“I wanted to work and remain active, and this treatment helped me accomplish that. In our Immaculate Heart of Mary order, we are not the type of people to give up, so I knew I had to do something about this problem.”
Sister Regina Copple, IHM, 77, says she is not one to complain, but the stress of having an overactive bladder — which causes the sudden and urgent need to urinate — for about 15 years was getting to her.
“At first I told myself that all women have this problem as they get older, but it gradually became really annoying,” she says. “Teaching, traveling, everything I did was affected by it.”
Four years ago, when the veteran educator was transferred to Immaculata High School in Somerville to work in the library, a new primary care provider gave it to her straight.
“He told me: ‘You really have a problem with overactive bladder, Sister. It is disrupting your sleep and your life, and it’s wearing on you — you need to go to Somerset Medical Center,’” Sister Copple says.
Seeking expert help
Somerset Medical Center urologist Neel Shah, MD, understood Sister Copple’s ongoing struggle with an overactive bladder.
“For men and women, overactive bladder is a significant quality-of-life issue,” says Dr. Shah. “Even if someone with the condition is running to a nearby store, he or she knows every single bathroom en route.”
Dr. Shah’s first approach to treating Sister Copple’s condition was a series of medications, but none were effective. “Most people with overactive bladder respond to medications. If not, several surgical options are available, including neuromodulation, which is basically a pacemaker for the bladder,” says Dr. Shah.
But neither of those treatments worked well for Sister Copple, either.
Innovative treatment relaxes bladder
In January 2013, the FDA approved the use of Botox injections for the treatment of unresolved urinary incontinence. Botox had been proven to relax the bladder, which increases its storage capability and reduces urinary incontinence.
Dr. Shah was excited to offer this new, innovative treatment option to Sister Copple. In May, she went to Somerset Medical Center for the outpatient procedure. While she was under anesthesia, Dr. Shah used a telescopelike device to peer inside her bladder. Then he placed a long, thin needle through the device and made about 25 Botox injections directly into her bladder muscle.
Life without the worry
Since the procedure, Sister Copple says her overactive bladder issues have improved tremendously. “I wanted to work and remain active, and this treatment helped me accomplish that,” Sister Copple says. “In our Immaculate Heart of Mary order, we are not the type of people to give up, so I knew I had to do something about this problem.”
Dr. Shah says that there is no need for anyone to live with incontinence.“If you are suffering from overactive bladder, Somerset Medical Center offers all the latest options,” says Dr. Shah. “Come talk to us because we are the experts who can help you.”
Connect with a Somerset Medical Center urologist by calling 800-443-4605.
Photo caption: Sister Regina Copple struggled with overactive bladder until she sought help from a urologist at Somerset Medical Center. Botox injections have alleviated her problem.