anyone had TVT surgery for incontinence?

[amcat]

Hello all,
I am 35 weeks pregnant with my third baby. I've had stress incontinence since the birth of my first almost six years ago. I am REALLY ready to do something about it (after I deliver, of course) and my OB/GYN recommended tension-free vaginal tape surgery. I have to talk with a specialist to get more info but I thought I'd solicit advice here, from a knowledgable group of ladies. If you have any experience with or advice about this procedure, I'd love to hear it. I also would like to know how soon after delivering can I have it done.

Thanks a million!
Amy

[KarenEMT]

Amy,

I'm going to have it done in January, so I can give you more information then. I am completely unsure of how soon after delivery you could do it - they would do urodynamic testing first to analyze the way your bladder works, and I can't imagine doing that too soon after delivery. You may want to call a urogynecologist/get a recommendation now - some of them have extended waits just to get an appointment. I decided on surgery last week and have to wait until January to get an available date.

I have had stress incontinence since my first son's birth in 1994, but it got markedly worse after DS#2's birth in 2002. I suffered with it in silence until after DD's birth in 2006. I saw a urogynecologist then and was fitted with a pessary. While using that is a PITA and does not solve the problem, I am just thankful to have a "band aid" for this problem (especially since it allows me to exercise).

I would have been content wearing the pessary until my children were older and doing the TVT would be easier logistically. However, lucky me - I have CIN2/3 of the cervix which requires a cone biopsy. When the doc stated that there could be nothing inserted vaginally for a month after the biopsy, I almost lost my mind. I mean, going a month without wearing the pessary and leaking all over the place in addition to recovering from the cone biopsy was just horrific-sounding to me.

So, to end my novel here, I am going to have the TVT done by the urogynecologist at the same time and anesthesia as the cone biopsy. I am hoping & praying that all goes well. I have chosen a very experienced urogynecologist and checked his references up & down (my neighbor used him and had an excellent result).


Hope that helps!

[harrietsmama]

***PLEASE*** consider pelvic floor rehab first. I was peeing every time I stood up, had no control whatsoever after my ds. I saw my rehab lady 10 times. She taught me exercises of course, and they are far far different than most of what you see, which tend to over tax the muscles and make them worse. I have always had the pee pee dance thing going on from childhood. I used to run through the house dropping everything along the way to the bathroom. At work they knew to jump out of the way when I was headed to the bathroom. Now I never have the pee pee dance, I can go to the zoo, museums etc and not worry. sex is marvelous. I have no incisions or foreign materials in my body. It took ten visits of having a probe in my vagina and one in my rectum. Granted that's not fun, but it didn't hurt or feel bad, just weird. The sessions are basically biofeedback, you look at the screen and try to squeeze to a certain level, and then try to make the wave up & down more gradual and less pointy mountain shaped. Trying to hold for a certain amount of time. it's about a half hour of that type of stuff guided by the therapist. Then the probes do electronic stimulation to the muscles. I was afraid it was going to feel like a vibrator, but it's not. It's like a mild hum and prickly sensation, which they make sure is at a comfortable level for you. That lasts about ten minutes and then done. I think I had to do exercises about 2-3 times a day and it was like maybe 3 squeezes a time at the beginning, and never more than ten. You know what though? I rarely ever did them And the therapist does this work all day, they specialize usually. So they are used to dealing with how uncomfortable it can be to go through this initially. Mine was highly professional and very comforting and step by step. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself physically! And it's been oh, 3 years. I think maybe 5 times I have had an strong urge to get to the bathroom, but not get my undies wet. I did a session or two of a few squeezes(on my own) like I was taught and no problem, just a little touch up.

[KarenEMT]

Heather, I did all the pelvic floor stuff as you describe, as well as some "home made" PT involving the use of condoms and fishing weights (at the advice of my good friend who is a therapist in South Africa). I guess I wrongfully assumed that anyone seriously considering TVT would have done that. My urogynecologist always recommends conservative therapy first.

In my case, I'm just sick and tired of dealing with the pessary as I ramp up my exercise. My urethra has consistently remained extremely hypermobile and it seems that none of the conservative treatment has helped with that.

