Help For A Very Treatable Condition by Diane Kaschak Newman (NAPSA)—Dear Diane: “TI just turned 40 and know that I need to pay attention to health conditions like menopause and heart disease. Are there other conditions I should also be watchingoutfor?” Dear Reader: For many women, mid| life may meanfacing ) non-life threatening and potentially unnerving conditions, including overactive bladder (OAB), Diane Kaschak varicose veins and Newman female sexual dysfunction. Millions of women consider these conditions, especially OAB, a normal part of aging— they’re not. OABaffects more than 33 million Americans andis defined by wetting accidents, the need to urinate more than eight times a day and waking one or more times a night to the strong and sudden urge to urinate. It is not life threatening, but can belife altering. OABis most commonly treated with a combination of medications and behavioral therapy (e.g., Kegel exercises, bladder retraining). OAB medications are available in pills and patch form. Oxytrol (oxybutynin transdermal system), a thin, flexible and clear patch with a convenient twice-weekly dosing schedule, is indicated to treat symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency and frequency. Patients have found that the patch is effective in helping manage their symptoms with a very low incidence of troubling side effects (e.g., dry mouth, constipation). Another non-life threatening condition is varicose veins, which can be painful for the 25 percent of women whosuffer from them. Women can help prevent varicose veins and relieve discomfort by: * Exercising to improve circulation Not standing or sitting for long periodsof time Surgery and laser or injection therapies Lastly, female sexual dysfunction affects up to 50 percent of women. Hormones play significant role in female sexual dysfunction. As women age and begin to experience menopause, estrogen levels decrease and, as a result, a majority of women experience some degree of change in sexualfunction. Potential treatments include: Lubricants Prescription medications Sex therapy There is no need to suffer in silence. Anyone who feels they may be experiencing symptoms of any condition—life threatening or not—should contact their health care provider for information about available treatments. Oxytrol may not be for everyone. The most common adverse events occurring with Oxytrol were application site reactions, dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, dysuria and abnormalvision. If you would like to learn more about Oxytrol and for the full prescribing information, talk to your doctor or visit www.OXYTROL.com. Diane Kaschak Newman, R.N.C., M.S.N., C.P.R.N.P., FAA.N., is co-director of the Penn Center for Continence and Pelvic Health by the Division of Urology, University ofPennsylvania.
