See what Mumsnet testers think about INNOVO®’s new pelvic stimulator. Non-testers: win the machine, worth £249! NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

This thread is for the ten Mumsnetters who were chosen by INNOVO® to test and keep their new pelvic floor stimulator, which is designed to alleviate stress incontinence.

Stress incontinence is the term used when leaks accidently occur from coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping or doing heavy lifting. These simple movements put pressure on the bladder and, should your pelvic floor muscles be unable to tighten enough, will cause a leak. Stress incontinence can also be called bladder weakness or urinary incontinence. INNOVO® is a new pelvic floor stimulator that works to strengthen the muscle and put an end to those pesky leaks.

Here’s what INNOVO™ have to say about their product:
‘Innovotherapy is a non-invasive way to restore your pelvic floor, treating the primary cause of urinary leaks rather than just masking the symptoms. Using a hand held controller that is attached to a two part garment, Innovotherapy sends targeted impulses via conductive pads (attached to your upper thigh and buttocks) to safely and effectively activate the muscles of the pelvic floor. It is a proven technology which has been designed to optimally strengthen your pelvic floor with 180 perfect contractions per session, allowing the device to do your pelvic floor exercises for you.
Results from a research study prove that women who experience stress incontinence will experience significant improvements in as little as four weeks by using INNOVO® five days a week for 30 minutes. After 12 weeks of treatment the participants were defined as being ‘dry’ or ‘almost dry’. So it won’t take long to get your confidence back’

Testers were asked to use the product for thirty minutes per day, five times per week, over a twelve week period – the recommended treatment programme from INNOVO®.

Testers, please answer the following questions:

• How did you find the process of learning to use INNOVO®? Did you receive support where needed?
  
• What did you do to pass the time while using INNOVO®?
  
• What did the sensation of using INNOVO® feel like?
  
• Have you noticed an improvement in the strength of your pelvic floor after testing for 12 weeks? If so, when did you first start to notice the improvement? What activities/ actions can you do now that you couldn’t before?
  
• Would you recommend INNOVO® to a friend with bladder sensitivity?
  
  Non testers, in order to be entered into the prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win an INNOVO® worth £249, please tell us how the machine would improve your life by strengthening your pelvic floor.
  
  All testers who complete the feedback process will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £300 Love2Shop Voucher.
  
  Thanks, MNHQ
  
  Standard Insight T&Cs Apply
  
  Members of our Mumsnet Blogger Panel also reviewed the INNOVO® . You can read the reviews by clicking on the blog names below:
  
  [[http://www.hexmumblog.com/2016/07/time-restore-floor/
  Hex Mum]]
  Northern Beauty Blogs
  Mad House of Cats and Babies
  Chammy IRL
  Rachael Jess
  Testing Time Blog
  M's Memories
  Over 40 and Mum of One
  3 Princess 1 Dude
  Thoughts from Random Woman
  Autism Mumma
  Tantrums to Smiles

[lottietiger]

Non Tester here..
I was really keen on testing this so I would love to win! it would make a huge difference to me getting fit, im trying to do lots more walking, running and horse riding but my pelvic floor & weak bladder is really not helping :(

[mannose]

Non Tester here too, I would like to win this as getting fed up of the leaks and feeling like a oap rather than in my prime. I will be interested to see how everyone has got on with this.

[forkhandles4candles]

Oh, I would have loved to test this so much. I go through periods of ...well...leaking after having a wee. It is like some lurks in there for when I stand up, however much I wait. So, it would do wonders for my scuzzy underwear and self-esteem, if this strengthened me down below. Who knows what other side benefits there might be too....

[NutellaLawson]

I'm keen to hear what testers thought of it. Since having my three big babies (10lbs 7oz, next one was 8lbs 8oz and last one was 9lbs 4oz) and long labour and second stage with my first (and heaviest and head off the charts) baby, my pelvic floor is a pelvic flaw.

