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General health

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

958 replies

Ben10NeverAgain · 06/04/2012 19:43

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.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 09:00

Kick If you can't tolerate prune juice, orange juice with bits in is the 2nd next best. I don't have pain when weeing.

Fapl Agree with the not straining. I think I made my prolapse much worse by straining with constipation for at least 6 months as I didn't see that it was important enough to deal with as I was dealing with other health conditions at the time which were far worse.

Singing It really sounds like you are having a tough time :( I think that you need to ask for a referral to someone for your bowels as well as urinary continence - colorectal??

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fapl · 09/04/2012 09:46

I admit I have never had prune juice [bugrin] (it sounds disgusting too scared to go anywhere near it) But I think for any woman suffering like we are a high fibre diet has to be the new reality for the rest of our lives. I am adding a ground flaxseed mix I bought from Holland and Barret to porridge every morning and it has cocoa in it so doesn't taste too bad (although my husband squirmed when I made him try it, but he doesn't like porridge anyway). You could eat dried fruits and lots of fresh fruit and veg. I think as this is a life time change that probably has to be made if you want to manage things you have to add the fibre in a way that is sustainable for you.

I imagine even post surgery if you go down that route straining could undo a surgeons work

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 09:57

Prune juice isn't that bad esp if you hold your nose. Thanks for the ground flaxseed recommendation. I'll buy a small pot to try.

My surgeon told me to never get constipated again as it could reoccur. I'll stay on my laxido sachets for a while I think

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tazzle · 09/04/2012 11:43

I must be rare ...... I like prune juice [bushock]

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Footle · 09/04/2012 12:40

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 12:49

Wow, big scare for me this morning. I passed a massive thick blood clot about the size of my palm. Called the hospital who called the consultant. He isn't worried as it was "complete" and I'm not bleeding particularly now. The back pains that I've had since the op seem to be easing. I'm a bit stingy inside but nothing major.

Did my 5 minute walk today. Very slow but made it!

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 12:53

Chocolate is medicinal Footle :) I swear by it.

That's a shame that there are so many things that you can't eat but good on you for keeping your diabetes in control without medication. That's fantastic.

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Footle · 09/04/2012 13:04

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tazzle · 09/04/2012 13:50

def a pain in the bum footle ..... diabetes is in our family ( a cousin and my daughter type 1 and my brother type 2) so I do keep an awareness.... I can get low sugar levels if I am not careful so sorta the opposite [buwink]

Keeping your sugar levels stable is not an easy task especially at times like easter [buwink] so echo ben 10.. brill.



oh ben10 I hope that you are ok following that clot.... must have been rather disconcerting to say the least. Still if that was the cause of all your pain then that at lease will get better now. Take it easy and heal well. Thanks

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fengirl1 · 09/04/2012 14:03

Ben10 - sorry to hear but hopefully things will improve now. Have you been overdoing it? (stern look) Look after yourself.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 14:25

I have been so good honest Fen. I do nothing!

I have been so tired though so obv has been affecting me. It was my dad's birthday yesterday so he picked me up to go for lunch at their house 15 mins away. I did nothing at all apart from eat. I was in bed at 6pm.

Where do these clots actually come from?? Is it from behind the incision? The thing was huge, really huge!

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fengirl1 · 09/04/2012 14:35

I've no idea but iirc it's not your first is it?? Are you a good 'bleeder'? Perhaps it's seepage from your wounds as otherwise I have no clue. If it keeps happening is should be looked at I think.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 14:41

No this is the second but this one was like an alien [bugrin].

I normally am a good bleeder and saying that I had to have major lung surgery due to bleeding iwhich was clotting in my lung following a complication in my first surgery. The top London surgeon said that he sees about 12 cases each year like me and he takes referrals from all across the south east. I think that I am just wierd. [bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin]

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tazzle · 09/04/2012 15:02

honestly, the things some people will do to get attention [buwink]

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fengirl1 · 09/04/2012 15:44

Shameless isn't she? GrinGrinGrin

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Ben10NeverAgain · 09/04/2012 15:48

Well, you know.....some of us are just trouble makers [bugrin]

I was screeching at my husband to look at it as I was petrified. He didn't want to but it was unmissable! He is traumatised [bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin][bugrin]

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tazzle · 09/04/2012 17:27

OMG the poor man....he will have post traumatic stress disorder, you must set up some counselling for him NOW

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kickmewhenimdown · 09/04/2012 21:13

jeezy peeps, i just got a mirror and looked at my undercarriage, and I think i may have a moderate anterior prolapse going by what i just saw and pics on google. Think im going to be making an appt at gps first thing tomorrow. I dont have anything falling out as yet but its right at the door iygwim.

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Nannasylv · 10/04/2012 00:58

Hi folks, finally found you.
I've just read that some of you have been told "nothing to worry about", by GPs. As others know, I've had that, for the last 16 years, and now (after a defecography MR, which I had to persistently BEG for!), what do you know?, I get told there is something there, which may be very serious. DON'T accept what you know isn't verified by the correct technological scans! Ask another doctor , giving all of your reasons for suspicion of a problem, DO NOT KEEP ANYTHING BACK BECAUSE OF EMBARRASSMENT! It's your body, you, and you alone know it best!
Best wishes to all.
XX

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Ben10NeverAgain · 10/04/2012 10:22

Well said nanny

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tazzle · 10/04/2012 10:41

so glad you here nanny

what you say is right. Despite the very odd occasion ( where I do feel for the health professionals) where the issue is a psychologial condition rather than physical one OR when they have to sort out serious conditions from more common conditions when the symtoms can be very similar .... I do agree that if its better to get things confirmed or ruled out by approriate exams and tests.

the embarassment thing is just soooooo imprtant... sometimes very important information is contained in the symptoms we find the most embarassing to talk about ..... but by crikey they have heard it all before !!!!

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Footle · 10/04/2012 11:22

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likestoski · 10/04/2012 16:22

Hi all not posted since had op (13th March) but have been reading comments everyday. It's comforting to know that there are people out there who have been through the same thing etc etc
It's now 4 weeks (crikey where did that time go) since I had my op - major rectocele and minor cystocele - things progressing nicely, no pain but I have had increase in discharge - it's not bloody or anything or smelly but it's an inconvenience to have none the less. The only thing I can imagine it is, is for the first 2 weeks I did aboslutely nothing but come last week and this, I have had my 4 year old at home as it's easter holidays so I have had to look after her. I have also had to take my 3 year old to nursery since last wednesday due to grandparents being unwell. I found driving ok but at end of the day I have such a back ache so I know I have been over doing it but what can you do?
I haven't really got a point to this post - wanted to really let the world know I am still alive!! Thanks for keeping this forum going, I really enjoy reading the posts. I have also started to call my bits "fanjo" much to the amusement of my husband!!! So thanks for that one!

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jackie62 · 10/04/2012 17:05

I'm confused...I posted twice and actually saw them both and now they've gone! And everyone has disappeared!!

Xxx

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tinkxx65 · 10/04/2012 17:16

Hi to everyone,

Ben10, have printed that picture and I am going to take it with me on Thursday ;)

Happy, your post made me laugh, so thankyou, hadnt thought of it as a sausage, but now you have mentioned it, I can see the resemblance. But dont think I will ever be able to eat one again now lol.

Appointment Thursday, and I am already feeling nervous, I do wish I had a calm cool personality, but no I am skitty and a massive worrier. Feel a bit like I am going on a date, have a list of things to do, shave legs, paint toes, trim my bikini line and today I made sure my nice knickers were washed lol.

Anyway hope everyone is ok, and it is good to see posts from those who have had the op and doing well.

Take care all xxxx

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