Living with Urinary Incontinence

After surgery treatment a serie of cares must be followed:

• It is better to shower and avoid submerging yourself in a bath or swimming pool.
• You should not take part in sexual intercourse within the first eight weeks after the operation.
• You may experience bleeding in the first few days after the operation, but always smaller volumes than a period.
• Avoid the use of vaginal tampons.
• If you have constipation, follow a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
• Drink 1.5 litres of water per day.
• Try to hold on and urinate only once every 2–3 hours; although you may need to go more often for the first few days.
• Maintain partial rest for the first week after the operation; afterwards, you should avoid any physical strain that may increase the pressure on the abdomen for a minimum of 8 weeks, although 3 months would be ideal.

It is important to keep your skin clean and dry by following a daily hygiene routine, especially women who need to use absorbents.

There are different cleansing products available that neither irritate nor dry the skin. They are essentially moisturisers that help produce a protective barrier over the skin and keep the area dry. The majority of these creams are based on Vaseline®, zinc oxide, cocoa butter, kaolin, lanolin or paraffin.