Can you fully regain bladder control 2 yrs after forceps/episiotomy delivery... TMI included

[Paranoid1stTimer]

I had an episiotomy and forceps delivery after a long drawn out labour (long story) and LO ended up in distress.

Anyway, 2 years later and daily (seriously) pelvic floor exercises and I am still not fully recovered in the "holding in a pee" dept. I can't jump or else there is a little leak. I can sneeze/cough/laugh hard but only if my bladder is less than half full... I MUST be near a toilet if I drink any amount of liquid eg if we go on a long car trip or shopping day out I have to make sure I can make it to the loo as soon as I start to feel like I need a pee...

How can I recover fully? I daren't go to any exercise classes or anythign like that now cos if I have to jump at all

Sorry if I sound flippant in this post but it is sooo embarrassing that I just try to make light of it but I have told no one in RL that I still have this problem as it is defo taboo

go to gp and get a referral to gynaecologist and to physio, don't carry on suffering in silence.

Sorry to hear you are effected - I have similar issues exaggerated by being pregnant again at the moment with an unknown prognosis.

Sounds like a mix of stress incontinence (the coughing, sneezing leaks) and urge incontinence (sudden need to go now, now, now or complete emptying is likely).

See your GP and get referred to the physio or urogynae departments (or both) for help. Insist on the basis of how it is affecting you day to day. I had bio feedback with the physio to check I was doing my pelvic floor exercies right - a small tampon like probe is put in you and the computer shows the strength of your muscle and the hold. A few sessions can really help.

There are drugs like vesicare that are sometimes given to calm an overactive bladder for urge issues. Usually done first is bladder retraining, getting it used to holding proper volumes rather than suddenly thinking it needs to void when it doesn't.

They will help you with what you should be aiming to have in fluids per day and how often is normal to pee - every 2-4 hours apparantly. I did a input/output chart for a couple of weeks for the urogynae department to see what I was drinking and what my bladder was up to.

There is lots that can be done. Please don't be too embarressed to seek help for it. It's just urine - sterile when it exits the body and we all have no control when little and often when older too.

I find tena pads excellent for coping with my dodgy bladder.

Wow - thanks so much. I didn't even realise I could get this kind of help. Now I don't feel quite as pathetic as I have been because I know my 2 closest friends (one of whom had twins) don't have this problem and it is really starting to get me down.

Thank you. I will talk to the GP.

You'd be amazed at how many women don't mention it. I think a lot just put up with it as normal. It often worsens post menopause as hormones change again so always worth facing it as early as possible.

I think some people are just luckier - forceps are often linked to bladder problems, especially the rotational kind. Hormones in pregnancy relax the muscles and sometimes they don't tighten up properly afterwards. The sheer weight of the baby obviously has an impact too as does the head size and stretch of the pelvic floor!

You are not pathetic at all - my sonographer this time said if she'd known then what she knew now she'd have had sections with her two kids and saved her pelvic floor. In her view many consultants she knew booked themselves in for elcs for that reason.

I hope you get a good response from your GP.

This is not normal...I had similar experience but am so lucky not to have problems. Whereas a friend of mine with an amazingly speedy "natural" labour still (4 years on) has problems. I would seek help and don't be fobbed off.

Pilates - no jumping involved, but lots of core muscle training. Find a good class though as there is alot of variation in quality of instruction. Ideally, you want one with less than 10 participants so the teacher can watch / get round to everyone.

I had a forceps delivery with a third degree tear and an episotomy. I was in agony for long time afterwards, have struggled with similar problem to you. As soon as I want to go I have to go .

I saw a horrible doctor as a follow up who made me feel dreadful, I'd been doing pelvic floor exercises and she told me that my muscles were non-existent. Fortunately I got a referral to the physio at the hospital who has given me the confidence that I will get back to normal.

I realise that your LO is older than mine but I think it's definitely worth asking your GP for a referral and getting some help. Good luck