'My insides are taped to stop urine leaks'

By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

Paula is now symptom free

When Paula Webley crossed the winning line first at her child's sports day her elation soon turned to embarrassment.

She found that the exertion of the sprint had caused her to wet herself and the front of her jeans was soaking wet.

For six years, ever since the birth of her second child, she suffered from incontinence.

Paula, who runs a dog grooming business, found that lifting the heavier animals would cause her to leak, as would any running or gym activity.

'Exercise routine'

Even sneezing or coughing could cause problems.

So Paula, 38 and from Wiltshire, started to wear dark clothes to avoid the staining being too visible and cut down on her exercise routine.

I can do everything I used to - running, lifting heavy dogs and high impact exercise Paula Webley

"When I did high impact exercise it was really obvious to other people what was happening.

"You feel like you have a balloon inside you which you know is going to burst and leak.

"I was very open about my problem with people, but it was still very embarrassing.

"Once I went out for a out night to the pub and, as I was late, I had to run a little. My jeans became soaking wet. If I hadn't had a long top on, I would have had to go home."

Muscle clenching

Finally Paula was recommended physiotherapy.

"The physio said I had to do pelvic floor exercises."

The pelvic floor is a "hammock" of muscles which support the bowel and bladder. Pelvic floor, or Kegel, exercises involve clenching the muscles you would use to prevent yourself urinating.

Paula already did these, but was surprised to learn that she was doing too few to protect herself - the physio told her she should do 10 every hour.

Many women do not really know these operations are available Consultant gynaecologist David Griffiths

For a while the exercise routine helped relieve Paula's symptoms, but did not cure it.

Next her consultant, gynaecologist David Griffiths from the BMI The Ridgeway in Swindon, recommended a series of injections into Paula's urethra wall - the tube carrying urine from the bladder out of the body.

Again the relief was short lived.

"The injections were to bulk me up inside. They could have lasted up to two years, but the first injection I had lasted only six months and the second did not work."

Paula said the injections also initially left her hurting when she urinated.

So next she tried vaginal tape, which was used to lift her urethra and give her the support she needed.

An operation is carried out to place mesh-like tape under the urethra like a sling or hammock to keep it in its normal position.

"This has worked fantastically. I had the operation last October and have just spent one night in hospital.

"There was no pain. And now I can do everything I used to - running, lifting heavy dogs and high impact exercise."

Paula is now symptom free and hopes the tape could be effective for up to 15 years. The tape has an 80-90% success rate.

Childbirth

Mr Griffiths says far too few women realise that they can get help for their incontinence - but when they are made aware of this, they take action.

"But many women do not really know these operations are available until they hear about them from their neighbours or read about them in articles. When they know about them they want them."

He said one in three women can have incontinence problems. Women tend to suffer more than men because of childbirth.

But many delay seeking help

"Women tend to wait on average about five years before going for help because they are under the misconception that it will just go away, or that they must put up with it because their mother had it or they do not want to talk to their male GP about the problem.

"They often mention it when they are seeing the practice nurse or their doctor about something else."

Ian Holland, of the Continence Foundation, agreed that speedier help should be sought.

"We would always say seek professional help. There are nearly 300 specialist clinics.

"The sort of advice that tends to be offered first is the more conservative treatments, like pelvic floor exercises, and that can help a great deal of women.

"And if they don't work there are the bulking injections and the tapes."