If you are a woman with urinary incontinence, then you have a lot on your mind, such as bathrooms, urinary urgency, possible leakage accidents and so forth. Since you are so preoccupied, chances are that you may not be thinking about your spouse or partner. At the same time, chances are good that your spouse is wondering about you.
Your Urinary Incontinence and Your Partner
We understand that you have bathrooms on the brain, but your spouse or partner may not. If you are constantly hurrying out of events, jumping up in the middle of a movie to run to the bathroom, or avoiding sex because you are afraid of a leakage accident, your spouse may start to wonder what is happening.
While your behavior makes perfect sense to you, given your symptoms of urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage, your spouse may interpret your actions different. Your partner may wonder if your avoidance of sex means you no longer find him or her attractive. He or she may wonder if your strange behavior is a prelude to a breakup. Your partner may even initiate a breakup based on your behavior, fearing a breakup and not wanting to be the one being dumped first.
Signs That It Is Time to Talk to Your Partner
Obviously if your partner is starting to make noises about breaking up, you definitely need to have a discussion about your urinary incontinence. Most women are amazed that their partners are unaware of just how much urinary incontinence affects behavior, but if you rarely or never raise the issue, your partner will remain ignorant. You should definitely initiate a discussion about your urinary issues if:
- urinary urgency or frequency constantly interrupts quality time with your partner
- you avoid sex because you leak urine during intercourse, or are afraid that you will leak urine
- you have planned an upcoming trip with your partner and you are worried about how you will cope
- anxiety about urinary incontinence issues makes you uncomfortable with your partner
- you keep cancelling dates and plans with your partner because of your urinary incontinence symptoms
If any of these issues, or similar ones, occur with regularity in your life, now is definitely the time to talk to your partner about your women’s urinary incontinence symptoms. A simple straightforward conversation at the right time can ease your partner’s mind, and also increase his or her understanding of your condition. Don’t wait for your partner to become so uncomfortable with the relationship that he or she brings up the issue. Raise the issue yourself… you and your partner will both benefit.
Not sure how to talk about women’s urinary incontinence? Stay tuned. In future articles we will outline simple ways to raise this complex issue.
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