You're done with monthly periods and you've had enough kids to keep your hands full for another 20 years! You've begun to experience bladder leaks, but you're not sure that your gynecologist can treat that. So whom do you go to?
While gynecologists care for the whole woman, there is a subspecialty of feminine care doctors who specialize in certain areas that most gynecologists don't. These doctors are called urogynecologists. Postpartum mothers and menopausal women who have pelvic floor disorders, such as stress urinary incontinence, more commonly known as bladder leaks, are often referred to urogynecologists.
Urogynecology is a subspecialty of gynecology that has been growing in response to the demand for specialized care and greater acceptability of topics like urinary issues. 25% of women will experience troublesome bladder leaks at some point in their lifetime. Unfortunately, most of these women will wait an average of 2 years to seek treatment. This is largely because they are unaware of the care available to them or are embarrassed by their problem.
How to find a urogynocologist near you:
- Ask for a referral from your OBGYN
- Ask for a referral from your family practitioner
- Alternatively, the American Urogynecologic Society's "Voices for PFD" website provides a list of credentialed urogynecologists in different regions.
How to prepare for your first appointment:
- First track your symptoms and note the circumstances that are associated with your leaks.
Create a bladder diary, in which you record your liquid intake, bathroom visits, leakage amounts, and associated activities.
A bladder diary is a helpful resources to give you tips on how to prepare for your first visit to the urogynecologist and what to expect.
Seeking Treatment for SUI:
- Tracking your leakage symptoms will help your urogynecologist determine the type and severity of your incontinence and what treatment option will work best for you.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, a urogynecologist may suggest pelvic floor exercises (Kegels), devices worn in the vagina, or surgery. You may have already started to wear pads to try to manage the leakage and specialized pads are available for this purpose. However, if your degree of stress urinary incontinence is only light to moderate, there is a new, non-invasive, and easy to use solution that could help you get through each day with no worry of accidental leaks. Finess is a small, soft, disposable patch that you place over the urethral opening to block bladder leaks. Instead of holding urine in a pad, Finess stops it from escaping, so there’s no fluid to absorb.
Women who have settled for intrusive and potentially irritating, bulky pads that simply soak up urine will be glad to know that they don't have to be uncomfortable and fear odor any longer. As an experienced urogynecologist for over 25 years, I am excited about this innovative incontinence solution, and can't wait to see the ways it improves the lives of women everywhere.
Try Finess for a drier you.
Discreet, comfortable and compact, Finess is available in a Trial-Pack of 6 or a 36.