In this gripping episode of Life Without Leaks, we speak with John, a law enforcement officer, father of two and competitive strongman, about his harrowing journey to a Crohn’s disease diagnosis.
In this moving patient story, we speak with Gerri, a Crohn’s patient, about her journey from debilitating digestive symptoms to complete remission.
Gerri shares what it was like to live in New York City while navigating relentless urgency, severe abdominal pain she describes as “hot lava,” and the constant need to locate the nearest restroom. After months of worsening symptoms and a turning point moment with her mom, she sought specialist care, leading to bloodwork, testing, colonoscopy and, ultimately, a diagnosis.
In this episode of Life Without Leaks, we sit down with Dr. Maria Roell, an internal medicine resident specializing in gastroenterology, to break down the essentials of inflammatory bowel disease.
Incontinence is often discussed in terms of symptoms and quality of life but for many people, it also brings a steady (and sometimes surprising) financial burden. Beyond the obvious cost of pads, protective underwear, and skin-care products, there can be added expenses from laundry, missed work, caregiving needs, and medical visits. The good news: understanding where the costs come from is the first step toward reducing them—and getting the right treatment can be a cost-saver, not just a health improvement.
For many people living with bladder leaks, the hardest part isn’t the symptoms themselves.
It’s deciding to talk about them.
Bladder leaks can feel too small to mention, too embarrassing to explain, or not “serious enough” to justify a doctor’s visit. Many people quietly manage symptoms for years—adjusting their routines, limiting activities, and hoping things don’t get worse.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And you’re not wrong for feeling this way.
How common it is, why it’s increasing, and what an aging population means for patients and families
Incontinence is often treated as something people should keep private — but the reality is that it’s extremely common, and it affects millions of Americans every day.
As our population ages, especially with Baby Boomers entering older adulthood, more people are living with bladder and bowel control problems. That means more patients seeking answers, more caregivers providing support, and greater impact on families and the healthcare system.
Understanding the numbers helps reduce stigma — and reminds people that they are not alone and help is available.
When most people think about the symptoms of incontinence, they think about physical things like urgency and leaks. But what’s every bit as real – and every bit as troubling – are the mental health symptoms that so many patients live with. Incontinence is significantly associated with depression, anxiety and other mental issues, and addressing them can be a particular challenge.
Today’s guest is Tina Harris from Tenderheart Health Outcomes, here to share with us important information that the team at Tenderheart has learned about mental health from their research and patient surveys. She discusses what patients and caregivers commonly experience and offers strategies to help lighten the mental burden.
Most of us never give a second thought to all the research, technology and testing that go into the products we use every day – even ordinary-seeming ones like protective garments for incontinence.
But behind every successful product there’s an enormous amount of ingenuity and persistence, and nobody knows that better than Gary Bauer. He’s a patient himself living with overactive bladder, but he’s also a product tester for Carer.
Gary provides them important feedback and insight on a number of their reusable garments, particularly their waterproof underpants. Listen today to learn more about what he’s learned, what he looks for and what he expects the future may hold when it comes to personal protection.
For more information about Carer and the full line of products they have available, visit them online today at CARERSPK.com.
Despite being incredibly common, Overactive Bladder is something that isn’t talked about nearly enough, and that’s especially true when it comes to men. Today’s guest is Dr. Bradley Gill, chief of surgery at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest and Mentor Hospitals and a board-certified urologist, and he’s here to help us understand about the unique ways it impacts men’s lives and what can be done about it.
Do you have pain or burning when you pee? If so, you might have a urinary tract infection. They’re remarkably common. About 50% of women will develop one in their lifetime, and they get even more common as women get older and go through menopause. If you’re one of the 50% unlucky enough to come down with a UTI, this podcast is for you…
For more information about the National Association for Continence, click here, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
With the recent announcement by Deion Sanders, hall of fame NFL player and current head coach for the University of Colorado Buffaloes, that he is undergoing treatment for bladder cancer, we’ve been seeing a significant increase in interest about the disease. Today’s guest is Dr. Bradley Gill, chief of surgery at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest and Mentor Hospitals and a board-certified urologist, to help us understand the condition, its causes, treatment options and potential outcomes.
If you’ve had enough of leaking when you laugh or cough or sneeze, if you’ve spent enough on pads and products to help keep you dry, and if you’re tired of just managing your condition rather than seeing real improvements, we have good news for you: Stress urinary incontinence can be treated.
Today’s guest is Gloria Kolb, founder and CEO of Elidah, the medical device company behind Elitone and Elitone Urge. The Elitone family of products are the only FDA-cleared external solutions that tone your pelvic floor and calm your overactive bladder.
Gloria discusses what Stress Urinary Incontinence is in detail, explains why it’s so common and addresses the full range of treatments that patients have available to them.
Take this brief survey to tell us how incontinence impacts your life. Your answers will help shape the future of incontinence care.
