Continence Health Australia: This is my story

Welcome to Continence Health Australia's This is my Story podcast. One of the common misconceptions about incontinence is that it is mainly associated with older age, but today’s guest is here to tell you it can happen to young people too. Today’s guest, and the first guest in this podcast series, is Christin Young who wants to draw on her own lived experience with incontinence to support and help other young people who may be having a similar experience.
Find more stories from people with lived-experience of bladder control, bowel control or pelvic health conditions in Continence Health Australia's FREE magazine continence.org.au/resources-and-tools/bridge-magazine.
A quick warning, this episode contains medical and health topics. If you find these topics distressing, please skip this episode or listen with care.
Links/resources:
Incontinence in teens and young people https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/children-and-young-people/incontinence-in-teenagers-and-young-people/ 
Continence Health Australia
Website – www.continence.org.au Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/continenceaus/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/continenceausLinked In – https://www.linkedin.com/company/continence-foundation-of-australia/ 
National Continence Helpline - 1800 33 00 66 - for a free and confidential discussion with a Nurse Continence Specialist. Operates 8am-8pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday excluding national public holidays. A telephone interpreter service is also available https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-continence-helpline/.
The National Public Toilet Map shows the location of more than 25,000 public toilet facilities across Australia. You can access the map at toiletmap.gov.au or by downloading the Toilet Map app available on Google Play or the App store (https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/national-public-toilet-map-app). The National Public Toilet Map provides: 
The location of the nearest public toilet
Details of opening hours, accessibility, parking, and other features
https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-public-toilet-map/ 
Opinion Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in these podcast episodes are those of the guests. They do not represent or reflect the official policy or position of Continence Health Australia. Continence Health Australia does not take responsibility for any ideas expressed during the podcast.
CREDITS
Host – Nicola Reid
Executive Producer & Editor - Dave Stokes
Original Soundtrack - Giuseppe Bono and Dave Stokes - Tortured Tenant
 

Welcome to Continence Health Australia's This is my Story podcast. This episode looks at the male perspective on living with incontinence. Today’s guest is Ian, who was in his late 50s and began to experience urinary urgency, frequency and incontinence. Ian tells us about his journey which traverses many emotions and frustrations towards mastering his experiences and taking back control of his life.
Introduction
To set the scene, we asked Ian to read a section from his story which describes the impact of an overactive bladder on his life. See below:
“I'm forever on the alert; it's a continual stress. Life and work are constantly distracted and compromised. There are too many conversations that I have dropped out of, suddenly, without explanation. There are too many meetings that do not have my full attention. Reading a book is punctuated not by chapters, but by toilet breaks. I wear dark trousers to camouflage leakage and am certain to carry something, a paper or a jumper, that can casually hide my front. Shopping is a planned exercise with public toilets identified. I do not join excursions for fear of complete embarrassment. And driving a car is risky business. On long trips, I take a change of clothes.”
Find more stories from people with lived-experience of bladder control, bowel control or pelvic health conditions in Continence Health Australia's FREE magazine continence.org.au/resources-and-tools/bridge-magazine.
A quick warning, this episode contains medical and health topics. If you find these topics distressing, please skip this episode or listen with care.
Links/resources:
Urinary incontinence https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/urinary-incontinence/
Pelvic floor exercises for men – https://www.continence.org.au/living-with-incontinence/pelvic-floor-exercises/pelvic-floor-exercises-for-men/ 
Incontinence and other health conditions https://www.continence.org.au/living-with-incontinence/other-conditions-and-incontinence/ 
Continence Health Australia
Website – www.continence.org.au Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/continenceaus/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/continenceausLinked In – https://www.linkedin.com/company/continence-foundation-of-australia/ 
National Continence Helpline - 1800 33 00 66 - for a free and confidential discussion with a Nurse Continence Specialist. Operates 8am-8pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday excluding national public holidays. A telephone interpreter service is also available https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-continence-helpline/.
The National Public Toilet Map shows the location of more than 25,000 public toilet facilities across Australia. You can access the map at toiletmap.gov.au or by downloading the Toilet Map app available on Google Play or the App store (https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/national-public-toilet-map-app). The National Public Toilet Map provides: 
The location of the nearest public toilet
Details of opening hours, accessibility, parking, and other features
https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-public-toilet-map/ 
Opinion Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in these podcast episodes are those of the guests. They do not represent or reflect the official policy or position of Continence Health Australia. Continence Health Australia does not take responsibility for any ideas expressed during the podcast.
CREDITS
Host – Nicola Reid
Executive Producer & Editor - Dave Stokes
Original Soundtrack - Giuseppe Bono and Dave Stokes - Tortured Tenant

