Prolapse - absolutely devastated

[SurelyNotMe]

Have name changed for this.

Gave birth to my beautiful DD 4 weeks ago. After a horrible pregnancy (constant morning sickness, 8 stomach bugs, severe SPD) I then struggled so much with bfeeding (tongue tie, thrush and mastitis).

Just got over that and I have now found I have a prolapse. I am so upset. I have no idea what part has prolapsed or how severe it is. It's not hanging out (sorry tmi) but I can see it easily very near the entrance. I can feel it when I walk. I have no sensation to wee and leak urine (not loads but enough to feel disgusted with myself). I have been constipated since the birth (taking meds but think I have a fissure so it's painful every time). I also think I have thrush. Booked in at the docs next week but I can't stop crying about this so need some support/ advice.

I was so active before the pregnancy but was crippled with SPD (couldn't walk, DH had to stop work to care for me and our older DD). I have been looking forward so much to getting back into running but now have no idea how or if I will be able to do this. I also have no idea how I will be able to have sex as the entrance is completely blocked (sorry tmi again). I also want another baby but cannot go through all of this again.

I feel like I am literally falling apart, mentally and physically. I look horrible as it is as I put on so much weight through not being able to walk during the pregnancy, and the prolapse makes me feel even more horrible. I am SICK of resting, I want to be active and make the most of my young family.

Please help ladies :(

You poor thing. Sorry that things seem to be getting worse for you. It is still early days and things may well improve over the next couple of months (I know that sounds like a horribly long time though!). But if things don't, go back to your GP and INSIST on a private referral to a specialist pelvic floor gynae. Hopefully fish has a good person for you.

Hi Surely, ok, have quickly skimmed what's happened with you and want to reassure you on several counts. First, the feeling of pressure when you walk. Normal, sadly, for what's going on with you. I had that for months. And when it finally went away with walking, I still felt it if I suddenly had to run (like across the street or to keep DS from falling over). It takes months to go away but it will eventually. Also when you check whether you're having any muscular contraction when you do PFEs - normal not to have any power in those muscles, again. I had that too.
I can't recall seeing it but are you breast or bottle feeding? If you're breastfeeding, you still have a lot of the hormone relaxin floating around you system, which is what helps ligaments to soften to allow your pelvis to open up for baby to pass through. Unfortunately relaxin also keeps a lot of other things soft and loose, so recovery from devastating injuries like yours is slowed down. My pelvic floor physio told me that relaxin doesn't completely disappear from your body until six months after you've stopped nursing.

It is early days for you but those early days are shit when you never expected anything like this could happen :(.
Must go but will be back. xxJM

Thanks JM. You are so right about not expecting this. I was so worried that my pelvis would be permanently damaged (which it isn't) I did not think for a second that anything else could go wrong. I certainly thought prolapse was something that happened to women after the menopause.

I am breastfeeding, and my hormone levels were high throughout the pregnancy. I plan to bf for quite a long time though so I guess I need to be prepared for a long recovery.

I've had a couple of days doing NOTHING (DD1 is ill) and I have literally not left the house. I thought that I would feel better but it is getting painful to sit down, and when I stand up I feel like I have a bowling ball down there. It's so annoying as it's like a constant reminder that things are not right. It's good to hear that it will get better though.

I have been told by my physio (for SPD, not gynae) that I can exercise after 12 weeks. I used to run but would this be a really bad idea with the prolapse?. I ran up the stairs the other day, that was not one of my better ideas!!. I have a cross trainer that I am tempted to use, I'm getting fed up of being overweight.

Thanks again

I'm a runner too and have found it psychologically very difficult to not exercise. My physio has said that running will not make my rectocele, etc, etc, any worse but that it will feel horrid. You need good core stability and good pelvic floor strength to run. If it's shot to all hell, then basically things that should stay put start falling out and down - all the feelings I have when walking are magnified many many times. It is not at all nice! I have made the decision to run for short periods and just put up with how awful it feels. I know that might sound mad, but mentally it feels better for me to feel that I still can do some of the "normal" stuff that I used to do and that my body in some respect at least can still function in the way I am used to. But you have to know that you won't be damaging yourself by running. If you are considering running, or even any other cardio exercise, get yourself checked by a gynae physio first to make sure that you won't cause any more damage. I've been doing more on the reclining exercise bike, which I find doesn't have the same effect on my rectocele, etc, etc. Would this be an option for you? In any case it might be a good idea to run in the gym and not outside if you can - if it all goes horribly wrong there's a chair, a loo, a shower, a change of clothes and someone who can help you. Another point - you need a strong core and good pelvic floor to help you maintain stability when running and if you have had SPD you will be at risk of instability and injury. Again, like Jacks said, as you are BF you will have high levels of relaxin, so you won't be able to recover from the SPD and tighten up properly yet. Personally, I'd avoid the cross-trainer - I had SPD in the final weeks of pregnancy and I would not want to do anything that involved that kind of criss-cross motion going through the pelvis.

Surelynoteme - sorry for the delay in replying. I've nipped over from the Ragged Bits thread. Just want to echo what JM said about the time it takes to recover, especially if you're bf-ing. My colorectal consultant was unequivocal that the impact of childbirth on our bodies is huge and recovery takes time. Even those who aren't having much trouble now will have trouble down the line. Just compare the size of the incontinence section with the sanitary/tampon section to see his point made loud and clear. I really feel for you - it's a horrid time for you, but things will improve and I hope that like me, you eventually get to the point where things are actually ok. Physio is key - and Rocketupbum is right that most people don't do the exercises properly. I certainly wasn't and I'd done pilates etc. where you think you're clenching in the right way.
Take care

Hi SUrely

I am sorry to read this but glad you have had some treatment from GP

My situation was exactly the same as yours. I had the falling out of me feeling, needing to wee all the time, slight protrusion that felt like badly placed tampon. I had mild vaginal wall prolapse (caused by bladder) diagnosed

2 yrs on, its better. protrusion gone, falling out gone and needign to wee improved but I've had the help of a women's health physio who made sure that i was doing my pelvic floor exerciese properly. Its easy to not do them properly and they are then pointless.

The weeing all the time feeling was dreadful at the time and I sympathise. I couldnt do anything or go anywhere due to it. My physio said to drink a lot more water which helped a lot, go as long as possible between weeing and a few other things.

things improved over time but didnt really get much better til after I dropped most breast feeds by 9 mths(lots of things changed then!).

Hang in there and things will get better.

bumping this old thread to say it has been helpful to me and hope you have had help surely

BehindTheCurtain I have PMed you about pilates instructor