Meet You in the Ladies' Room

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: May 26, 2010

The following article is brought to you by our July sponsor, VESIcare^® (solifenacin succinate) tablets.

For many women, the ladies’ room is part beauty salon, part therapist’s office, and part water cooler – a women-only refuge where they can chat with their friends and freshen up. But for women with a condition known as overactive bladder, all-too-frequent trips to the ladies room are less of an escape, and more of a frustrating (and sometimes embarrassing) disruption of their daily activities. Many women with overactive bladder keep silent about their symptoms; as many as 40 percent with symptoms do not mention them to their doctor. Now the time has come for women to stop feeling bothered and embarrassed, and begin discussing bladder health with their doctors.

Overactive bladder is a chronic condition affecting 1 in 6 adults in the United States, or about 17 percent of women. It is a common problem that is widely misunderstood, but treatable.

What are the symptoms of overactive bladder?

People with overactive bladder can experience any combination of one or more symptoms:

• Urgency: an overwhelming need to go to the bathroom right away
• Frequency: the need to go to the bathroom more than eight times in a 24-hour period
• Urge incontinence: a sudden and urgent need to go to the bathroom, followed by leakage

If you experience any of these symptoms, try tracking them for a few weeks and talk to your doctor. You can obtain a free Bladder Symptoms Checklist as well as Bladder Tracker diary to fill out and discuss with your doctor by going to www.vesicare.com.

How can overactive bladder affect my life?

Overactive bladder affects men and women at about the same rate, but women are more affected by leakage, which leads to embarrassing wetting episodes. Because the condition comes on gradually, many people learn to adapt their routines. Some people with overactive bladder may limit their daily travel so they are never too far from a bathroom, they may choose to wear dark clothing to hide leakage spots or even restrict daily fluid intake. People with overactive bladder may also try "bathroom mapping," which means making sure they know where a bathroom is at all times, or even resort to wearing adult incontinence pads or diapers. Some find it affects them so much that they begin avoiding their usual social outings and literally put their lives "on hold."

Overactive bladder is often perceived as an "older" person’s condition, but it is not a normal part of aging. It is a condition where the wrong signals are sent to the bladder muscle, and can affect adults of any age.

Is overactive bladder treatable?

It’s important to understand that overactive bladder is a treatable condition and there are options available to help manage the disease. Some cope with overactive blader by using absorbent garments, while some extreme cases may require surgery. Additionally, there are prescription medicines like VESIcare^®(solifenacin succinate) that help control the bladder muscle to reduce urges and leaks day and night.

With all the activities women are already managing in their daily lives, they don’t need to be bothered or interrupted by bladder issues. If you think you may be affected, talk to your doctor and see what treatment is right for you.

By learning more and taking proactive steps, you can once again view trips to the ladies room as a chance to chat with a friend, or simply to freshen up.

Important Safety Information:

VESIcare is for urgency, frequency, and leakage (overactive bladder). VESIcare is not for everyone. If you have certain types of stomach, urinary, or glaucoma problems do not take VESIcare. While taking VESIcare, if you experience a serious allergic reaction, severe abdominal pain, or become constipated for three or more days, tell your doctor right away. In studies, common side effects were dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, and indigestion.

For complete prescribing information for VESIcare, click here . For more information about VESIcare, go to www.vesicare.com .

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

The information provided in this article is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment of a specific medical condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your conditions.

Editorial review for this article provided by Astellas Pharma US, Inc and the GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.

Except for Astellas Pharma US, Inc and the GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies’ content, Astellas Pharma US, Inc and the GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies are not responsible for any content found on this Web site.

VESIcare is a registered trademark of Astellas Pharma US, Inc.