Enlarged Prostate But Low on Toilet Paper

Due to the global pandemic, there was a time where people were panic buying, and one of the items that was largely purchased was toilet paper. For people who may need to stay at home for long periods of time, a large supply of toilet paper was deemed to be a necessity. For those who have found themselves scarce on toilet paper or who found difficulty buying toilet paper during the panic buying period, we got to thinking.

For older men who have frequent bathroom trips, how has the scarcity of toilet paper affected them? Particularly, the men who have been diagnosed with prostate enlargement (BPH). When the prostate enlarges, symptoms such as frequent urination, urges, struggle to stop and start urinary flow, poor urinary flow, and even sexual dysfunction.

Although not all men wipe with toilet paper after urination, it is worth noting that more bathroom trips potentially increase the need for toilet paper. This pandemic may have underscored the need for men with BPH to reduce their bathroom trips. Reasons to reduce bathroom trips include:

1) reducing stress and worrying about where the closest bathroom is, so that men can have a better quality of life
2) getting more sleep at night, so that men don't have to get up and lose sleep over bathroom trips
3) a sense of control over a man's life, not feeling bound to the bathroom or ashamed of being unable to manage their BPH.
and 4) save the toilet paper supply for the home due to the pandemic induced scarcity!

Fortunately, some places are offering priority purchases for seniors. Because most BPH cases are of senior men, they may be able to get dibs on toilet paper before the panic buyers take hold. Also, some places are limiting the purchase amounts so that customers don't walk away with 20 packs of toilet paper. For men with BPH, the good news is that there are ways to manage and cope with symptoms. These include lifestyle modifications, voiding techniques, pelvic floor exercises, timing fluid intake, a healthy diet, and for men who are open to the idea, taking safe, clinically proven therapies as alternative or complementary medicine.

BPH management varies per individual so discussions with the doctor, family and support network can help men become more informed and make decisions to be proactive about their enlarged prostate.