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What are the Real Questions About Puberty, Periods and Products Teens Have

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No doubt that many moms & dads, along with their daughters, have or had questions about puberty, periods and the menstrual protection products that would be best for them to use. One thing that I have learned over the years is that the questions that teens have can be different from the concerns or issues that their parents think they have. Sometimes when parents talk to their daughters and think they have addressed their questions, they haven’t. Sorry about that reality, since many of us do our best to impart info to our kids to help make their lives easier. However, I can help demystify some of this by sharing the top questions that teens have about their periods, puberty and products. Some of you may not be surprised when you see what they are and I applaud you. However, looking back on my talks with my daughter during puberty, I would have been.

The questions I am sharing are the most-frequently asked ones received by the beinggirl.com women’s health experts from teens. You may be wondering why girls would go online to ask these questions . Most do this because they haven’t gotten the answers to their questions or are not satisfied with the answers they have been given. Some girls are embarrassed to ask someone they know, they don’t know how to begin the discussion or want to just know that they aren’t alone with their experience.

This is going to be a really long blog posting, but I didn’t want to just post the question without providing the responses that we would give to your daughters. The answers below are not all-encompassing and certainly not personalized, but an overview of the information we provide in a typical response. Of course, you can go to beinggirl.com to find the answers too, along with more detail. For some of you, your daughters may have already been to the site. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have after reading this, as I am happy to answer any and all!! Happy reading:

When will I get my period?
Since you first heard the word “period,” you’ve probably been wondering what it is and when you’d get your first period. Although most girls get their first period between 11–14 years old, you could start your period anywhere from 8–17 years old.

 You could narrow that down by taking clues from your body. During puberty, when your body becomes sexually mature, you’ll have some of these changes that show your period’s on its way. (By the way, these changes may happen in a different order than listed here.)

Developing Breasts. First, you’ll get breast “buds.” (Your breasts then can take up to 3–4 years to fully develop.) Generally you will get your period 2–3 years after your breasts start developing.

Growing Pubic Hair. Right after your breasts start to form, you’ll start developing pubic hair. It will be soft and thin at first, then gradually become coarser. Your period usually arrives around 1 –2 years after the hair development.

Discharge. This is the big sign. You’ll start to experience vaginal discharge that will be either white or yellowish. If you like, you may want to start using Always Pantiliners to protect your underwear. Your period should start around 6–12 (but up to 18) months after the start of discharge. 

How do I deal with cramps?
Exercise and heat can help. Also, pain killers with ibuprofen seem to work the best on menstrual cramps. Keep a menstrual calendar and try to predict when your period will come. This is a difficult task for the first year or so since your periods aren’t regular. Then start taking the pain killer the night before you get your period. If exercise, heat or ibuprofen don’t help and your cramps stop you from participating in your life, ask your mom or dad to take you to see a gynecologist. S/he will be able to prescribe medication or recommend other options that may be more effective.

What is PMS?
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) – “Premenstrual” means before your period; syndrome is another word for a condition or group of symptoms. PMS is a condition some women get in the week before their periods. If you suffer from cramps, backaches, bloating, mood swings or mild depression before your period, you may have PMS. (note that there have been books written about PMS and much more detailed information can be found on beinggirl.com or you can read a patient brochure from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that includes a section on PMS http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp049.cfm).

Am I still a virgin if I use a tampon?
Yes, you can definitely use a tampon and still be a virgin. But first let me clear something up: a virgin is someone who has not had sexual intercourse. So being a virgin is not related to tampon use. However since you are a virgin, your hymen (the thin membrane that partially covers and protects the opening to your vagina) may still be intact. Or, it may have been torn or stretched when you were a kid by bike riding, sliding down the banister, gymnastics, etc. The tampon just enters the vagina through the same opening the menstrual blood leaves the vagina, so it doesn’t affect the hymen. If it is still intact, you may break or stretch it to allow the tampon in. This should not be painful or traumatic, and it doesn’t have any effect on your virginity.

My mom says I am not ready for tampons but I am active in sports. What can I use?
With this question, we would refer the asker to the Always website and say: Pads are a great option when you are not ready for tampons. That’s why Always offers a wide range of products. But with so many choices, it can be tough to figure out what’s right for you. Our product selector makes it a breeze to find the Always products that you’re looking for. With just a few quick clicks, we’ll find out what you’re all about and then recommend your perfect Always pad.

