Prolapse

[magpie545]

Hey just looking for some advice off anyone. I'm 6 weeks postpartum. I realised I had a prolapse 1 week after giving birth, I was and still am horrified, I went to doctors and was told it was a mild uterine prolapse (doctors are useless, just sent me on my merry way without much info) but I think it's a more moderate as I can see it at the entrance of my vagina, it doesn't stick out but I can see it's there and it's pissing me off. I had really bad symptoms at first, leg fatigue, dragging sensation and just general really awful discomfort so I started doing pelvic floor exercises and I think they have been working as I don't feel as much in discomfort now as I did the first couple weeks but it might just be postpartum recovery aswell, anyone else got a prolapse and how does it affect them now? Is it normal to see the prolapse at the entrance of vagina? Can a prolapse reverse as in go back up (even a little bit) on its own or is it going to constantly be hanging where it shouldn't. Feel fed up and really let down by healthcare providers, went to see another doctor to ask if I could get a referal if it wasn't better and he just offered me anxiety tablets (cause it's obviously not normal being worried over organs falling into the vagina) -_-

[FuriousR]

Support and treatment of early post natal women with prolapse is shit. Saying that, uterine prolapse can improve as the uterus fully involutes and shrinks and your hormones settle. Do you have any bladder or bowel bulges? I'd insist on referral to women's health physio or pay yourself if you can and go privately. They can fill you in on the measures to take to give you the best chance of recovery. My cervix was at the entrance but is now a fingers depth in but I also have a cystocele and rectocele. There is some evidence that early post natal use of a pessary plus physio can encourage stuff back where it is supposed to be so I'd also try and see if your gp can fit a ring (then get yourself a nicer pink silicon one when you have your size - milex ring with support common with uterine prolapse) or refer you either via nhs or privately to urogynaecology to get a check and pessary. Xx

[PerpetualStudent]

I had this, realised very soon after birth I had a prolapse and pushed for a community gyne referral at my 6 week check. It was then a drawn out process but I kept pushing for a referral for women’s physio and eventually when my DD was about 18 months (!!) I got it. She was really useful in explaining the details of my condition and lots of ways to improve it (all sort of things around good posture while using the toilet etc)
In the meantime 6 weeks is still very recent and there’s every chance things will improve/settle down for you. In the meantime I found a YouTube channel: FemFusion Fitness really helpful in addition to keeping up with my kegals.

I really feel for you, there’s still so much ‘well that’s just what happens when you give birth, what did you expect?’ Sloshing around our health care system and it’s utterly demoralising. But it’s not a life sentence by any means.

[mclover]

I got the Squeezy app on my phone from the NHS as I was rubbish at remembering to do them. My prolapse was worse from weeks 6-12 postpartum. After that it got better. Good luck

[magpie545]

@FuriousR thank you for your response I really appreciate it I've felt very alone and depressed. How long did it take for your prolapse to move up? And how did you do it? I'm going to pay for my own private physio :) much better than waiting for the doctors (bastards) lol I've been watching femfusion and doing exercises, watching posture and using nhs Squeezy app too while also walking daily but I feel like the symptoms have got a lot better but the prolapse is still right where it was before :( I just wish it would move up even if it was just a bit. Honestly not sure if it's any other prolapse, I don't wee or accidentally poo so I'm assuming it's just a uterine prolapse, how long does it take for a uterine prolapse to shrink back to its normal state? I'm sorry for bombarding you with questions lol but googling is bloody terrifying, I started checking google for answers then was like "that's enough for today" lmao been traumatised xxx

[magpie545]

Also thank you everyone for replies really appreciated and it's so good knowing I'm not totally alone, I've got the nhs Squeezy app its actually really good! Also what would everyone consider the postpartum recovery stage and how long does it last, this is my first baby and every time I check online it just says 6-8 weeks so I feel like I'm running out of time to heal :( this is my first baby and I'm clueless

[FuriousR]

A year at least. Pessary pessary pessary xxx

[FuriousR]

P. S. I'm 34. Two water births. Any suggestions of weak connective tissue? Instrumental birth or very quick? Physio will make you feel less alone and more confident. It's shitty and I've felt terrible and still have bad days but my quality of life is good and I'm in a much worse state than you! Pessary, pessary, pessary... Xx

[Tippety]

OP it will differ for everyone, but for me it definitely took longer than that to feel anywhere near back to 'normal'. Probably at around 5 months-ish I felt mostly healed, but like you I was fobbed off with a prolapse as 'just one of those things' which is ridiculous. It did get quite a bit better on its own, I don't think it'll ever be how it was, but it's alright enough to not bother pushing for any help.

[SallyWD]

6 week post partum is very early days and the majority of prolapses heal to an extent. It can take more than a year! You're body is very low in oestrogen now and has some other hormone making everything relaxed (is it called relaxin or something? I can't remember) If you're breastfeeding you're especially low on oestrogen - prolapses really improve when there's lots of oestrogen in your body. Breastfeeding suppresses the release of oestrogen (and no I'm not suggesting you stop breastfeeding). I had uterine, bladder and bowel prolapses (triple whammy!) but they only improved a lot once I fully stopped breastfeeding around 11 months post partum. They're still there a bit but I'm really not aware of them most of the time. Everything is functioning completely normally.

