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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it's not fair men don't wee themselves when they cough?

53 replies

Cumberlover76 · 26/03/2016 16:03

Or anyone with a super pelvic floor! Just a moan really. I've had a cough for 3 weeks, confirmed as bloody pneumonia by docs on Thursday and hefty dose of penicillin prescribed, and am sick of coughing until a bit of wee comes out SadBlush. My pelvic floor is not too bad after DD, but it can't cope with 3 weeks of coughing, I've taken to having to wear bloody reusable pads (but I've only got 4 and as a mooncup user I don't have anything else) or stuff toilet roll in my pants so I don't have to change my underwear every hour! Aggghh, please tell me I'm not the only one putting up with this shit, I can't even drink Wine!!! The only thing to be grateful for is I'm signed off work till Friday but DH works Monday and nursery shut Tuesday so I've got 2 days of sticking DD in front of the tv looking after dd alone :( boo hoo I'm rubbish at being unwell!

OP posts:
Lottie2611 · 26/03/2016 17:23

Yes but a planned section...maybe that made all the difference.

No I don't notice... Maybe because I'm usually doing somersaults on them Grin hahahah

Katedotness1963 · 26/03/2016 17:28

I know how you feel. Three winters in a row I had bronchitis, couldn't leave the house...

Mouthfulofquiz · 26/03/2016 17:41

I'm in the same boat here!!! I've had a cough for three weeks now, and I'm just continuously in the cough / wee cycle.
I'm 35 weeks pregnant with my third, and a cough kills my pelvic floor far more than pregnancy and childbirth do. It's not fair at all!!

ConfuciousSayWhat · 26/03/2016 17:48

I'm part of the cough N pee club too. It's horrible. I have a full prolapse so need surgery to stop mine Sad

BestZebbie · 26/03/2016 17:49

I always thought that unless you get damaged in childbirth (which I agree is loads of women) then you are much less likely to be incontinent in old age than men - possibly because women are trained to hold it for hours until they reach a loo, but men will piss almost anywhere throughout life.

GetSchwifty · 26/03/2016 17:52

They might not wee when they cough but having a prostate can cause problems, and there's that prostate exam too!

Birdsgottafly · 26/03/2016 18:02

""always thought that unless you get damaged in childbirth (which I agree is loads of women) then you are much less likely to be incontinent in old age ""

Your pelvic floor muscles suffer during and after the menopause. I never had an issue until the Menopause.

I went through the incontinence clinic and was getting better then I got Pneumonia over the winter and still have lung damage, I'm in middle strength pads overnight.

Men don't usually have incontinence issues at the age women do and it doesn't change how you've got to dress.

Holeypurplesocks · 26/03/2016 18:08

Don't worry, lots of men get an enlarged prostate when they get older.
Hang on 40 years & DH will be up & down to the loo 20 times a night.
You will be warm & comfy in bed not weeing

NeedsAsockamnesty · 26/03/2016 18:18

Sorry my post should say toner not timer

ClarenceTheLion · 26/03/2016 18:22

My ex used to wrap toilet paper around the end of his knob because of that issue. I think he had several issues in that department actually. He pissed the bed once, and he used to spend ages in the loo...

RaspberryOverload · 26/03/2016 18:27

I was fine after 2DCs as well until the last few months. Doc has prescribed pelvic floor exercises as the wall between vagina and bladder has weakened. It's probably no coincidence that I'm going through the menopause.

I was told about 3 months of exercises shold see me right, but that I'd still need to keep them up 1-2 a day for the rest of my life.

In my case, it's mild, but when I got a cough that was definitely a low point. A couple of weeks into the exercises and I can already feel a difference.

DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 26/03/2016 18:30

My dad has treated prostate cancer and the treatment has caused him to need to pee v.frequently. I haven't asked but assume he might leak without this opportunity, so factor toilet stops into everything I plan with my dad now. Men have issues too.

I peed a little on a trampoline when dd was about 18months. Have worked on my pelvic floor since and been ok for years. Well, apart from the rectocele. Lucky us eh?

DangerousBeanz · 26/03/2016 18:33

Yep me too. I get what me and my girlfriends call the tena cough" and "tena sneeze" despite doing my pelvic for floor exercises religiously . I think having a a baby at 40 is probably enough to cause it though.

I also get the "tena laugh" especially when I've had a few vino.

