Incontinence

I can sympathise with your dilemma, and I've had surgery. Sadly the problem is back and the surgeon said there's too much scar tissue and atrophy to do a second operation. So I have to live with it. Exercises are no longer effective, it's gone way past that. I have to use pads now. That's my only solution. The menopause poses a huge problem for prolapse and weak bladders. It's not all about exercise when there's hardly any muscle left to exercise. Oestrogen creams and pessaries can be helpful, if you don't keep forgetting to apply them like I do.

Coolgran I reversed both a rectocele and bladder prolapse with advanced pelvic floor exercises, using the Hab-it techniques, some of which are shown here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJMq6OUJB_k

I'd suggest seeing if you can get a referral to an incontinence specialist. There are different kinds of incontinence and they're treated differently. A specialist can help determine the kind you have and what can be done for it.

One thing about using Vagifem or similar products: vaginal estrogen isn't absorbed very well systemically. This is actually a good thing. It works very well on the perineal area, but you don't have to worry as much about side effects. Sometimes women who can't take systemic hormone replacement can still use vaginal estrogen for this reason. However, always check with your provider first.

Newatthis there’s obviously an element of anxiety so why don’t you wear the newer invisible pads when you are out? That would you give the confidence to go out without dreading the urge to find a toilet.

I had the 'hammock' op about ten years ago and it's still working perfectly.

I have worn incontinance pads since I was 40! Hate them I get sores when they rub. I had numerous discussions with GP but Vagifem never mentioned. I had an op at 52 to kind of put a hammock on my bladder to lift it. It worked wonderfully for about a month! Every cough or sneeze I could feel it lift. No leakage Yeah! Then it just stopped working. Back to pads fed up! 61 and feel nowhere else for me to go with this.

I have these problems, always needing to know where the nearest toilet is. Also door key urge Incontinence.
Just started using Vagifem recently for comfort.

However…. I have had a rectocele prolapse for many years and it had started at the back vaginal wall to feel that it was sitting a little lower. There was no pain or particular discomfort from the rectocele.
I mentioned this to my female GP on a visit a few weeks ago and she had a look. She offered to fit a soft silicone ring Pessary there and then. I told her to go for it. It was a bit uncomfortable getting it in but that would have had a lot to do with another problem that is receiving attention.
I could feel that there was something there but not pain. By the second day I could no longer feel it. The ring Pessary was up in my vagina and supporting the rectocele. I could no longer feel the rectocele when I probed in a little ‘search party’.

The point of this story is….. almost no incontinence. I wonder if the prolapse was pressing on my bladder and that the silicone foam ring Pessary is now holding my rectocele up where it should be taking pressure off my bladder.

I got so bothered I bought a pack of (monstrous!) Tena ladies pads, and never have a problem when I'm wearing one!

greenlady102 oh I definitely have a psychological bladder!
It's often a battle of the wills between me and it. At the moment I'm in charge thankfully ?

Fennel , good to hear Vagifem works well for you . It has made a massive difference to my life. Newatthis , I hope you get the appropriate help very soon.

Pelvic physio as and when you can access it. I am about to go private for it.

Until then, they make some very slimline Tena pants these days

In the current situation, I would, if you can afford it, have a session with a private physiotherapist who specialises in pelvic floor treatments. This is the website to find a Chartered Physiotherapist:
www.csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist/physio2u

Specialist physios are often better than GPs at seeing what the problem might be. If they feel you need a medical opinion, they will do a referral with useful information.

Your problem may be caused by a few different issues and until you know what the problem is, you won't know how best to treat it.

The advantage of a specialist physio is that they will start you on exercises, which will help, whatever your problem actually is, will help with diagnosis, and also helps with the strong mental association that you and others describe.

Shelflife I agree about Vagifem - it's a great help for this and other things. I've been using it since menopause.
As I understand it, it replenishes the musculature around the entrances to the vagina and the urinary system. which are very close in women.
I've had problems with needing to 'wee' since I was a young girl. eg as soon as I opened the front door to go into our house it would open another door!

Newatthis , I sympathize. My GP prescribed Vagifem an estrogen treatment. I was hesitant at first but it has made a massive difference. I was always looking for a loo, up numerous times in the night !! Every step was like something bouncing on my bladder !!! Was restricting fluids - which didn't help. I now am back to normal up once in the night occasionally twice , that's a huge improvement. Just something you might like to discuss with your GP. If you are already using Vagifem then perhaps your GP will arrange further investigations for you. Good luck ?

Esspee That's odd. I have double-checked and tried it myself but no, yet it was fine last week. Maybe their website is down at the moment.

The exercises are on YouTube... here's a link to that instead.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJMq6OUJB_k

Sparklefizz your link is not working. I know friends who would benefit from exercises for their pelvic floor.
Could you repost please. Thanks.

This site has lots of useful info

www.bladderandbowel.org/bladder/bladder-conditions-and-symptoms/

if you are ok at home and worry when you go out then can I suggest that there is (understandably) a psychological aspect to this. Yes do the pelvic floor exercises, they won't hurt and will help your muscles, but bladder anxiety is separate issue. I don't think you need surgery because you are fine at home.

flaxwoven

Ask your GP to refer you to a urologist in your local hospital.

At the moment OP will wait a long time for that, whereas with the advanced exercises she will see an improvement within 6 weeks.

Ask your GP to refer you to a urologist in your local hospital.

Some advanced pelvic floor exercises specifically for incontinence of any degree. I can recommend them.
www.hab-it.com