full disclosure

Submitted by alemama on April 5, 2010 - 8:59pm
Body: 

I've been running- I think I mentioned that here somewhere else (different amounts of time, intensity and distance- but at least 3 miles and sometimes 6 or 7 each time I go- oh and some of it is road running, sometimes treadmill, sometimes elliptical). So far my prolapse doesn't seem bothered by the running.
But in case someone is considering taking up running as a result of reading about my running success I want to share a challenge I am experiencing right now.
So a bit of urinary history: I have never had any incontinence- never- not once in all 4 pregnancies, or after, did I pee when I sneezed or jumped. I have also never had urge incontinence.
So my confession: Lately when I run I have the feeling that I need to pee. While I'm running. If I do stop and go to the bathroom I do in fact pee a normal amount. The difference is that during the day if I feel like I need to pee I can wait at least an hour- and the feeling isn't so pressing (you know what I mean?) but when I am running it feels very urgent to go. I am not leaking at all- and weirdly, if I ignore it- it will go away after a while most of the time.
and now during the day when I am not running I feel like the urge to pee is less ignorable....
some theories I have: I'm drinking more as a result of the exercise, I am encouraging a cystocele as a result of the exercise (maybe women with rectocele but no cystocele should not run), or the jarring of my bladder during the run gives me the urge by messing with my nerves and communication to my brain.
If I start peeing myself I will stop running- If I develop a cystocele I will stop running. If this keeps up over the course of the next few months or so I will stop running- and see if the weird sensations go away.
anyway I'll report back at some point

Mamato2boys

April 5, 2010 - 9:44pm

Six or 7 miles! Way to go. I don't remember your story, but you do not have a cystocele? I'm curious because I would like to run (longer distances) but I have a cysto/rect/lowered uterus -- not sure if prolapsed. In the small amounts I am running I feel fine. My uterus even moved up a few times. But I have not been brave enough to do sustained running.

Christine

April 5, 2010 - 10:36pm

Hi Alemama,

All we can really do is speculate at this juncture. First of all, urge incontinence does seem to go along with aging (you are just a pup - but with four births under your belt). It has not been my experience that it gets progressively worse. It can also be really bad sometimes, and not others.

Do you think you are encouraging a cystocele by running in WW posture? That has not been my experience. Like mama2boys, my organs actually move forward with running. I do not do long distances - but have a hard time visualizing how things would be different, unless somehow I could not keep up the posture. Yet, running in some other slouchy posture would have to be more tiring!

It would be really nice if our anatomy was completely bomb-proof, but lots of data prove otherwise. Parachute jumpers and gymnasts both develop urinary incontinence at higher rates than the general population. Running doesn't have the same association that I'm aware of. Oh..and here's more from our old friend Marie. I thought she might post about this, but maybe she's too busy so I'll share it for her:

"I read the book "Born to Run", bought some Vibram Five Fingers (which basically give protection to feet, but it's like barefoot running) and am now running almost every day. I am running a mile or more per day. Wow, never though I could run again. I really find "barefoot" running different than running in running shoes, mostly because of the attention that you must pay to your feet and whole body as you run. It's more of the same work, pulling into the posture and using the sensations in the feet to allow that to happen while running. Have you read the book? It may be very interesting to you - you may already know all about it, especially since the author went to the Copper Canyons."

I haven't read the book, nor was I aware of the shoes - but they sound great! It's just about time that we receive our yearly posting from "Feetback" and this time I will ask him what he thinks of these shoes.

Do you think your chronic back problem might be a contributing factor?

At any rate, you said that you will keep us posted and I'm very interested to hear how you do.

