Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc part 4

[Ben10NeverAgain]

This is thread 3 of a long-running series of posts from ladies suffering from pelvic prolapses to support each other through the process of diagnosis, repair and recovery.

Here are the previous threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2

Info from BBC Health

What is a pelvic prolapse?

As the muscles, ligaments and supporting tissues in the pelvis become weaker, they are less able to hold in the organs of the pelvis such as the womb (uterus) or bladder.

Gravity pulls these organs down and, in the more severe cases, may appear through the entrance to the vagina.

A variety of problems can occur, depending on where the weakness lies and which organs are able to descend, but in every case there is some degree of prolapse of the vaginal wall, which begins to invert (rather like a sock turning inside out).
Prolapse of the womb or uterus is the most common prolapse, affecting as many as one in eight older women to some degree
Prolapse of the bladder, known as a cystocele, is less common.
Prolapse of the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the bladder) is known as a urethrocele.
Prolapse of the intestines is quite rare, and known as an enterocele or rectocele.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which tissues descend, and how severe the prolapse is.

They may include:
A sense of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis.
The appearance of a bulge of tissue in the genital area, which can be quite alarming, and is often red and sore.
Urinary problems, such as having to urinate more frequently, feeling the need urgently, being incontinent (losing control of the bladder) or, conversely, being unable to pass urine when you need to.
Pain in the pelvis or lower back.
Sexual problems, including pain and decreased libido.
Constipation.
Vaginal discharge or bleeding.

Treatment and recovery

Once a prolapse has developed, surgery to fix the affected organs is usually the only way to cure it effectively.

However, another option is to use a device known as a vaginal ring pessary. This is rather like a contraceptive diaphragm or cervical cap. It's made of silicone or latex, and placed in the vagina to push back the prolapsed organs and hold them in place. Many women happily manage their prolapse this way.

Hi all, can I join you. Think I have a uterine prolapse and am going to go on Thursday. What can I expect?
Am 50 and fat and menopausal so I know I fit a fairly common profile but have never really had any major health issues and this is scaring me silly besides being horribly embarrassing.
No real symptoms other than the internal bulge and mild urinary incontinence but need to get things sorted.
What questions should I ask gp?

Thanks Happy, got my pre op booked on Thursday. Doesn't sound too bad...potential banana skin might be the weight, but its not like the consultant didn't know I was a bit on the big side when he saw me lol

Hi Ginger, and welcome. I'm quite new to this, but the ladies here are a great support. Only thing I would say is not to worry about the docs appt as they seem to try pelvic floor physio etc first before thinking .about any surgery. You might want to ask if it is.a prolapse and if so what kind it is and the severity, and what to.expect in terms of treatment options. Good luck xxx

Fen - how you doing honey? Things.any better?

Ginger - a common saying is you leave your dignity at the door and collect it on the way out, and not in a bad way! It takes a lot of courage to seek help precisely because women don't talk about prolapse. You will be surprised that the only person if anyone who bats an eyelid is you. You'll be fine.
Roseanna, thanks for asking. After chasing the hospital again (apparently no-one ever gets voicemails) I now have an appt on thurs and a scan on fri. The wrong way round of course, but the way things are going. Just as well though as things are not improving. Just have to wait and see....
Poor dd1 went for her treatment today (the new one plus the original) and stoically put up with a FIVE AND A HALF hour wait (sorry to shout). Poor kid had people poking in her veins trying to get a cannula in, then when they did, they disappeared for twenty minutes before starting her drugs. She witnessed cancer patients who needed biopsies being sent home too. All at a 'centre of excellence' as well. We got home at 11pm. I was very pleased to find a ready-mixed g&t in the cupboard!

fengirl, sounds like a horrible day yesterday. I hope DD is coping OK with her treatment and not too worn out by all the sitting around. and that you get sorted out soon; it sounds like it has been a rough ride

Weeeeell... Last night I took the plunge and got the mirror out . From googling images online and comparing to what I can see as well as having a footle round there this morning, I believe that I have a cyctocele, and also a small rectocele (not to mention the general carnage caused by my last forceps delivery and bodged episiotomy, including a flappy bit which looks much bigger than it feels, which is alarming). If I bear down I can feel a bulge on the front wall of my vagina and can see both bulges at the entrance though they are not protruding. The front one definately looked larger when my bladder was full. It's not a pretty sight

I am wishing I hadn't looked now ...and that I had namechanged before posting here as I realise this will show up on Latest threads on my profile!

I'm booked in with one of the lovely lady GPs at my practice next Thursday.

Hello all, I continue to lurk. After almost 2 years of appointments, investigations, fob offs, etc etc, I'm going in for a rectocele repair and perineum rebuild tomorrow. I am dreading the op and being in hospital, but I'll be pleased to get it done.