Can I go swimming during my period?
It’s safe to hit the water as long as you wear a tampon while you’re swimming. Tampons collect the menstrual fluid before it leaves your body.

How do I tell my mom I got my period?
It’s totally normal to be nervous about having the talk with your mom about your first period. But remember, not so long ago, your mom was nervous about having that same talk! Really, it’s not so bad once you get started.

Maybe the idea of a big sit-down with your mom seems intimidating. So, try opening the conversation casually by saying something like, “Hey Mom, when you were younger, were you nervous about getting your period?” This opens the door to discussion and gives your mom the chance to open up, too.

If it’s hard for you to start a face-to-face discussion, leave your mom a note where only she’d find it. You could say something like, “Mom, I need some info about getting my first period. Can we talk tonight?” That way, she’ll initiate a conversation with you and you won’t have to worry about bringing it up.

You could take a straight-up approach and just tell her your feelings. Start by saying something like, “This is an embarrassing topic for me, but I need to talk to you about my period.” That way, you and your mom can get to the point right away, and your mom can do her best to make the convo as un-icky as possible.

I have had my period for several years but still get discharge. Why?
Normal discharge is clear, smooth, or creamy and has a very slight smell that can be described as sweet or soapy. Sometimes if it gets in your underwear and gets exposed to air it may turn a little crusty, but this is normal too. The only thing you should look out for is discharge that is itchy, irritating, discolored, or smelly, because this might be a sign of infection and a reason to see your doctor. 

When Female Discharge Happens
: You’ll probably produce more discharge in the middle of your menstrual cycle a couple weeks after your period. This is when you’re ovulating (your ovary is releasing an egg).

I got my period twice in one month. Why?
Depending on a person’s cycle, it is possible to have two periods in a month. You count from the first day of your current period to the first day of your next period to determine how many days your cycle is. If you’ve already become regular, then each cycle is just about the same number of days—anything from 21 to 35 days is average. So if you were to get your period on April 1, it is possible to have it again on April 22. If your period comes closer than three weeks apart, check it out with your doctor.

What to Believe… What to Believe – Finding the facts about health, product safety and the American Way.

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The reason I am blogging about this is because I recently read erroneous information about a disease from a small company that sells a so-called solution. It isn’t the first time I have seen junk information used to sell, but for some reason this time it just ticked me off in a big way!

It was one of those “use my product and you won’t have to worry about getting ill”. That kind of stuff makes me absolutely crazy, since there aren’t credible, scientific studies or facts to back up what is being said!! Usually the company states that they are the only ones that offer this risk-free, stay healthy product – out of the goodness of their heart, but for a cost. The only thing you can find with that type of misleading advertising are trusting consumers looking to be healthy, happy, fit and slim. I find it misleading, dangerous and horridly greedy. I have a very dear friend who reads a publication on alternative health “solutions” and frequently thinks she had found a cure to what ails her – and usually many of her friends too. She then sends out mass-emails with links to let her group of friends know, so that they too can take advantage of the solution. My friend doesn’t profit or sell the stuff; she only wants to help others. However, the claims still aren’t true despite her best intentions. If anyone trying the solution is lucky, the only thing they will loose is the cost of the product and not their health.

In my profile, I talk about wanting to help others who may not have information on a condition or may not understand heavy-duty medical information because they aren’t medical professionals. I offer to answer questions after researching a topic. Even when I know about a disease or disorder, I still want to ensure that I am providing the latest credible information. LATEST and CREDIBLE are the keys here.

I will stop my venting and lecturing and share where I find the reliable health information I use when responding to questions and comments:

1) National Institute of Health (NIH): The NIH is “NIH is the nation’s medical research agency—supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health.” At the NIH site, you can find great health information and all kinds of topics and conditions. The information is backed up by clinical research and credible studies done in a methodical and scientific way. Medical review by other clinicians without a vested interest in the outcome is key to ensuring good data. Just do a Google NIH search and visit their home page. It is easy to get around their site and you can find all kinds of health information. They also have a section specific to women’s health.

