Incontinence and Your Social Life

Lily* is an avid golfer. At 63, she tells her friends she's golfed for more than half her life. She loves to spend the afternoons on the green with her friends. Ever since her husband of 42 years died of a stroke two years ago, golf has been her lifeline.

Shortly after the death of her husband, Lily discovered that she had urge incontinence.

For a while Lily stopped her regular golf games, making excuses to her friends. She was embarrassed by her incontinence and terrified that she would have an "accident" on the golf course. But she missed her friends and missed her game.

So Lily went to see her doctor, who prescribed a medication to help control her urine loss. Lily found the medication was quite helpful in relieving her incontinence symptoms. She didn't need to go to the washroom as frequently, she wasn't waking up at night to go to the washroom as often, and she didn't feel like she had to go as urgently as she did before. Lily's doctor also recommended some absorbent products for extra protection during times when she still leaked, such as when she played golf.

After getting comfortable with the medication and the absorbent products she bought at the pharmacy, Lily phoned her girlfriends - she was back and ready to go! Her friends had missed her and were worried about her, but when they saw her they knew she was just fine. It was like old times again.

Today, Lily plays golf four days a week and volunteers at the clubhouse as well. She has an active social life, and plans to keep it that way. For Lily, treatment with medication and absorbent products has helped give her the confidence to keep up her social life without worrying about embarrassment.

*Lily's story is based on people with similar experiences.