So you have finally worked up the courage to talk to your doctor about your women’s urinary incontinence symptoms. You have showed up at your appointment, discussed your symptoms (such as urinary urgency or leakage), and had some generalized tests. That’s all good.
But what do you do if your diagnosis is unclear? Yikes! You worked up all that courage to show up at the appointment, only to have an unclear diagnosis. What should you do?
Don’t panic. Check out the following tips, which may help you and your doctor find a clear diagnosis for your condition. After all, there are three types of urinary incontinence, not to mention multiple other possible causes for urinary issues. So you and your doctor may need to do a bit of sleuthing to come up with a final diagnosis.
What to Do if Your Diagnosis is Unclear
It is not uncommon for your doctor to be unable to pin down an exact diagnosis on your first visit. This is because the generalized tests he or she will probably perform are meant to exclude certain conditions while not necessarily generating specific diagnostic answers.
For instance, your discussion with your doctor may give him or her a general idea of your symptoms, such as urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency. However, these symptoms alone will not necessarily reveal what is causing your urinary issues. Your doctor may perform a urinalysis to rule out infection and discover whether you have blood or other substances in your urine. He or she may also run a blood test to find out whether medications or other chemicals and substances are present that could be causing your incontinence symptoms. These generalized tests help your doctor rule out temporary causes of urinary incontinence, including urinary tract infections or diuretic medications, which could cause urinary urgency and frequency.
If these generalized tests are inconclusive, then your doctor may not have a definitive diagnosis for you after your first visit. But don’t panic. Instead consider the following options:
1. More Tests
Ask your doctor whether more tests will help clarify your diagnosis. Chances are that your doctor will raise this issue anyway. Further tests can include postvoid residual measurements, stress tests, urodynamic testing, pelvic ultrasounds, pelvic exam, cystograms, and cystoscopies. All of these tests reveal more specific information about the health, position, and function of your urinary system. With these tests, your doctor will very likely be able to offer a specific diagnosis, as well as multiple therapies to address your condition.
2. Ask Questions
It is possible that your doctor may not have a specific diagnosis, but instead have several possible options. He or she may suggest that you try one or more therapies to address the most likely diagnosis. If the therapy is effective, then the diagnosis is confirmed. If the therapy does not alleviate your symptoms, then your doctor may suggest other therapies. The use of therapies to confirm a diagnosis is not uncommon. However, if you feel uncomfortable with the vagueness of this approach, do not hesitate to ask questions. You may wish to ask which diagnosis the suggested therapy is meant to confirm. Or ask which diagnosis is most likely and why.
No questions are ever “stupid,” and you are visiting your doctor because he or she has expertise and information relevant to your condition. So avail yourself of that expertise. Keep asking questions until you are satisfied. If you run out of time during the appointment, ask whether you can discuss your remaining questions with another member of the staff, or request a follow-up email or phone consultation. A question that is never asked might never be answered. Your doctor cannot read your mind, so it is up to you to raise any issues not covered in your discussion.
3. Get Another Opinion
If you are unable to get satisfactory answers and information from your doctor about your condition, there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking the opinion of another doctor. You may even wish to ask for a referral to a new or different kind of specialist.
For instance, if your urinary incontinence symptoms did not start until menopause, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a healthcare provider who specializes in problems associated specifically with menopause. If your doctor is a man and you would feel more comfortable with a woman, ask for a referral for a female physician, either within the same practice or in a different practice. Other referral options include urologists, ob/gyns, and gerontologists. There is no point in continuing to see the same doctor if you are not getting the help you need. If you have asked your doctor for information and assistance more than once, and do not get the help you seek, look elsewhere.
Persistence Pays
When it comes to women’s urinary incontinence, persistence always pays. The women who are most successful at alleviating or even curing their symptoms are the ones who are most persistent. These women are not afraid to keep asking questions until they get the answers they seek. These women are willing to try multiple therapies, either singly or in combination, until they find a solution that works. These women will ask for referrals or will follow up via phone or email after appointments until their problems are solved. These women are, in short, persistent!
The question is, are you willing to be that persistent to gain relief from your urinary incontinence symptoms? We hope so! If you are not yet ready to visit your doctor but have questions, ask us on our Facebook page… you ask and we will answer!
If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.