[magpie545]

@SallyWD wow it can take a year for the prolapse to heal mostly? That's crazy but gives me some hope, I'm a very impatient person at times and a very very nervous person too (no wonder doctor offered me meds lol) I actually stopped breast feeding 2 weeks postpartum due to him not latching :( I felt awful stopping but he just would not it was so difficult, that's probably why my symptoms have got a lot better so quickly. I remember the first 4 weeks the heaviness feeling was awful, I had leg fatigue to the point I couldn't walk fast (I was like a snail and kept tripping over my feet), I had a dragging feeling and it was almost painful to be honest. I had a fairly normal birth but was left for 26 hours after my waters broke because the hospital was that busy then got cut to help my son come out and also started bleeding pretty bad I lost 3 pints of blood so the doctor massaged my belly to stop bleeding (didn't get a blood transfusion just tablets) my son was 8lb 1oz and I pushed for 3 hours I think, so it wasn't the worst birth experience but something went wrong obviously, maybe I've always had a week pelvic floor or maybe I was left too long after my waters broke. Well as long as the symptoms go I suppose that's the main thing, I would just really like it if it lifted not that I expect it to go all the way back up I just would like if it would budge up a little bit, did yours move up a bit? I find it so confusing as some people say it "reversed" and some just say the "symptoms reversed" so I'm really unsure if it's even possible. I will also talk to physio therapist about a Pessary if it could help don't see the harm :) xxx

[magpie545]

I'm hoping after 6 months I might not notice it. Also sally I'm glad you don't notice them anymore! Really glad I posted on here you've all be great xx

[SallyWD]

Yes I've even heard they can take 2 years to heal. It's a very slow process. My cervix was very low after the birth but now if I insert my longest finger I can just feel it. Some postpartum prolapses do completely reverse. Others just partially heal but stop being symptomatic (my situation). I know how you feel. I remember it so well. I was distraught. I'd lie awake at night thinking my insides would fall out. I felt like I'd never live a normal life again. Now I don't give it any thought. It doesn't worry me at all. You'll be fine and you'll feel very differently in time. I agree you should get a pessary and see a pelvic floor specialist.

[magpie545]

@SallyWD wow that's crazy I'm glad you've said that and I think I'll probably be the same as you maybe partially heal, I'll just have to accept it and do all I can to prevent it from worsening. Awh god it really is awful the worry that comes with it, I've also sat up and night reading every single web page and YouTubing it and crying over it (I feel pathetic lol but it's a big deal to me), I'm so glad your feeling unbothered by it, I probably will in time too, did you use a Pessary Sally? And do you no longer need it if so? I'm a bit scared of using one if I'm being honest, I don't know why though :/ xxx

[SallyWD]

No one ever offered me a pessary! It was only many months later that I heard about a few different women who'd had one soon after birth and it really helped them heal by taking the pressure off the ligaments etc. I wish I'd had one for the first year. I got a dvd called Hab-it with exercises specifically for prolapse. I also got a Kegal 8 machine which has a programme for prolapse. I think they both helped a lot but also just letting time pass, avoiding heavy lifting etc. Bless you, it'll all be OK.

[FuriousR]

It may get better on it's own but it depends how uncomfortable you are, how much lifting and exercise you want/have to do etc. For me, with a toddler and active job, I wanted to feel like I could go for a long walk or take the children to the zoo for the day without being uncomfortable or constantly worried I was making it worse. I have muscle damage around my perineum and side wall which is unlikely to be repairable and increases my risk of a worsening uterine prolapse so I'm keen to maintain the improvement I've seen so far and then try and wean off the pessary after a year or so. It's very personal and if you get good improvement without and you don't have a massive toddler to lug around you may not need it. There's a fb group called POP fitness which is cheerier and more relevant than the APOPS forum and is nearly all young mums rather than post menopausal women. Not that post menopausal women cannot add to the discussion, just that it's less common in our age group and it makes you feel less alone to see all these other funny, active mums managing it well. Many are still doing exercise deemed inappropriate such as running and even power lifting! I am in no way suggesting that is a good idea for you 6 weeks pp but the general positive energy there was helpful for me. Hab-it, MUTU, POP UP (created by the lady who runs POP fitness), One strong mama... There are lots of prolapse oriented rehab series if that's your sort of thing. With just a uterine prolapse you have a lot of hope of substantial progress even if you sat in your pants and ate cake for a year whilst otherwise living completely as normal but there are lots of sources of help and support if you want it. Xxx

[magpie545]

