A new low, wearing my 16 months diaper in my underwear
I’m a pelvic floor PT who deals with incontinence and a prolapse
I’m beyond annoyed. 4 weeks ago my kids had RSV, I got it three weeks ago. And today I started coughing very hard, like harder than I did with the virus. At 15 hours into this harder cough and my bladder and pelvic floor can’t hold. I’m peeing myself. I am annoyed because I got a tune up of my pelvic floor this week since I hadn’t had a tune up since after the flu and rsv. So tune up helped. I felt like my pelvic floor was much stronger in my lifts and workouts this week because of that work by our fabulous Dr. Marielle. But what wasn’t great is I started my period last Thursday which means my uterus was heavier and that is just harder on my prolapse in general.
Now with this cough which ended up being diagnosed as pneumonia literally had me coughing my brains out (and my bladder!)
I even had a moment two nights ago where after an intense coughing episode I could feel something between my vaginal opening, in the kitchen I reached down and felt my bladder outside my body. It hasn’t been that low since after the birth of my second! I was and am still scared. It’s better in the morning so I am lucky it is reducing some overnight. But my Dr. Brain knows logically I will be okay and I don’t need surgery and I will be able to heal this again and fix my incontinence symptoms. I just didn’t want to have to deal with it again! But this is the life with prolapse and kids that constantly bless us with viruses.
Well does this mean I am a failure or a terrible pelvic floor PT because even I leak when I get hit with a virus and cough?
I could let myself go down. And yes it is actually embarrassing to admit this. But this is the reality and my reality of living with a prolapse.
So once these antibiotics kick in and I am better I will become a dedicated patient again.
But in the meantime, here is how I am managing my incontinence and prolapse. And something’s you can do if you get knocked down with virus after virus.
- Lay on your back with a pillow or two under your bottom and your feet up on a wall. This is a great way to let gravity help you move your prolapse into the right place. Can help decrease pressure.
- Diaphragmatic breath filling entire rib cage and abdomen, then exhale using the “shhh” sound engaging your transverse abdominis first and then close labia (doing a superficial muscle contraction of the pelvic floor) so yes I am anti kegel most the time but if I can still feel myself open the pelvic floor and relax with a deep breath, then I am safe to add a gentle contraction.
- In sitting with feet on the ground, do a heel squeeze for 10 seconds repeat 10 x and then do a toe and knee squeeze while your heels flare out, hold 10 seconds, repeat 10 times.
- See a pelvic expert PT ASAP click here to get back on the books or book a consult.
I hope your holidays are happy, your underwear are dry, your prolapses stay in their right places and you can bask in the little moments of joy.
With love,
Dr. Allison
