TERRIFIED Ferne McCann has undergone tests for a prolapsed bladder after her incontinence left her housebound.
The 29 year-old mum of one recently revealed she was suffering from toilet troubles after the birth of 23 month-old daughter Sunday.
And in the new series of her ITVBe show, First Time Mum, which starts tonight, Ferne is seen attending medical appointments over fears she may have had a prolapse.
A prolapse is a medical term for when the bladder is no longer supported by the surrounding muscles and drops into the vagina.
A preview clip obtained by Mail Online from the show’s fourth season sees the reality star told that her symptoms do fit with a typical prolapse.
“I’d say about one-in-three women have got some form of incontinence so it’s really really common,” the specialist tells her at the beginning of the clip.
Ferne is then asked if she goes to the toilet more than normal, and she reveals she does.
Ferne says: “I drink a lot of water, so yeah… I guess, I do. I go to the toilet, empty my bladder, and then I feel like I have to go again. Is that normal?”
The medical professional replies: “Well it could be the sign of another problem like a prolapse… which would fit with the heaviness that you’ve mentioned.”
What is incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It’s a common problem thought to affect millions of people.
There are several types of urinary incontinence, including:
stress incontinence – when urine leaks out at times when your bladder is under pressure; for example, when you cough or laugh
urge incontinence – when urine leaks as you feel a sudden, intense urge to pass urine, or soon afterwards
overflow incontinence (chronic urinary retention) – when you’re unable to fully empty your bladder, which causes frequent leaking
total incontinence – when your bladder can’t store any urine at all, which causes you to pass urine constantly or have frequent leaking
Causes
Certain things can increase the chances of urinary incontinence developing, including:
pregnancy and vaginal birth
obesity
a family history of incontinence
increasing age – although incontinence is not an inevitable part of ageing
Treatment
nitially, your GP may suggest some simple measures to see if they help improve your symptoms.
These may include:
lifestyle changes – such as losing weight and cutting down on caffeine and alcohol
pelvic floor exercises – exercising your pelvic floor muscles by squeezing them, taught by a specialist
bladder training – where you learn ways to wait longer between needing to urinate and passing urine, guided by a specialist
You may also benefit from the use of incontinence products, such as absorbent pads and handheld urinals.
Medication may be recommended if you’re still unable to manage your symptoms.
Ferne is then seen admitting her fears in her to-camera interview, saying: “Oh no… I knew it, I’ve got a prolapsed womb!”
The medic then tells Ferne she needs to do a physical examination to check whether she actually does have a prolapse.
And while viewers will have to wait to see what the results of the tests are, Ferne does admit that intimate exams don’t bother her since she became a mum.
She confessed: “After a baby, you are less bothered about having screenings down below and examinations. It just doesn’t really phase me anymore!”
Ferne opened up about her incontinence struggle back in September when she revealed it left her scared to workout, leave the house, go on dates or even drink water for fear of an accident.
She told OK! magazine: “It has shattered my confidence and made me scared to leave the house. Being worried you’ll wet yourself at any moment does that to you.
“One time I was on a running machine and I had to stop because I’d completely wet myself. It got to the point where I didn’t even want to drink water because I thought I’d immediately have an accident.”
Ferne has promised that the new series of her show is the “realest ever” and another promo clip shows her struggling to deal with Sunday’s strops.
“She is a complete Jekyll and Hyde,” Ferne says in the clip. “Sunday is extremely strong-willed…I feel with Sunday, it’s her way or the highway.”
She also reveals in the new series that she is flirting with five different men in a bid to make sure she isn’t single by the time she hits 30.