Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the clinic do?

We help adults who are suffering from a pelvic floor dysfunction, which usually shows up as bowel and bladder issues.

Since it’s an intricate area of the body, it takes more than one specialist area to work on a care plan, so we take a collaborative approach with each patient. Read more

Q: How does it work? I.e can I just come in for an assessment or am I locked in for a specialist appointment?

You start off with a consultation with our practitioner nurse, who will record the details of your symptoms. And depending on your symptoms, our nurse practitioner will conduct an assessment. This is done in the same session as it’s bulk billed. Read more

Q: Who are the doctors?

Dr Alexandra Mowat, Urogyaecologist and pelvic floor reconstructive surgeon

Dr Andrea Warwick, Colorectal surgeon

Dr Chris Gillespie, Colorectal surgeon

Dr Trina Kellar, Gastroenterologist – Motility and Functional GI Disorders

Q: Who are the physios?

Allison Bryant

Kate Hooper

Leanne Slater

Q: Who is the nurse?

Dina Fetahagic

Q: Do I need a referral?

No, you can book your first consultation without a referral. Make an appointment

Q: When can I get an appointment?

We do our best to book your first appointment as soon as possible. Complete the appointment request form and we’ll get back to you shortly. Make an appointment

Q: How do I make an appointment?

You can book your appointment now via our webform if you’d like. Make an appointment

Q: How much is an appointment?

Your first consultation with our Nurse Practitioner is bulk billed, just bring your Medicare card with you.

For other appointments, it’ll depend on the treatment recommended to you. But that will be discussed with you before starting a care plan, whether that includes an appointment with our specialists or several pelvic floor physiotherapist sessions.

We are a private practice, but we’ve designed it with the aim of seeing both public and private patients. Where possible we try to keep the costs to a minimum, and the only service in Brisbane to bulk bill the first consultation, which may include anorectal and urodynamic tests.

Q: What are the ‘assessments’ at the first consultation?

The assessments refer to anorectal and urodynamic tests. They provide valuable information about how the body is functioning. Depending on your symptoms will depend if the tests are required. Find out more here

Q: Why are ‘assessments’ done at the first consultation?

For two reasons:

1. These assessments provide valuable information, and allows us to create your care plan and recommendations quicker as we have all the information from the start, instead of you revisiting to have the assessments done.
2. For some, these tests are expensive, and by doing them in the first consultation our patients aren’t out of pocket as the session is bulk billed.

Q: Do the doctors perform surgery on-site?

No surgery is performed on site. The specialists perform gastroscopy/colonoscopy and surgical interventions in private hospitals across Brisbane. In general, our goal is always to try to improve your symptoms without needing surgery, but if surgery is required, our specialist surgeons are all pelvic floor experts with significant experience in their field.

Q: Will I have to have surgery?

That depends on the treatment recommended to you, and if you want to proceed with that plan.

Q: What conditions do you treat?

We help people with bowel leakage, bladder accidents, constipation, diarrhoea, cramping or bloating, prolapses – that can feel like a bulge from the bottom or a heavy dragging feeling in the vagina of lower back, painful urination or bowel motions, pain during intercourse, bladder pain or food intolerances.

Q: What, if any, conditions don’t you treat (in the pelvic floor area)?

Prostate problems.

Q: Ever since my hysterectomy years ago, I sometimes wee myself. Is there anything you can do for me?

Yes. Urinary incontinence in some form is common in all groups of women and may not be a result of the hysterectomy. In the vast majority of cases, it can be significantly improved/cured. We will work with you to discover the underlying cause and find a solution that works for you and your life rather than just treating the symptoms.

Q: Will doing kegels solve my occasional urinary incontinence?

There’s a very good chance and a fantastic starting point. Once we understand the underlying cause we will work with you to design a treatment solution to ensure you manage the occasional occurrence.

Q: Giving birth to my child left me with a vaginal prolapse. I’m not keen on surgery, but will I return to ‘normal’ like going back to the gym, and not feeling awkward during sex?

With the right help, absolutely. Childbirth is part of life for a lot of women, and while things may never be exactly the same, there can be a significant improvement and some would say ‘fabulous’.

Q: I experience constipation all the time, and now I also accidentally wet myself. What can be done? How long will it take to fix this?

Constipation can mean different things to different people.

Some people describe infrequent visits to the toilet, some a reduced urge to go, some describe hard stool and others talk about difficulty in actually evacuating the stool (needing to push hard, use the finger, or incompletely empty).

Pressures related to straining can stretch important supportive tissues in the pelvis, and if left unchecked, this can lead to impairment of the “holding on” mechanisms in the pelvis as well.

Many patients will come to us complaining both of constipation, and also of leakage or inability to hold on because of this. Treatment always starts with an assessment of what has caused the problem in the first place – and initial supportive measures to optimise the stool consistency and the way you actually go to the toilet.

If there are still symptoms, other therapies include irrigating the anus with water, surgery to correct prolapse, and other more invasive treatments. The majority of patients improve with the first set of supportive treatments, but in some the problem is one that can only be “managed” and treatment and support may be required for years.

Q: I’ve been told kegels is what I need to do, will the physio offer me anything different?

Absolutely. Our specialist pelvic floor physiotherapists have spent years training in managing pelvic floor conditions. They provide a totally “holistic” assessment of the way someone toilets – assessing all aspects of this including both the bowel and bladder along with treatment and support for patients with prolapse.

They will assess lifestyle factors around visiting the toilet, positioning and technique, and offer advice on ways to optimise stool consistency and improve emptying and “holding on”.

Whilst visiting the toilet is something most people do every day, there are ways to improve your technique and the pressure exerted during toileting, all with the goal of improving symptoms and quality of life.

In many patients, Kegels can be one of the worst things to do, particularly in patients who suffer from a pelvic floor that is too tight, or not relaxing adequately during emptying.

Couldn’t find the answer to your question? Email us at reception@qldpfc.com.au or send your question via the contact page and we’ll respond as soon as we can.

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