Any success with Dr. Bri's approach and videos?

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Please let me know if discussing a specific provider is not cool on the forum, and I'll delete it asap. Otherwise, has anyone tried the approach of (PhD) physical therapist and media personality Dr. Bri (Brianne Grogan)? Because I leak WAY more often and more heavily when I'm away from home or experiencing stress or even just a difference in my routine, I think a good part of my pelvic floor problems are due to my state of mind.

It certainly looks like stress affects health in major ways, and Dr. Bri Grogan's videos, blog, courses, and probably her book (haven't read it yet) focus on relaxing, ways to think more calmly and positively, and expansive/calming breathing, but also work on strengthening as well as relaxing the pelvic floor and muscles/fascia relating to the pelvic floor (most parts of the body, i.e.). Some of her courses require payment, but MANY of her videos and her blog are available for free.

Her recommended exercises are quite similar to the ones I learned in PT, but she stresses working not only the pelvic floor muscles alone through kegels but strengthening the entire core, even the feet. When I do her calming breathing, I can feel my pelvic floor and core muscles unclenching (which has to be good, right?). She cites research that backs her up. She makes PT-type exercise more fun, e.g., by demonstrating belly dance and salsa moves, using music, etc. I really want this approach to work for me, but it's too early to say, and I have more work to do.

Do you all have experience with this, or thoughts on her approach? Thank you!

 

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I do not have any experience with her work. However, I have learned that when I have urges to certain situations it is called "classical conditioning." The analogy that has been used is Pavlov's dog experiments. For me, one of my situations is when I get anxious I have to pee. I have other situations which I won't go into. After spending the last few weeks working with a PT, she taught me that using an "urge suppression" technique will allow me to retrain my bladder. Once I learn to do the steps below my bladder will not activate when I am confronted with the various "classical conditioning" that happen to me.

Here is what she has taught me to learn to do: (all of them are easier said than done so far)
1. Stop and stand (or sit) quietly when an urge presents itself
2. Take 3-4 slow breaths and relax
3. Contract my pelvic floor muscles (Kegels) 4 or 5 times to prevent initial leaking
4. Relax my mind and think of something other than the bathroom
5. When the urge has passed, continue walking to the bathroom.

rabbit3, this sounds sort of like what you are asking. If it is not, forgive me for not knowing more about Dr. Bri's methodology.

 

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AUS surgery is a great solution!

 

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Ill look up AUS surgery. Anything to get past this. Thank you fleemoore and 20lawlorg! I did get those steps to controlling the urge to pee from my PT, and I do use them on occasion. But my problem is, I don't know when I'm leaking, I feel no urge in the first place. It's only when I get to a bathroom and discover my padding/pull-ups (or several layers of both together) have soaked through, sometimes within an hour or two of putting them on, that I'm even aware of it.

It's very hard to live like this, I can't go anywhere (I brought a backpack with extra supplies/clothes on a recent short trip, but I went through it all so quickly, I'd need to lug a huge pack everywhere to keep up). No meds have helped so far, and the urologist had no other ideas except doing kegels. So I stay mostly at home -- where I can have several dry days/nights in a row, oddly. So it seems a combination of PT and learning how to live and think more calmly could maybe help.

If this Dr. Bri's videos, etc., eventually help, I'll report back here. I do like her low-key, casual tone, and she's positive without overdoing it, if that makes sense. Thank you guys!