Welcome to Continence Health Australia's This is my Story podcast. Today’s guest is Stephanie Thompson who is a published author, advocate and founder of bravemumma.com, a platform which supports women to make informed decisions before childbirth and beyond. Stephanie experienced a traumatic childbirth injury and lives with pelvic organ prolapse. For Stephanie, every day needs to be carefully managed and planned to minimise her level of pain and help her be the best mother she can be for her children. We talk about how not every disability is visible and how often others can’t see your struggle whether it’s pain, discomfort or the inability to walk very far, because you look otherwise well. 
A quick warning, this episode contains medical and health topics. If you find these topics distressing, please skip this episode or listen with care.
Links/resources:
Pelvic Floor – https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/womens-health/strengthening-pelvic-floor-pregnancy-beyond/
Pelvic organ prolapse – https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/womens-health/pelvic-organ-prolapse/
Continence Health Australia
Website – www.continence.org.au Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/continenceaus/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/continenceausLinked In – https://www.linkedin.com/company/continence-foundation-of-australia/ 
National Continence Helpline - 1800 33 00 66 - for a free and confidential discussion with a Nurse Continence Specialist. Operates 8am-8pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday excluding national public holidays. A telephone interpreter service is also available.
The National Public Toilet Map shows the location of more than 22,000 public toilet facilities across Australia. You can access the map at toiletmap.gov.au or by downloading the Toilet Map app available on Google Play or the App store. The National Public Toilet Map provides: 
The location of the nearest public toilet
Details of opening hours, accessibility, parking, and other features
Opinion Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in these podcast episodes are those of the guests. They do not represent or reflect the official policy or position of Continence Health Australia. Continence Health Australia does not take responsibility for any ideas expressed during the podcast.
CREDITS
Host – Nicola Reid
Executive Producer & Editor - Dave Stokes
Original Soundtrack - Giuseppe Bono and Dave Stokes - Tortured Tenant

Welcome to Continence Health Australia's This is my Story podcast. Today’s guest is Greg Ryan who was born with a rare congenital condition, imperforate anus, which affects one in 5000 babies. Greg has lived with bowel incontinence all his life and shares his story to help raise awareness and understanding for other people who live with incontinence. Greg founded not for profit organisation onein5000foundation.org to raise awareness of the condition.
Find more stories from people with lived-experience of bladder control, bowel control or pelvic health conditions in Continence Health Australia's FREE magazine continence.org.au/resources-and-tools/bridge-magazine.
A quick warning, this episode contains medical and health topics. If you find these topics distressing, please skip this episode or listen with care.
Links/resources
Supporting bowel control – https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/bowel-incontinence/supporting-bowel-control/
About the bowel https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/bowel-incontinence/about-the-bowel/
Bowel incontinence https://www.continence.org.au/about-incontinence/bowel-incontinence/ 
Continence Health Australia
Website – www.continence.org.au Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/continenceaus/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/continenceausLinked In – https://www.linkedin.com/company/continence-foundation-of-australia/ 
National Continence Helpline - 1800 33 00 66 - for a free and confidential discussion with a Nurse Continence Specialist. Operates 8am-8pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday excluding national public holidays. A telephone interpreter service is also available https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-continence-helpline/.
The National Public Toilet Map shows the location of more than 25,000 public toilet facilities across Australia. You can access the map at toiletmap.gov.au or by downloading the Toilet Map app available on Google Play or the App store (https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/national-public-toilet-map-app). The National Public Toilet Map provides: 
The location of the nearest public toilet
Details of opening hours, accessibility, parking, and other features
https://www.continence.org.au/help-and-support/national-public-toilet-map/ 
Opinion Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in these podcast episodes are those of the guests. They do not represent or reflect the official policy or position of Continence Health Australia. Continence Health Australia does not take responsibility for any ideas expressed during the podcast.
CREDITS
Host – Nicola Reid
Executive Producer & Editor - Dave Stokes
Original Soundtrack - Giuseppe Bono and Dave Stokes - Tortured Tenant