Overactive Bladder Symptoms and Treatment

The 3 incontinence questions (I3Q) assessment tool

You indicated that you’ve experienced urine loss (incontinence). By answering 3 additional questions below, you can help your doctor determine if the incontinence is related to overactive bladder (OAB) or to another condition called stress incontinence.

These questions are optional. If you want to skip them, just click the "Submit" button.

Yes No

When you were performing some physical activity, such as coughing, sneezing, lifting, or exercise?

When you had the urge or the feeling that you needed to empty your bladder, but you could not get to the toilet fast enough?

Without physical activity and without a sense of urgency?

When you were performing some physical activity, such as coughing, sneezing, lifting, or exercise?

When you had the urge or the feeling that you needed to empty your bladder, but you could not get to the toilet fast enough?

Without physical activity and without a sense of urgency?

About equally as often with physical activity as with a sense of urgency?

Your 3IQ assessment is complete. Please click the "Submit" button to see results.

Adapted from Brown JS, Bradley CS, Subak LL, et al; for the Diagnostic Aspects of Incontinence Study (DAISy) Research Group. The sensitivity
and specificity of a simple test to distinguish between urge and stress urinary incontinence. Ann Intern Med. 2006; 144(10):715-723.

Your results are not a diagnosis but they can help the doctor understand your symptoms. In a study, patients who scored 8 or higher were more likely to have a clinical diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB). Regardless of the score, you should discuss your results with your doctor. Only he or she can diagnose OAB. To print your results, click Print below.

HOW BOTHERED HAVE YOU BEEN BY:

Q1. Frequent urination during the daytime hours?

Not at all

Q2. An uncomfortable urge to urinate?

Not at all

Q3. A sudden urge to urinate with little or no warning?

Not at all

Q4. Accidental loss of small amounts of urine?

Not at all

Q5. Nighttime urination?

Not at all

Q6. Waking up at night because you had to urinate?

Not at all

Q7. An uncontrollable urge to urinate?

Not at all

Q8. Urine loss associated with a strong desire to urinate?

Not at all

Talking with a doctor about OAB symptoms can be difficult for many people. To help make the discussion
a little easier, you could open the conversation with phrases like*:

I never know when I might have to go. I worry when I’m not near a bathroom.
I often get sudden and strong urges. And once I get the urge, it’s tough
to wait.
I find myself locating bathrooms everywhere I go.

See your results page printout for more conversation starters.

1. During the last 3 months, you leaked urine:
2. During the last 3 months, you leaked urine:
3. During the last 3 months, you leaked urine most often:

* These are just suggestions and may not apply to everyone.
You could also bring your own conversation starters to the appointment.

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Your Results and Doctor Discussion Guide

This PDF includes your results on page 1 and doctor conversation starters on page 3. Both could help your doctor know how much your symptoms are bothering you. Remember, your results are not a diagnosis. Only your doctor can diagnose overactive bladder (OAB). Please bring both printed sheets to your next appointment.

Talk to your doctor about your score of:

Although the OAB Symptom Quiz is not a diagnostic tool, in a study, patients who scored 8 or higher were more likely to have a clinical diagnosis of OAB. Regardless of the score, you should discuss your results with your doctor.

This is how you answered the OAB Symptom Quiz:

How bothered have you been by:

Q1. Frequent urination during the daytime hours?

Not at all

Q2. An uncomfortable urge to urinate?

Not at all

Q3. A sudden urge to urinate with little or no warning?

Not at all

Q4. Accidental loss of small amounts of urine?

Not at all

Q5. Nighttime urination?

Not at all

Q6. Waking up at night because you had to urinate?

Not at all

Q7. An uncontrollable urge to urinate?

Not at all

Q8. Urine loss associated with a strong desire to urinate?

Not at all

Note to the doctor about the OAB Symptom Quiz:

Pfizer has developed the OAB-V8,¹ an 8-question awareness-raising tool. This tool is designed to be a conversation facilitator to help you and your patients discuss bothersome overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, the possible cause of such symptoms, and potential treatments. The tool is intended to be a complement to — not a replacement for — the clinical diagnosis of OAB.^*

This awareness tool was tested in a representative population of 1,260 patients. Patients answered these questions during their regularly scheduled appointments in primary care or gynecology practices. Although the OAB-V8 is not a diagnostic tool, patients who scored 8 or higher were more likely to have a clinical diagnosis of OAB.*

1. Coyne KS, Zyczynski T, Margolis MK, Elinoff V, Roberts RG. Validation of an overactive bladder awareness tool for use in primary care settings. Adv Ther. 2005;22(4):381-394.

* A retrospective analysis determined that men reported less bother from OAB symptoms of equal severity than did women. To adjust for this, 2 points are added to men’s scores so that a score of 8 or higher in either gender corresponds to an increased likelihood of a clinical diagnosis of OAB.

Definitions of type of urinary incontinence are based on responses to question 3.

Most often with physical activity	Stress only or stress predominant
Most often with the urge to empty the bladder	Urgency only or urgency predominant
Without physical activity or sense of urgency	Other cause only or other cause predominant

About equally with physical activity and sense of urgency	Mixed

Adapted from Brown JS, Bradley CS, Subak LL, et al; for the Diagnostic Aspects of Incontinence Study (DAISy) Research Group. The sensitivity and specificity of a simple test to distinguish between urge and stress urinary incontinence. Ann Intern Med. 2006; 144(10):715-723.

Talking with a doctor about overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms can be difficult. These conversation starters can help make your discussion a little easier. Remember, these are just suggestions and may not apply to everyone. You could also bring your own conversation starters to the appointment.

When you talk with a doctor about your symptoms, you could start the conversation with:

I never know when I might have to go. I worry when I’m not near a bathroom.
I often get sudden and strong urges. And once I get the urge, it’s tough to wait.
I find myself locating bathrooms everywhere I go.
I used to love going out. Now I often have to stay near a bathroom.
Even at work, I’m always rushing to the bathroom. It’s frustrating.

If you experience urine leaks, you could say:

I carry a pad all the time — because I never know when I might need one.
Sometimes I leak urine if I don’t get to the bathroom in time.
The leaks make me feel like I no longer control my own bladder.

If your doctor diagnoses you with OAB, you could ask:

Do you know what could be causing it?
Are there medicines that treat OAB symptoms?
Will changing what I eat and drink help?
Can exercises help me manage my symptoms?

Q1. Frequent urination during the daytime hours? Please select an answer.
Q2. An uncomfortable urge to urinate? Please select an answer.
Q3. A sudden urge to urinate with little or no warning? Please select an answer.
Q4. Accidental loss of small amounts of urine? Please select an answer.
Q5. Nighttime urination? Please select an answer.
Q6. Waking up at night because you had to urinate? Please select an answer.
Q7. An uncontrollable urge to urinate? Please select an answer.
Q8. Urine loss associated with a strong desire to urinate? Please select an answer.