I consider myself a pretty enlightened woman. I am a registered nurse. I used to coordinate clinical trials. I ran studies on everything from arthritis to premature ejaculation. Still, nothing prepared me for that moment in the shower. One minute you are intact, the next you are greeting an unfamiliar intruder... or should I say escapee. Gravity, trauma and poor connective tissue conspired against me. My self-image would take a hit. Closer inspection and vain efforts to stuff the offending tissue back into position, quickly turned to panic. My heart beat wildly! My eyes darted! Quick! Water off! I frantically searched for a towel... eck...clean enough! Doors shut! Grab phone! What is that number 447- 54.... oooo! That’s it! Sweet Jesus, please let the doctor have an opening. Ahhhh!!! They got me in right away.
I was worried that I wouldn’t be taken seriously. Worse, I was already mourning the impending loss of my uterus. I was suddenly sentimental over that well used organ that I have been at odds with since puberty. Would I still be a woman without my uterus? Would they laugh and write “hypochondriac” in my chart?
Relief came as my forty-year-old, female doctor mercifully exclaimed, “Oh you poor thing! No, it’s your bladder.” My mind struggled to grasp this new reality. “What’s it doing there?” This smart, educated woman reassured me with, “Don’t worry, things fall out of women all the time.” “Really? “They do?” I looked at the nurse in the corner of the room. She shrugged with a frown, nodding agreement. I nervously laughed as I melted into the tissue paper-covered exam table. I was given a referral and an almost certain promise of surgery.
Why had I waited so long? Sure, I got up three times a night and always avoided sneezing and hearty laughs in public, but I had accepted this as the price of aging and childbirth. I quit doing aerobics classes or even jumping with my kids to avoid leakage. I find that a little sad. I wish I had higher expectations of my own functioning as a woman.
The urologist’s office was unfamiliar territory. I was the youngest and only female patient in the waiting room. I returned for a series of tests to ensure the success of the operation. My bladder was scoped and probed and challenged and re-challenged. There was a staff member whose job it was to catch the urine at the moment at which my bladder failed the challenge. Whatever they paid that woman, it was not enough! This continued until they had quantitative data to prove exactly how incontinent I was. I sat in my parked car outside the office, crying. I was incontinent. I have given birth three times and my body is damaged. No amount of Kegal exercises would put things back in place.
I want to encourage other women to expect more from their Saging bodies. Bladder leakage or urgent and frequent or painful urination are not a normal part of aging to be tolerated. The good news is, not all cases require surgery.
There are now prescription medications available that can increase contractility of the bladder muscles. If the bladder muscles can squeeze better, many of these annoyances can be avoided. This is because of decreased residual urine left in the bladder after voiding.
Also there are dietary factors to consider. Caffeine, alcohol, acidic or spicy foods, artificial sweeteners and dairy can be irritants to the bladder. Simply avoiding or reducing these can help bladder function. However, everyone has different sensitivities. Eliminating one food at a time and keeping a journal of your symptoms can help you identify your problem foods.
Kegal exercises are another way to help preserve the integrity of the entire peritoneal area. When voiding, stop the stream of urine, then continue. Those muscles that you feel contracting to stop the flow of urine are the same muscles that you want to exercise. These exercises can be performed at any time of day. Contract the target muscles, hold for several seconds, then release. Gradually increase repetitions. This will tighten all the muscles in the pelvic floor, improving urination and sexual function.
It was difficult for me as a nurse to address this issue, but I am glad I did. I can now run a marathon, do yoga and laugh in public. Life is much fuller. I am more confident. I shared my little drama with my close girlfriends. As luck would have it, one of my closest friends required a hysterectomy two months later due to prolapse. Because of my experience, I was able to offer support to her through her loss. Please do not hesitate to discuss these embarrassing issues with your doctor. Your quality of life is too important!
 |
Print this page |