How's your pelvic floor?

[nickle730]

So, Miss P is my third child and since the later stages of my pregnancy I have experienced... light bladder leakage. Yes, I listen to the ads on telly and then I buy their products. And I would just like to say, thank you Poise liners from saving me from the embarrassment of wet pants!

So, it's usually after I have been to the loo and although I try to completely empty my bladder, when I stand up... often there is a tiny bit more! It's not a lot, but enough that I do need to wear a liner.

I do my exercises and I'm quite sure I'm doing them correctly, but the issue doesn't seem to be improving.

Anyone else want to own up to a little 'light bladder leakage'??

And anyone have any ideas how to fix it, because those liners aren't cheap... and I'd really prefer to be continent.

[Ozziehoffy]

Ahhhh when I read your title, I laughed...... because omg it's foooooobbbaaaaaaaaarrred lol. It's not the best. If I'm really busting to go to the loo omg it really can be touch and go and there has been times where (luckily at home!!!) I've had to change undies. Now, I'm only busting cos it just comes on so suddenly or I'm on my way home from somewhere... I literally sprint to the loo!

I don't think that the exercises do much for me either :/ I have no suggestions, sorry... but just to let you know, you are NOT alone!

[AnyDream]

Mine's shiart, thankyou. However not so much with the urinary incontinence though.

Worth sucking up the embarrassment and talking to your doctor about it. There are people who specialise in treating this - incontinence nurses and women's physios. My DD was referred to an incontinence nurse because she was having a bit of LBL, and I was quite surprised by the tricks and tools she had. A couple of sessions sorted DD out, so well worth it IMO.

Also, depending on the specific nature of the leakage, there are medications that can help. I found about this during chemo when I had the very unexpected and horrifying side effect of loosing bladder control completely a few times So, again, worth talking to your GP.

[emc2]

A relative of mine has had an operation for the back end, but has had help from specialists about urinary incontinence, and medication has helped with the continual urge to go problem she had.

Definitely there's a lot of different things they can do, so worth getting a referral.

I had a referral in hospital but it was a temporary problem for me.

[Charlotte91]

I have a bit of leakage here and there. I haven't done any exercises, but I'm thinking that I need to... It started when I was pregnant with DD, I had a c/s with her too.

But, at 19, I think I'm a bit young to be having LBL!! :-) hahaha. So, off to google some exercises.

[Boo Boo]

Yep, I have got to say with the pregnancy and birth of my 3rd it is has definitely gone dramatically downhill and I can relate to all of the above. I have been a bit slack with the exercises but I really should do them.

[nickle730]

Hmmm... nice to know I'm not the only one. I figured there were others, ya know, because they make the pads and all but I wondered if their target market might be post-menopausal women who laugh a lot and have a constant cough?

Yes, I had forgotten about continence nurses. I know there are physio's who specialise in women's health and deal with the pelvic floor but... alright, I just don't want physio on my vagina. The embarrassment factor of it all!!

Marydean, what other tips and tricks were given to your DD?? Something that didn't require her to get her knickers off??

[Arcadia]

Squats are what you need. I read a great article on why pelvic floor squeezes are NOT helpful for continence and other pelvic floor issues. The best thing you can do to strengthen the area are squats. I will try and find it for you.

[AnyDream]

Marydean, what other tips and tricks were given to your DD?? Something that didn't require her to get her knickers off??

I think this is where seeing someone and getting a diagnosis is the important part, because (I had no idea) there are several different types of incontinence, caused by different things. So in her case she was given some exercises to retrain her awareness of when her bladder was full and how full her bladder was at any point in time. Funnily enough the solution involved learning to relax those muscles, not hanging on tighter.

[Pandora]

It can be LBL or it can be an emergency for me.
Once I had to go out at lunch any buy spare clothes. Thank goodness for the dress over trousers look.

Depending on the cause of the issues is whether the exercises can help, and how much they can help.

GL

[Pandora]

There's no de-pantsing!! ... the physio was aware of the embarrassment factor and seriously just taught me how to do the exercises correctly.

um, there can be, it depends on the issue. The continence physio I saw did an internal which is how we found out I had muscle loss.

I also used an internal tens machine for muscle stims. Nothing really worked. She said my muscle strength is good considering there's really only muscles on 1 side. But I can't feel anything at all.

[krystals]

um, there can be, it depends on the issue.

Thanks for the clarification There wasn't for me, I was prepared for there to be, but it never got to that.

I would still encourage people who are worried, to get it checked out, especially if there's more than just 'weakness' as was my case.