Using a bladder diary
Using a bladder diary
A bladder diary can be used to help the patient understand the full picture of their symptoms. The patient records the time, type and amount of liquid they drink (e.g. 9am: 2 cups of tea = total 400ml), as well as the time they need to urinate and how much urine they pass.
Suggest that in order to measure their urine, the patient uses a measuring jug and writes down the amount (in ml) in the diary next to the time. The easiest way to do this is to put a large plastic container in the toilet bowl and urinate into it. This will allow the patient to sit or stand comfortably and naturally to pass the urine, which can then be poured into a measuring jug so they can see the amount.
Leakage episodes, pad usage and other information such as the degree of urgency (e.g. not urgent/I knew I would have to go within 10 minutes/I had to stop what I was doing and go to the toilet) and degree of incontinence should also be recorded. A bladder diary should cover variations in a patient’s usual activities, such as both working and leisure days.