Incontinence During Perimenopause & Menopause
Why does it happen and what can be done?
In addition to hot flashes & night sweats, urinary problems are at the top of the symptom list. Urinary tract problems such as incontinence are very common. Do not ignore it, there is help.
There are 2 types of incontinence: Urge incontinence is the sensation of needing to get to the bathroom right away to avoid an accident. Stress incontinence is losing urine through abdominal pressure such as a cough or a sneeze.
Why does urinary incontinence happen during menopause?
Urinary stress incontinence is more common in women who have given birth, either naturally or by caesarean section because this takes a toll on the pelvic floor and can affect nerve endings. You will probably will not notice a change in bladder control until the menopausal years. It can come on quite suddenly, within six to 12 months of menopause. It can be dramatic and scary.
Menopause involves a drop-in estrogen which has a significant impact on the level of collagen in the pelvic floor, the bladder, the urethra and the bladder neck. So women may find that they are experiencing urgency, frequency and/or stress leakage.
What can be done?
First of all, I would recommend using an estrogen or progesterone suppository. My favorite is called Bezwecken Hydration Ovals. These are bio-identical, OF COURSE. The estradiol and estriol will will improve collagen around the bladder, the neck of the bladder and the urethra so your bladder will be more resilient, more elastic and less irritable. It will be less rigid and therefore, less likely to leak.
It also impacts the pH of the urine, so you are less likely to get cystitis (an inflammation of the bladder). In most cases, the cause of cystitis is a urinary tract infection (UTI). I have a separate video on UTIs,
Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26za-xaThsU
If you watch my videos, you know that I am a huge fan of progesterone and many women do not even want to use estrogen because they are overweight, have breast tenderness and worry about estrogen dominance.
However, when it comes to genital tract problems, estrogen is very protective. Again, you want estriol or estradiol…NO SYNTHETICS.
Here are my all Natural Bio-Identical Hormone Cremes and Vaginal Support Products:
Bio-Identical ProHELP & Menopause Moisture Creme
Re-newed DHEA Suppositories
If you want the estriol and estradiol hydration ovals, you can Call (877) 880-0170 to order. They are not online.
What else? Alter your intake of fluid habits.
Cut out or reduce caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, coca cola. Switch to decaffeinated alternatives as caffeine is a very potent stimulator of the bladder muscle and can cause urgency. Alcohol, particularly red wine, can be very stimulating to the bladder. You do not have to Tee Total, but the sensible thing is to cut back for a month and see how that impacts bladder function. If it doesn’t then you will know it’s not an issue but if the situation improves you will know alcohol is a trigger.
Restricting fluids will not help because this will make your urine more highly concentrated which can irritate the bladder. Although it may sound logical to you, excessive restriction of fluids is counterproductive. If you are truly struggling with getting up in the night, you can start to restrict what you drink after 7 or 8 at night. Do not restrict during the day, your body needs sufficient fluids.
What about Kegel exercises? for urinary stress incontinence
Kegels, also known as pelvic floor exercises, are great for the stress incontinence (losing urine when you sneeze or cough.) These strengthen the muscles in the vagina, bladder and back passage. Many women do not do them correctly and therefore do not pull the right muscles and achieve any results. How to do Kegel exercises: You can feel your pelvic floor muscles if you try to stop the flow of urine when you are urinating. To strengthen the muscles, sit comfortably and squeeze as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Do this 10 - 15 times in a row. You can do this during daily life, while you brush your teeth or wait for the kettle to boil (I LOVE tea) or sit at your desk.
There are also some devices on the market. They are inserted vaginally and can be programmed by remote to do the exercises and supposedly activate the muscle. I have learned that many women who use these become demoralized after several months to see it made no difference. Give the good old Kegels a try!
Kegel Device
Okay, urinary incontinence...take charge ladies. The longer you leave it, the worse it gets. If you do nothing, it’s not going to get better; it will get worse year after year.
If you would like my written information on the estrogen product that I know and trust, email me. I carry it, but it is not online. I’m here to help you!
You won’t find US in the Depends aisle!
Love You!
Barbara