2) Medical Organizations: A site I visit frequently is The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). They have an ACOG patient page, which houses the latest consumer brochures from leading experts in women’s healthcare. Often I link to a brochure or topic area, as the brochures are written so that even those who aren’t medical professionals can understand the content. Another favorite site of mine to reference is the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). They also have a resource area with research, education and health policy. Actually, most professional medical organizations have sites that contain the same type of information, relevant to the disease state or overall topic area.

3) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA site has information on food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics, amongst others. Also there is the latest medical or health news and events, as well as a place to report a problem with a product or advertisement, criminal activity etc. I usually access drug information from the FDA site, though most pharmaceutical company sites have similar information about their drugs, as the FDA requires it.

4) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Love this site. On their home page they have easy to maneuver sections on health and safety topics, such as: Diseases and Conditions, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Healthy Living, Travelers Health, etc. It is definitely worth a visit to their content area.

5) Medically reviewed articles: I sometimes go to sites like WebMD, as they have really good medically authored and/or reviewed articles that are easy to find and understand. Other sites have similar type of content that I check out too. Some product sites have excellent information. Check out the references though. The key here is to look at who authored the article, what is his or her educational background and did anyone else review the content. Being a nurse, I like articles that have a medical professional as the primary author or the one who reviewed the article for content accuracy. Also, check the dates of the research being used for the article or opinion. Usually research that is older than 10 years is outdated and there is more recent information that is more relevant to ones needs and the current state of the topic, product or disease state.

Hope this helps someone else get to sound information or at the very least be a better consumer of health information they may read in ads. Also, continue to feel free to ask away, as I love to answer health questions using the most credible, scientifically based information!

Getting the Right Bra Fit – A Life Changing Moment!!

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I was totally surprised, yet pleased about the new Bra Guide on beinggirl.com to help readers obtain the perfect fit of their foundation garment. It is so great that teens have access to information that will be useful to them all of their bra-wearing lives. No doubt that the Bra Guide will also be valuable to their moms and grandmothers too. Hopefully beinggirl readers will share the information with them, as I believe that a well-fitting bra provides comfort, confidence and a better look regardless of age.

MY BRA STORY: Before I continue, I am going to take a step back to my history and share my early teen bra measurement story. When my mother determined that my breastals were of a size to be ensconced in a bra, she took me to the local bra shop to be measured and fitted. It was really rather embarrassing and a somewhat dysfunctional experience, since it was MR. Goldman who did the measuring. (I’ve changed his name for the sake of this story, since the store is still around and I don’t want any of his family thinking that I think their now deceased dad’s behavior was odd even though I do think that and it was!) In any case, picture a serious looking older man (though all men over the age of 18 looked old to me at that time) with wire-rimmed glasses, a balding head and a tape measure draped around his neck. To my horror at the time, Mr. Goldman pulled off the tape measure and put it around my chest. To his credit, he did exactly as directed by beinggirl.com. Fortunately though, Mr. Goldman didn’t come into the dressing room to see if he was accurate. In any case, a few bras of the correct size were sent back to me to try on. My mom made me bend over so I could “plop’ into the cups. Though you have to know, at my age and size, there was no plopping. Then, and this may even be worse than Mr. Goldman’s measurement taking, one of his female sales clerks came into the room, adjusted the bra straps, pulled on the cups and then snapped the back. NO KIDDING!

At that time, or at least it seemed to me, all the bras were white. Some of the cups had the bullet look that Madonna made famous and some had a more natural looking rounded cup. They were all cotton and looked like orthopedic devises in the back because of the snaps, hooks and metal contraptions. With all that, I actually was totally glad to have my first bra and thought I looked so much better in my t-shirts, blouses and dresses. I think I even walked taller. Yep, despite Mr. Goldman, the bra changed my life for the better as I began to think of myself as an attractive and shapely young woman.

At least the Mr. Goldman’s Bra Shop experience made me far more sensitive to my daughter when she was ready for her first bra. We went to a department store together. On the way up to lingerie, my daughter informed me that I wasn’t to tell anyone in the department what we were doing there. It was up to me to find the correct size in different colors; she would try the bras on in private and report back to me from inside the closed dressing room. I said, of course.

