What's Wrong with My Bladder?!

I have five children, and experience this problem. I think that its common after having more than two -- but I'm interested in reading others responses...

Hi G.. You are definitely not alone. I've only had one child, and I leak a little neary every time I sneeze. I also have issues with this when I cough or laugh really hard. I don't run or work out too much, but I do know that jumping on a trampoline is an issue. My sister, who has two kids, also has these issues. My child is 5 and hers are 11 and 14. It has never bothered me bad enough to make me try to find a solution. I just live with it. I'm sorry that I don't have any advice for you, but I did at least want to let you know that you are not alone.

What you have is most likely stress incontinence. It is SO common after childbirth. There are medications to treat it, but the actual cause is overstretched muscles that can't contract enough to hold in the urine. Just like if you overstretched a muscle in your back, it can't work properly/ Kegels can only help so much. I highly recommend finding a physical therapist who in your area is skilled in women's health. Depending on where you live you may have to go to a larger city, but the American Physical Therapy Association can help if you can't find one. Physical therapists who do womens health have lots of tools to help identify exactly the particular muscle that is not working right and to teach you how to activate that muscle. Sometimes, people will be doing Kegels but not tensing the right muscle, so they won't help. What you have is very treatable, usually without medication and without surgery, you just have to find the right person. Good luck!

Hi G.
Aren't the women on this site great. I have the same problem. It didn't start right after my third was born but it was shortly after. It has really affected me also especially my "personal" relationship with my husband. It's hard to relax and feel that way with that problem. I would leak when laughing, coughing, sneezing and getting up from a laying or sitting position (any type of strain). I can say it has gotten a little better over the past 2 yrs but it is still there (now i only wear panty liners about 50% of the time). I noticed reducing or even cutting out soda helped alot!! I was in bad shape after my daughter was born my tail bone was fractured, my sacrum is now bent and to top it off I leak, and two yrs later still dealing with all three! When I start really feeling down about everything I look at my girl and realize that she was absolutely worth it. Hope some of this helps, if not it's still nice to know your not alone! Good luck!!

Hate to say this but it sounds like you need to have your bladder tied up. There is a pessary device that works like a diaphram if you don't want to opt for surgery. I had a partial hysterectomy and my bladder raised plus a cystocele repair. I was in pretty bad shape after I had my last one. I am thankful I had it done.

go to your doctor don't mess around could be several things could be a blatter problem but it could be something else as women get older they have this problem but you still should check with your doctor. I have 4 children my youngest 39 and I didn't have the leakage till I got older so I would just check with your doctor good luck

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

G., I was 25 when I had my third child. Unlike you though, my bladder issues began immediately. All I had to do was move in the hospital bed and I would not leak, but my bladder would empty. When I started to move around, I would stand and make a mess. I finally got so frustrated at the hospital I begged for a catheter. I was not getting any rest because I kept wetting myself. My nurses and I tried everything, they would come in and wake me up everyso often to go the restroom, I could never make it. My OB gave me a prescript for Detrol to weaken the urges- the problem was I had no urges, just leaking. He said we needed to wait a few weeks for the estrogen to return to the vaginal areas and it would help tighten everything up. I was doing Keagels too but not seeing much result.

I had a TVT about 6 mos after delivery and life is NEW~ it was the best descision I made. Of course there are risks: increase chance of bladder infections, having more children could require having the procedure again, weight gain can affect the success of the device. This is an address to a general info website: http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/Surgeries-for-female-s...

While looking for a site to send you information, I came across sites that list complications, so I would definalty research it and talk to your physician. But it has done wonders for me. I have had it for 6 years and am very pleased. I remember not being under general anesthesia, because I had to cough and try to urinate so my doc was sure he had it at the right tension. Maybe that is why I havent had the complications? I had local~ maybe even an epidural? and Valuim.

Sorry this is long, but I remember in great detail the frustration and emabarassment of incontenance. I felt like I was too young to have the problem and noone believed it was as bad as it was. Good Luck!

Hi G.,
It's not uncommon for women, even many years after childbirth, to suffer from incontinence. I did many years after giving birth to my two children. I'm not sure what else could be done to fix it except surgery. I had the problem fixed when I had a hysterectomy...easier to have them done at the same time. I'd suggest going to your obgyn early and discuss your problem. Good luck.
W. Q

You may have developed a bladder prolapse. The kegel exercises should help, but you may need to have it checked out. The treatment may be simply seeing a physical therapist to surgery. There is a less invasive surgery than in the past with very little "downtime", so I would check around.
On a personal note...my parents used to live in Prairieville (Autumn View Dr.). Small world! LOL

Stock up on panyliners. I have the same problem. Most of the time it happens if I sneeze or cough. I have asked other friends of mine if they have the same problem and they said yes. I also did my kegal exercises. Its funny I remember when I was in my 20's and talking to a woman in her later 30's and I was puzzled when she mentioned wearing panyliners all the time. Unfortunatly I think its just a part of life after giving birth.

sounds like a common thing my doctor warned me of this accuring. Sound like your bladder has fallen and they do a surgery to retack your bladder. I've know alot of people that has had to have this surgery after giving birth, and after having hysterectomy.

My sister had the same trouble. Her bladder had dropped and it was fixed with an outpatient procedure and now all is well. I hope that is not it but it may be so don't be surprised if your doctor tells you this. Good luck, and hang in there.

G., I think everyone has about the same idea. It does sound like your bladder has "fell down"... I knew someone this happened to and she had only had one child but had the same problems as you do. You do need to go to the dr. sooner that the date of your next check-up. IF that is what's wrong, you can have a "bladder tuck", it's called. My friend did have to rest and not do anything strenuous (sp) for 6 weeks. I know that would be hard, but no one wants to have to go through these symptoms when they can fix it. Good luck!

