Monday, June 1, 2009

Bladder Control Problems - Embarrassment & Getting Back To The Business Of Your Life


The first patient I saw when I returned to practice was a sixty-three year old woman with urgency incontinence (the clinical way to say bladder control problems!). Before I had a chance to introduce myself she said “I’m here against my will. My daughter insisted that I come and see you, so here I am. I have already seen a doctor who made a diagnosis and gave me treatment. It didn’t work and I don’t think you can help me either.” I convinced her that since she was already here we could at least talk.

My new patient (to protect her identity let's call her 'Sue') babysat her school aged granddaughter 5 days a week. Approximately three months previously 'Sue'’s granddaughter went home and asked her mother why granny smells so bad.

After a complete history and physical examination and a review of her laboratory results and ultrasound reports, I agreed with the diagnosis which 'Sue' had been given by her previous doctor. While I didn't disagree with the course she had been given thus far, it wasn't working and we needed a different approach.

There are a number of medications available for this problem which fall in the general classification of “antimuscarinics.” Though these drugs are in the same class, they are physically slightly different from each other. Finding the right one for 'Sue' was the challenge.

After receiving treatment 'Sue' returned to my office two weeks later. I asked her how she was. She burst into tears. She was completely cured and from the time she started the new medication she had not had a single episode of incontinence. This wasn't just about a cure - it was about her getting over her embarrassment with her grandchild and getting back to the business of living her life.

My goal in this medical practice is to have this type of successful outcome to treatment as this woman. While it may not always work out that way, when it does, it has a profoundly amazing affect.

Regards,

Dr. Himel
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2 comments:

  1. Richard K.July 20, 2009 at 10:54 AM

    It's great to see a non-surgical approach to this problem - much less invasive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dr. Calvin HimelAugust 7, 2009 at 5:21 PM

    Thanks Richard...your right many issues can be treated non-surgically. I also utilize bio-feedback, and bio-feedback hardware to treat incontinence.

    ReplyDelete

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Are You Looking For Help With Bladder Control Problems? Maybe I Can Help!

I have been an Obstetrician-Gynecologist for most of my life. In 1999 until my retirement, I ran a gynecological office practice whose main thrust was the non-surgical treatment of incontinence. I was achieving improvement or cure rates of over 60%.

I was encouraged by fellow physicians (who saw this serious issue with few non-surgical options) to return to my practice.

If you have a male or female incontinence issue and want to discuss non-surgical management, feel free to contact me directly. I only see patients by physician referral.