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[willowrannoch]

I've felt crap on and off for years now.  I was diagnosed peri a good few years ago.  So I've had migraines all my life, since my last child was born 15 years ago I've suffered incontinence.  Having finally been referred to a pelvic floor physio despite all the exercises and contiflow thing, nothing has helped.  I'm now back on HRT to help my anxiety and mood swings but the down side seems to be very bad constipation, lethargy.

Honestly, I'm 51, fit (or at least was before feeling lethargic), slim, don't smoke, hardly drink do weights, yoga but I feel ancient.  I'm so done with this.  I just want to feel vaguely energetic, enjoy a satisfying poo every day and not piss myself. Is it too much to ask

[sheila99]

Are you on a conto or sequi regime? If conti I'd suggest you try sequi so you can tell if it's the progesterone that doesn't agree with you. I'm on sequi utrogeston and get very tired when I take it.
  Not sure if it will be helpful for you but I've found I haven't had to do pelvic floor exercises since starting testosterone, it seems to have improved muscle tone. Previously I was leak free as long as did the exercises but leaked if I stopped.

[Sammiejane]

hi sheila99

that's good to know re tesosterone as i did ask this question but no replies as to whether it improves pelvic floor x

i've noticed to as i used to take estrogen only that now adding in progesterone it seems to give me bladder irritation and my pelvic floor feels weaker compared to estrogen on its own but on the plus side it's improved my aniexty and mood just wish the bloat would go x maybe adding in tesosterone will be my missing key x

[CLKD]

Why has your GP/Practice Nurse allowed you to go without advice?  There is a thought that no one should be wet! [male or female] and there is help out there!  Did you have an episiotomy?

Look at the hospital websites and see if there is a continence dept., ring and ask how to get referred.  Things have improved in those years so don't let it go.

Maybe some vaginal atrophy treatment will help.  Do read the threads here.  Make notes ;-).

51 is young.  As long as we feel well enough to enjoy ourselves!

Maybe a menopause clinic appt would help - not a gynaecologist but a specialist, dedicated clinic to menopause - have a look-see at Dr Louise Newson's website for ideas ;-) then ask your GP for a referral. 

[willowrannoch]

I am taking oestrogel, 2 squirts a day on the thighs.  Plus Utrogestan 100 - 2 tablets a day for 12 days out a 28 day cycle.  I am taking nothing vaginally.  The contiflow thing is a rubber pessary (in various sizes) that you insert in your vagina and it's supposed to help stem the flow of wee from your bladder - doesn't make any difference for me.

I have lower back pain and despite taking 8 senna tablets over the last 2 days, it was only this morning I finally went to the toilet and it wasn't much to celebrate.  I still have a feeling of being full.

I have been referred to the incontinence clinic.  This was back in July 2018.  They said there was a waiting list.  After a year I phoned them back to ask how long the waiting list was and it became apparent that my referral letter had got lost in the system somewhere.  So I finally was seen by the pelvic physio in December.  Since then I've been doing my pelvic exercises in earnest (6 times a day using Squeeze app).  Was due my followup appointment a couple of weeks ago but it got cancelled because the physio was off sick and I couldn't get another appointment until near the end of April - another two months.

It feels like I'm being passed around from one place to the next with huge delays and errors with no-one looking at the overall picture.  Sigh!

I had an emergency section with my first child with no ill effects and with my second (and last) I wasn't given an epiostomy but I did tear badly and received stitches.  Always felt it took me longer to recover from that than it did the CS.

[GypsyRoseLee]

You're taking quite a lot of Utrogestan for half the month. It's very likely that it is making you feel very lethargic because it's known to have a sedating effect.

[willowrannoch]

Thank you so much for replying, it actually feels like you understand.  I was prescribed some vaginal oestrogen back in 2018 but it immediately gave me migraines so I stopped using it.  I don't think I'm constipated, I have been before and know what it's like and what the effect of laxatives should be so after 8 this time, something doesn't seem right.

I am not against surgery at all but it's not been brought up as an option - yet!  In a bout of menopausal bleugh I'd actually asked if the whole bloody lot could be taken out, womb, ovaries the lot as they'd served their purpose but it was very much seen as a last resort.

It was very unfortunate that I got lost in the system for over a year and that my followup appointment was postponed.  I feel like I've been waiting and waiting for so long.  It feels like I'm going through a tick box exercise until I reach the end but it's taking years.  It's as if they want my symptoms to conform to an easy fix cure but they never seem to.  You'd think someone would join up the dots.

Thanks again for just replying - I'll keep you updated once I finally get my follow up appointment. 

[Kathleen]

Hello willowrannoch

I've just noticed this thread and you have my sympathy. Unfortunately we seem to have to fight for our treatment these days and cannot rely on an overburdened and under resourced system to contact us.

Although  not constipated I wonder if a natural treatment like ground flaxseeds would help you? A friend of mine was advised to try this when her problems were so severe that she had become compacted.

Wishing you well.

K.