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I really started to notice my bladder issue after the birth of my second daughter which was 14 years ago.

My bladder leaked when I did high-impact activities such as running or circuit training. It also leaked when I did activities with my daughters such as volleyball and tennis.

Absolutely! I have two very vivid moments that I remember. The first happened about 4 years ago during a family vacation to Banff, Canada, when we went horseback riding in the mountains. I had no idea that riding would be a "trigger" for my bladder leakage. I have to say, it was probably my most embarrassing event because it was so noticeable since I wore blue jeans. The second major incident happened fairly recently. It was the tipping point for me to seek treatment. While running was a trigger for my bladder leakage, I could manage it by running early in the morning, not drinking any liquids, and, of course, always wearing a pad. Last October I competed in a 10-mile race. I felt great on race day and was so excited to participate — but by mile two of the race, I was completely soaked. What I didn't anticipate is that drinking extra water the day before the race would cause major bladder leakage during the race. I completed the race but promised myself I would seek treatment for this issue.

It really only impacted my physical activity and fitness choices. It also affected the types of activities I could engage in with my daughters and backyard activities such as playing on the swingset. I had to wear pads, and I didn't feel confident when interacting with others.

I really don't know. I was one of those women who "dealt" with it and it took me years to bring this issue to my physician. There is no doubt it is embarrassing but I think, in hindsight, I'm more embarrassed that I lived with it for as long as I did. I knew there were treatment options available and it took me far too long to pursue them. I will never get those years back I didn't play with my daughters. I believe that life is short and you should live every day to its fullest. After many years of not doing things because of bladder control problems, I am active again and it feels great!

I wanted a permanent solution, not just another way to "deal" with the issue. Because of that, I chose to have a minimally-invasive sling procedure. A sling procedure involves placing a support near the bladder; this can usually solve stress incontinence. It is a long term solution for people whose bladder conditions can't be fixed through more traditional treatments.

It's wonderful. There are very few days that go by that I don't think how happy I am that I finally took charge of this issue. I now have the ability to choose what time of day I want to exercise. It's awesome! And the fact that I have no limitations to my activity is equally awesome! I will be participating in my first half marathon in September and that would have never been possible without the treatment I had.

Don't be afraid to talk to your physicians about your symptoms. Also educate yourself about the treatment options. Unfortunately, many physicians may still recommend using a pad but I believe women today deserve treatment options beyond what our grandmothers had as a choice.