An urgent problem

Incontinence can be very embarrassing. We all understand that. But it’s a problem we need to talk about, given how common it is and how seriously it can impact on a sufferer’s quality of life. It affects men and women equally, and in many cases is treatable and sometimes curable.

In Urology Awareness Week (September), we are bringing the issue out into the open so that the Care Community can feel comfortable talking with other carers about this distressing condition. How do you help minimise the discomfort and embarrassment of incontinence for your loved one? Are there treatments or cures that you have found particularly effective? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about managing or treating incontinence?

Share your experience with others on the Care Community forum. They are waiting to hear from you.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Care Community team

[MAS_Nurse]

Hi, we would welcome posts during Urology Awareness Week [September]. Please post your experiences, treatments that have helped and any useful pieces of advice about managing and treating incontinence. This will be most helpful to the forum. Best wishes.

[Hidden]

I noticed as I passed my 65th birthday that if I didn't get to the loo pretty fast, as soon as I got the urge to 'go', I was inclined to dribble en route. At the same time, a uterine prolapse was developing. Frankly I am now too reluctant to visit a GP for urinary or gynae problems. I hate that they are all strangers to me and that I am rushed through any consultation, from simple to life-threatening, in a ten minute slot. But it was still an inconvenient problem so I determined to help myself.

I tried doing simple kegels (pelvic floor exercises), by myself, but it was time consuming and I'd forget or get fed up with doing them and I saw absolutely no improvement.

Then I read some marvellous reviews about the Kegel 8 machine, which electronically (battery operated) does the kegels for you. OK, it wasn't cheap at around £150, but it really has helped me. It's much more intense than trying to do kegels yourself. I use one of its programs as close to daily as I can, and my pelvic floor is much improved. Uncontrolled leaks are now very few and my prolapse is, I'd say 85-90% better than it was.

[fenbadger in reply to Hidden]

I'm male and the chief family member for my mum. She simply wont talk to me about "lady things". I can understand that. The doctor has told me she has a pessary for a prolapsed uterus and I know she has incontinence pads delivered (at least she lets me do that). The result is I can do nothing to help. She wont exercise at all, though she's had plenty of advice from health professionals

[Hidden in reply to fenbadger]

Hi fenbadger. It's a really good and nice thing that your mum can rely on you to take care of her, and that you are concerned for her. But if she still wants to preserve her dignity with regard to her intimate female challenges, you don't have to even try to help, so long as she is able to cope on her own for now. She's getting the supplies she needs, and at an advanced age, it's not always possible to do much to address urinary incontinence. Exercising is no guaranteed solution. It seems her GP is sharing what information is necessary with you and your mum may well change her mind about accepting help when the time comes and she cannot manage on her own. But she still might not want to rely on you in those intimate matters. It's often the final indignity for many of us when we have to rely on others for our toileting matters, and if we have to, we prefer female professionals rather than male family members to help us.