After having 4 children, I was faced with the same problem. My bladder and uterus had fallen. For my 40th birthday, I had a hysterectomy and a bladder lift! I can laugh, sneeze, jump and run ( the last 2 I do VERY seldom) and things are fine. I tried many other options and the lift was the best option for me.

I had the same problem 3 years ago. Not only did I leak, but I kept bladder infections every 3 months. I have now had a bladder sling for 3 years, and it has been great! I no longer leak or have bladder infections! Good luck!

what's wrong, is that you had 3 kids and all that pushing has caused your bladder to leak. you can try detrol la and it might work, it didn't for me as i had the leaks when i ran or laughed or coughed. I lived with it for years until i had to have a hysterectomy and was in my 100% with the insurance. I had a bladder lift, it is an outpatient procedure where they go and put some plastic sling under the bladder. i had my done in december of 2002 and it is still working fine. I'd say it cost about 6,000 for surgery and hospital. It was well worth it. i am dry everyday, its a great feeling. good luck, if you have it done you will be very pleased, but if it isn't in the budget right now you can use the liners, i think i would switch to depends, the panty liners for periods don't work well.

Unfortunately I don't have good news! I have 2 daughters, a 5 1/2 year old and my baby will be 4 in July and I have the same problem. Not so much after my first baby but ever since my second was born I have had to wear panty liners. I TOTALLY know where you are coming from. Let me know if you get any good information!!

G.,
I think this is normal but to be honest, just after my first child I have had this problem. My son stayed on my bladder the whole pregnancy and I was uncomfortable the whole time. The doctor told me that surgery would be needed to raise the bladder back up in place. It's possible that your bladder has dropped a bit which is normal after having three children. My mother in law had the surgery and has does great, feels much better and doesn't have those "little accidents" anymore. I'd say for me, I will be getting surgery soon. I'd get it checked out immediately so the problem doesn't get worse.

G. it's not unusual, I had 2 large babies and mine did it right away. Talk to your doctor about detrol. and the poise panty liners are better than the regular panty liners as they will control odor for when you leak and are no where near a rest room to change them out. If I cough, sneeze, or even laugh to hard I will leak a little. Also I have noticed that drinking soft drinks has increased it. I hope this has helped, have a great and blessed day.

K.

I find it interesting that your physician asked about incontinence issues. I'm suspecting she expected them after doing your exam. Your answer of "no" .... she isn't going to fix anything that doesn't need to be fixed when in fact your bladder may need to be "tacked" into place .... It happens to women all of the time -- darn that uterus and having babies (not really, that's very tongue in cheek)!

I have this problem too and it is horrible. After I had my son I was the same - told doc no problems but later I had horrible problems and 3yrs later they haven't gone away. I really have to focus every time I sneeze or I'll have piddles. Not being able to run is horrible because I am really into fitness. I burst into tears one day while training because my trainer was trying to get me to do sprints and I couldn't do it or I would have flat out peed my pants. I was already wearing a pad cuz jogging puts a lot of stress in the area so I have spills (I guess we can call it that) but if I try to actually run it all comes out. With my trainer getting frustrated because I just refused to sprint I finally broke down crying to him (of course a man isn't going to get it like a woman would so even more humiliating explaining to him) that it wasn't that I didn't want to push myself harder physically but I didn't want to pee down my legs. He didn't really know what to say to me - just looked at me stunned.
I am pregnant now so I worry after this baby it will get worse. I plan to go to the doctor to discuss it after the baby is born. I have been told there are a few different surgeries that can be done to help. I don't like the idea of having surgery for it but I don't know what else to do.

I am going to keep an eye on this thread to see if others have any more helpful info. I mostly posted so you know you aren't alone. I don't know what to do either though - really frustrating.

Hi G.,
Sorry to tell you, but is sounds like a Bladder Tuck is in order. If you want to go the pre-surgical route, you can find a physical therapy clinic that does "Women's Health". The PT can use biofedback and other things to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Another thing that helps is pilates. Lots of luck and God Bless.

Kegels are really easy to do the wrong way. It sounds like it really is a pelvic floor issue, since it started right after birth. So do some reading up on exactly how they're done, and see your doctor or a specialist to learn more. I know someone who did some biofeedback training to make sure she got it absolutely right, because she also had incontinence issues. You might want to look into that. It's not just about "stopping the flow."

You might have to work up to doing 200 a day.

You'll get it! Don't worry!

L.

You may actually laugh at this, but I have that problem sometimes, if I don't get to the bathroom I literally have to cross my legs, but the funny part is I always thought it was because my daughter (only child I have) had a large head when she was born and not only did she strech me, I did tear and the doctor of course sewed me back up. I thought she didn't sew enough. Anyway, almost 4 years later, I'm dealing with this, but I'm not worried about it, just one of those things that reminds me of childbirth. LOL

i have the same problem when i sneeze, i havent had kids yet but i have had 5 surgeries that go through my bladder to my kidneys. i havent really ever brought it up to my doc because i was so embaressed. let me know if you find that out

I developed the same problem it is stress incontinance there are some medications that can help call your gyn and se what they can do

my mother had this problem after only two children and eventually had to get a bladder sling surgery done and she hasnt had problems since.Her doctor also said she needed to lose weight because it puts extra stress on those parts. GOOD LUCK!!

Personally I would go in for your exam early. I've heard of bladders being tramatized during birth. I've not had it happen to me, but I haven't given birth quite yet (one more week!) Personally I would be concerned too, and irritated.