[ameliesfolly]

I would love to win this! It would mean I could run around with ds so much more, join him on the trampoline (I hate sounding like a no-fun mum with my excuses as to why I can't bounce with him) and just generally feel like someone in their forties not their dotage!

[cymrumam]

Non - tester - five children and major abdominal surgery have made me in need of this product.
Winning one would give me the chance of having greater self confidence and a new lease of life

[Roseformeplease]

I was absolutely gutted that I did not get to test this. I use an iPulse machine (stick it up your chuff) but it is not great and can really only be used in total privacy. It can work but requires almost total dedication to get even the smallest improvement. I am at the stopping suddenly in the street to cross my legs when coughing stage of my life. Running is now out of the question (ditto trampolines, star jumps and enthusiastic disco dancing). I wear a pad every day now (so romantic when I have to get rid before we get frisky). I also have "going out" super size ones so I can dance or not go to the loo all the time. I am even avoiding caffeine now as a way of improving things.

This machine looks amazing. But, with 2 children and endless expenses, I can't, yet, justify buying it. DH was thinking of it as a (honestly, it would be amazing) birthday present. But, my Mum died earlier this year and it was long and slow, and she was 600 miles away. So, any spare money has been spent on Easyjet flights, car hire and places to stay en route.

I am thinking of a pound coin jar, or something. I really would love one and it is so good to read of their success here.

[sharond101]

Non-tester, My pelvic floor is distraught after two stressful births. This would help towards reducing those embarrassing situations!

[Workingmum34]

Non tester here. Would love to have been involved. I have pretty much stopped running since kids and spend a fortune on tena lady!

[mogloveseggs]

Non tester here. Didn't see the thread
This would change my life at the moment! Pelvic floor been iffy since ds 4 years ago but recently it has gotten much worse. Having to have quite a lot of procedures down there has left me feeling like everything is falling out and I leak even when I bend over! Reduced feeling during sex too. Im only 36!!
Definitely somehow need to save up for one of these. Wonder if they do gift vouchers?

[Smutlybobs]

I'd love to take up running again. I'm really interested to read the reviews

[CwtchyQ]

Tester here.

Can I start by saying how great the Innovo team are - so helpful and friendly. Very encouraging.

How did you find the process of learning to use INNOVO®? Did you receive support where needed?

The online support was great - I wasn't waiting around for emails, they were very prompt. They linked me to a video and gave some useful hints and tips via email. It is a little fiddly, but really once you get using it, it's absolutely fine.

-What did you do to pass the time while using INNOVO®?

Listened to one of my Headspace sessions - I tried to make it less of a chore and as much about a little 'me' time as possible.

-What did the sensation of using INNOVO® feel like?

Like a TENS machine - little shocks. It was a little uncomfortable the first time - not painful, just uncomfortable. I am a wimp though, and it's not like you don't have a control to be able to dictate how strong it gets.

-Have you noticed an improvement in the strength of your pelvic floor after testing for 12 weeks? If so, when did you first start to notice the improvement? What activities/ actions can you do now that you couldn’t before?

I can laugh now without worrying! And jump around! I would say I noticed it properly after a 3 weeks.

-Would you recommend INNOVO® to a friend with bladder sensitivity?

Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for allowing me to test this, I feel so much more confident that there is a proper solution to leaking.

[mumsbe]

I would have loved to test this machine but to win it would be amazing because its difficult to do any exercise without leaking. I cant even go for a long walk without leaking. To leave the house without wearing a pad would be amazing and this would really change my life. I could feel confident again and stop making excuses about playing tig and football with the kids.
I used to always be jumping around but this problem has made having fun impossible.

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

I'd love to win one of these; I've had bladder problems since I was a student, and it's humiliating to always be wetting yourself a little at that age. It's gone through good and bad phases since then, but now in peri-menopause it's definitely come back.

[ThornyBird]

How did you find the process of learning to use INNOVO®? Did you receive support where needed?
The garments are a bit of a faff to put on and the gel pads often leave a sticky residue on my legs. Initially it would take a few attempts to get the device to accept the positioning (mainly on my right leg for some bizarre reason) but now I get it right first time most days.
I found the Innovo team very supportive both initially and during the trial. I had the wrong sized garments and it was all resolved within a couple of days without any hassle.

