Oh goodie, a leaky fanjo thread. I'll just get my soap box...this is my job, and very near obsession.
Pelvic floor exercises DO WORK. 70% of simple stress incontinence can be cured by doing 3 exercises, 3 times a day, for 3 months.
The problem is that they are not taught effectively, so you're not sure what you're supposed to be doing, so you do them badly, so they don't work, so you land up in surgery becasu "I tried the exercises" Sigh.
A THIRD of women aged between 35-55 wet themselves. A third of your friends are padding themselves up and feeling sad about it. Sigh.
It's truly the last taboo.
I've got a website, get the link off my profile - there's info and a talk-through-guide to the exercises. Follow me on twitter @gussiegrips - I tweet three times a day, when I tweet, you twitch your twinkle.
Evidence based practice, but, it's irreverent and, so far, seems to work.
I'm doing a show in the Edinburgh Fringe about pelvic floors, I have a hobby of stand up comedy so it's not as scary as it sounds. I'm going to use it to see whether my theory is sound - teach exs well, to groups of women, make it funny, then they'll encourage each other to comply, and know when to seek help.
So, there are other things which can cause your leaking - and, to be frank, it's best to show your fanny to someone who can tell you if your vag is falling out or not. That's not the end of the world, I've got a grade 2 prolapse and it's managed conservatively by exercises. Might not always stay that way, but, I'm entirely typical of what happens with compliance.
If you've got pain with pooing/sex/using tampons, get someone to have a fish about and check for a prolapse. Otherwise, doyerblardyexercises.
Now, gadgets.
All the ones you list have good evidence behind them. Aquaflex is the biggest seller - and, I'm fairly turned off by it after seeing one lying in the cereal aisle of Sainsbos. True Story. I'm not sure that adding a weight to your fanny is the way forward. You could eat a meal and load your pelvic floor that way, bunging 10g up yourself doesn't make that much sense to me. But, their evidence shows it does work, and if it helps you comply, then that's brilliant.
Incostress, a sort of pessary that shoves everything where it should be. Much loved by runners and zumba-ers. You bung it in, doyerblardyexercises and get on with your life. I like this one because you don't need to stop what you are doing to use it. So, compliance goes up.
Pelvic toner - also popular, and his evidence is that it works quickly. You've got to get your kecks off to use it, mind. But, if you do, it seems to be worthwhile.
The kegel 8 trainer is brilliant. It's expensive, but it gives you a measurement of power and talks you through what your regime is. I gave my sample one to a woman who'd had a TVT operation and was still leaky - three weeks later, she's now got a strong undercarriage. So, it's worth it's money, but you do have to actually use the thing, won't work from your underwear drawer.
I'd steer clear of any electrical stimulator unless you've had an assessment. There's lots of cases where women have plugged themselves in, settled down with a glass of wine to watch Downton Abbey, forgotten to turn the thing off, and done themselves a mischief.
There isn't any evidence which says that gadgets are MORE effective than doing your exercises. But, anecdotally, if you get something you like you are more likely to comply.
I'm at home with three puking kids today, so will keep checking the thread (and MN for sanity breaks) Feel free to PM me to ask questions - you really don't need to put up with this crap.
It's a feminist issue you know, would men put up with being left pissing and crapping all over the place and a loss of their sexual function? Would they accept "Well, that's what comes with fatherhood, never mind" Course not.
Makes. Me. Cross.
anyhoo, have a look at the website, I'm really not advertising, it's just I've wittered on forever and should probably go and do some actual mothering instead of writing even more!
hang in there, see you on twitter.
x
