Listen to the dialogue between Edith and the stroke nurse below. If you do not have headphones you can read the full transcript of the conversation below in ‘View text alternative’.
3 minutes 57 seconds
Sound bite transcript
Stroke Nurse: So, Edith, Can you tell me how many times you go to the toilet during the day?’
Edith: Oh now I can’t be too sure. It’s difficult to remember. I think about 12 times and then of course I’m up a few times during the night too.
SN : Can you tell me how many times
E : Oh at least three times every night and I’m so tired because of that. I just don’t seem to have any energy.
SN : Mmm
E: I seem to be constantly either on the toilet or looking for the toilet. And no sooner have I finished on the toilet than I’m off back in again!
SN: Uh hum
E: If I feel I need to go, I’ve got to go straight away. There is no putting it off. Sometimes, if I don’t do that, I’ll have to change.
SN: Do you mean that you’ll be a bit wet or is there a bit of soiling too?
E: Oh no. I mean Just a bit wet. Or sometimes not even sure if something has escaped or not but I just feel it has.
SN: Ok
E: And often times I’ll be in the middle of something, for example washing the dishes or I’m in the shower and that just sets me off and I’ve got to get to the toilet.
SN: I see. That must be very disruptive. What kind of things have you tried to improve the situation?
E: Well I don’t drink anything now after 5 o’clock or if I have to go out I don’t drink anything for at least an hour or two before hand. And that’s so difficult as I do like a cup of coffee.
SN: Right. How many cups would you normally have a day
E: Oh about 6 or 7 usually.
SN: What other things do you like to drink
E: Oh. Occasionally I’ll have a cup of tea if I was at a friend’s house or in the shop but it’s usually a coffee.
SN: before your stroke had you ever been seriously ill? Were you in hospital? Anything like that?
E: No no no. Always been fit as a fiddle. Nothing ever bothered me. Just the odd cold or something. Nothing serious.
SN: Do you take any medication at the moment
E: Just my water pill and the wee aspirin
SN: How have things been since the stroke? How’s your walking these days? The physiotherapist was saying how well you had been doing.
E: Yes. My walking is good. I just use a stick a bit, more for confidence and it also means people give you a bit more space. I don’t find they crowd in on you so much if you have a stick.
SN: I know you’ve been finding this a bit upsetting. How do you feel about your bladder and the problems you’ve been having with it.
E: Oh, its been awful! I hate it! I get so very upset and its so embarrassing! But I did know this would happen.
SN: What do you mean?
E: Well my mother had this from about her 60s so I knew that this would happen at some stage. And it’s so awful isn’t it when you’re getting older and you know its just around the corner.
SN: But this is nothing to do with you age Edith. It all happened after your stroke didn’t it?
E: Yes
SN: It’s most likely that these problems are as a result of that rather than your age. It is quite common to have these sorts of problems after a stroke.
E: Ohhhhh
SN: There are a range of things we could try to try and help you. It may even be possible to fix the problem.
E: Oh that would be fantastic! That would make such a difference. I wouldn’t feel like such a burden.
SN: Ok. Lets do that then.
Page last reviewed: 31 Jan 2022
