Author: Tracey McAlpine Category: Health, Women's Health
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We’ve changed over the past 20 years but we shouldn’t stop living life to the full

If you sailed through your twenties and thirties with little regard for your own health, focusing more on your family and career, you’re not alone.  Now sleepless nights looking after children are replaced by night sweats and anxiety over our ever changing bodies.

The body changes during perimenopause and menopause

Perimenopause and the menopause brings a host of conditions, many of which we have never experienced before.  Hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, depression, vaginal dryness and incontinence can all turn our lives upside down.  From being a carefree woman to one who is constantly worrying about what challenges her body can throw at her next is far more demanding than any toddler could ever be.

Research shows that from the age of 46, women are more likely to experience bladder weakness, often during perimenopause.  This is due to a number of reasons including, childbirth – when the pelvic floor was stretched during labour, prolapse, being overweight, illnesses such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis and even cystitis.  And it’s far more common than you might think.  Research carried out by Depend, a global incontinence brand, found that almost half of the women in the UK have experienced bladder weakness at some time in their lives.  Surprisingly that’s 10 million women!

Incontinence affects women of all ages

It’s not called ‘the change’ for nothing, during this time women’s bodies go through a number of changes, many of which aren’t actually visible.  Just as the skin on the outside of our body suffers from the lack of collagen and elastin as we get older, internally the same is happening.  Add to this, falling oestrogen levels and the bladder muscles becoming weaker, causing frequent urination and slight leakage when coughing, laughing or sneezing.  But many women don’t associate this infrequent bladder leakage with incontinence, a condition thought to only affect the elderly.  In fact incontinence doesn’t discriminate; it can affect women of all ages.  You may have found yourself visiting the toilet more often and even planning trips outside the house in advance, so you always know where the toilet is.  For many women this situation can take over their lives and they become housebound, missing out on fun, activities and milestones rather than getting good advice and treatment.

Don’t experience incontinence alone

NHS GP and TV Doctor, Dr Sara Kayat, comments “Incontinence is an extremely common condition, far more so than, say, cardiovascular disease which is discussed more often.  This research (by Depend) shows that nearly half of British women over the age of 18 have had some degree of bladder leakage.  So why do we hear so little about it?  Perhaps because of the range of incontinence that can occur, the perception that this is a condition of the elderly, embarrassment, or the fact most women do not identify their symptoms as incontinence.  Being able to identify with a condition means that you are able to get help and advice for it, so this lack of association with incontinence is limiting a significant number of British women’s quality of life.”

There are many options for dealing with incontinence, whether you have stress incontinence, urge incontinence or just occasionally have bladder leakage.  The first step is talking to a health professional to find out exactly what’s right for you.  They have seen many people with the same condition so don’t be embarrassed, they will put your mind at rest and help to devise a treatment plan.  You can also practice pelvic floor (kegel) exercises to help strengthen the muscle, as well as try incontinence products.

Depend Active-Fit gives confidence every day

One of the ways to maintain your confidence if you experience incontinence is to wear the right underwear.  Depend Active-Fit has been designed to provide discreet and comfortable protection while you carry on with your daily life.  The lightweight cotton-like fabric smoothly flexes with your body and offers a perfect and secure fit at all times.  The underwear is so discreet that no one will know you’re wearing it, even under the tightest clothing.  Often just knowing that you are protected can put your mind at rest which makes the psychological aspect of incontinence so much easier to deal with.

Join the conversation

Depend has created an online community so that women have a safe place to share their own stories, receive expert advice and friendly support from others who have been in their shoes.  They can even order free sample products to try.

Find out more about Depend Active-Fit underwear and join the online community by visiting Depend today.

This advertorial was created in partnership with Depend, a Kimberly-Clark brand.