Stress incontinence, how much training needed?

[Jokat]

Hi. My children are 14 and 17 years old. Whenever I have a full-on cough or cold, I leak a little bit, especially with sudden coughs/sneezes where I dont have any time to prepare. It really bothers me (I then wear pads), and everytime it happens, I am determined to start pelvic floor exercises again. But once I'm over the cough or cold, I soon forget to carry on with the exercises.
How much muscle training have you found to be necessary to completely restore your pelvic floor strength?

I recommend Tens Easy Care pelvic floor trainer or similar. It was really effective for me.

tenscare.co.uk/collections/toning-and-pelvic-pain-relief?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21118041353&gbraid=0AAAAAC8Of9PGixj995rPVqGeudSYEpi8H&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyP3KBhD9ARIsAAJLnnZggC5RxHJxZwRkl6RMeAxslndWYIcRyZRs3ovHdCy-7B0810FvDuoaAj7HEALw_wcB

Thank you. How long/often did you use this for until you saw significant improvement?

Hi, did you have any luck with this and has it made any improvement? My kids are 8 and 5 and I have had my head in the sand about my pelvic floor. Leaks when coughing/sneezing and I’ve recently started trying to get fit and was horrified tonight when doing a skipping workout that I basically I basically wet myself.

Vaginal estrogen has been life changing. I dont even get up through the night to pee.

@Littlejonnydory I've just ordered the Tens iTouch Go, will let you know how I get on.

I would recommend seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist. They can tell you whether the muscles in your pelvic floor are really tense or not tense enough.
I was doing the kegels and it was making things worse because my muscles are too tight for various reasons.
I have had to learn to relax the muscles (which sounds counter-intuitive) and now im rebuilding the strength of my pelvic floor. It seems to be working.

@Bangerang- how do they tell? A physical examination?

I’ve had a procedure done called a Burch Colposuspension. At 41, 3 babies (biggest 10lb 10) it was the best decision I ever made.

I was referred for a short course of physio where it was confirmed my muscles were fine. It was pregnancy related and my bladder was not being held in the right position. Long story short but not in stress incontinence free!

If you have diastasis recti then no matter how many pelvic floor exercises you do, it won't really help. It's more common if your petite or had large babies.

One of the few up side
of my single mastectomy with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction was their fixing my abdominal muscles when they did it. 16 years of stress incontinence gone over night.

A full history from childhood including things like; did you have many bladder infections, do you have constipation, is sex ever painful, what were your pregnancies like. Then an internal examination.
I was amazed at how much that has happened in my past has led my body to where it is now. Your body holds onto pain and the memory of pain and it does some interesting things to try and stop it. This has a knock on affect to other bodily functions.

I hope you can get sorted, it's worth it.