BACK TO TODAY: Take a look at the information on beinggirl. I posted the link below. Also, I would love to hear your first bra stories!

http://www.beinggirl.com/article/bra-guide/?utm_source=wordpress&utm_medium=Nurseplummer&utm_content=link20110621&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

HEALTH MYTHS THAT KEEP US FROM HEALTH – UTIs, Yeast Infections, STDs, TSS

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Recently a friend told me her back was hurting and she couldn’t get comfortable. Along with that, she said she just wasn’t feeling that well. She told another friend who suggested that she see a chiropractor that happened to be very helpful to her when she hurt her back. STOP!! When asking her about her symptoms, I found that her back pain was in her flank area (mid or side back over the kidneys) and with a history of bladder infections, it sounded to me like it had evolved into a kidney infection. I strongly recommended that she see her health care professional (HCP), which she did. It was a kidney infection. The doctor found blood in her urine that she couldn’t see and diagnosed her. The kidney infection was in its early stages, but none-the-less it took her several days after antibiotics were started to begin to feel better. The reason I am starting with this story is to illustrate that with our health, even though some conclusions seem logical, if one doesn’t have all the facts, care may be delayed and the outcome may not be good or the treatment appropriate.

One of the most aggravating aspects of health for me is when people share commonly held beliefs that are not true or only partially true. I always assume they mean well, but when others believe them it could lead to some delays in really doing the right thing for their well being or worse yet, could lead to serious illness. That is why I am writing about myths that could harm us. I will start with bladder infections and will also write about yeast infections, older women and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), and TSS (toxic shock syndrome).

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and cranberry juice for prevention: The myth is believing that cranberry juice ALONE can prevent UTIs. Many experts include cranberry juice as a dietary way to help prevent UTIs. However, staying hydrated with water is an excellent way prevent to UTIs. There are many other things that can be done too, depending on the cause and the health of the person. Below is a link to the National Institutes of Health’s Medline Plus health information on urinary tract infections. There you can find thorough and easy to read information about UTIs, lifestyle changes to prevent recurrence. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000521.htm

Vaginal itching is not always a yeast infection: I truly thought it was a great success for women when yeast infection medications went over-the-counter, rather then have them only available by prescription. It showed that the FDA, along with the physicians that treat us mostly believed that we are familiar enough with our bodies to know when we had a yeast infection and could easily treat ourselves. However, for those of you (and me in my past) who diagnose and treat yourselves, not all vaginal itching is a yeast infection. In other words, bacteria, as well as yeast can cause vaginitis, a vaginal infection. Even if you are one of those women who are prone to having yeast infections and treating yourself successfully with OTC medication, if it doesn’t go away on the first round of treatment see your HCP to determine what is actually causing the problem. There is some information about yeast vaginitis on MedicineNet, com, which is part of WebMD that you might find helpful: http://www.medicinenet.com/yeast_vaginitis/article.htm

Sexually Transmitted Diseases only happens to promiscuous young adults: NO, NO, NO!! There is a medically reviewed article on MSN titled, Even Grandmas Get STDs. The article states that women over the age of 50 still may “rock at night”. I can tell you that most of my older than 50 friends certainly do!! The issue comes in when they don’t consider the need to use condoms if the romantic interlude with a new partner progresses beyond just eye gazing and handholding. It is suggested that a lot of the education about HIV and STDs target our youth and not older adults. Also, with some women, their younger taboos make them uncomfortable to ask their partner about their health history. That and the physical changes of aging, makes older women more susceptible to getting STDS. Check out the MSN article, as it provides some helpful information and guidance on prevention. You may want to share it with grandma!
http://health.msn.com/womens-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100172026

Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome only happens with certain kinds of tampons: WRONG!! TSS can occur with any kind of vaginally inserted menstrual protection product. For those of you who aren’t familiar with TSS, it is a rare and serious disease that involves fever, shock and problems with the function of several body organs. Although the earliest cases of TSS involved women who were using tampons during their periods (menstruation), today less than half of current cases are associated with such events. Toxic shock syndrome can also occur with skin infections, burns, and after surgery. The condition can also affect children, postmenopausal women, and men. It is critically important to know the signs and symptoms of TSS, if you use any vaginally inserted menstrual product, such as tampons or menstrual cups. All are labeled with information about TSS when you buy them. For a good reason! The part of this that truly is dangerous is when someone believes that only tampons made of a certain material can cause TSS. They may then ignore the symptoms if they have a false sense of safety. The symptoms are flu-like. If someone suspects that they have TSS, remove whatever product they are using vaginally and see their HCP immediately. Let them know they are menstruating. Since it is so rare, many HCPs have never seen a case of TSS and may not suspect it immediately thus delaying treatment.