I had my pre-op last week, and asked if it would be possible to have a spinal rather than GA. I've only been in hospital for minor stuff previously, and when DS was born, so luckily haven't had any surgery before - and the thought of it is making me feel very nervous! I think I would feel a lot better if I wasn't going to be knocked out completely; I've also been reading lots of info, and I really don't like the sounds of the side effects with GA. I have to ask the anaesthetist tomorrow morning if I can have the block. Anyway, fingers crossed it all works out whatever happens.

I've been shopping this morning, stocking up on all things high fibre, prune juice, nighties, cheap slippers to bin on the way out, etc. If anyone is around today, do let me know if you have any suggestions of other things to take in to make it all more bearable. I have books and mags and my iPod. The food was appalling when I was in having DS, so DP will be bringing me nice things instead - I couldn't eat it then, when I was feeling ok, so I can't imagine I'd be able to stomach it if I feel a bit yuk.

I hope everyone on the thread is ok - Fen, sounds like you've had a particularly crap time. Hello to newcomers too.

Big old knickers would be my suggestion Buffalo. Also a water bottle, far easier to use that in bed than having cups on the side table. Don't forget the charger for your Ipod either. Good luck!

Good Luck Buffalo

Hope all goes well buffalo.

Buffalo - recommend you have baby wipes and toothbrush and paste to hand to freshen up whilst bed bound. Make sure anything you need closeby is easily accessible and the person who brings your bag in can set things out so they are to hand. It is difficult to rummage in lockers when you are stitched and cathetarised!!!! Good luck

Fen - continued best wishes to you. Love the idea of emergency ready mix G&T in the cupboard. Good luck with appt and scan.

Lacka - Good luck with your appointment. You've given me courage to have a look myself as haven't for a while. I've been told mine isn't bad enough yet for a repair. Embarrassing Bodies featured a cystocele repair last week with before pictures. I would have liked more information but think perhaps I've been so well educated by the lovely ladies on this forum perhaps I am expecting too much.

In face wishing everybody good luck with getting our bodies back!!!

Thanks all. These days I think all of my knickers are big and old Whoknows . Maybe after all of this I may feel like restocking my underwear drawer.

Good luck buffalo for tomorrow. Remember sanitary towels, so much nicer to have your own then asking a nurse.

Fen I am outraged for you sounds like you had an awful time at the hospital. Things surely have to improve for you now. Good luck with scan and app.

Shattered any luck on finding a consultant?

Hi Ginger. My advice would be to push for an appointment with a urogyne pelvic floor exercise can not fix a prolapse although I was told they can help them to not get any worse.

Tmi warning!

I have a question for the post op ladies - I have stopped bleeding but now seem to have a beigish discharge. Not huge quantities and it does not smell but does have a faint odour a bit like menstral blood. Sorry I know a bit yucky. Did you have this. Also very very tired. I do not get out of bed all day and my glands are swollen in my throat. Just after some reassurance this I'll prefectly normal if you know what I mean.

Thanks

Pip

Pip - please get checked out - I was the same as you and had stopped bleeding and then had discharge which turned out to be an infection. It is normal to have some discharge and you will bleed a bit when stitches come away but if you are not feeling well this could be the start of an infection. If the gp is not sure, INSIST on a swab and possibly some antibiotics while you are waiting for the results. Far better safe than sorry and I hope you will be told all is well.

Ladies - I found a stitch today! Hurrah! Thought the bloody things were never coming out. I will let you know what happens tomorrow. Not holding my breath for any straight answers as when I asked the nurse if she felt something when she examined me I didn't.....

hi i often had a peep on this thread.

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my sitch.

Had dd 11 yrs ago, tiny baby but got stuck for 2 hrs then flew out. 2nd degree tear, grazing to labia and further up. Really gaping vaginal opening which has improved a bit since. Slight (desribed at the time) cystocele and rectocele.

I have been single for yrs, but recently started a relationship and have been having alot of pain in my bladder during and after. Last yr i had a scan and everything was ok inside, but i really think its the cysotcele thats causing the discomfort. Like i want to pee all the time. Changing position to from behind helps. Missionary has been impossible for me even yrs back when i was stil with my dh. Yet when i was examined and had to have some grazes redone, this was 10 yrs ago, and at the time the doc at the hospital just said 'we don't do designer vaginas here you know'

so basically i never questioned the horrors that were left down below.

I havent leaked wee much over the yrs, but do have difficulty weeing, and know i have to wait a bit longer to get the 'rest' of it out.

I think over time it's got worse, do you think it's worth going back, is there anything they can possibly do to help me.
tia xx

Piratecat - what you describe is exactly what was going in with my bladder and I had a cystocele repair. Go and ask your gp for a referral to a urogynaecologist. You shouldn't have to put up with it - and if anyone tells you any different they're still living in the dark ages! Good luck.

