Help!!! Ladies Only Please

TOPSmarca

A little background first.... I am 46, have been morbidly obese for many years, have had 5 kids. My Dr. has already had the conversation about how all three of those things have effected the position of the uterus and bladder. I do kegals regularly and have started C25K but the more I run, the more stress incontinence I have. I wear night time maxi pads and have even gone completely through those!!! Oddly, I have way fewer issues with it outside of running! My question is : Is there ANYTHING I can do, short or long term to help this?!?! I am registered for a 5K in a few weeks and am seriously considering pulling out because I refuse to wet myself in public!!! HELP!!! I WANT to be healthy.... ALL of me!!!

MelStren

I don't have any advice to help in the short term but in the long run, (no pun intended) the biggest factor will be the weight loss. I read an article recently, (if I can find it, I'll send it to you) that said if you aren't drinking enough water through out the day, you could have more of an issue with SI. It had something to do with the concentration of your urine.

Doing other ab work will help over too. Like crunches, reverse crunches and obliques.

eowynmn

If you want hope, I can say mine has gotten probably 3x better as I've gone along. But also, I have to watch my fluid intake right before I workout, if I curb that and start drinking water once I'm actually sweating so it's just replenishing my losses, that works better (but make sure you drink what you need, I just try not to chug a ton before a workout like I used to in the mornings). Pee right before your workout, and if you are at the gym, stop to pee if you need to.
I really think kegels don't do much. Your best bet is losing weight, and seeing a urologist for medication, and then surgery if it's still bad. Giving birth is really the largest factor.

angelams1019

Dunkirk

Have you considered tena pants super? The are an incontinence underpants for adults, available in Australia.

Michelledownunder

I totally understand your fear. I ended up dehydrating myself before every run to reduce the risk of leakage.
First step - talk to your doctor. Stress Incontinence is REALLY common after childbirth, and there is only so much that muscle training can do.
If you have completed your family there is a very simple surgical solution that fixes it 100%
I was a little iffy about it, but it changed the way that I feel about exercise overnight. It's not as drastic as it sounds and it works. I can't remember the name of the procedure, but your doctor will know about it.
Good luck

snookumss

Strength training of any sort could probably help as well.

O2Bslimagain

Don't do the surgery. I have a nurse friend who has seen many botched bladder surgeries . Kagels work you just have to do them lots and really squeeze and hold. Exercise will help. I have had 5 children with very large heads, so I know where you are coming from. I am actually seeing a physical therapist next month who many of my friends have gone too- she has basically cured them all and now they can laugh, sneeze, cough without wetting themselves. If you are interested I will contact you next month after the appointments. I think I have to go 2-3 times. If it works I can let you know what you have to do. Our bodies are amazing- if I can fix it on my own with out surgeries, pills and magic potions that the road I will take.

BarbraP44

Having had that problem for many years, it got better as I got older. I would wear maxi-pads when I played volleyball (whole lot of jumping going on there), change them a couple of times during the games. I would wear the adult diapers when I played softball. The problem decreased as I aged. Only issue now is when I have to cough.. lol. Surgery was recommended at one point but I decided against it.

TOPSmarca

Thanks for all the input! I am glad that others with this issue have gone on to become healthy in spite of the ravages of time, child birth and weight!!! I am going to try the pads actually designed for incontinence, completely eschew soda, reduce ALL caffeine, start taking cranberry caplets AM and PM, and do some more muscle strengthening. That will hopefully get me through until more weight comes off... if it is NOT significantly better then, I will discuss other options with my Dr.

SadFaerie

http://www.fitsugar.com/Examples-Pelvic-Floor-Exercises-18387379

ldrosophila

Have you tried a bladder schedule? I was just reading that with the addition of kegals can help with incontinence.

TOPSmarca

Oddly enough the pelvic floor muscle tone has drastically improved these last few months.... thus my discouragement!!! And
I have NO urge incontinence, void completely before running..... We shall see!!!