You’re not alone! And for women with this medical issue, we have great news for you. If you are living with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), whether it’s from childbirth, surgery, or age, we are excited to offer you an innovative new therapy.

Until recently, the best treatment options for SUI were surgical or device-based. Now, you can talk to Dr. Armen Kirakosyan, a board-certified urogynecologist at General Physician, PC, to discuss whether you are a candidate for Bulkamid®. Bulkamid is a non-mesh, nonsurgical, long-lasting treatment that quickly relieves the symptoms of SUI in women. 

Recently FDA-approved in the United States, Bulkamid is a water-based gel that is injected into the soft tissue of the urethra using a syringe. The natural, safe hydrogel thickens the urethral tissue close to the opening of the bladder and creates a seal that helps prevent the loss of urine when the bladder is met with sudden pressure.

The minimally invasive procedure is performed in the doctor’s office and takes just 10-15 minutes. There is no downtime after the procedure, and you can usually resume normal activity the same day. The majority of women treated with Bulkamid report symptom improvement as soon as the procedure is completed and long-term studies have demonstrated greater than 80% success rates lasting more than 5-7 years.

To learn more about this state-of-the-art option or to make an appointment with Dr. Kirakosyan, please call our Snyder office at (716) 656-4077.

September means back to school. This year, it also means many of us will need to juggle work from home, the office or both while “home schooling” our children and transporting them to and from school, activities or daycare. At times when we have “a lot on our plate”, we turn to food for comfort. It can seem overwhelming to take the time to make something healthy and nutritious for ourselves and our families.  

Eating healthy is essential especially when feeling overwhelmed. It can help you feel and sleep better! Making decisions on what to cook each night when you are tired and hungry is stressful and typically results in unhealthy choices. 

Some quick tips: 

• make a weekly meal plan before you head to the grocery store
• take the time to prep for the week on Sundays
• consider batch cooking

Cooking extra vegetables, whole grain pasta or rice, beans, chicken or eggs ahead saves time throughout the week and can be stored safely in the refrigerator (3-4 for animal products, 5-7 days for vegetables, beans and grains). This cuts down on prep time and makes putting a meal together much simpler. Some ideas include: 

• Hard-boil 6-12 eggs for a quick breakfast with fresh fruit or yogurt, as a great snack or toss in a salad. 
• Turn a dinner of brown rice and roasted chicken into a quick burrito with chopped lettuce and salsa another night.
• Beans can be used in breakfast or dinner burritos, tossed in a salad or as a main dish with rice. 
• Fresh cut vegetables such as peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, celery or carrots are a great quick snack or can be added to whole wheat pasta with some garbanzo beans, a drizzle of your favorite dressing and a little feta cheese for a healthy pasta salad.  

Many of our homes have turned into classrooms! Extend the classroom into the kitchen. Your children will need to read the directions and use their math and science when adding ingredients. When you involve your whole family in finding recipes, planning, prepping and cooking, mealtime can be healthy, fun and much less stressful.

Visit our Nutrition page for more information about counseling and classes.

Many women experience some form of abnormal uterine bleeding throughout their lifetime.

Abnormal uterine bleeding can be described as bleeding or spotting between periods, bleeding after intercourse, heavy bleeding during your period, menstrual cycles that are longer than 35 days or shorter than 21 days, periods that last longer than 8 days, or bleeding after menopause.  These are all scenarios where it is important to be evaluated by an Ob/GYN. 

Abnormal bleeding can occur at any age, but it is more common to have irregular bleeding when a woman first gets her period or when a woman nears menopause.  There are many causes of abnormal bleeding.  The most common causes are problems with ovulation, uterine polyps, fibroids, endometriosis/adenomyosis, bleeding disorders, medications, pregnancy or miscarriage, and certain forms of uterine cancer.  

Most causes of abnormal bleeding can be easily diagnosed by an Ob/GYN.  It can be helpful to track your menstrual cycle before seeing your doctor.  Based on the symptoms that a patient is having an ob/GYN will do a physical exam.  They may do a pregnancy test, cultures, or bloodwork. 

If there is a concern for a structural abnormality an imaging study such as a pelvic ultrasound may be done.  If there is a concern for uterine cancer if may be necessary to have a biopsy taken from the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus.  Depending on the cause of the bleeding, it may be treated with medication.  This includes hormonal birth control such as the pill or an IUD. 

If there is a polyp or a fibroid inside the uterine cavity this may require surgery.  If medication does not control the abnormal bleeding, endometrial ablation may be discussed.  This is an outpatient procedure that destroys the endometrial lining of the uterus and reduces heavy menstrual bleeding.  In some cases, if medication or ablation are unsuccessful a hysterectomy may be needed. 

If there is any concern that a patient is experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding they should contact their ob/GYN.

If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment with Dr. Sarah Schmitz call 716.656.4077.