Feminine hygiene question

Tony484

My DW is just beginning to have bathroom issues.  She is now often not wiping when she pees, which I know because she also often forgets to flush the toilet. My question is whether this is medically risky for any reason.  I THINK she is OK with wiping when pooping and there have yet to be any UTI issues, but she sometimes puts the used toilet paper in the wastebasket instead of the toilet.  This is all very private to her (she hasn't let me see her naked in several years) and I expect extreme resistance to anything I try, but I realize that I can't let it go. Thanks.

Jo C.

While it is "nice" to have her pat dry after voiding, this is unlikely to lead to a UTI from most of what I have read.  One can put a small pad inside her panties to help absorb any small bit of wetness and wick it away from the body, and ensure her dryness and the pad can be changed several times a day as necessary.  Some pads are very thin and short, and others are a bit thicker and longer depending on needs.

If she is in incontinence pants, then those can be changed as needed too.  There is an article by a GYN from Brigham Women's Hospital that discussed this; his information was that this was not a concern re UTIs.

I would imagine however, if there was a lot of significant wetness inside the panties that could become a bacteria breeding ground, but the little bit of dampness should not be a big issue especially if there is a small pad to wick away moisture.

If she has a lot of wetness, especially if she has a lot of leakage when sneezing or coughing or exerting herself, perhaps you could have several pairs of panties prepared with a pad inside to place inside the bathroom and tell her she needs to change her panties as you will be doing laundry soon and you want the dirty ones to wash.  Or whatever works if any of this is necessary.

J.

Ed1937

I know this can be an issue with privacy. But sometimes it becomes necessary for you to be in there with her. That might not be the case now, but it will likely happen. At that time, you just have to grab the bull by the horns, and insist on helping.

My wife had regular UTIs, and I found that she was wiping from back to front after a BM. That is a big no-no. I insisted on being in there with her, and reminding her to wipe from front to back. Sometimes I had to remind her more than once. I bought a bidet, and I think that helped with the UTIs, along with TheraCran capsules taken once a day.

Tony484

Thanks very much for the helpful responses.