New FDA Approved Overactive Bladder Medicine

Overactive Bladder Help

An overactive bladder leaves you feeling anything but healthy or attractive, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug to help. Mirabegron, sold under the name Myrbetriq, helps with uncontrollable bladder muscles, according to a press release.

How Myrbetric Works

Myrbetric works by improving the bladder's storage capacity and relaxing the bladder muscle while filling. This halts uncontrollable and unexpected squeezing. The test group of over 4,000 patients provided information about Mybetric's effectiveness in cutting the number of wetting accidents and the number of daily trips to the restroom.

Here is what this means to patients taking this newly approved bladder control medication:

• Reduced urinary frequency: This means you won't need to run to the restroom as often. It also means you get a good night's sleep, leaving you looking refreshed and healthy because your bladder will not wake you up every couple of hours.
• Reduced urinary urgency: This means you get a bit more warning before you have to go to the restroom.
• Less chance of urinary leakage: This means you do not have to spend as much money on incontinence pads or as much time dealing with unexpected leaks.

If you have an overactive bladder, do not feel alone. In America alone, about 33 million people suffer from this condition. At best, dealing with bladder issues leaves individuals frustrated. At worst, the condition becomes debilitating.

The pre-approval study did find a few side effects associated with taking Myrbetric including:

• Increased blood pressure
• Common cold-like symptoms, called nasopharyngitis
• Urinary tract infection
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Elevated heart rate, called tachycardia
• Abdominal pain

Not all overactive bladder patients can take Myrbetriq. According to the FDA, patients with severe, uncontrolled high blood pressure, end stage kidney disease, and severe liver impairment should avoid this medication.

Hey Hubbies: Dealing With Menopause Fat and Cranky Style

Dealing With Menopause

I named this blog Fat and Cranky sort of as an example of what I believe the reverse of menopause has to be. In other words, my point is, it can make you feel fat and cranky, but it doesn't have to.

When the people who are supposed to be your support system fail you, though, they probably shouldn't be too shocked when the cranky part kicks in. (Did ya hear that hubbies?)

Here's the deal. Maybe, just maybe, the menopausal woman in your life isn't just getting cranky for the fun of it. Maybe it's not that she's a b!tch like you like to call her. Maybe she's just getting tired of you.

In fact, if you are the kind of person who has EVER called her or ANY woman a b!tch, then you probably deserve to be on the blunt end of a b!tch-fit.

A menopausal woman is not cranky and is not a b!tch. She is a grown up who does not need to be saddled with a person who does not understand the difference between a physical condition and b!tchiness.

Deal with that, you failed support systems!

(I in no way mean to imply that the man in the image is a failed support system and I'm sure he has never called a woman nay of the things mentioned above. I just loved this MorgueFile picture of a frustrated man.)

Keeping Cool When Temperatures Soar and you Are Having Hot Flashes

Hyper-Kewl Evaporative Cooling Neck Band
3-Pack

I found an inexpensive product I really love that helps cool me off quickly, and I want to share. This is a non-medicine solution, and it works almost instantly.

I picked up a cooling neckerchief, bandana type thing at the dollar store (You can get them on Amazon, too if you don't feel like driving around looking for one at the dollar store.). That's right, learning about this fast relief for hot flashes tip cost me a whole $1.07 (tax included of course.)

These things have a few tiny beads stitched into them, but then you soak them and the beads swell up to fill the entire neck area..

I soak the neckerchief in cold water and wrap it around my neck. It actually gives off a cold relief for a couple hours before it needs to be resoaked.

Here is my favorite little tip, other than the one about using this inexpensive method to cool hot flashes, I put the cooling bandana in a zipper seal baggie with a couple tablespoons of cold water when I'm in a hurry.

Then I let the crystals in the bandana soak up all the excess water and wrap the neckerchief around my neck when it's ready.

I don't think I would like this solution for night sweats, though. It seems as if it would get the pillow all wet, so I have only tried this for daytime and evening use.

Wine as Skin-Protecting Sunblock?

With the official start of summer last week, a lot of the news this week focuses on protecting skin from the sun's harmful rays. Wine lovers, and grape lovers in general, still have a new reason to celebrate. In addition to vino's already known ability to help fight Alzheimer's disease, prostate cancer and cavities, according to an article last year on MSNBC's Body Odd, this grape-based alcoholic beverage also helps protect skin from sunburn.
How Does it Work?

Normally, the sun's ultra-violet rays hit the skin and activate enzymes that kill skin cells. Grapes contain a compound, commonly called flavonoids, that stops this sun damage caused by a chemical reaction within skin cells. These flavonoids are found in wines made from grapes and other grape products.

Sources of Sunburn Blocking Flavonoids

• A glass of vino: Make sure you drink vino made from grapes and not some other fruit if you are sipping it for its sun-blocking benefit. For the best effect on your overall health, consume only moderate amounts.
• Spiked punch: If the taste of vino is a little strong for you, mix a glass of your favorite grape wine with your favorite fruit juice for a lighter flavor.
• Grape juice: For an non-alcoholic alternative, enjoy a glass of grape juice either plain or mixed with soda water for a sparking beverage.
• Mixed into foods: If you want to stick with vino, but do not care to ingest the alcohol content, consider recipes involve cooking with wine. Cooking removes the alcohol content but leaves the flavonoids behind.

So, enjoy your favorite vino in moderation, or opt for non-alcoholic alternatives, but go ahead and slather on your favorite high SPF sunblock anyway.