Talking to Your Doctor about Five Embarrasing Symptoms

Symptoms with stigma:
Five symptoms older adults do not often bring up with their healthcare providers, but should
Some symptoms can be difficult to talk about but are important for healthcare providers to be aware of. These are common symptoms that older adults often do not bring up with their healthcare providers because of embarrassment or feelings of stigma. Bring these up, even if they have been going on for years.
Symptom: Urinary incontinence-problems holding urine, leaks, accidents, trouble getting to the bathroom in time.
Why it's important: Affects quality of life-people may limit social outings and be concerned about odor and cleanliness. Causes include medication side effects, infections, problems with pelvic muscles, and arthritis.
How to bring it up: Describe the circumstances around a recent event in which you have noticed problems holding your urine or had to change your underwear.
Symptom: Bowels not moving-constipation, straining to empty the bowels, occasional blood in stool.
Why it's important: Can be painful and lead to other problems, including confusion. Causes include medication side effects, diet, inactivity, tumors, and neurologic diseases.
How to bring it up: Talk about how often you go to the bathroom and whether you have to do anything special to get your bowels to move.
Symptom: Sexual problems-painful intercourse, erectile dysfunction, low sexual desire.
Why it's important: Affects quality of life and relationships. Causes include medication side effects, depression, diabetes, and circulation problems.
How to bring it up: Ask to speak to your provider in private if you need to, and describe specifically whether the problem is with low desire, sexual relations themselves, or both.
Symptom: Depressed mood-low energy, irritability, appetite and sleep problems, lack of interest in activities.
Why it's important: Very common in the winter months, can lead to worsening memory problems. Causes include medication side effects, recent heart attack or stroke, loss of friends or family.
How to bring it up: Mention that you don't feel like yourself lately and what you or others have been noticing.
Symptom: Memory problems-trouble remembering facts, trouble finding words, trouble concentrating or remembering what to do next.
Why it's important: Affects quality of life and relationships and can impact ability to drive or remain independent at home. Causes include depression, dementia, medication side effects, stroke.
How to bring it up: Mention that you are having problems with your thinking and ask if your provider can do a simple test of your mental abilities there in the office.