I went for 9 months of pelvic floor physical therapy for my own leaking problem - which did nothing to help it. (I am expert Kegel Queen - BTW - all to no avail!) A gazillion medical tests performed - and no physiologic reason for my leaking, except for aging and being post-menopausal. (Never been pregnant.) Leaking is a real inconvenience, that's for sure.
TMI? - I'll share most anything if it will help other people in this forum.
I might mention that if those disposal pads are irritating to anyone, there are reusable menstrual pads available online that wrap around the crotch of one's panties and snap. They work well for urine leaks and can be laundered in the regular household laundry.
It's called "urge incontinence." That and "stress incontinence" (losing urine when sneezing/coughing/lifting) are the scourge of elderly women. One can do Kegels until the cows come home - but they may not solve the problem - since Kegels primarily strengthen the vaginal area and pelvic floor muscles - but not the "urethral opening." Many cases of age-related incontinence in women are related to vulvar atrophy and generalized "thinning" of the tissues in the urethral area.
I recommend wearing one of those ultra-thin menstrual pads inside your panties at all times, to catch any urine leaks. Alternatively, there are specialized products such as "Poise" and "Tena" designed for urinary incontinence.
SueC1957. I am really going try the don't look thing. I know it is in my brain, because I do pretty good until I get near the toilet. Another problem is like a little kid, I try to get one more thing done or this thing finished before I go to the bathroom. I need to stop and just go when I feel the urge.
All the Kegels in the world won't help if you have a vaginal prolapse (where the vagina is pushed forward or down), caused by a Cystocele (the bladder protruding (pushing) into the vaginal canal).
I went through my health plan's Bladder Physical Therapy (vaginal exams with the female practitioner's finger inside the vagina) to see if I was doing the Kegels correctly. My doctor had me put one foot up on a stool, put an absorbent pad on the floor then told me to cough. Sprinkles-but, thankfully, not gushers!
I wound up having surgery for a Rectocele repair (same principle but the part "falling" into the vagina is the rectum.) Yeah, I know, TMI. 🙄 It helped somewhat with the incontinence because things were "back in place".
All I'm saying is that sometimes, if Kegels alone aren't working (providing you are doing them correctly and often), there may be more going on than just muscle tightness issues. Get checked by your GYN doctor.
In the class I was taught to not urinate unless I had to (had an urge) and to not look at the toilet directly as you walk into the bathroom. It sends signals to the brain to loosen the bladder muscle. Look at the towels or mirror instead. Sounds stupid but it has helped.
Also imiprimine in small doses worked for me when I was teaching skiing and pads were not comfortable out in the cold weather. 5 years later and I was still on Imiprimine and was having trouble urinating. Dr, offered to stretch me. Just stopped the imiprimine instead. Still less leaks than before and as Caregiver not so urgent. Just need to pick up thin pads.
Kegels help a lot - I started about 39 years ago - just use stopping urine for the first few times to get the feel - try doing it at every stop light or stop sign so you get quite a few a week - try for 50 a week but that's only 7 a day so is manageable
TMI? - I'll share most anything if it will help other people in this forum.
I might mention that if those disposal pads are irritating to anyone, there are reusable menstrual pads available online that wrap around the crotch of one's panties and snap. They work well for urine leaks and can be laundered in the regular household laundry.
I recommend wearing one of those ultra-thin menstrual pads inside your panties at all times, to catch any urine leaks. Alternatively, there are specialized products such as "Poise" and "Tena" designed for urinary incontinence.
Get RX called Vesicare
I went through my health plan's Bladder Physical Therapy (vaginal exams with the female practitioner's finger inside the vagina) to see if I was doing the Kegels correctly. My doctor had me put one foot up on a stool, put an absorbent pad on the floor then told me to cough. Sprinkles-but, thankfully, not gushers!
I wound up having surgery for a Rectocele repair (same principle but the part "falling" into the vagina is the rectum.) Yeah, I know, TMI. 🙄
It helped somewhat with the incontinence because things were "back in place".
All I'm saying is that sometimes, if Kegels alone aren't working (providing you are doing them correctly and often), there may be more going on than just muscle tightness issues. Get checked by your GYN doctor.
In the class I was taught to not urinate unless I had to (had an urge) and to not look at the toilet directly as you walk into the bathroom. It sends signals to the brain to loosen the bladder muscle. Look at the towels or mirror instead. Sounds stupid but it has helped.
But everyone is right Kegels will help.