Hello everyone! I’ve been using the KM for almost 8 years. I’m 55 years old, and the KM is a key component in my life for staying healthy, fit and sexy! Using the KM almost completely eradicated the stress incontinence I had 8 years ago (yes, within 2 weeks, like everyone says), but my uterine and rectocele prolapses were too far gone to be reversed. After much research, and consultation with two different surgeons, I eventually decided to go ahead with surgery.
Exactly 3 years ago I had a supra-cervical hysterectomy (I retained my cervix and ovaries,just the main part of the uterus was removed), my bladder was lifted and the urethra tightened, and a rectocele was repaired. The hysterectomy and bladder repair were done using laporoscopy, and the rectocele trans-vaginally. Overall, the surgery was highly successful, though not without some post-op issues. In hind sight these could have been avoided, but eventually things got worked out. Surgery IS serious, and if one can avoid it – great. If you are, as Sari states, too far gone, then try very hard to find a surgeon who does laporoscopy. It's so much easier on your body and recovery is very fast! I was back running a couple of months after surgery (my surgeon actually said I could start running right at 6 weeks, but I held off for other reasons), and ran a half marathon with no trouble 6 months post-surgery (and continue to do one or two every year; I'm only restricted by my lack of time for training).
The advantages of the surgery are that my stress incontinence is 100% resolved, even during occasional times when I slack off a bit from using the KM. I feel sexier because my rectocele is no longer visible at the vaginal opening, and I no longer suffer from lower back pain after being in a standing position after just a couple of minutes. (My uterus was retroverted (tipped backwards) and must have been putting pressure on something, because now I can stand forever and my lower back is just fine!). And I did not grieve over the sudden halt to my periods, in fact quite the opposite at my age!
So ... down the road from surgery a ways, I am glad I did it. But I'm also glad I regularly use my KM! Unquestionably, use of it keeps my bladder much happier. I don't pee as much in the day and almost never at night. Due to a tendency for constipation which I've had my whole life, I have to drink quite a bit of water and other liquids (plus, of course, the right amount of fibre) every day, so using the KM means that my bladder can handle that better. And I know for a fact that the KM helps to maintain a healthy sexual responsiveness. Despite my age and being post-menopausal, my orgasms are regular and very strong. My main squeeze (who is on the small side) loves the way I feel tight, and can "massage" him, and I've had 2 fairly large babies.
I wish the KegelMaster had been in my life when I was younger, but am I ever glad I found out about it in later life! If you're considering this product, consider no longer. Get one, and start using it. You will never regret it.
Oh, and I should also add that I've been using the same KM for 8 years, and it's in as good a shape as the day it arrived!
SJM (Canada)
|
