Text transcript of the video : Testimonial from Laurent

Laurent, suffering from urinary problems 

I'm Laurent, I’m 64 and I’m retired.  

I worked for almost 40 years in international publishing. In my private life, I spend my days with my younger partner, and in our spare time we like to get out and about, travel and chat. 

When and how did your urinary problems start? 

About 5 years ago, I was still working and I was starting to have trouble urinating and then it got even more difficult. At first, I played it down, thinking, "well, I must be tired", or what I described as having a "false alarm". I'd even come to think of it as a form of stress.  

But then I realized that I was getting up more often at night. 

What impact did this have on your everyday life? 

So the impact on daily life is real, but at the time, and depending on the circumstances, you can always find a whole lot of excuses.  

I realized that all these little problems were causing damage that was causing anxiety that I didn't want to admit. 

When you're in a meeting at work, for example, and you're interrupted by a pressing urge to go, well, you try to put on a brave face and you go with the good old 'excuse me, I'll be right back'. But you realize when you're in the solitude of the bathroom that the business that was supposed to be taken care of quickly, well, it's taking too long! 

One thing leads to another, and you find yourself avoiding invitations to outdoor events and long-distance trips, to avoid embarrassment. 

What's even more annoying are the intimacy issues it causes. When the problems first start, you don't understand why, but you’re getting older so you blame it on age. 

What made you decide to consult a doctor? 

It was my partner. One day she said to me, with her usual love, tact and understanding, 'Laurent, you realize we haven't been intimated as often lately and you've been having trouble keeping a decent erection...’ So my answer was a little curt and quick, 'I'm getting old that's all, end of story'. 

But she didn’t let it go, and ever understanding and loving, she said to me - 'getting old is one thing, we all get old, but you should still talk to your doctor about it. You’ve trusted her since you started going to see her.' 

I finally listened to her, and she encouraged me to talk about it. 

What advice would you give to men your age? 

Don't do what I did! Don't wait months, because it's completely stupid to ask yourself these questions, to go round and round in circles in your head, it's pointless. If you talk about it more quickly, it's much simpler. But, I know, that's easier to say that afterwards! 

However, when it comes to intimacy, though, it's much more difficult. But we still manage to find solutions. For example, thanks to my partner's understanding and love, we've developed a different kind of sexuality that suits us both. We live in harmony. 

So, I'd say, take charge of your life. Talk it over honestly with your partner and your doctor. Whoever you want. You know, talking about it really frees you from the burden then you see the future with much more serenity, joy I would say! It's a bit exaggerated but with confidence, yes, that's it, confidence