Just so you know, I strongly support a woman’s choice to use whatever menstrual product she wants to use. The point I am making is that no mater whether it is an all cotton tampon or a menstrual cup, they all pose a risk of TSS. More information about TSS can be found at: http://www.toxicshock.com/ or at the FDA site: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/ucm070003.htm

Teens, Tampax, Swimming and MOMS

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This is the time of year that many teen girls consider using tampons for the first time because they want to swim with their friends, and do more types of other outdoor water activities, such as boating, water skiing, water tubing, canoeing, kayaking, water parks, etc.

Along with hearing from teens, in the spring and summer, I hear from more moms about their daughters’ angst about using tampons. Basically, moms want to know how they can make it easier for their daughter to learn to use tampons. While there are many stories of success, there are also some that include tears, frustration and some shock once the daughter learns that the tampon goes into her VAGINA. Rest easy all, as there is absolutely no reason to change your fun plans or alter any of the wet summer activities. And Moms: You can be your daughter’s most trusted expert.

First, I would start out by telling your daughter that many girls feel unsure about using tampons for the first time. However, once she learns, it is something that will allow her the freedom to do what she couldn’t do with just pads, as her only option.

A make it easier to insert suggestion: For first time users, plastic applicator tampons with a rounded tip offer a more comfortable insertion experience. Make sure to begin with the lightest absorbency for the need. Importantly, have your daughter practice tampon insertion when she is on her period. Tampons should never be used when anyone is not menstruating, even to practice.

As far as what to do next, there is really great information and tampon insertion instructions at beinggirl.com, along with experiences from other girls who have tried tampons for the first time. Your daughter will also find some free sample offers. Teens tend to think that they are alone when it comes to feeling unsure about tampon use. It always helps them to know that other girls had the same angst while learning to use tampons.

Just bringing up the topic with your daughter will help her know that you get it. In fact, share a fun story about when you started using tampons. You can also tell your daughter what your mom did to support you or NOT!! Bet your daughter will enjoy hearing about that. My daughter couldn’t believe that my mom gave me a big fat wide pad with a pad belt to use, regardless of the season. Along with that, she handed me a page out of the newspaper that was part of pile that she had ready for period time. My instructions were to use the pad then wrap it in the newspaper and dispose of it DISCREETLY in the bathroom waste can. NO KIDDING!! I learned to use tampons thanks to a best friend with a more enlightened mother experience. My motivation was huge.

My final bit of advice: Use sun protection and enjoy the summer with your daughter – when she can squeeze you into her busy fun schedule!

Would love to hear your experience!

Beinggirl.com:
http://www.beinggirl.com/article/how-to-use-a-tampon/?utm_source=WordPress&utm_medium=ElaineR.N.&utm_content=link20110527&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

Pale is not a dirty word: In other words, tans are not a prom necessity!

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May is Melanoma Awareness Month. It is also the month of Proms, which means glamour, hair, nails, dresses, shoes and handbags. When in heavens name did tanned skin become part of the beauty ensemble??

To take a step back, I recently had a dear friend get diagnosed with malignant Melanoma. Within two weeks, he was gone. While this is crazy, it is too terribly true. As a result, his daughters, his widow and his dear friends, of whom I am proud to call myself, are committed to helping others avoid his horrid fate. I miss him lots. This blog is dedicated to Marky!

A conversation that was overheard recently at a spa (I do get pedicures on a vibrating chair in a room with pleasant therapeutic aromas) was a teen talking on a phone to a friend about scheduling her tan time at a local salon to prepare for prom. Well ladies: Sun tanning salons presents a risk of skin cancer, along with natural sun tanning.

Let’s talk some facts: The statistics about this most dangerous form of skin cancer are alarming.  It is the eighth most common cancer in the US and its incidence is increasing faster than any other cancer over the past 20 years.  It is now the most common cancer in young adults aged 25-29.  Yet, this deadliest form of skin cancers is nearly 100% curable when caught early.

