Patient Resources | Widebay Urodynamics

Why are urodynamics performed?

Urinary problems, especially incontinence, may affect women of any age.

Problems such as these usually increase with age, pregnancy, childbirth, and the onset of menopause.

Your symptoms may include:

Loss of urine while coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising
Sudden and/or frequent need to pass urine
Getting up at night frequently to pass urine
Difficulty in emptying your bladder
Recurrent bladder infections

Results from urodynamic tests allow your doctor to demonstrate the reason why you have the symptoms you have, and to offer you the best treatment for your bladder problems.

Is any preparation required?

The procedure takes approximately 60 minutes and no fasting is required
You will normally be asked to attend for the tests with a comfortably full bladder, so if possible, do not pass urine in the hour prior to your appointment.
You will need to stop certain medications such as Betmiga, Vesicare and Ditropan 48 hours before the UDS study. Please check with your doctor before stopping any medications.
Have a Urine test 5 to 7 days before the study
Avoid caffeine intake on the day of the study

Are there any risks?

No matter how carefully the test is performed, urine infections can sometimes occur after it. You should drink more water than usual for a day or two to flush out any bacteria. You may be advised to take Ural Effervescent Powder which is a urinary alkaliniser. If you develop a UTI a short course of antibiotics may be prescribed by your doctor.

What is a bladder diary?

A bladder diary is a simple chart which allows you to record details about:

The fluids you drink – including type, time, and whether they may be an irritant to your bladder
How much urine you pass – this is tracked by measuring the urine volume each time you go to the toilet
Every time you go to the toilet
Whether you experience accidental leaks (also known as incontinence) – including how wet your clothes or pad is, and what you were doing at the time, such as lifting, laughing, or sneezing.