To ask how many of you here have a prolapse?

[SheepishQuestion]

It's a weird question I know.

The reason I ask is because I have one myself and nobody I know, other than my DM, has had one (or admitted to having one)

I have a mild/moderate cystocele (bladder prolapse) and slight uterine descent.

I'm only 26 and it does get me down, i believe mine is the result of a very difficult child birth. It also worries me in the sense that I can't do high impact exercise, run or lift my child (big heavy 3 year old now) for fear of it getting worse.

Is it as common as my DM wants me to believe? I'm yet to speak to anybody else who has the same. Least of all people my age

Me though I’m much older! There is a very good Facebook group called POP Fitness which is mostly younger women. It’s full of support, good advice and often posts links to excellent resources. There are over 6000 members so you are definitely not alone!

Me.

I'm 32, and agree IRL none of the women I know seem to suffer with the same.

I had a mild rectocele
Prolapse after my DD 4 years ago and managed to 'improve' it with regular pelvic floor exercises, I really rate the Michelle Kenway DVD.

I had my DS 14 weeks ago and feel it again.

I was told by my midwife after DS that I was "high risk now" because of my labours.

Both times I had prolonged second stages and both times ended up with episiotomy and forceps.

Tbh I'm really struggling this time around as I gained a big jiggly tummy with my last pregnancy, in the past the only way I've been able to achieve a body shape I'm happy with was with HIIT workouts, and I feel like because of pelvic floor that's not an option for me anymore, and I can't really see a way out of the negative relationship I have with my body at the minute.

You are not alone OP.

I am 42. One child of 3. Rubbish birth. Forceps. Mild bladder prolapse which gets worse as period due. Annoying generally.

I think lots of people do!

Me. I'm 36. Mine is as a result of a very rough forceps delivery when I was 31. I'm still waiting for surgery.

I do. My Gp, who works part time, told me she does 3 or 4 physio referrals for them a week to convince me of how common they are. No one talks about them.

I walked down the bridle path I used to run down and I would love to be able to do so again.

Thank you all so much, it's reassuring to know I'm not an unusual case as It does feel that way in my friendship circle. Anybody I've mentioned it to IRL doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about!

I've been seen by a uro gynae who confirmed my GP's diagnosis of cystocele but offered no further appointments. I wanted a pessary so I could resume some normal physical activity (lifting my DC without fear of it worsening for starters) but he wouldn't give me one. I'm not totally sure why.

I've been to one physio appointment at women's health who checked I was doing the squeezes properly then discharged me saying it might go away by itself. It hasn't.

I would have the surgery tomorrow if it were offered to me but my age goes against me and I'm not a candidate, apparently I may decide I haven't "completed my family" yet.. but I bloody have.

Having this has killed my sex drive stone dead and although DP says he would never know, I know and it bothers me.

I used to love jogging, trampoline, squats were a staple to my workouts.. now I can't do any of those things. I have traded those things for cycling which I do enjoy, but I miss my old routine.

I'll definitely look into the resources suggested here

Me! 32 3rd degree tear from my first baby in April left
Me with mild rectocele. Lovely

I've had one for donkey's years, only found about it about 3 years ago, but had a rectocele for at least 20, just didn't know what it was. Not supposed to carry stuff but there's a limit to how compatible that is to normal life. It doesn't trouble me, so I'm lucky.

I'm trying out the Kegel8 Ultra 20 which is the little electric machine that zaps your pelvic bits to improve your muscles and reverse prolapse - only been using it a week but it has really good reviews, here's hoping.

Me. Age 42. Check out Lauren O'hayon Restore Your Core on facebook. Lots of women there. And lots of hope. It can be improved.

Me. Grade 3 rectocele after two difficult births. Had surgery and now I'm back to running marathons, lifting weights..everything I used to do. Do push for the surgery if you can. It changed my life

It's pretty common.

I saw someone on here say once that women shouldn't be told about how common birth injuries are because 'then no one would want to have babies'

Me..after my biggest baby at 29.. mild vaginal, cystocele (bladder) and rectocele (bowel) I had a hysterectomy at 36 as my insides were shot, frankly, but still have the cystocele and rectocele. Doesn't impact my daily life much, except I have a bowel management routine (suppostories) as I have no sensation to 'go'.
Sometimes I still get a dragging sensation but nothing like the early days.
I was foolish and had four children tho No 4, much as I adore him, wrecked me!

