Obese and pelvic floor

[Mummymacd]

So I am extremely obese. I had lost two stone prior to lockdown. But with the breakdown of my marriage I have gained back over a stone.

I’ve noticed over the last couple of weeks (sorry for tmi) that my bladder is leaking a lot more than normal. I’ve always suffered with a weak pelvic floor. I can’t isolate the muscles to do pelvic floor tightening (been to an incontinence team years ago).

Will this improve if I lose weight? Has anybody any ideas of what else I can do form home.
Thanks in advance

As things changed recently I would suggest you speak with your gp and ask for another referral to a women's physio. I don't think weight loss will help specifically but it's not going to make anything worse and has many other benefits.
When you go to the loo have you tried trying to stop flow mid Way? You won't be able to stop it at first but even just trying will help the muscles.

Deffo push for a referral for a women’s health physio - there is SO Much that you can do to help yourself once you know what the issue is. Do not use wee stopping as a pelvic floor exercise - you could use it initially to test if you have the right muscles but the pelvic floor needs to be worked as a whole body thing - because your whole body impacts it. A good Women’s health physio will be able to help you isolate your muscles and build you a plan of action. It is completely possible. Loosing weight will help, but you don’t and should t wait for that to happen before you start working on your pelvic floor.

Try the squeezy app on your phone while you're waiting for a new referral. It's really helped me and I've been suffering for years.

Thank you for the replies x

I second the squeezy app - has completely transformed my life but it took at least a couple of weeks to notice any difference at all and I could so easily have given up. Like yourself I felt as though it had got so much worse and I was really quite depressed about it. Starting the app and also losing weight has completely turned things around.

Thanks for the recommendations. I am downloading the squeezy app. If it works it will be the best £2.99 spent this year ;)

Please don’t beat yourself up about your weight - I know it’s only anecdotal, but I’m obese and have never leaked a single drop. I’m sure if I were, it would be diagnosed as a weight issue. Sore finger? Fat arse more like! 😁

I’ve heard wonderful things about a woman called Elaine who is a physio who specialises in leaks. “Gusset grippers” or something. Google her.

Weight definitely has an impact on your pelvic floor - I suffer with a prolapse and everything I’ve read about that states that losing weight will help (if you’re overweight) as the fat in your abdomen puts extra pressure on your pelvic floor! Makes sense really. The squeezy app is good though.

And go and check out “holistic core restore” on line. For full disclosure I am a holistic core restore coach and the program is brilliant. But you need to see a whp first - if you get in touch with any of the HCR coaches they can put you in touch with a good women’s health physio. The Squeezy app is a fantastic start but you need to be integrating pelvic floor exercises with movement. - very few women wee themselves when they are not moving! I’m actually not working at the moment but you are welcome to message me if you want to chat.