If you’ve visited your GP to talk about your , then you may have been asked to keep a bladder diary for a few days. This is a record of what we eat and drink as well as information about our toilet trips.
The reason for the diary is simple: often the symptoms we experience are related to something in our lifestyle. This could be our choice of food or liquid. It’s also good for the doctor to know when you have the urge to urinate to see whether it’s related to certain activities.
By understanding your fluid intake and output, together with other details, it’s possible for the doc to come up with a diagnosis and solution more easily.
Of course, you can keep a bladder diary without being asked and it could be useful to bring one to your next appointment. Let’s take a look at the kind of things you should be recording.
Your doctor will want to know what, and how often, you are drinking. It’s not just water or beer that will be of interest but also any foods that can be consumed in liquid form, such as ice cream or soup. Record in your diary the times of the day you are taking in the fluid.
Make a note of how often you need to urinate, as well as the times of day - there is likely to be a correlation with your fluid intake. It’s also useful to measure how much you are urinating and, although it’s a bit of a hassle, a measuring jug can help. Remember, you only need to do this for a few days and don’t forget to thoroughly wash the jug afterwards.
