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[sue63]

Hi

I have noticed that I leak when I cough, sneeze or run......but it's strange as it does vary month to month and is worse at different times of the month.  I am fed up of it though and I feel it's getting worse.

 Just wondering what I should expect if I visit my GP??  Have read up about surgery and it seems to have had a bad press especially the tape but I suppose there are lots of things to try before that?

I suppose my pelvic muscles have not recovered from childbirth years ago but I have tried!

Any advice gratefully received x

[Joyce]

Think most doctors would suggest pelvic floor exercises first. Surgery I would think would only be a last resort. However, only your GP will be able to assess how bad your problem is. A gynae referral may be required.

[honeybun]

I think that you are able to get medication to help if it comes to that. As CG says it will be exercises first.
I have a little dog with bladder problems and she gets drops everyday which has sorted the problem.
If they can do it for dogs then there will be a human equivalent 


Honeyb
X

[Taz2]

If you are lucky you will have a Continence Advisory Service facility attached to your local hospital. If your google Continent Advisory Service followed by your area it should bring something like this up http://www.uhs.nhs.uk/OurServices/Digestionandurinaryhealth/Pelvicfloor/Continenceadvisoryservice.aspx

They will assess you and give you information on how many pelvic floor "pull ups" etc. you need to do each day. It's worth giving it a go because, as you say, the TVT op has mixed results.

Taz x

[sue63]

Thank you for the link and advice x

[Taz2]

I always found that mine was worse during the run up to a period.

Taz

[andius]

I had this for years before I started vaginal estrogen.  Still have a touch of it, but it is much better.

Andius

[Hurdity]

Hie sue63 - do you have any HRT or vaginal oestrogen because this may help as well as the pelvic floor exercises? I am very poor at the latter - in fact I don't do them - but I am on HRT and vag oestrogen - and still get some stress incontinence even though it is better than it used to be. I am sure pelvic strength would improve if I did the exercises....

Have you looked at the bladder matters website too?  http://www.bladdermatters.co.uk/

Hurdity x

[gillf]

You are certainly not alone. The recent NICE  Guidelines for the treatment of stress incontinence estimate that up to 2/3 of women are suffering BUT ONLY 2% are 'known' to the health service.

Doctors also know that over 80% of cases of stress incontinence can be cured if you exercise correctly and restore your pelvic floor muscle tone but you wouldn't know it from the advice you get.

When Arnold Kegel gave us his Kegel (pelvic floor) exercises he said it was necessary to squeeze 300x a day AND AGAINST A RESISTANCE. Squeezing thin air, as physios recommend, will never get you anywhere. But you'll be lucky to find a GP who will refer you to a physio anyway.

In a recent survey 62% of GP practices just gave out an exercise sheet to women complaining of embarrassing leaks despite the fact that there are no clinical trials or NICE recommendations that show that handing out a leaflet is an effective treatment.

We have a situation where over half of new mothers still have the problem and there are an estimated 7 million women with stress incontinence. GPs hand out leaflets. The two facts are not unrelated!

This is only one clinically proven pelvic toning device available on prescription. In clinical trials the PelvicToner (£30) proved to be as effective as a 3 month course of supervised treatment with a physiotherapist. Most users noticed a significant improvement or cure in just a couple of weeks. The exercises take just a few minutes each day.

If you want the real lowdown on the farce that is 'post-natal rehabilitation' read The Kegel Legacy. It's only £1.99 on Amazon

Good luck

[Hurdity]

Interesting post gillf and 

Hurdity x