I’m on a journey to feel better and one of the first things on my list was to find out why I pee so much uncontrollably.  Watch out, TMI ahead! Hm, maybe I should have started with that.

25 million people suffer from Overactive Bladder

Here’s the deal, this is not an unheard of problem. I know there’s a lot of people reading this right now who have experienced some kind of leakage, sneeze or not. Nearly 25 million people, men and women, experience incontinence and out of those about 15 million are women. Not all of them are moms either, but a lot of them are.

I told my doctor what was happening, the sneeze pee, the running to the bathroom and almost not making it, the constant feeling of “gotta go” (just like the commercial!) Getting older is a bitch. My doctor did an ultrasound test to see if I’m emptying my bladder which I am. She also gave me some meds to help keep my bladder from signaling to my brain that I need to pee. And that helped but ultimately didn’t fix the problem. We also talked about pelvic floor exercises and kegels but she said there isn’t strong research that shows they help with this particular type of frequent urination.

After assuming I was doomed to wear diapers, I went in for a follow up and she suggested Botox. Say what? I look amazing! “No”, she said, “it’s for your bladder.” Say whhaaaa?

This is apparently a thing!  She explained to me that in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the use of Botox to include the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB).

Botox works by calming the nerves that usually overstimulate your bladder muscles and lead to an urgent feeling of needing to urinate.

Will it stop me from peeing my pants when I laugh too hard? Or running to the bathroom again 5 minutes after I already went? She says it will help with that so I’m doing it.

Here’s how it’s going down: First my doctor will numb my bladder and then administer the Botox. Then I have to wait until I pee to make sure nothing is blocked (no over botoxing!) and I’m free to go. The whole procedure will take about 45 minutes and I’ll have to have someone there to drive me home.

Obviously not me, but I love this woman’s commitment to character!

Why am I telling you this? Because honestly every one I mention this problem to says they can relate in some way. Again, it’s not just a problem for moms or women, but for 25 MILLION PEOPLE. So if my experience can help someone out there who’s also trying to feel better, and pee less, then I’m happy to share it. I’ll make sure I post a follow-up after it’s done. The wellness journey continues and I feel like I’m finally getting somewhere. Baby steps people, baby steps.

Do you suffer from OAB? Have you talked to your doctor about your options? I love this chart from Health.com that can help guide you if you are having any bladder issues.