I’ve suffered from gradually worsening stress incontinence for many years. I initially tried the pelvic floor exercises, then asked my GP for referral to a physiotherapist and used one of those electronic gadgets. Another referral some years later to gynaecologist – urodynamic tests to confirm stress incontinence (there are other forms). That was in 2008 and at the time he suggested a few options -surgery was mentioned but I opted for more physio.
I did feel some improvement, but then would get a cold and the coughing set me back and I resigned myself to wearing increasingly absorbent pads – the Aldi ones are good and cheap! After a holiday last year, when I had that persistent cough that was going around, I was soaking through so many pads I kept having to buy more, then find bins to dispose of as I didn’t want to leave a big sack of sodden pads in the AirBnb we were staying in. I went back to GP and asked for another referral to gynaecologist (G). It took about a year to get the appointment, but it was worth the wait! Since my previous visit, G explained, the surgery had been mostly discontinued in Ireland, due to the safety concerns (though he said he’d not had problems and it was very effective). However, a new treatment had come out – Bulkamid – which he explained, involving injections of a gel into the lining of the urethra, narrowing the opening. He didn’t push it very strongly, but said it might help, and if not, I might be a candidate for surgery. Since it’s a day procedure, with no recovery time and very few side effects, I agreed to have it.
That was over 2 weeks ago and I’ve been delighted with the results so far! No pads, no pain, much fewer visits to loo. I’ve yet to test it with a cold/cough, but even if I have to wear a light pad if coughing a lot, it will be a huge improvement.
I searched Gransnet to see if anyone else had posted about this and only found one query from 2018, but not from someone who had had it. I think it’s relatively new, but here are some references for anyone interested.
www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/seecmsfile/?id=3074
www.bulkamid.com/patients/