[harrietsmama]

Hmmm, maybe it's just the area I live in or something, but there's so few women I've met who are offered this option, but it seems everyone I have ever mentioned it to gets very uncomfortable and would rather have a procedure than go through therapy. I'm sorry it didn't help you the way it did me.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by harrietsmama

***PLEASE*** consider pelvic floor rehab first. I was peeing every time I stood up, had no control whatsoever after my ds. I saw my rehab lady 10 times. She taught me exercises of course, and they are far far different than most of what you see, which tend to over tax the muscles and make them worse. I have always had the pee pee dance thing going on from childhood. I used to run through the house dropping everything along the way to the bathroom. At work they knew to jump out of the way when I was headed to the bathroom. Now I never have the pee pee dance, I can go to the zoo, museums etc and not worry. sex is marvelous. I have no incisions or foreign materials in my body. It took ten visits of having a probe in my vagina and one in my rectum. Granted that's not fun, but it didn't hurt or feel bad, just weird. The sessions are basically biofeedback, you look at the screen and try to squeeze to a certain level, and then try to make the wave up & down more gradual and less pointy mountain shaped. Trying to hold for a certain amount of time. it's about a half hour of that type of stuff guided by the therapist. Then the probes do electronic stimulation to the muscles. I was afraid it was going to feel like a vibrator, but it's not. It's like a mild hum and prickly sensation, which they make sure is at a comfortable level for you. That lasts about ten minutes and then done. I think I had to do exercises about 2-3 times a day and it was like maybe 3 squeezes a time at the beginning, and never more than ten. You know what though? I rarely ever did them And the therapist does this work all day, they specialize usually. So they are used to dealing with how uncomfortable it can be to go through this initially. Mine was highly professional and very comforting and step by step. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself physically! And it's been oh, 3 years. I think maybe 5 times I have had an strong urge to get to the bathroom, but not get my undies wet. I did a session or two of a few squeezes(on my own) like I was taught and no problem, just a little touch up.

WHERE and HOW would I find a good pelvic floor rehab specialist????? Thanks!

[KarenEMT]

It sounds like pelvic floor muscle rehab is becoming more and more in demand!

I found with an internet search that the American Physical Therapy Association has just recently added “Women’s Health” as its newest area of specialist certification under the American Board of Physical Therapist Specialties. This means that physical therapists who want to receive this certification will have to take a grueling eight-hour examination to prove they are up to the task. The exam will be administered for the first time in 2009.

This is GREAT news!

[harrietsmama]

A & A, this was set up through a urologist. Good luck!!!!

[LeslieB]

Originally Posted by A&A

WHERE and HOW would I find a good pelvic floor rehab specialist????? Thanks!

You don't actually need to see a specialist. You can buy one of these devices on your own. I just bought one called the Kegel8, but there a lot of other types out there. The only kicker, you can't get it in the US. There is one brand that you can buy in the US, but you have to have a prescription for it. I think it's call the Liberty. I ordered the Kegel8 from the UK. It's super expensive and shipping is also costly, but I'm willing to pay for it if he can mean no more stress incontinence.
There's another kind you can order from Canada that's cheaper http://www.pelvicfloorexerciser.com/index.html.

[KimPM]

Did you see this thread?
http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1231932

[harrietsmama]

Originally Posted by LeslieB

You don't actually need to see a specialist. You can buy one of these devices on your own. I just bought one called the Kegel8, but there a lot of other types out there. The only kicker, you can't get it in the US. There is one brand that you can buy in the US, but you have to have a prescription for it. I think it's call the Liberty. I ordered the Kegel8 from the UK. It's super expensive and shipping is also costly, but I'm willing to pay for it if he can mean no more stress incontinence.
There's another kind you can order from Canada that's cheaper http://www.pelvicfloorexerciser.com/index.html.

I disagree, for many women a device is not enough. The PT I did was very involved and much of it was biofeedback with all kinds of monitors hooked to a computer to see why and where I didn't have control. And those devices are far too intense for someone who needs PT, I had to start with very small gentle exercises, or my muscles got fatigued and I was worse. Now I am able to do jumping jacks with my vagina, but not when I started