IT might not sound very glamorous but September is urology awareness month – a vital topic people tend to avoid talking about.
Urological problems are very common, ranging from a UTI to incontinence. Less common is cancer, which can affect the kidneys, bladder, testicles, prostate and more.
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Symptoms of urological problems include blood in urine, pain in the lower tummy, needing to pee more, or finding it difficult to go. Signs of cancer include feeling fatigued more easily, unintentional weight loss and lack of appetite.
It’s easy to put some things down to stress or long hours at work, for example. But if you’ve noticed something change, see your GP.
Those frequent toilet trips could be something else entirely, like type 2 diabetes, which can be managed.
Antibiotics can treat a UTI and incontinence is not something you have to suffer with in silence, ask your GP what can help.
Here are some things readers have asked me this week . . .
My periods are odd
Q) I AM 47. I had a heavy period in May, nothing in June and in August, two small amounts a week or so apart. Should I be concerned?
A) High on the list of possible causes for the change in period pattern would be that it is due to perimenopause.
This period of time is when oestrogen and progesterone are declining and periods may become irregular during the lead-up to menopause itself.
Menopause is when you haven’t had a period for 12 months.
Periods do not usually stop abruptly before menopause, but may become less regular and you can start skipping periods altogether.
Your flow can vary too being either heavier or lighter, or fluctuate.
In addition to changes in periods, perimenopause is associated with more than 40 recognised symptoms which are mainly attributed to declining oestrogen levels.
Whilst some women will get multiple symptoms, some will get none, and there is huge variation in the severity of symptoms and how this impacts a person’s life.
Common symptoms include hot flushes, weight gain, mood changes, vaginal dryness, brain fog, poor sleep, UTIs, joint pain, incontinence and anxiety.
It is very important to note any changes and consult with your GP who should also consider other potential causes for many of these symptoms.
As doctors, we don’t tend to have much concern when a single period is missed or comes early.
However, if your periods are becoming very irregular there can be other causes to consider.
Other causes of irregular periods include pregnancy, thyroid issues, polycystic ovarian syndrome, stress, endometriosis, anxiety and too much exercise.
Fibroids, polyps and endometrial hyperplasia can also be conditions that can cause some heavy bleeding, so it’s worth making a note to see if this happens a lot.
Additionally, if there is vaginal bleeding between periods or during/after sex then this also needs to be looked into.
If in doubt it’s definitely worth making an appointment at your GP to have a discussion and see if they think you need further investigations for your symptoms.
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Q) FOR a considerable time I have suffered from excessive “wind”.
The advice I was given by my GP was to avoid eating oranges and grapes (neither of which I eat to excess!).
I may have to give up my volunteering work in a charity shop as I have no control and it is causing me much embarrassment.
I have tried Windeze tablets but to no avail. I am a 78-year-old female, eat well, exercise with my dog and do gardening.
A) Firstly, great to hear that you are so fit, active and that you volunteer in a charity shop, which while helping others is also great for your own mental health and wellbeing.
So I would love to help with this problem so that you can keep living this great life without embarrassment.
While excessive wind is rarely concerning for your physical health, if it is impacting your social and psychological health then it is still an issue of importance.
The next sensible step would be taking a closer look at your overall diet.
Wind, flatulence or farting as many people say is absolutely normal and despite what some may think, we all fart.
The gas is actually made by the bacteria that live in our gut, which feeds off the fibre that we consume in our diets. Now, fibre is important for good health, and most people would benefit from eating more.
But in your case, it may well be that a lower fibre diet for a short time might help reduce the wind and may even help establish a more favourable community of bacteria in your gut.
Ideally you would approach this with the support of a dietician who can guide you as to what foods to reduce, what to replace those foods with temporarily, then how to gradually reintroduce the high fibre foods back in.
Sometimes dieticians are accessible on the NHS and sometimes not, depending on where you live in the UK.
If you can afford to see someone privately it may be a good investment for you, and you’d probably get away with just two or three sessions.
I hope this helps and please, whatever happens, don’t let this issue stop you from leading your fulfilling life.
Why does heat give me wee issue?
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Q) LAST July I was in Portugal and had watery blood in my urine.
I purchased Barbas de Milho and Urispas from the chemist, which seemed to do the trick. When I came home, the GP said there was no point seeing anyone as it had cleared up.
It happened again last month while on holiday. I was prescribed Furaginum and then more antibiotics on my return home. I sent a water sample to my GP but I was told the results were clear and no further action is needed.
I seem to get this when it’s hot so I am nervous to go abroad. I have been on blood pressure meds for many years.
A) Barbas de Milho is corn silk and research suggests it helps symptoms of cystitis so it was a good idea to take it.
Urispas, called Flavoxate in the UK, relaxes the muscles in the bladder and is used to treat some bladder and urinary tract symptoms. Furaginum is an antibiotic similar to Nitrofurantoin.
UTIs are more common in warmer places because the heat makes it easier for germs and bacteria to grow.
Our fluid requirements also go up, so dehydration can make people more likely to get UTIs. In your case your blood pressure meds may also exacerbate this.
Summer is also the time of year when we sweat more and are more likely to wear wet swimsuits for long periods – moisture is a breeding ground for germs.
So stay hydrated, use breathable fabrics like cottons and linens and change out of wet swimming costumes quickly.
The best treatment for a UTI is antibiotics, and a three-day course is usually sufficient for straightforward UTIs in non-pregnant women. You’ve done the right thing letting your doctor know about these infections on your return.
It can be added to your notes and help identify if you develop recurrent UTIs, which is three or more episodes in 12 months or two or more in six months.