I did, after 3 vaginal deliveries, I was left with most of my uterus dropped right down, full hysterectomy at 42

Me too. 37, had it after pushing out my first (large headed!) child. It does my head in but also I’ve gotten used to it. Also lots of my friends have issues- I’m very open about it and was surprised to find that I wasn’t alone. The main thing I miss is running, everything tends to feel very low and weak after a run , and I start to leak. All of which takes away the freedom and joy I used to feel pre childbirth

Fellrunner85....tell me more! I’ve been told that even after surgery running would be off the table. Did you have to do a lot of physio ?

I've got a rectocele. Only had one baby, wasn't a bad birth and she wasn't even big. The consultant said I was unlucky. It appeared about 6 weeks after birth and I was devastated. It has affected how much I feel comfortable exercising as I don't want to make worse. There was some improvement after giving up breastfeeding - which by the way the physio only admitted was likely to happen when I asked as 'they don't want to give mothers a reason to stop breastfeeding' which pissed me off. I have learned more about how to manage it on here than I have through the gynae team.

I'm pregnant again now and they have suggested a ELCS this time which I'm considering. I will definitely get the surgery after as I will definitely have finished my family!

My aunt has one but she is almost 70. She said its because of her natural births. I do think women who have c section are less likely to have this compilation.

I had one after my first, meant I couldn’t wear tampons.
Wierdly it went after my second. Although I couldn’t shit without pain to a year due to bruising (win some you loose some)

First was ventouse, second forceps.

Follow My Fit Family Life on insta, French therapist living in America who is really great. She does a tummy flattening, core repairing pelvic floor strengthening course that would suit you. It’s called better body after baby. I LOVE her.

I think the damage was done with birth 1 (difficult instrumental) but I didn’t notice until after birth 2 which was v quick. 2 weeks later I was carrying the baby in the car seat and I felt something fall out of me. That’s why physios hate the infant carriers.

I have. Since DD's birth 8 years ago. I was told it was because she was a very quick birth so the tissue tore rather than stretched. It was also worse depending on the time of the month but has been consistent at its worst stage since I went on the pill. The doctor said it was normal after a birth and not to run, jump or carry heavy things. However, I've been under physio for another surgery this past year and they want me to do exactly all those things so I need to choose between recovering from surgery and worsening my prolapse.

Went back to the doctor, it's grade 2, with rectocele and minor cystocele. He offered me a hysterectomy (just as Covid started) I refused and have been having pelvic floor physio and he prescribed me a pessary. P-F physio says my pelvic floor is ok, if a little on the weak side, Pessary was uncomfortable, couldn't wee, painful to put in and remove so I ordered myself a smaller one off the Internet. Arrived yesterday and I wore it all afternoon. Am going to try it out again today, and am hoping it's the answer. I was told that prolapse is a result of weekend tissue holding the organs in place. So I'm not sure how a hysterectomy would help, surely everything else would just move out of place too?

I’m 34 and pretty much everything’s trying to escape now - I have cystocele, rectocele, uterine descent and rectoanal intususseption. Also have post-ablation failure, so am desperate for a hysterectomy. Urogynae & GI have been umming and ahhhing over surgery for a while now. They’re worried they risk making it all even worse.

I think prolapses are very, very common. But firstly not talked about very much, and secondly I think there are a lot of women with prolapses who don’t realise they have prolapses.

I’m on a couple of FB groups which have been a godsend for realising I’m not alone. But also make me angry that this often isn’t taken very seriously by doctors, and that there often aren’t very effective treatments.

Mild cystocele over here.

It’s very, very common but for some reason not discussed at all.

Something that makes me particularly cross is doctors telling women that it’s pregnancy that causes it, not vaginal birth. Absolute rubbish. It’s true that c-sections don’t offer complete protection and prolapses do still occur in women who’ve only had sections, but it’s MUCH less common. And my cystocele wasn’t there the day before I gave birth but it was there afterwards.

I was very sick for the first 20 weeks of my last pregnancy and I wondered if that might have contributed to it due to the constant added pressure on my pelvic floor.

I've been sick this time round too and have to support my pelvic floor during it or I can feel a lot of pressure on my prolapse.

The glamour eh!