Michelle's Story
Approximately 300,000 people suffer from a condition called overactive bladder. Known for its lifestyle-altering symptoms, including urinary frequency, urgency, and urge, recent medical advances are now offering these people relief. Michelle is one of the growing number of people whose situation has been helped with a new medication developed to treat this condition. It was while accepting a sales award at a large banquet that Michelle realised that her overactive bladder was ruining her life. "I was drinking water and wine and suddenly the urge to empty my bladder hit me full force", she recalls. "I remember thinking ‘as soon as they announce the winner I’ll make my exit for the restroom".
The winner turned out to be Michelle, "I was in a state of panic", she remembers, "and I had no choice but to make my way up to the podium". To complicate matters, she was also expected to make a speech. Although Michelle usually wore a pad to catch the urine she sometimes lost when she didn’t get to the bathroom right away, she didn’t have one on that night because she didn’t want it to show through her evening dress. Standing behind the podium with her legs crossed, Michelle could feel the urine pouring down her legs. Although her stockings were drenched, she felt fortunate that her dress was spared. Somehow she made it through the picture-taking that followed, smiling bravely and just wanting to run from the scene. "It was a moment of pure hell", she states. |
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Although it was her worst experience with overactive bladder, the mother of three says it wasn’t the first. Working the sales floor of a large department store she would sometimes be with a customer and have to take off running. "I actually developed a swishy kind of walk in which I held my legs together as I raced to the bathroom". There were times she left a trail of urine behind her.
As time passed, her condition worsened. Michelle was wearing large pads every day and soaking them. She became fearful of going anywhere that was more than an hour’s drive. When she went out to eat or shop, the first thing she did was find the location of the restroom. In trying to cope with the problem herself, Michelle started using the bathroom every hour to keep her bladder empty and began wearing loose, oversized clothes that wouldn’t reveal her accidents. At night she would typically get up four or five times to use the bathroom and wake in the morning exhausted.
Michelle made the mistake that most people suffering with overactive bladder make. She thought that the symptoms of urgency, frequency and urge to empty her bladder were just something she had to learn to live with. In speaking to her general practitioner, she learned about the many treatment options available to her. Michelle followed her family doctors treatment advice and was amazed with the results. Michelle now lectures to groups about overactive bladder. She stresses that not only is it not a normal part of aging but it can affect anyone.
"I’ve had men and women of all ages approach me after my lectures saying that they suffer from the same problem", she states. "One of the women was a reporter in her 20’s who was covering my lecture; most are amazed to learn that help exists".
Michelle believes that more doctors need to make questions about bladder control a part of every physical check up. "They ask about your heart, your blood pressure, your breathing; everything but the bladder", she states. Too often sufferers also think they need to go to a specialist to address the problem. "Tell any doctor and take it from there", says Michelle "if you’re too embarrassed to bring it up, hand them a leaflet about overactive bladder and say ‘I think I suffer from this’".
The main point that Michelle stresses is the importance of getting help. Unfortunately, she states, the topic remains taboo for most. "Too many people have needlessly become reclusive prisoners in their own homes because of this", says Michelle"This is something that no one should tolerate, particularly when it can be treated", she adds. "It’s a horrible problem, and it’s embarrassing, but there is help. You don’t have to let this control your life".
Today Michelle says her life has never been fuller. She’s enjoying being with her young granddaughter, has started coordinating weddings on the side, enjoys making quilts and gardening and has a large circle of friends. Says Michelle, "I’ve finally gotten my life back and I intend to keep it!".
