Help For A Very Treatable Condition - by Diane Kaschak Newman


December 18, 2004-- (NAPSI)-Dear Diane: "I 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 watching out for?"

Dear Reader: For many women, mid-life may mean facing non-life threatening and potentially unnerving conditions, including overactive bladder (OAB), varicose veins and female sexual dysfunction. Millions of women consider these conditions, especially OAB, a normal part of aging-they're not.

OAB affects more than 33 million Americans and is 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 be life altering.

OAB is 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 who suffer from them. Women can help prevent varicose veins and relieve discomfort by:

. Exercising to improve circulation

. Not standing or sitting for long periods of time

. Surgery and laser or injection therapies

Lastly, female sexual dysfunction affects up to 50 percent of women. Hormones play a 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 sexual function. 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 abnormal vision. 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., F.A.A.N., is co-director of the Penn Center for Continence and Pelvic Health by the Division of Urology, University of Pennsylvania.

Diane Kaschak Newman

Copyright ©2003 content, MenopauseRx, Inc. The information provided by MenopauseRx, Inc. is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health-care provider. Please consult your health-care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.