Stress incontinence - can it be cured?

[BetaMummy]

I've recently taken up running and I've discovered my pelvic floor is completely knackered!

I realise I'm going to have to start doing some serious pelvic floor exercising, but I'm very doubtful that it will be enough. What I would really like to know is whether anyone has gone from being very stress-incontinent to OK and if so, exactly what exercises did you do to achieve it?

To give you an idea of how bad it is, I made the mistake of running with a not completely empty bladder and I was saturated (luckily, it was dark and I was in black or I would have been mortified). I now make sure I don't have a drink for 2 hours before a run and I still have to wear a night-time sanitary towel - not good from a hydration perspective and not nice feeling like a "tenor lady".

[gussiegrips]

This is my job, I'm a physio. Just nipping on to mark my place - got 3 pukey kids at home (not really looking forward to when I catch the lurgy, puke=piss in my case)

Running - I'm really sorry, running with a saggy fanjo is a Bad Idea. Every time your heel strikes the ground there's x3 your body weight rattling up your leg into your pelvic floor. Which is also working hard to resist the impact of all your guts banging up and down on top of it.

So, even if you weigh 7 stones, that's 21 stones with Every Single Stride.

That's why some folk are fine, unless they run. Or, they can run for a bus, not not 5 km. Or, they can run if they dehydrate themselves first.

Seriously, if you've had surgery, you should avoid running or treadmills or rowing machines.

Incostress is useful for exercise, sort of wedges everything back up there - but, you do need to doyerblardyexercises too.

I've got a website (for info, amn't trying to advertise - get the link off my profile!) with a list of the exercises. And, I tweet x3 day - follow me @gussiegrips and I'll nag you into complying.

Evidence is that 70% of simple stress incontinence can be cured by doing 3 exercises, 3 times a day for 3 months. Cured.

Of course, if you've got a prolapse it's not so effective, but, my own G2 one is managed conservatively and I'm hoping to keep it that way for a long time.

have a look at the website, ask me any questions you like and PM me if you are all shy.

You don't have to put up with it. It makes me really cross, this affcts athird of women aged 35-55, messes with their mental health and ruins their sex lives. A man wouldn't put up with it, why should you?

I'm doing some research on what happens if you teach groups of women the exercises, in an irrevernt fashion. I'm doing a fringe show at hte Edinburgh festival, Gusset Grippers. It's not as scary as it sounds, I have a hobby of stand up comedy. But, I'm hopeful that teaching women in groups will get them talking, burst the taboo, and put tena out of business
x

[LemonBreeland]

I had a tvt op two weeks ago. I am so pleased with the results. I keep worrying every time I cough or sneeze but it is fine.

I saw a continence physio for 6 months first to improve my pelvic floor in the hope that it would help but it didn't make a difference for me.

[LemonBreeland]

gussie that is interesting about the running. I wanted to rake up running as I'm seriously unfit and it's free and easy. Howevet your comments have made me rethink.

[gussiegrips]

walk, Lemon. Walk fast, walk far. Has the same cardio and calorie burning effect as running, but without knackering your nethers.

Or, run in water. You'll look like an eejit, but it works.

Or, if you absolutely must run, good shoes, short distances, empty bladder, vary the running surfaces - soft like sand is great, less soft like grass is good, hard like tarmac is not.

Sorry, I know it's not what everyone wants to hear. But, there's a reason why runners wear sanitary pads, tie jumpers round their waists and dump bottles of water over their heads...

[LemonBreeland]

Thanks gussie that is really helpful. I have a sore hip atm too so not able to do anything until that is sorted.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Just got back from an appt with my gynae physio this morning, I am 6 months post rectocele repair with a mild cystocele, which has shown an improvement in the last two months following her exercise advice (PFEs, pilates, jogging)

WRT running, she has advised me that I am Ok to jog provided I keep it slow, low impact (ie short stride, feet staying close to the ground) and build up distance very gradually, also proper fitted running shoes. Similar to what Gussie advises.

[gussiegrips]

Phew, who knows It's always awkward if you conflict with another's advice!

You have to weigh up risk/benefit with anything - so, if the notion of not having the runner's high makes your mental health wobble, then, do it, but remember you'll need your pelvic floor when you are an elderly lady, and that's not for aaaaa-haaaaa-ges.

Do yer blardy exercises, it'll really help.

Now, tell me how to motivate my fat ass into running...

[willistheeggman]

There are devices out there to help with prolapse without surgery. Have you heard of incostress? They had a device that strengthens pelvic floor muscles. Not sure how it actually works but they have them in Boots, so must be pretty good: incostress.weebly.com/

[notrege]

I had problems for about 4 years and tried physio which was claimed to be effective in 75% of cases, reduced caffeine - nothing worked. Had trans-bdurator tape op - initially very uncomfortable for first night and told to take 4 weeks off work, but one week on - I'm fine and OK to return to work. The warning is though do not lift anything heavier than two light carrier bags again ever. My mother had the same problem and never had surgery made her much less active than she could have been, I didn't want this to happen to me. Try all the exercises, give it time but if it doesn't work would definitely try surgery - was better than expected

[CurlsLDN]

Hi everyone, this is fascinating. My ds is 8 months old, and I wee a little when I cough, sneeze or a lot if I puke. (as if norovirus wasn't bad enough!)
I realised early on that I couldn't run or jump without weeing. It was only when I started a new excersise class this week and was the only mum who couldn't do the skipping rope that I realised maybe this isn't 'just one of those things.'

Im going to see the gp to discuss it, but don't want to be fobbed off. To those who got referrals, was your situation worse than mine or about the same? To those who had surgery, same question?
Thankyou so much for your help and honesty!