Bladder Control News:

Gold Medal-Winning Olympic Gymnast Leads Education Campaign on Overactive Bladder

Gold medalist Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton and Pfizer Inc. are leading a campaign to educate people about overactive bladder and to encourage those with symptoms to talk to their doctors about proper diagnosis and treatment.

Retton said she learned to live with overactive bladder for years even though the condition that forced her to go to the bathroom up to 25 times a day was always on her mind.

"I was afraid someone might notice my condition, so I kept it a secret like many others do,” Retton said. “I would even bring extra leotards to gymnastics training because I was embarrassed I might have an accident."

Like many sufferers, Retton, 36, found ways to cope by limiting how much water she drank and always knowing the location of the nearest restroom before finally talking to her doctor about her secret.

Now 20 years after winning her gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics, she is speaking out as part of this nationwide educational initiative at shopping malls across the country.

“Now I know I was ignoring a serious medical condition. I want to let people know that there's a better way to treat the condition," Retton said, noting that mediation help cut down her trips to the bathroom and worry about accidents.

According to Pfizer, a recent survey found that only one in four women with overactive bladder has ever talked to her healthcare provider about the condition, despite the fact that it can significantly hinder patients' quality of life.

Dr. Pamela Ellsworth, chief of the division of urology at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, said activities like limiting fluid intake are not typically effective ways to treat the condition.

"Many people may be unaware that there are effective treatments available,” Ellsworth said. “We need to encourage discussion about bladder health so that no one suffers from this condition in silence. That's why it's great to see someone like Mary Lou talking openly about her experience, helping people to both recognize the symptoms of overactive bladder and encouraging them to bring it up with their physicians."

Source: Medical Week staff, week of October 9,2004