While virtually anyone can become a victim of melanoma, some are at greater risk than others.  If any of the following describe you, it is even more imperative to proactively protect your skin.  These include:  anyone exposed to large amounts of sunlight or tanning beds; a personal or family history of melanoma; fair complexions or red hair and anyone with a history of moles/large pigmented blemishes. 
 
While my expertise is women’s health and not dermatology, I do know enough about Melanoma to provide tips on what we might do to manage the risks for melanoma that everyone can do: First, protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun.  Cover your skin and/or wear a sunscreen with at least sun protection factor of 30 and whose label says it provides broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays.  Second, wear a hat, preferably one with a visor or rim that protects your face, as well as your head.  Third, check yourself regularly for changes in moles or anything else that looks suspicious.  Don’t overlook your scalp—ask your stylist or barber to check it whenever you have a hair appointment.  And, fourth, see a medical professional annually for a full body scan or more frequently if you have an unusual growth or change in a mole or growth.

There is a great article on beinggirl.com on practicing safe sun. Check it out as, it could save your life or someone you know and love – literally.

http://www.beinggirl.com/en_US/articledetail.jsp?ContentId=ART568&utm_source=wordpress&utm_medium=NursePlummer&utm_content=link20110510&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

Back to the prom: for those that are getting ready for the big dance or helping their child prepare. Please, please, please focus on the beauty of jewels, the matching tux, after prom activities and the big DATE, not on the need to tan the skin. Have fun and I am looking forward to hearing prom stories!

Dating Violence – Teens and Prevention!

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Violence against women is a topic in which I have a very strong interest. From 1995 until 2007, when I moved from Cincinnati, I was actively involved with Women Helping Women, which serves Southwestern Ohio as a unique provider of crisis intervention and support services for direct and indirect victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. I was a board member and also served as board chair for a few years during that time. Below is a link to its website where you can find detailed information on the topic as well as links to supportive national networks to direct you to local help.

Home

The reason I mention my involvement is because I want anyone reading my blog to know that I truly have a serious commitment to ending violence against women, not only in Cincinnati, but globally. So does Tampax and Always.

Lately, there has been coverage in the media with Ashley Judd talking about her own life-altering experience with sexual abuse. Glad she was courageous enough to share what happened with her, as there are so many women who can identify with her story and know that they are not alone. Importantly, they are NOT at fault. I blogged a while back that women tend to blame themselves for everything. Not all women, but it tends to be a female trait. Blaming ones self after having experienced an unwanted sexual encounter delays healing and moving from having been a victim to being a survivor.

There is a lot to this topic, as abuse can happen with any age group, both genders and no matter how much or little money one has. Within this blog, I will focus on teens and prevention. However, the articles that I will be linking to are appropriate for women or men regardless of age. In fact, when I was reviewing the articles again, I thought of a middle-aged friend of mine who was in a totally abusive relationship. She could benefit from reading the articles and, believe me, she WILL see them because I will send them to her. Of course, I will then reconnect so that we can talk about it.

So, how can we help our daughters – and sons – avoid being in an abusive relationship?? EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION! Beinggirl.com is a great place to find helpful content to share with your teen on dating violence. The article that I have linked to below includes information about the types of abuse that can happen and the cycle of violence. At the bottom of the article there are links to several other articles, one on dating violence experiences, a key article on escaping abusive relationships and a third article on relationships.

Tampax and Always are brands that are in the unique position to provide helpful information to women and teens on a variety of topics through their online presence. I am proud to be associated with Brands that understand the importance of prevention, related to sexual assault and dating violence, and provide information to help break the cycle of violence. I hope you choose to read these and share with your teens, friends or anyone you believe could benefit.

http://www.beinggirl.com/en_US/articledetail.jsp?ContentId=ART5&utm_source=wordpress&utm_medium=nurseplummer&utm_content=link20110410&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

I laughed until I peed my pants; Info about Stress Incontinence

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I was trying to find a clever and funny way to convey the definition of stress incontinence because many times when women describe to me what happens for them, they try to laugh it off. The ironic thing about stress incontinence is that it often happens during a hearty laugh and then we try to laugh about it. Actually though, there isn’t really much that is funny about a grown woman leaking urine.

