URINARY incontinence shouldn’t stop you taking to the dancefloor at Christmas or putting up the decorations on the tree.
But for seven million people in the UK with the confidence-crushing condition, cold weather and festive parties will make symptoms flare up.
GettyCeleb Kate Winslet has spoken out about suffering incontinence[/caption]
Nadia Sawalha has also discussed the conditionGetty
Dr Ayanthi Gunasekera, of London Gynaecology says: “We sweat less in cold weather and produce more urine to compensate. Drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol and hot chocolate can further irritate the bladder.”
If you get a cough, stress incontinence — urine leaks when the bladder is under pressure — can get worse.
Celebs Kate Winslet and Nadia Sawalha have previoualy spoken out about suffering incontinence.
The cost of living crisis is also leaving people unable to buy the hygiene products they need.
Bladder and Bowel UK and NRS Healthcare have joined forces to help supply free products, call NRS Complete Care Shop on 01772 675 048, while stocks last.
Many women want more targeted help.
We spoke to two of them . . .
A decade after babies, I never thought I’d need nappies … for myself
Sophie Mei Lan, 34, is a mental health and wellbeing content creator (mamamei.co.uk) and mum of two from Wakefield, West Yorks.
She says: “Every morning the first thing I do is take off my own nappy. I’m 34 and incontinent.
Sophie Mei Lan said: ‘Every morning the first thing I do is take off my own nappy. I’m 34 and incontinent’
I had my first child at 23. I was induced and spent a long time pushing. I suffered a prolapse.
My bladder and womb slipped down into my vagina.
There was pain and discomfort and it was devastating for my pelvic floor.
I started losing a bit of pee when I laughed or exercised – and I was just expected to just get on with it.
I was told to do my pelvic floor exercises and see a physiotherapist.
None of that worked. I had my second child at 25 and although labour was better, the damage was already done.
My incontinence got worse and worse. Nearly a decade after having kids, I never thought I’d still be buying nappies for myself.
In June 2021 I was rushed to hospital as my intestines became blocked.
My incontinence became very severe.
It had gone from having the odd leak to not being able to control myself – bladder or bowel – at all.
Lockdown didn’t help. Working from home, I was always near the toilet but became used to going whenever I felt like it which exacerbated my bladder weakness.
I dreaded the school run and worried about wetting myself in the playground.
The whole situation really knocked my confidence. I’m an adult and I still wet the bed. It’s very embarrassing.
I’m on the waiting list for surgery now and hope it will transform my life.”
Told it wasn’t worth fixing
Esther Stubbs, 44, from South Lincolnshire, works as a pelvic health physiotherapist.
She says: “I had a disastrous birth experience in 2009. Two failed ventouse attempts ended in a forceps delivery, an episiotomy (cut between vagina and perineum) and a poor attempt at being stitched up.
Esther Stubbs said: ‘The bladder is like a dog. It will behave how you train it’
I had terrible urinary incontinence post-birth, so I made an appointment with my GP and a physio.
At my six week check-up, my GP said it “might get better in time”. I was staggered.
One specialist told me it wasn’t worth fixing until I’d finished having children.
I had my other two children, at which point I decided enough was enough.
I started to learn everything I could about the pelvic floor, to help myself and other women suffering in silence or never straying far from a toilet.
So many women have given up so many things they loved because of urinary incontinence – it’s madness there wasn’t a solution.
I designed a 12-week course and started pelvicpowermovement.com in January last year.
The bladder is like a dog. It will behave how you train it.
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to urinary incontinence.
It can happen because of a tight pelvic floor as much as a loose one, it could be dysfunction, trauma or scarring.
Women can absolutely become continent again.
I went from not being able to do anything to trampolining and running.
I know women who don’t go anywhere without pads, spare underwear, even entire changes of clothes.
These women – myself included – lost so much time because we weren’t taken seriously.
We find ways to hide it or cope with it rather than demanding it gets sorted.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
DOCTOR Ayanthi Gunasekera said: “Those suffering with incontinence needn’t be afraid or embarrassed to seek help. See a doctor straight away if you are concerned.
“Accidents are not a part of normal physiology, and if this is interfering with your life such as exercise, work or sex life, you need to see your doctor.”