Women only!! Jumping jacks are now an issue??

dlaplume2

I have 5 kids. I know exactly what you mean. I wear a pad during exercise, but I have noticed an improvement. I think having less weight on my bladder and forcing my body to try and hold it in has made those mucles stronger.

Kegel exercises do help too.

If after you lose weight and do those exercises it doesn't improve you can have the issue surgically corrected.

Lanfear

Huh.

I've had stress incontinence ever since I was a teenager - and I have NEVER had children. Just one of those things I guess. And in my teens/early 20s I was never above 9 stone, so it wasn't due to weight - it's just something I've always had, weak pelvic floor muscles.

Sneezing, laughing, running = leaks. Try explaining to a personal trainer doing a programme at the gym why you don't want to go on the treadmill and trying to not say "I don't want to do it because it makes me WEEE!". Also there's the fun bit of standing in the middle of Tesco or Asda, with legs firmly crossed in the middle of a shopping aisle because you can feel a sneeze coming on... *sigh* Oh yeah, and I fell off my horse during a riding lesson 3 weeks ago - guess what happened - yup, I leaked . So embarrasing! :sad:

However I've noticed that duirng 30 DS, for me, it is starting to get better and now I can do a lot of the jumping moves with much less of a problem than when I started, so I'm not really sure what's changed but it's great!

Edit; What's Kegel???

Iceskatefanrn

Friends,

I suffered with this problem in silence for a long time because I am an RN, and I know there is a surgical correction, but at the time I was in my early 40's and really didn't want to have surgery. I take surgery and anesthesia risks very seriously, and I have no intention of having any kind of surgery until it's the ONLY resort! So I didn't even tell my doc about it - the pads just got thicker and thicker....

I finally had to tell my doc - one day I was simply standing outside and a COLD BREEZE came up, and that made it happen! Luckily I was alone and had a towel in my car to sit on so I could get home and change clothes! (BTW, I do have two kids, born when I was 32 and 34, problems started after that & gradually worsened - I'm now 50).

Told my doc I really didn't want surgery - he said not necessary, at least not now. YES, I'd been doing the Kegel's... but there is also a medication called Detrol LA. I take one daily - initially it pretty much stopped the problem! Now I wear a pad daily JUST in case, but mostly have no "episodes" unless I'm doing "jumping" actions. The jumping jacks in the 30 day shred certainly got to me, but again, had my trusty pad on and I was fine.

One other thing ladies - I gave up Diet Coke since participating on MFP - occasionally I'll treat myself 'cause I still love 'em! But I've noticed that if I have a few DC's, this "problem" completely goes outta wack! I can't seem to get to the bathroom quick enough - when I gotta go, I GOTTA GO! But if I lay off the DC's, this part of it completely goes away!

So, ask your doc about medications first - I know that surgery is likely in my future, but I'm putting it off for as long as possible! For now, MY "little blue capsule" is all I need!

Glad you brought this up - nice to know we're not alone!

:drinker:

Ice

hollyb9871

Me too! 4 Children for me my last was 9 lb 4. oz and she sat really low. Coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping jacks, running, trampoline etc. all have to be very carefully monitored. I plan on doing the surgery sometime in the near future. I have a cousin who did it and swore it was the best plan. It's an unfortunate side effect of bearing children and for some the kegels will work but for more severe cases, like mine, it doesn't help. I modify my exercises to eliminate the jumping around effect, use the bathroom right before and about half way through most exercise.

aunienue

Are you kidding me....I am training for a half-marathon - I now wear a Poise pad on most runs.

mmtiernan

I have the same issues - was a huge, unexpected and very unwelcome surprise after my daughter was born! I have also noticed that it is worse when I'm drinking soda (don't have it very often any more), so I'm thinking that there must be something about caffeine that does it?? I'm not a coffee drinker, so I wouldn't know if caffeine is really the culprit but I do stay away from the soda, diet or otherwise! I tried Detrol and it didn't really help me, plus it was expensive and my medical plan didn't cover it. So, I also do the same tricks as others have mentioned: going to the bathroom before my workout and using Poise pads - especially for jumping cardio.

Kegels didn't work well for me until I read something said by a female gynecologist about them - you need to 'lift up'. Normally, when people describe doing Kegels, they just say to squeeze like you are cutting off urine flow, but really what has happened is that the pelvic floor has been stretched. So, do the squeezing, but think lifting up toward your navel (hard to describe, so you'll just have to practice it for yourself). Once I started paying better attention to the lifting, I had better success. It's still not perfect, but I find that when I couple daily Kegels (or as often as I remember to do them) with a tough ab workout 3 x per week, it gets significantly better. I still use the Poise pads for exercise tho - better safe than sorry!!

Shawna_831

I'm so happy I posted this!

I knew my bladder was weak but it wasn't until last night that I found out just how bad it really was. :grumble:
Thank God I was at home and I have known my husband for almost 20 years now because that was :embarassed: .
He said " Babe, you need to get that checked." Guess I will add some pads to my weekly shopping list now. Never thought this would be me at 34. Kegals every chance I can...and thats pretty often since I sit at a desk all day.

WrenLynn

I started having this problem about 10 years ago in my late twenties after having three kids in three years. I tried Kegals on my own and then detrol LA but that didn't really do the trick. Then my obgyn dr got this machine in his office that he asked me to try. I forget the name of it since it has been so long ago. It is a chair that you sit on that when turned on hits you in just the right area if you know what I mean and after going twice a week for a couple months I was cured. I did feel a little foolish going but I have never regretted it. My insurance wouldn't cover it so my doctor nice man that he is only charged me ten dollars a visit. Well worth it ladies!!

mlb929

Weight loss was my best solution. When I started I had a major issue with this problem. However, after losing weight, learning to hold things tight, and preventative measures, like always going to the bathroom before every work out, things have gotten much better. I've lost 40lbs and that alone made a big difference. I also think the weighted balls you wear "up there" helped too strengthen the pelvic floor.

Marla64

I'm so happy I posted this!

I knew my bladder was weak but it wasn't until last night that I found out just how bad it really was. :grumble:
Thank God I was at home and I have known my husband for almost 20 years now because that was :embarassed: .
He said " Babe, you need to get that checked." Guess I will add some pads to my weekly shopping list now. Never thought this would be me at 34. Kegals every chance I can...and thats pretty often since I sit at a desk all day.

My mother-in-law had to have surgery years ago for the whole pelvic floor thing that was mentioned above-- but, she still had troubles every time she laughed and sneezed.

Kegels were pointless-- but, then, again I've had nine kids-- so, it's like my whole nether region just threw its hands up in despair. Hehehe.

I do what I can. It's worse as I'm gearing up for PMS week, as everything is beginning to build, et cetera-- but, after my cycle, I have much better control. Always have to watch the sneezes and coughing-- especially while walking. Fun stuff, this womanhood....eh?