@FuriousR thank you for your replies it's been very hard to come to terms with, I scan the internet for information lol but I need to stop as it's actually going to scramble my brain lol I hope that in time you will feel a lot better and I'm glad the Pessary is working for you as I've read a lot of people complain about them but everyone's bodies are different and it's great that it helps you which makes me think I could benefit from one too xxx

[magpie545]

@Tippety Awh I'm glad you manage it well I really am, can I ask what stage your prolapse was/is at? And did kegels help? Xxx

[FuriousR]

P. S..someone has just published a study of sacrospinous hysteropexy vs hysterectomy - high quality, long term study of lots of women - and, after 5 years, only one woman (1%) in the hysteropexy group (keyhole day surgery to create an attachment between uterus and your backbone) had a failure or any other symptoms. Best case scenario = it gets better on it's own, very possible given you are young and fit and willing to look after yourself to make that happen. Middle scenario = a pessary fixes it into a good position and you use that for a few years whilst you decide if you want more children etc, not what you would have wanted if you'd had the choice but similar to a diaphragm or menstrual cup or tampon and you can have sex with a ring pessary in. Worst case scenario you need surgery down the line - there is a good, minimally invasive option with good long term outcomes! Available on the nhs. Don't know if that helps!

[magpie545]

@FuriousR hey thanks for the info! Is that where they use mesh? I'm so confused on the operations because apparently mesh can cause really bad side affects? But there's not a lot about the online so it's hard to know for sure how bad it is etc and when using a Pessary does it affect your sex life? Like do you find that it's fine having sex or is it uncomfortable? Even with a Pessary j know this sounds ridiculous (I'm uneducated on the topic lol) can it make you feel wider down there or does it feel like normal? Xxx

[FuriousR]

Mesh has some issues whether transvaginal (actually placed against the vaginal wall to support it for cystocele or rectocele or the tvt type tapes) or in the abdomen to hold stuff up (small amounts used to reinforce the attachment of the organ to whatever it is stuck to e.g uterus to spine) but intra abdominal suspension of stuff is not the main source of the complications. Main issue seems to be erosion of the transvaginal and tvt mesh. Using it to suspend the uterus gives better long term outcomes than just using own tissue but all these ops are fairly new so no one can tell you what will hapoen 20 yrs from now. I'm not a doctor but that's my understanding. You can have uterine suspension without mesh but i don't have stats on the relative success/longevity

[FuriousR]

Pps. I have a pessary i take out at night - cube is like a silicon tampon. If the ring sits right you can have sex with it is. Shouldn't make you feel wider if sitting high enough and right size. It's up to you if it's something you fancy trying. I can understand why it would be so traumatic when you're young and firts baby. Feel free to pm me if you want. X

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

There's a funny physio, Gusset Grippers, doing a dry by christmas campaign on twitter and instagram to remind you to do your pelvic floor exercises. Have a follow, she's making me laugh (and remember!)

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

@gussiegrips on twitter
#gusset_grippers on insta
not sure if she's on anything else.

[magpie545]

@FuriousR Awh you've been fab and so lovely answering all my questions, I'm going to ask about a Pessary when I get my 8 week pp check up or when I see a physiotherapist. Does your prolapse get worse around your period? Is it normal? I felt like I was getting much better then once I came on my period it felt like I noticed a bulge more :( really annoying and a constant reminder, with it being a uterus prolapse maybe it's because it's heavier but I can't find anything that explains much on it, I'm. We to this app lol I don't know how to pm 😂 I'll have a mess with it a bit more only downloaded it to post about my prolapse lmao xxx

[FuriousR]

Uterus is heavier when just coming on period and lower in vagina so generally feels worse. Mid cycle uterus is smaller and cervix goes high around ovulation. I feel best from last day or so of period until a week before next one due then oestrogen drops, progesterone peaks and drops and that hormonal mixture makes everything feel soggier (ugh) and worse. If periods are a real trigger for you, you could consider a mirena coil or other contraceptive that stops or reduces frequency of periods (running pill packs together etc). Can have a coil and pessary if ring but mine is a cube and suctions onto the cervix so I'm nervous about it pulling the coil out. With every period, however, your oestrogen levels will be returning to normal which should help. Relaxin takes approx 5 months to fully leave your system so as that goes your supportive uterine ligaments should tighten a little. The idea behind the pessary is that you hoik the uterus back where it is supposed to be and then the hormonal changes tighten the ligaments and it stays... No strong evidence it is quite this straightforward but makes some sense in theory. My cervix was right at the entrance and is now nearly a finger deep even without the pessary in. You may find that if you ask to try a pessary, they'll say something like 'you're too young, that's for old ladies' or 'you can't have sex with a pessary' or 'you can't remove and replace it yourself'. All wrong. Please consider the POP fitness fb group - you have to find it and request to join as it is a 'secret' group that no one will be able to see you belong to. Also Google hayley shevener prolapse. Kegels are helpful, electronic toners are helpful but not proven to be superior to doing the manual exercises, the hab-it dvd is a good start but there's also femfusion lift series and lots of videos from her on YouTube (trainer who has prolapse) all free. X