Back again.... Do you think it would be crazy of me to be a bit militant if I'm told to have more antibiotics and decline??? Slightly mad question I know but surely by now if they were going to do anything they would have - I'm more than a bit fed up of:
A) remembering to take them at the right time and with / without food as appropriate
B) the accompanying dodgy stomach is getting more than a bit annoying now
Thoughts????
This all might be me getting a bit overwrought / too knackered to think / over-thinking things.

Hi all,

Fen - I think its pretty disgusting how you and your dd have been treated. So no, I don't think it'd be militant. Militant would be, say, telling them to shove a loo brush up their butt and living with it as.long as you have! Hang in there xx

Thanks footle, am a little bit paranoid coz the good old BMI is way higher than it should be and keep being plagued with the thought that they won't do anything/ cancel at the last minute etc, but probably just being oversensitive lol

Good luck tomorrow buffalo xx

Hi from New Zealand. Just popped in to say I had a Cystocel and Rectocele repair done five weeks ago....A bonus is my uterus is now sitting higher up than before.
Never had any pain at all. I had been lurking on here for about nine months before deciding to go ahead with it.
I saw three specialists before deciding to go with one from Egypt. He worked in Egypt and England before coming out here.
He is only a gynaecologist but is doing this operation every week...to me that was more important than whether he was a urogynaecologist or not.
To all of you that are about to have this op I wish you all the best. xx

Hi, I posted elsewhere in health but this may be the place for me...I have suffered from faecal incontinence since the birth of my daughter 3 years ago when I had a 3rd degree tear.I had surgery and later on more surgery on my bladder as I was leaking when i coughed, ran, jumped etc, the bladder is all fixed now. Initially I just thought my bowels would get back to normal....but coupled with sporadic outbreaks of diarrhoea this is becoming more of a problem. The doc ran blood tests to check my digestive system and found no cause for the diarrhoea. I am too scared to eat when out and only eat after I have been out and about and return home. I think the upset tummy thing is down to stress but am so scared of having an accident when I do go out....agh!!! Anyway the doc examined me and said I do have reduced control in my anal sphincter and has referred me to a colorectal surgeon. I just wondered what to expect, really? What kind of op can they do? Will I have to stay in hosp long etc etc? I'm only 34 and this is ruining my life :-(

Hi everyone,

a little while since I last posted but hope everyone is ok. Just another question, I have been told that have poor rectal muscles, the readings were very low and that there is a high possibility that if and when I have the rectocele repair I will be faecal incontinent, as having the repair makes the controlling of the bowels more difficult!.........I am waiting to see the gynae about this as it was the colorectal man that gave me this news today. I am fed up and was just wondering if anyone else had this happen to them. Monica I feel for you and just to let you know that the colorectal man did say that if it happened to me there were things he could do, but said no point worrying about this now and to wait and see what happens after operation, so sorry cant tell you what, but it did involve an operation. Anyway, like I said I am fed up and feel all I have to look forward to is pooing myself. Take care everyone and to Fen especially as you seem to be having a horrible time xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello there! It's been a year since I hung out on this thread and went 'through my ops and beyond' with a few of you.
I wil come back and update at some point with my 'a year on' story but in the meantime I wondered if any of you had seen this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1493288-to-think-that-women-are-not-told-the-truth-about-the-long-term-problems-associated-with-vaginal-delivery

I hope the pre-op went ok Roseanna.
Tink and Monica - I'm sure there was something on Embarrassing Bodies about a sphincter repair which you could look up (was a lady whose problems stemmed from the birth of a baby I think) . Apparently they can assess not only the strength of the muscles but also whether or not they need to be repaired.
Well..... I went along today and actually saw the head of the urogynae team. She agreed that my body still seems to be working to hard fight off an infection and took another swab. I had bloods taken as well. As it happens, by the time I got in there I was feeling rotten so didn't really argue when given another two weeks of augmentin (aaargh!). Apparently I am healing well so if there is a current infection it is in my pelvis. When a collection of fluid was mentioned again I asked what that meant 'specifically'. The reply was probably a haematoma, which was probably infected - so isn't that basically now an abscess ?
Will probably get blood results tomorrow or monday, swab will be longer. One thing you can be sure of - if I am in any doubt as to whether or not they find anything tomorrow I will not be leaving until they tell me!
Pip - did you see your GP?
Wondering if Nannasylv ever has a little peep on here now. Hope you're ok if you do!

Well I had my preop today (had bloods, bp, ecg, urine, temp, pulse ox and MRSA screening) and actually feel so much better after they explained everything to me and then after I had queried whether there might be any problem with the anaesthesia meds reacting with some other meds I take, the anaethitist called me this afternoon personally to reassure me he'd checked each one individually. I felt that I will be in safe hands on Tuesday. And you were right Footle, they weren't at all bothered by the BMI...were just factual. Thanks to all for your kind words.

Fen....thank goodness they seem to at least be taking things seriously but jeez....more abs!

Hi newbies...don't know enough to give anyone advice yet but welcome and good luck. The ladies here are a mine of invaluable info and support xxx