My friend at an airport stopped me and pointed out a small trail of urine on the front of my pants.
"Happens to all of us," he said. And said it was likely my prostate.
That was my first real moment of prostate education. I was 50. I had no idea what was causing it. It just was.
The prostate does not send you a letter. It talks to you in small ways first. Ways that are easy to explain away as just getting older.
Here is what it sounds like:
- Are you getting up at night to piss when you have not had much to drink?
- Is your urine stream weaker than it used to be?
- Are you standing closer to the urinal than you used to - just in case?
- Are you getting those last few drops in your shorts no matter what you try?
- Do you feel like you have to go RIGHT NOW - with no warning?
- Do you need to piss again, even though you just went 30 minutes ago?
- Is it sometimes harder to get started than it should be?
Any one of those. That is your prostate talking.
Not an emergency. But worth a conversation - first with yourself, then with your doctor.
Which of these did you notice first? Or if you are here because of someone else - which sign made you stop and think something was up? Tell me below.