In this posting, I am going to only talk about stress incontinence, though there are other kinds of urinary incontinence. ACOG, The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, published a patient brochure titled: Urinary Incontinence, which provides an excellent overview about incontinence, including definitions, causes, diagnosing and treatments. This is how stress incontinence is defined in the brochure: “In this type, a woman leaks urine when she coughs, laughs, or sneezes. Leaks also can happen when a woman walks, runs, or exercises. It is caused by a weakening of the tissues that support the bladder or the muscles of the urethra. Stress incontinence is the most common type in younger women.” Below is a link if you are interested in reading more.

http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp081.cfm

Why am I talking about this when I usually focus on periods, puberty, teens and products? First, this is something that has been talked about recently by women who I know and second, most women feel that this is something they have no other options but to accept it as a fact of their physical being. I personally hate that feeling and always believe that there must be something that can be done to help oneself when faced with a problem. It is the idea of empowerment over helplessness.

Before I offer some helpful ways to manage stress incontinence, I will relate two of the stories I heard that might sound familiar to some of you. (Both stories have been changed a bit to protect several women with enough to worry about without being outed in my blog.)

A work friend told one to me. She said that during breakfast with her husband, he told her something hysterically funny. First though, you have to picture her husband. He is kind of a gruff man who rarely says anything at all, let alone something incredibly humorous. She broke out in a hearty laugh and wet her pants through to the chair. Talk about breaking the mood – that did it!! When telling me about this, she laughed that kind of nervous laugh that says, please tell me this is funny or at least, normal and ok.

The other story was one told to me by a total stranger sitting next to me on a two- hour flight. We were doing some chit chatting about the books we were reading and she asked if I was traveling for business or fun. I politely asked her the same thing. She was on a work trip and I told her that mine was a fun, visit the family kind of travel. She also asked about the kind of work that I do and I told her that I am a RN and one of the Tampax and Always women’s health experts. Now here is where we go from superficial polite discourse that should have ended after I told her what I do. In truth, I actually wanted the discussion to end because I wanted to get back to my very good book. I didn’t even ask her what she did for a living. Like I said, the book was really, really good. However, she leaned over to me and asked if I know anything about what she could do about a recent problem she is having. The woman looked to be about 40 years old, was a bit overweight, well dressed with a designer handbag. The handbag doesn’t have anything much to do with the topic, but I always notice that. Love handbags myself. Back to the story: She proceeded to tell me that she hates to travel because if she coughs, sneezes, bends over to pick something up or just laughs she has begun to wet herself. One time she reached up to get her suitcase out of the overhead compartment and the pull of bringing her suitcase down caused her to wet herself. Now that got my attention and we spoke further about her situation.

Though often stress incontinence can be related to weakening or stretching of the support of the pelvic organs caused by pregnancy, my work friend had never been pregnant. Diagnosing the cause can be complicated so my first bit of advise is to never assume it is a sign of aging or a result of multiple pregnancies. In fact, sometimes there can be several reasons why this is happening. That is why I always emphasize the importance of discussing the problem with ones health care provider (HCP), so that an accurate diagnosis can be made. Only then can stress incontinence be managed appropriately and specifically to the cause.

Again, make an appointment with your HCP! Along with that, there are some lifestyle changes, mentioned in the brochure, which may help minimize the number of times you leak. Your HCP will probably tell you the same thing if any of these are a problem for you: Loose weight, avoid constipation, drink less fluids and limit intake of caffeine, seek treatment for frequent coughing and STOP SMOKING (I know none of us have ever heard that one before!) I suggest for further detail, link to the ACOG brochure. My goal here is to not to do another version of the Incontinence Brochure, but to get women who wet when they laugh to recognize that stress incontinence shouldn’t be laughed away.

Products that absorb: While I truly wish that NO woman had to deal with stress incontinence, it is a reality for some. To help manage the situation, I suggest taking a look at the new Always Maxi Leak Guard Plus ® and Always Dri-Liners Plus with Odor Lock ®. I have a link below if you want to know more about the Odor-Lock technology that continuously absorbs and neutralizes odors.

http://www.always.com/products/detail/pantiliner-odorlock?utm_source=workpress&utm_medium=nurseplummer&utm_content=link20110329&utm_campaign=comm_mgr