Sensations

Submitted by saddleup on September 22, 2009 - 11:25am
Body: 

Well, I've been to the Uro-gynecologist again. He wrote me a referral for a local PT clinic that helps people with incontinence. I'm thinking about calling them up. Apparently, it is a non-invasive approach centered on strengthening muscles. The doctor's patients have reported a high rate of satisfaction/improvement from the clinic.

My problems had gotten worse this summer. Then they seemed to be improving. I went for a week or two with no noticeable leakage, but this symptom has since returned. I can feel a lot of twinges in my abdomen at times, which I did not feel for most of my POP experience. I still ride a horse a few times a week. Sometimes, wearing a tampon while I ride keeps me dry. Other times, I can feel the tampon working its way out.

My incontinence is sneaky. It isn't the classic loss of urine upon sneezing or coughing. I am sitting there at the computer, and when I stand up, I perceive a small loss of urine has taken place. Or, I'm in church, which involves sitting, standing, and kneeling. (I have pleaded my case with the Almighty, who has not yet chosen to answer with a miraculous healing.) I always wear a mini-pad.

I'm trying to use the posture more, and I've been doing McKenzie back extensions along with the WW exercises. Maybe if I increase my lumbar curve, it will help things fall into place instead of out of place. Meanwhile, my abdomen and other "parts" are kind of sore. I guess this is just an update, really---I hope I have some progress to report soon! Meanwhile, my emotions are all over the place. This is the only place where people understand this stuff, so thank you to all, and best wishes to you.

Saddleup

Christine

September 22, 2009 - 8:09pm

Hi Saddleup,

Hope something positive awaits you at PT. If it is endless kegels while on your back I would refer your therapist to WW so she can gain a different perspective on pelvic anatomy. Strong pelvic outlet muscles are important in maintaining urinary continence, but they are not the whole story. I know we’ve talked about the angle of the bladder/urethra before, which I believe to be a much greater factor.

With all of the women here with cystocele, only a very small percentage have significant incontinence. One would have to conclude, then, that cystocele is generally protective against UI.

There are some things you could do to experiment forcing your bladder into various positions to see how these effect the incontinence. One, which you know, is wearing a tampon or pessary to push the bladder forward. For me, this causes a flood of incontinence because I need a slight cystocele to kink off my urethra. Opposite that would be taking the tucked standing position that you’d use to insert a tampon, inserting a couple of fingers to support your cervix, and bearing down to increase intraabdominal pressure. I do this when my uterus is very low and it blows my front and back walls into the vaginal space so that my cervix is better supported.* *Beware* * that we have no data telling us one way or another if this is a safe and reasonable practice. What we need are professional clinicians doing this sort of experimenting. For heavens sake, broken bones are set back into position as are joints of every description. There is a common way that female organs are positioned in the body and there should be a range of good techniques for re-positioning them. Maya Massage has the right idea, but the wrong positioning. Intraabdominal pressure is a powerful mover of internal anatomy, yet it is never used for this purpose.

I believe there is a perfect equilibrium to be reached, which is going to be different for every woman - not because our internal anatomy is radically different from woman to woman, but because our organs have settled out in slightly different ways. The posture is important for us all and becomes effortless after a while. Firebreathing and nauli are hugely beneficial as well, but some women may experience a worsening in symptoms before things begin to improve.

So many factors, so little data.

:) Christine

louiseds

September 23, 2009 - 2:56am

Hi Saddleup

It must be very frustrating. When I have an unexpected setback it really throws me, and I begin to doubt myself. Fortunately, keeping on with the techniques I know, and adding others like inversion exercises has again got me back to baseline again, even if it took a long time. I don't know what to suggest, but I think you should go along to the PT with an open mind.

Sadly, I also need to suggest stopping riding for a trial period and see if it makes any difference. If it is the riding that is causing this difficulty I guess you will have to deal with not riding, but if giving up riding altogether makes no positive difference it might mean that riding is not the problem. So you may find out something positive!

Louise

fc12

September 23, 2009 - 3:05am

What are they? I've been meaning to ask for some time. Sorry for the ignorance.
Cheers
fc12

louiseds

September 23, 2009 - 3:30am

Hi Fc12

When I use the term inversion exercises I mean anything that changes the body so that gravity acts towards the head, rather than towards the feet. Examples are hanging over the back of the sofa by your legs, bending over with knees a bit bent and hands on ankles and jiggling your knees, or lying on an inversion table. The effect is to move the organs from their prolapsed positions to positions that are higher up towards the belly button. I also include nauli and firebreathing type exercises, though these are not done with the torso inverted. These are exercises that use the breath and body positioning, or the effect of locking the epiglottis to create a vacuum in the chest cavity, which sucks all the other organs upwards to reposition them. Hope that clarifies.

Louise

fc12

September 23, 2009 - 4:22am

That all makes sense although getting my head around the sofa one may take sometime! I see myself in a strange position hanging over the couch with two small children having a field day trying to hang off me!!

Cheers
fc12

saddleup

September 24, 2009 - 8:42pm

Thanks, Louise, Christine and all for your support. I will go for a session of "pelvic floor therapy" next week. I hope it helps. It is difficult to keep trying when things aren't going so well. When I think of Christine's history (like, her uterus trying to escape), it gives me hope that my bladder can be pushed back into place. My, we do have to get creative, don't we?

Oh, well. My husband and my horse still love me, though one of them only kisses me if I give him carrots. I'll back off from riding for a while, if I can stand it, to see if it will help things heal. I'll talk to the physical therapist as well.

Saddleup

louiseds

September 24, 2009 - 11:00pm

Good on ya Saddleup

I am having a little visual set at 7pm. I see the headlights coming up the driveway and reach for the bunch of sweet, crisp, fat carrots, as I dance sensuously to the back door, dressed in my most sexy, orange dress, thinking, "I wonder if this will get me more than a peck on the cheek!"

There's nothing quite like feeling loved, is there?

L
:-)

saddleup

September 27, 2009 - 12:16pm

Dear Louise:

You know, most people would have assumed I was referring to the horse, while only you possessed such keen insight into my love life. You addressed the root of the situation, and while I certainly would hope for more than a peck on the cheek, I would not really appreciate a peck of carrots aimed in my general direction.

Now, if a small gift made of, say, 14 carats were involved, there's no telling what might turnip.

Saddleup