Advice for adults living with bladder and bowel anxieties

Bladder and bowel anxieties have the potential to significantly disrupt our daily activities. Unsurprisingly, people with bladder and bowel anxietiesare often concerned about how their condition affects their employment. Common concerns include whether to disclose one’s condition to an employer and colleagues, and how to manage workload due to bladder and bowel anxiety-related absences. While bladder and bowel anxieties can disrupt work life, it is important to remember that the condition can be managed, and its impact kept to a minimum. Individuals living with bladder and bowel anxietiescan lead highly productive, successful professional lives.

Bladder and bowel anxietiesare a complex set of conditions with a variety of triggers, symptoms and treatments. Consider keeping a diary of your condition (e.g., symptoms and triggers). This can help remove any ambiguity around your current state of health and help identify patterns between triggers/treatments and symptom severity. You can also extend this diary to include other aspects of your health history (e.g., other conditions) to create a more comprehensive picture of your health and well-being.

It can be a good idea to compile a list of questions that you have about your condition and discuss these with your medical professional. You may find it empowering to improve your understanding of bladder and bowel anxieties and how theyaffect you. This can include having a conversation with a medical health professional to help dispel any myths or assumptions about your condition and put things into perspective. Some things you may want to discuss:

Can I be ‘cured’?

Is effective management possible?

Are there medications or psychological treatments available?

Are there any ‘abnormal’ symptoms that are cause for alarm?

Don’t hesitate or feel bad about raising any questions with your medical health professional. If you feel confused or overwhelmed, consider taking someone you trust with you to your appointment. They can help you absorb and reflect on the information you get from your doctor. If you don’t have someone to take along, consider note taking, recording the session, or asking your medical health professional to write down key information.

Bowel and bladder anxieties can significantly impact mental health and exacerbate stress. This can manifest as depression, anxiety, mental exhaustion, body-image issues, or self-esteem/confidence issues. It is normal and expected to feel some stress due to a health problem, but it is also important to acknowledge when you are not sufficiently coping. Stress can develop into a significant mental health issue if left unchecked. Take regular note of how you are feeling and consider raising this issue with your doctor if needed. They can suggest treatments and make referrals to mental health professionals where appropriate.

You have many rights as a patient of the Australian healthcare system. For further information on you can view the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights at:

https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/participation-and-communication/australian-charter-healthcare-rights

The charter includes rights relating to access, safety, respect, communication, participation, and privacy:

• All patients have a right to healthcare
• All patients will have a right to receive safe and high-quality care
• All patients will have a right to be shown respect, dignity and consideration
• All patients will have a right to be informed about services, treatment, options and costs clearly and openly
• All patients will have a right to be included in decisions and choices about their care
• All patients will have a right to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information

If you wish to examine your health records or talk to someone about them, contact your healthcare team and they can arrange for this. For further information on accessing your records, visit the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):https://www.oaic.gov.au/

• Stress management is essential – engage in activities that allow you to relax (e.g., Read a book, go for a walk, listen to relaxing audio, use relaxation apps).
• Identify a set of simple activities you can do that will reinforce positive feelings
• Set realistic goals for yourself that are consistent with your values.
• Our thoughts play a major role in how we feel:
  • Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do – act in a proactive way
• Getting good quality sleep is essential – identify and engage in good sleep hygienehabits
• Instead of criticizing oneself for what happens (or may happen) – concentrate on ‘how’ to solve or reduce problems
• Spend time with those who you value
• Develop a support team with whom you can rely on to talk to (and work with you) to meet the challenges (and opportunities) that come with living with distress
• Talk to someone when you need advice or help

Click HERE to go to Beyondblue’s excellent site for information about keeping well

• Seek advice and have your symptoms checked by a medical professional.
• Ask your medical health professional for a referral to see a Psychologist.
• Recognise and understand that you are not alone and that there are support services available.
• Consider connecting with other people living with bladder and bowel anxieties (e.g., online via forums or through support groups).
• Tell someone (partner, family members, close friends) about your bladder and bowel anxiety condition.
• While in the restroom or waiting to use the restroom, try challenging unhelpful thinking patterns that you may have.
• When you are in the restroom, remember that it is yours for as long as you require it.
• If you are unable to use the restroom, remember that it is okay, and you can always come back later.
• Remember to keep hydrated and drink water.
• Remember to eat healthily and maintain a regular exercise regime.
• If traveling on a plane, try to book an aisle seat near the restroom so you can easily reach the restroom if needed. If you need to, advise the airline of your medical condition to ensure appropriate seating.
• Check out restrooms early on even when you don’t have to use them. Making yourself familiar with the restroom may help reduce feelings of anxiety.
• While using relaxation strategies, continue to challenge yourself by attempting to use public restrooms, but do so at times and situations when you are going to feel most confident (e.g., when shopping centre opens and not at lunch time).

• Seek advice and have your symptoms checked by a medical health professional.
• Ask your medical health professional for a referral to see a Psychologist.
• Recognise and understand that you are not alone and that there are support services available.
• Consider connecting with other people living with bladder and bowel anxieties (e.g., online via forums or through support groups).
• Tell someone (partner, family members, close friends) about your bladder and bowel anxiety condition.
• While in public, try challenging unhelpful thinking patterns that you may have.
• Remember to keep hydrated and drink water.
• Remember to eat healthily and maintain a regular exercise regime.
• If traveling on a plane, try to book an aisle seat near the restroom so you can easily reach the restroom if needed. If you need to, advise the airline of your medical condition to ensure appropriate seating.
• While using relaxation strategies, continue to challenge yourself by attempting to be in social situations – do so at times and situations when you are going to feel most confident (e.g., where there are usually several freely available restrooms close by).