Stress incontinence & pelvic floor toners

[ChangingStates]

Hey,

Looking for feedback & recommendations on pelvic floor toners. I had prolapse repair surgery a year ago, do exercises fairly regularly, but just don't think I am getting it right as still have stress incontinence. Want to up my game and invest in a pelvic exercise gadget. Considering these three but finding it hard to find decent reviews or comparisons

• Elvie
• Kegel8 ultra 20
• Neen pericalm

Willing to splash out a bit of it means not having to change my pants every time I sneeze

Would really appreciate any comments from anyone who's used any of them, thanks.

[ChangingStates]

Hopeful bump?

[greeneyedlulu]

Sorry I have no advice but can I ask you for advice. I think I'm having a prolapse, im in pain, uncomfortable and I've just had a phone call with my doctor. Feeling a bit fobbed off to be honest. What was you experience and what treatment did you have? Sorry to hijack but I literally have no one else to ask and I'm feeling very worried

[AntiHop]

I'd like to know too op.

[ChangingStates]

No worries about the hijack- happy to share! I
I was pretty sure I had some sort of prolapse, I could feel my cervix very low down. I went to the gp who examined me but wasn't really very sure and didn't seem able to feel what I could... however I was lucky, was still with exh at this point and on his company medical insurance- my gp was happy to refer me.

I saw a gynae privately- she said I had a uterine prolapse as well as fairly minor bowel and bladder prolapses. She gave me 3 options- exercises that would support & help, a ring thing you can insert or surgery. I went for surgery and had was is called a Manchester repair (I think)- it's a cervical amputation as well as bowel & bladder repair- a lot of stitches. I do think had it not been private I would not have been offered surgery, the prolapses weren't severe enough for it to be the only course of action- but I guess when you're private you have the choice!

Everything still seems to be in place but I never seem to have regained full continence and still can leak if jumping or coughing with a bladder moe than half full. I know exercises can be very effective I just don't seem to do the diligently or well enough. FYI my sister also diagnosed with a mild bladder prolapse- has been seeing a pelvic physio for a while with exercises increasing in intensity and has apparently managed to pull things more back into place.

Apparently 1 in 3 women will have some form of prolapse in their lifetime- it felt awful when I thought it was happening to me and no one really talks about it yet it's so common, the more women I talked to the more I discovered how many had had issues and surgery or exercises etc. Why this isn't a more open subject I have no idea, it affects so many!

Anyway, apologies for the long ramble- very happy to answer any specific questions you may have. From my sisters experience it does seem that physio and exercises if done correctly can make a real difference!

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

I have a kegel8 and it works for me. I have between a stage1/2 prolapse (three kids, various issues). It definitely helps. I use it weekly now. Surgery isn’t for me.

[wonderrotunda]

Another vote for the kegel...I didn’t get on with elvie at all...nice and stylish but preferred the kegel...less gimmick
Lots of info on this website
www.stressnomore.co.uk/

[flouncymcflouncerson]

I’d ask for a referral to a pelvic floor physio, they’re best placed to advice on electronic stim devices. I ordered on advice from my physio and it worked well. I’ve had two prolapse surgeries and still have remaining issues but the physio was able to program my machine to ensure the best results

[Mycatismadeofstringcheese]

Have a look at the work of Katy Bowman
www.nutritiousmovement.com/

And Claire Mockridge clairemockridge.com/

They say pelvic floor is all about alignment of the pelvis and you have to take a whole body approach from feet to forehead.

I’ve only had one session so far with someone Claire recommenced and a couple of simple alignment points and exercises and I’m already seeing an improvement. I’d been standing wrong my whole life! Now I know how ho position my hips correctly.

It’s not necessarily kegals that you need. You may need stronger glutes to hold your sacrum in the right place, looser hamstrings and calves, better aligned feet and ribs etc.

I’m finding it fascinating. I have more work to do but so far impressed

[greeneyedlulu]

Thanks changing. I'm just at a loss of what to do as I don't think my old man gp really gets it if you know what I mean. He said I should do kegel exercises but as I had a baby 5.5 months ago it's kinda normal. I can feel something in my vagina and I'm seriously considering getting partner to have a feel and push things back up as it's so uncomfortable but would that even work?? I think it's just my uterus as I'm going to the toilet fine though peeing loads. I will look in to the kegel thing mentioned above too. Thank you once again.

[MaryAnneMumof2]

I had Kegal 8 but didn’t see much improvement and I used the Squeezy app which I had a plan on but it really didn’t help. I had an episiotomy and forceps with my second and I am sure has some sort of prolapse. GP wasn’t helpful AT ALL so I did my own research and found the emsella chair, they use it a lot in America and it has good reviews online. I had it in January and results so far are amazing, it’s a chair you sit on and it tightens everything for you down there. I went to the dr Leah clinic in London, was expensive but worth it. It was really getting me down and I needed to do something to get it sorted. It’s worth looking into the emsella chair if kegal 8 doesn’t work for you.

[wonderrotunda]

I’m glad it helped you MaryAnneMumof2 but just a word of caution for others, I too tried a full course with the chair...but unfortunately it made no difference at all for me

[MaryAnneMumof2]

@wonderrotunda I’m sorry that it didn’t work for you, for me it has improved so much, was it the same chair called emsella because I think there are different types? Might it be possible to have more treatments on it? iAnother friend had good result from injections into bladder to relax it - that might be an option for you and she got through NHS so that might be worth looking into

[wonderrotunda]

Hi...thank you for the suggestion of injections...I probably should go back to the doctor...you know how it is when something has been there so many years and you feel defeated by it and you just put up with it because you no longer know what to do. It was the ‘Emsella’ chair...I was very hopeful! But no luck for me (I could feel it but it made no difference)