Christine

alemama

April 5, 2010 - 11:45pm

The L5 and S1 discs and spinal nerve roots do connect to the bladder and bowel- as well as the entire pelvis, legs, feet and toes- so sure, it could be my back- but that isn't the sense I get from it. Running actually feels good- way better than sitting. In fact my understanding of disc loading is that sitting is much harder on discs than running.
The running doesn't cause me to have any extra pain in my back and it actually feels pretty good (motion is lotion for joints is what my dh says). But I am wary of it and have been taking it really slow- building up slowly.
I am going to see if I can get my dh to video me at the end of a longer run so I can check my posture. I don't think I am slouching- but I do know that at the end of a long run I am totally exhausted so it could be that I am.
I have done some reading about the barefoot movement and the special shoes. I have the nike version of them (they don't hug the toes- they have a large toe box and weigh next to nothing). I prefer to barefoot run- but admit that on long runs my feet get tired and my toes go numb (not all of them). I hope that in time as I get in better shape that will stop.
My history (for those that don't know it) is that I started with the rectocele- learned the posture- developed a slight cystocele and then fully reversed it
(it did come back during my pregnancy). Right now the rectocele is still there- but not bothersome at all- hopefully the next 6 months will see it reduced to a weak spot on the posterior wall (which it was before my last pregnancy).
So do I think it is causing a cystocele? Nope. But I have not checked either- I could- but I wanted to wait a bit longer to give my body a chance to get used to the running in case it is a temporary thing (I don't want to freak out and quit running as a knee jerk reaction- which I probably would do if I found a cystocele at this point).
I don't want to do much more distance than I am already doing- between 10 and 20 a week (depending on how many days I get to go).
I sincerely hope that this silly little symptom goes away and I can chalk it up to my body just getting used to the exercise.
Thanks for the thoughts- I sure would like to avoid urge incontinence- and am really surprised that I have not had any yet- especially with the tearing and the rectocele and all that- I know so many many moms who can't laugh without peeing (which of course makes us laugh more) *oh no stop laughing I'm gonna pee-cue more laughing* (and some of them only have 1 or 2 births).
...I'll be back :)

rosewood

April 6, 2010 - 1:08am

I'm so glad you shared my thoughts, Christine, as I have been meaning to post. And, you are right - wow, I would so chime in more if it weren't for an amazingly busy season in life - my law practice has grown leaps and bounds which is great, and we continue to homeschool, and our oldest is now middle-school age - as we speak, I prepare to go to Court in the morning . . . Anyway, I love the "barefoot" running and the VFFs - wouldn't think of running any other way now; and, Alemama, what I was thinking is that I have a primary cystocele, and very much get that feeling you describe when I rebound on my mini-trampoline. It happens pretty regularly, but cystocele symptoms remain stable, and no urge or stress incontinence. I wonder if it's somewhat natural and related to the movement in the body. I wonder, too, if you pull back just a bit on how much you are running, if it may give your body time to adjust. How often do you run?

ukkitty

April 14, 2010 - 8:11am

I have a mini-trampoline was was wondering if it's ok / great / bad to use it with a minor prolapse. I have just acquired one (prolapse, that is, I've had the trampoline a while!) and as I can't run I thought it might be a good idea.

I have only just found out (slight bladder protrusion from the vagina at the weekend) so I saw my GP this morning who is referring me to a gynocologist - but says I don't have to go and I can change my mind at any time. It was quite refreshing to hear him say that he didn't know much about pelvic prolapses - rather than giving me a load of BS. I told him about Whole Woman and he's going to look into it, and a friend who teaches Pilates is going to too. Her friend, who I spoke to yesterday about my prolapse, is in her 80s and is still having repairs done to hers.

What I want to do is learn how to deal with it before it gets any worse, and I think I might be in the right place!

clavicula

October 26, 2010 - 11:30am

So, how is it going, Alemama? Did the urge go?

Liv

alemama

October 26, 2010 - 6:37pm

but yep, it went away. awesome right?

clavicula

October 27, 2010 - 1:15am

Great! Happy for you!
Liv

louiseds

October 27, 2010 - 1:18am

Did you stop running before or after discovering pregnancy?

And what was the funny feeling like if you ran just before getting a period? Oh yeah, I remember. You probably haven't had many periods in the last few years, eh?