Anyone had a flexible endoscopy for pelvic floor problems? God Im hacked off with all of this. May be a bit TMI in places.

[DontLikeTheSoundOfThat]

Please forgive name change for reasons. But my pelvic floor is doing my head in. I have had incontinence issues since DC1 and I know it is shot away. I have been using incontinence pads for 3 years now. Just to add to the fun, I also have a mild prolapse. DC 2 didnt help tho things were already bad enough that I had been seen by physio etc before I got pregnant again...she basically said I wasn't responding to exercises (yes, I know that!!) and would need an op once I had completed my family, which I now have.

So I was referred again, saw a consultant recently, horribly embarassing consultation, and he said he would refer me on to someone who would want to look at what happens when my bladder is full and then stressed eg cough, sneeze etc.

But I now have an appt through for a flexible endoscopy and I don't quite see how this fits with what he said. Has anyone else had one for these sorts of issues?

For those who don't know and want to, it involves filling the bladder up and then passing a tube up the uretha to look inside the bladder. Oh joy.

Bumping for you.

My mum had this done earlier this year. It sounds unpleasant, but she said that actually it was ok. She had it done for a slightly different reason (turns out she has a "sensitive bladder"), but she said that it was nothing to worry about.

Hope it goes alright for you!

maybe you mean urodynamics or cystoscopy rather than endoscopy? Endoscopy is when they look down your throat.

The test is to see how your bladder reacts under pressure.

I had a prolapse repair and did not have those tests- but I wasn't leaking. It might be that they want to judge how much work needs to be done before the op.
If you are not happy you can ask for a referral for a 2nd opinion- or query why they want to do the test.

Think you must mean urodynamics. They will pass 2 urinary catheters and an anal catheter and measure on a computer how your bladdere reacts to being filled/emptied etc.

Are you seeing a gynae or a uro

One test for the problems you have is the Q tip test- they put a tiny cotton wool bud in the urethra and see the angle if it- and then they cn see howmuch work needs to be done to repair it all.

You might be alble to have TVT- transvaginal tape- where they put a small sling through the vagina and urethra to lift the bladder opening into the right palce to help it stay closed. This is common now and done with a local anaesthetic.

I don't know who you were referred to, but you need to be referred to a gynae who knows about these problems and can help you- bladder tests like urodynamcis are more often used for overactive bladder conditions, rather than leakage after childbirth.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Yes, I did mean cystoscopy! Brief burst of baby brain there!

And what people have said does make sense actually because not only do I have a poor pelvic floor and a prolapse, but yes, they suspect I have an over active ('sensitive') bladder too. (Where to start with it all, eh? ) Sounds like the cystoscopy is to do with the over active bladder bit of my problem then.

My referral is to a uro-gynaecologist apparently so hopefully all angles will be covered! Hope so anyway.

Thanks again for input, especially nice to know its not too unpleasant a procedure.

I haven't had cystoscopy, but have had urodynamics tests (where they pass a catheter into your bladder, fill bladder with water, and measure pressure through another sensor, passed into the vagina etc). This was all very straightforward and not painful. However, I have had leaking and pelvic floor problems but not a prolapse or other sensitive bladder problems.

I am having the tape thingy operation on Tuesday (general anaesthetic, but quick procedure, done as a day case)

Am hoping to be a new woman!

Good luck with it SoMuch. Hope it all goes well. Im hoping to be referred for that too at some point...fed up with leakage, its so not good for self esteem.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to it (if that's the right thing to say..)

Fortunately, I used to work in the hospital, so I know the surgeon, (who is good) and have phoned up my former colleagues in the recovery room, to make sure there will be someone I know there when I wake up!!

Wel, here I am, had the op yesterday, which seems to have gone well. I'm feeling ok, although rather tender around the legs and groin. I have to take it easy for a couple of weeks, so I may be on Mumsnet rather more than usual!