Urinary Incontinence

[compie]

OK MNers does anyone have an idea bout this one. Sadly it concerns me - I seem to be leaking wee quite a bit. I had this problem last summer and it's repeating itself this summer. For some strange reason I don't have a problem in the winter. Being near new hunky bf also seems to make the problem worse . Had dd 5 years ago by CS and don't feel particularly 'loose' down there. I try to remember to do pelvic floor exercises but not sure if it is this as surely the problem woudln't go away in cooler months if it was? Is it just an age thing (pushing 40) and am I resigned to buying Tena lady now? God how awful if I am!

It's probably a combination of your age and having had a baby - even if the baby is delivered by CS, just being pregnant can put enough pressure onto your pc muscles to make them weaker and cause a bit of stress incontinence. I would suspect that the reason you notice it more in the Summer is simply because you drink more when it's hot, so there's more to get rid of. Being overweight can make it worse as well ... not saying that you are, but it's just one of those things that can make things worse.

Pelvic floor exercises will work but you have to do them religiously, as many times a day as you can remember. Otherwise ask the GP to refer you to a specialist, who could suggest other ways to help.

You are not alone CompieI am miserable with this and keep putting off what will probably end up as surgery for me..It makes me feel so dirty and unfreshI take showers at least twice a day and use those fresh wipes--I find that if I sit on the toilet a bit after I wee and do a few squeezes it does help.....

what are the fresh wipes you mention sunchowder? Changin panty liners several times a day obviously sorts out hte problem of smelly knickers but do worry that I smell 'down there' unless I shower (even then not sure how long I stay clean for) - particularly important right now as have new man in life! I was fine after the CS for a few years - this is just something that crept up last summer. Guess you're right WWB I am drinking like fish at the moment! (not overweight though, well maybe a few pounds but not much!)

The only pelvic floor I do are squeezing for a few seconds then letting go and repeating as many times as I can. Any others that coudl help?

I am here in the States Compie, they are like baby wipes, but made special (smaller, etc.) so that you can flush them down the toilet. I am very overweight, and I believe it makes my problem even worse.

The exercise that my midwives recommended was to imagine that your pelvic floor is a lift. Imagine closing the doors as you squeeze, then hold the squeeze for a second, making it tighter and higher as if you were raising the lift by one floor, holding again then raising another floor, then again for a third floor. Hold at the top, then release floor by floor until you get back to the bottom and open the doors again.

I'm not actually the best person to give advice on exercises though because my pelvic floor is shot, too - and being overweight doesn't help. If you're in the UK, compie, you can buy Lactacid wipes - there are others, but the Lactacid ones are unscented and balanced so that they're not as harsh to your bits as some of the other feminine hygiene wipes (Femfresh and so on).

if you go to GP, they may be able to refer you for physio which can be very helpful.