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Bladder Diary

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A bladder diary is a simple chart which allows you to record the fluid you drink and the urine you pass during the day and night, as well as document if you have urgency (a sudden and intense need to pass urine that cannot be put off) and/or accidental urine leakages. A bladder diary can provide valuable information for the healthcare professional treating your bladder  problem and help monitor the effects of treatment. A bladder diary can also help you understand how your bladder is behaving.

The diary should be completed over 3 days (not necessarily consecutive) prior to your clinic appointment. Some people find it easiest to complete the diary over a weekend period.

You will need a measuring jug to measure the urine you pass. This should be measured (calibrated) in milliliters (mls) and should hold at least 500mls.You should also measure your drinks. Figure 1 shows the average volume of some common fluid containers.

Figure 1

  • Drinks: Every time you have a drink, record the time, the type of drink (for example tea, coffee, etc.) and how much (in mls).
  • Urine: Each time you pass urine, urinate into your jug so you can measure the amount in mls. Record the time, as well as a rating of how urgently you needed to urinate using the following scale:
    • 0 = No urgency
    • 1 = You felt an urgency to urinate, but you could easily tolerate it
    • 2 = You needed to urinate so urgently it interfered with your ability to carry out everyday activities
    • 3 = You needed to urinate very urgently, which caused you discomfort and abruptly stopped you from doing an everyday activity
  • Leakage: If you had an accidental urine leak before you could get to the toilet, indicate “yes” (or “Y”) in the appropriate column. If you leaked urine on coughing, laughing, sneezing, or activities (running, exercise, etc.), place a star and note the activity. If you needed to change your pad, mark a “P” in the appropriate column, as shown in the sample diary below.

Additional blank diaries may be downloaded and printed at www.yourpelvicfloor.org/media/Bladder_Diary_Chart.pdf.