[18th June 2025]

As part of World Continence Week, we held a themed Chat Together session to discuss continence support. This provided an opportunity to learn more about managing continence challenges and to hear expert advice from a specialist nurse. We were joined by Karen, a Continence Specialist Nurse with 20 years’ experience and a passion for bladder and bowel care. Karen’s advice focused primarily on urinary incontinence, covering lifestyle, medication, continence products, and local continence services. We’re hoping to following up with continence care focused on faecal incontinence.

You’re very welcome to join our Online Community to continue the conversation around continence and Pelvic Radiation Disease (PRD). It’s a welcoming and friendly peer support space where you can share your experiences, ask questions, and connect with others who understand — all anonymously and at your own pace.

Please note that the advice given is based on UK guidance and services

Below is a summary of the information shared in the session and in the video.

Lifestyle Advice

  • Make small changes gradually for a lasting difference.

  • Drink plenty of fluids, such as water and squash. It might be tempting to think, “If I drink less, I’ll need the toilet less,” but drinking too little can make your urine more concentrated and actually worsen your symptoms.

  • Try to limit caffeine, as it can irritate the bladder. Tea and coffee contain similar amounts, so if you’re finding it hard to cut them out completely, consider having just one in the morning and switching to decaf later in the day. Be mindful that energy drinks can be very high in caffeine too. Even some herbal and fruit teas may contain caffeine, so it’s worth checking the label.

  • Pelvic floor exercises are recommended three times daily — no special equipment needed. Consistency is key; setting a timer or using apps can help maintain regular pelvic floor exercises.

Medication

  • If you’ve been on medication for a while and it’s not effective, ask for a review.

  • Inform your healthcare team about any side effects you experience.

  • NICE guidelines empower you to understand and access the care you are entitled to (see the public version of these guidelines).

Continence Products

  • Choose products that suit your needs.

  • Sanitary towels and pantiliners are not appropriate for urinary incontinence as they are not designed for urine.

  • Using incontinence pads with too high an absorbency can cause skin problems because they are designed to absorb moisture continuously.

  • Use the ‘droplet’ guide to find the right absorbency level for incontinence products.

  • Some incontinence pads are available on the NHS but require a continence assessment.

Local Bladder and Bowel Services

  • These services provide continence assessments and often accept self-referrals.

  • Waiting times are usually short, around two weeks.

  • To find your local service, search online for “NHS Bladder and Bowel Service [your town/city]”.

 

Useful links 

 

We’d love your feedback
Did you find this information helpful? Would you like to see more videos like this in the future? Is there a specific topic you’d like us to cover? Please let us know by filling out our short feedback form. Your input helps us shape our support and resources — we want these to be led by what matters most to you.

We want you to have your sayHave your say
Would you be happy for us to quote you to help others living with PRD? We’re looking for a sentence or two about your experience or reflections on PRD-related continence issues that we may use (anonymously, if you prefer) to inform others, raise awareness, or support our work. Share your voice through our short Have Your Say form — your words can make a real difference.