Bladder Control Superpower - Poise

BY Marilyn Suttle

You have a superpower. It’s not the ability to fly, control the weather, or get your partner to remember to put the toilet seat down – it’s even better. You can use it whenever you’re struggling with self-doubt – like during a doctor appointment when you’re determined to mention that little leak that happens with a cough, laugh, or sneeze, but when face-to-face with the physician you hesitate. Can you guess what your superpower is? It’s resilience. And one way to activate it is with three simple words: “Up until now.”

Here’s how it works:

Notice the things you say to yourself that shake your confidence. For example:

“I’m too afraid of what the doctor might say.”
“It’s too embarrassing to talk about LBL.”
“I never remember to do my Kegel exercises.”

Then, say it again using the courage-boosting phrase “up until now.” Like this:

“Up until now, I’ve been too afraid of what the doctor might say.”
“Up until now, I’ve been too embarrassed to talk about LBL.”
“Up until now, I haven’t remembered to do my Kegel exercises.”

Words are powerful. When you say the words, “up until now,” you give yourself an opening – a chance to see things differently than you did just seconds before. You might still feel a bit “embarrassed” but maybe you’ll discover you’re not “too embarrassed” to talk candidly with your doctor. New words create new ways of thinking and feeling.

If you talk with your doctor, you can discover things like what type of leaks you have, such as Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) – leaks that come with exertion, or a big cough, laugh or sneeze; Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI) or Overactive Bladder (OAB) – leaks caused by a sudden urgency or rush to urinate; or Mixed Urinary Incontinence (MUI) – a combination of both Stress and Urge Urinary Incontinence. Since every woman’s body is different, your doctor will give you advice that’s just right for you, which may help reduce or even eliminate leaks.

Start to practice using your superpowers of resilience. When your girlfriend calls and says, “Put on your running shoes. We’re going jogging.” Your first thought might be “I can’t risk her finding out that I leak when I run.” Tag on the words, “up until now” and see if it gives you a bit more courage. It helps your brain to consider, “What if I could risk it?” and “Would it be so bad if she did find out?” If she’s a good friend she’ll be supportive, just like you’d be if she’d confided in you. She might even say “that happens to me too!”

Every time you survive a risk, your confidence grows. That’s why it’s so important to challenge your thoughts. The popular phrase, “I’d just die of embarrassment” simply isn’t true. We’d all be dead by now if it was. You’ve survived every risk you’ve ever taken because you’re still here. And it helps to know you’re not alone. One in three women experience light bladder leakage. Resilience is your superpower. It’s time to trust that your resilience is stronger than your challenges.

What about you?

How do you use your resilience superpowers when managing light bladder leakage?

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