Having a urodynamics test
Date issued: June 2023
Review date: June 2025
Ref: A-468/RR/Gynae/Having a urodynamics test v2
PDF: Having a Urodynamics test final June 2023 v2.pdf[pdf] 123KB
What is a urodynamics test?
It is a test on the bladder to show what happens to the bladder on filling and emptying.
Why should I have a urodynamics test? What are the benefits?
The test will recreate the symptoms you are experiencing and enable us to diagnose the problem and offer you a treatment plan.
How can I prepare for a urodynamics test?
Five days before your test
If you are taking any of the following medicines for your bladder, you must stop taking them five days before the test.
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oxybutinin tablets or patches (e.g., Ditropan® or Kentera®)
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solifenacin (Vesicare®)
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tolterodine (Detrusitol®
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fesoterodine (Toviaz®
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mirabegron (Betmiga®)
Failure to stop these medicines may result in the test being cancelled as they may mask the problem we are trying to identify. However, you must carry on with any medicines you take for other conditions.
Three days before your test
We have enclosed a bladder diary that you must complete over a three-day period. It does not need to be three days in a row. We need to know how much you are drinking and urinating. We appreciate it is sometimes difficult to do this, but it is very important to do your best as it will give us valuable information. If you have a catheter, you do not need to fill in the diary.
Please eat and drink normally on the day of the test
It is also important that you are not constipated when coming for the test as this could affect the result. If you are constipated in the days leading up to the test, take some laxatives (available from your local pharmacy).
Try to arrive at the department with a comfortably full bladder. Do not pass urine until you have spoken to the nurse who is performing the test. If you have problems holding on with a full bladder, we will understand.
What happens during the test?
Please allow at least an hour for your appointment. There will be two nurses and there may be a doctor present during the test.
The nurse performing the test will then explain what is going to happen and ask you about the symptoms you are experiencing.
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Once you are changed, we will ask you to urinate on a special toilet to measure your urine flow. We will then test your urine. If there is any infection, we will not be able to perform the rest of the test.
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For the next part of the test, we will pass one fine tube into the bladder and another into the rectum (back passage). This is to enable us to measure the pressures both inside and outside the bladder.
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Once the lines are in place, you will then sit on the toilet and your bladder is slowly filled using saline at a controlled rate.
During the filling stage we will ask you questions on what you are feeling, and these are recorded on the computer screen. Once the bladder feels full, we will ask you to urinate with the tubes in. This will show us what happens to your bladder when you empty it.
Remember we are attempting to recreate what happens to your bladder and mimic the symptoms you experience, so if you leak during the test please don’t worry or be embarrassed.
Will I feel any pain?
You may feel a little discomfort or stinging when we insert the bladder line due to the gel, we use which acts as an anaesthetic, but this will pass in seconds. You may also experience some discomfort when we are filling the bladder.
What happens after the procedure?
Once the test is finished, we will remove the tubes. You can then use the toilet facilities where we will provide a cloth and a towel, and you can get changed in private. The nurse will then chat to you and if possible, explain what the test shows. You will return on another date for a follow-up appointment.
Are there any risks associated with the test?
We do not routinely give antibiotics before the test. After having the urodynamics test there is a small possibility that you may develop a urinary tract infection. This can be caused by the insertion of the catheter. To prevent this, we ask you to drink extra fluids when you get home.
What do I need to do after I go home?
We advise you to drink plenty of fluids once you go home to prevent a urinary tract infection. You will be able to resume all your normal activities immediately after the test.
