Since 2020, I have been been much more conscious of how much I cough when I run. I have also noticed that the coughing more often than not now involves stress incontinence. If you have been visiting the blog for a while, or following me on social media, you would have read my posts talking about this (going all the way back to 2018!). I don’t want stress inconvenience to be a reason why women stop exercising so I am sharing my story with info on what I am trying that helps me keep on running.
At the National Running Show in 2021, I made friends with the team at Efemia bladder support. It was so refreshing to be able to speak about the issues I had been having with stress incontinence and feel understood. The Efemia is a silicone devise that applies pressure mid-urethra, making it a different type of support than pessaries. The Efemia comes in three different sizes and can be worn all day or just when exercising. It is also available on NHS Prescription services if the cost of the start pack (£59 for three devices, one of each size) is outside of your budget. When I was speaking to the Efemia team, they said you can start with the smallest size and see if that helps improve your condition. Often times, all three sizes will be effective. One device will last 90 days if worn full time, after which point the medical-grade silicone may start to degrade.
The reason it has taken me so long to post this review is because I was struggling to get the Efemia to work for me. When I review a product here on the blog, I try it a few times to ensure I have an understanding of how it works and what the bells and whistles are. At first, I struggled to insert the Efemia and had a call with the support line at Efemia. They gave me a few tips, which seemed to work. I was aware that the Efemia was ‘there’ and that was because by the end of my 5K runs, the Efemia would be slightly dislodged. I decided to book a doctor appointment because I thought there must be an anatomical reason for this. Delays in obtaining appointments on the NHS due to Covid means it took me until February of this year to see a gynecologist. She confirmed I have a cystocele, which means my supportive tissues have stretched and left with with a little bulge. The good news is that following on from this appointment, I have receiving pelvic floor physiotherapy from the NHS. The bad news is that the Efemia isn’t the correct product for me. It really is a shame because the product is easy to clean, discreet to transport, and simple to insert and remove ( The devise is often compared to an oddly-shaped tampon in terms of insertion and removal). Check out the reviews on their website to see how the product has successfully helped other women of various ages and conditions.
You should try Efemia if you:
- Are tired of worrying about stress incontinence (you can wear all the time or just when exercising)
- Are waiting for pelvis floor physiotherapy sessions to start or for your kegels to take effect (can take up to 12 weeks)
- Are elderly and are starting to suffer from incontinence
While I am disappointed Efemia didn’t work for me, it did motivate me to see a doctor and get the help I needed. Having just started my physiotherapy journey, I will check back with an update and let you know how I get on.
*Thanks to Efemia for the complimentary sample. All opinions are honest and my own.
Recent Comments