CatsRule · 26/03/2016 18:36

You have my sympathies op...I've had a chesty cough for weeks now too and it's not being kind to me either...especially when drinking water is the only thing that helps! Doesn't help that I have asthma too. Not been to the doctors as I expect I will be told I have a viral and they can't help. Hope you feel better soon.

Katarzyna79 · 26/03/2016 18:40

u girls make me ROFL. I think its b.s pelvic floor exercises my mother should have told me even just having one child weakens your bladder. she had 7!, its never the same again even with exercises.

Severe coughing does cause that.

I read men are more likely to have prostrate issues which in turn causes urinating issues as they get older, so they'll need a catheter. So I guess us women should count ourselves lucky there's always something worse out there? my father has a catheter he's forever got problems with it, and he says he has no dignity left, because nurses often female ones have to refit it if there's an issue. Life is so shite.

Is horse riding possible after having kids or would that be just as bad as using a trampoline?

seryph aww I know how you feel ive been diagnosed with hypermobility too, but drs not so sure now. I always suggested lupus they did test but there;s no clear test for that really lots of little tests and lots of trial and error. I'm pregnant now so they need to wait otherwise it will get too confusing for the drs to diagnose. its all very depressing. what will be will be, no amount of stress will take it away anyway, we just have to cope with it somehow plod along. Flowers

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 26/03/2016 18:46

I notice that men of a certain age always have an after dribble, especially when exiting the pub loos with beige trousers on.
I like to try and spot women doing their pelvic floors on a busy train station. It's that concentrated far away look in their eyes and the unmoving legs that give it away.

Get well soon OPFlowers If it's any consolation, your stomach muscles get a great workout during a coughing fit.

SugarplumMary · 26/03/2016 18:46

3 very large DC and I was fine.

Then I had a bad winter - endless chest infections and near constant coughs all day and night for weeks- only then did I start having problems. Things went away when I finally got better - though now much better at remembering exercises.

kiwiquest · 26/03/2016 18:56

Katazyna Confirm horse riding totally fine (wannabe dressage diva here). Also really good for toning core and inner thighs. 😁

Katarzyna79 · 26/03/2016 22:40

kiwi oo sounds good!!!

giraffesCantReachTheirToes · 26/03/2016 23:14

I am on doxycycline and predniselone for a chest infection which has started to ramp the pace up again after previous dose of antibiotics finished last week.

Combine brittle asthma into the mix and I have the perfect cough-till-you-pee recipe

TattyDevine · 26/03/2016 23:21

Giraffe Doxycycline cured my pneumonia after 6 other courses of different antibiotics didn't so hope it works for you!

BTW I don't wee when I cough/laugh/trampoline, but I figure this will happen once I reach my 50's or something! Not that it's an "older" thing necessarily, but I had c-sections so never had to "push" which I'm sure counts for something.

I'm pretty sure it will happen, and trust me, you will all be THE FIRST TO KNOW! Grin

iamEarthymama · 26/03/2016 23:22

So glad I am not alone, and yes to the bloody bouncy castle.
I didn't connect it with menopause but that's the timing for sure.
I have had to give up caffeine as I felt as though I had constant water infections. It's definitely worse after coffee and tea.

What a joyful life I lead, GF no caffeine and terrified to cough, sneeze or jump!!

(I had the dreaded cough last year, had to cancel a meeting of an organisation as the secretary, ie me, couldn't speak for coughing......and weeing Wink)
I had the flu jab in September and have had low level colds but no return of the Cough from Hell, it turned to pleurisy. I was not a happy bunny last Spring!!

ThisIsme2 · 26/03/2016 23:37

I'm in the same boat .. I've had this flu thing and have been coughing for a week and a half and I wee myself a bit each time too. My pelvic floor is crap though, after three big babies and I have a prolapse, the cough probably isn't helping. I'm using reusable pads too, because paper ones make my skin sore.

mammmamia · 26/03/2016 23:58

I have this too when running or jumping if my bladder is full. And yes a trampoline a few months after birth was a nasty surprise!

I had a planned section so nothing to do with pushing. I do have twins though and relatively big babies for multiples so that must have something to do with it

giraffesCantReachTheirToes · 27/03/2016 02:46

tatty doxy was my first lot too. It's pretty much one of the only ones am allowed. It's a good one though

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