At 83, Succession’s patriarch Logan Roy had an adverse - and seemingly extreme - reaction to a UTI in last night’s episode, becoming extremely confused. Is this really possible and is it something we should all be worried about? Warning! Spoiler alerts ahead...
Over the last few weeks a very clear group has emerged on social media: those who watch (and are therefore obsessed with) HBO’s Succession. This group tends to exist counting down the days between getting their fix via new episodes every Monday. And last night’s episode certainly didn’t disappoint. It has everything that makes the show so special: almost untenable levels of tension, a shed load of awkwardness, and quick and unexpected laughs that hit you when you least expect them.
One of the most curious plot elements of the show, though, was what happened to Logan Roy, the patriarch of the Roy dynasty and chief puppet master of the family business, Waystar Royco. In the episode, Logan suddenly becomes very confused, deteriorating very quickly at an extremely inopportune moment at the company’s shareholder meeting (which is not going very well to put it lightly).
Logan suddenly begins to confuse the people around him, calling everyone by the wrong names, including his children. A doctor is called and it soon emerges that he is suffering from a UTI, and that confusion is a symptom that can present if he forgets to take his meds.
It seems like an extreme reaction to a relatively common medical issue that many people won’t have heard of before. So is it true, can a UTI really cause changes in behaviour?
The short answer is yes. But this is much more likely if you also happen to be advanced in age.
According to the NHS website, symptoms of a UTI in adults include Symptoms of a UTI may include:
pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria)
needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia)
pee that looks cloudy
needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
needing to pee more often than usual
blood in your pee
lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
a very low temperature below 36C
For what the NHS refer to as ‘Older, frail people or people with a urinary catheter,’ though, the symptoms can be a little more serious:
changes in behaviour, such as acting confused or agitated
wetting themselves (incontinence) that is worse than usual
new shivering or shaking (rigors)
Given that Logan is 83 and — as we learned last week when he suffered on a hike with Kendall — isn’t in the greatest health, particularly after his aneurism in season one, confusion as a symptom of his UTI is entirely plausible. As a side note, if you or anyone you know experiences any of these symptoms, call a doctor!
As a plot device, it seems the writers are starting to ebb away at Logan’s dominance by suggesting that like his great nemesis, Sandy Furness, his health may be dwindling. What will this all mean for the family and the broader company? You’ll have to wait and see!