when you go to the toilet?
  • Do you have any other health conditions?
  • Are you currently taking any medications?
  • Do you usually drink caffeine or alcohol?
  • What is your fluid intake?
  • How often do you pass urine?
  • What amount of urine do you pass?
  • How many times do you experience an urgent need to go to the toilet?

Your doctor might ask any of these questions or other questions more specific to you to get an idea of the severity of your symptoms and what your treatment plan may involve. They will also rule out other possible conditions for your symptoms, such as urinary tract infections (UTI).

Treatment

Based on their assessment of your condition, your doctor might recommend lifestyle modifications or certain medications to treat your symptoms. Lifestyle modifications may involve:

If lifestyle changes and exercise are not sufficient to ease your symptoms, your doctor may also recommend medications such as:

  • fesoterodine
  • oxybutynin
  • solifenacin
  • tolterodine
  • trospium
  • darifenacin
  • mirabegron

Other options may include nerve stimulation, which uses electrical impulses to fix certain signals between your bladder and your brain that don’t work as they should. Your treatment plan will depend on your specific symptoms.

Your first appointment may be daunting but remember that it’s OK to ask questions and feel like you’ve received all the answers and clarity you need by the time you leave. Some questions you might ask your doctor include:

  • Am I experiencing symptoms of an overactive bladder or some other condition?
  • Will I need any additional tests to diagnose my condition? If yes, what tests would be necessary?
  • Will you perform a physical exam?
  • Is there any specific cause for my symptoms?
  • Is there any way to prevent these symptoms from occurring?
  • What is the treatment plan for an overactive bladder?
  • Do I need to see a specialist, and if so, can you help me with that?
  • Are there any risks associated with any tests you might run?
  • Are there any risks associated with the medications I need to take?
  • How soon after treatment will my symptoms go away?
  • Do I need to see a physiotherapist?

Your appointment is an opportunity to get more information about your condition and work together with your doctor to come up with a care plan suitable for your needs that can relieve symptoms and help you feel like yourself again.

Plenty of different exercises and medications are available to treat an overactive bladder. Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor questions if you have any questions or would like more information about any next steps.