What did you do to pass the time while using INNOVO®?
Caught up with TV series - MadMen initially before they were taken from Amazon Prime then various series on BBC iPlayer. It is 'my' time.

What did the sensation of using INNOVO® feel like?
Tingly and sometimes uncomfortable if I leave it until late in the day to use it. However trial and error mean that now it is usually fine (i.e. increasing the 'power' slowly, standing up, splitting the 30 minutes into 2 sessions).

Have you noticed an improvement in the strength of your pelvic floor after testing for 12 weeks? If so, when did you first start to notice the improvement? What activities/ actions can you do now that you couldn’t before?
YES! I noticed an improvement by the end of the first couple of weeks! It coincide with hay fever season and I found I wasn't leaking every time I sneezed. The first time I knew there was no going back was when I took part in a sailing race and was on a yacht all day, leaping about with absolutely no leaking at all! I am still not brave enough to try the trampoline test yet though.

Would you recommend INNOVO® to a friend with bladder sensitivity?
Yes I would.

[MiddleClassProblem]

Non tester, it would be lovely to not have to wear a pad to play sport or dread getting a cold for more reasons than just being ill or looking after a little one when poorly

[DCITennison]

Non-tester here.
Im late 30s and really feel like my pelvic floor is the one area I just can't understand
Any other part of my body, I know how to tone it up (I may not always do the press-us/squats/crunches/whatever...but I know how to), but my PF is baffling to me.
I've never actually felt I'm doing the PFEs correctly and the fact that I live in dread of getting a cough or cold is probably a good indication that I'm not!
Added to that I also get a really uncomfortable feeling when doing PFEs, I'm not the only one, I was on a thread about it a couple of years ago - after a few clenches I feel quite nauseous and shakey. I seem to remember the general consensus was its a mixture of a weak PF being excercised and feeling "disconnected" to the muscles involved so the sheer concentration is just too much, like trying to thread the world tiniest needle!
Trouble is, if I can't ever get comfortable with the excercises, I can't get that connection to them to know what the heck I'm doing, they never get stronger so I never get better at it.
So, yes, I'd LOVE something like INNOVO. I can't do it on my own, I've tried...for years.
I'd love not to need to carry a spare pair of knickers at all times

[Butterchunks]

Non- tester here: I would quite like to be able to sit cross legged and sneeze at the same time .

[Babsmam]

None tester, this would be a godsend to me. Two large children (8.5 &9.9) in my 5"4 size 10 frame have wrecked my pelvic area so I have prolapsed. I miss my former fitness life and I'm sure that has contributed to my recent mh episode.
I just can't justify the money though. I think it's so important to talk about this aspect of woman's health as so many of us are affected by it

[CheckpointCharlie2]

Bum I missed this! Would have liked to have tested as my pelvic floor is shot to pieces. I want to know if it helps with both cystoceles and rectoceles as I have both. Lucky me and whether it would improve my PF enough to not need surgery in the very near future.

[colouringinagain]

Non-tester here who'd love one.

This sounds great and also helpful to know there are options around (if you have £ to spend) as I await my first appointment with the special physiotherapist iykwim

[CopperPan]

Non tester here. I wish these things were around when I was younger - I've always had issues with incontinence and I had no idea that things were available that could improve it, and of course it has got worse since I've had children. It can be absolutely devastating, whenever I see the term PMSL online it brings back hideous memories of having done that in real life .

[senorita26]

Non-tester: I would love to win one if these as:
A) I can't afford to buy one!
B) I am so fed up of using pads etc when out and about on simple little walks to help with leakage. Same with sneezing and coughing. Have started trampoline exercise classes and find I'm in the loo four or five times a session as soon as I start jumping off it starts again!
Just need to try something like this to "heal" me.

[finova]

Non tester
My life would be improved as id feel much more confident and happier to have another baby.