PART 9 (Mar 2014) Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc

[gottagetthroughthis]

Welcome to thread 9 (again - see below) 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.

With apologies for confusion in thread numbers - an earlier thread was called part 7 but it was actually the 6th thread.

Here are the previous threads:

Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Thread 7
Thread 8

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.

[whatevva]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2029646-Pt-8-Oct13-Any-old-prolapse-Uterus-womb-prolapse-rectocele-cystocele-enterocele-urethrocele-incontinence-pelvic-floor-anterior-and-posterior-repair-TVT-etc-994-Posts?pg=27

Try this one (I know the title is out of date, but the posts look more up to date)

[Bavmorda]

Hello! Glad there is an up to date thread. Have just had DS2 (4th DC) and pretty sure I have a prolapse.

I've had a pretty shit time of it to be honest. I went down with pneumonia at 35 weeks, in hospital on intravenous antibiotics and then sent home for a week of a nurse visiting daily to administer IVs via PICC line. Since the end of the IVs (Christmas eve) I've had one cough after another due to reflux, the horrifically dry air in the birthing unit and a second chest infection.

DS is now 8 weeks and in the past fortnight I've had 2 courses of antibiotics for this second chest infection. I think the coughing has exacerbated the prolapse more than the birth - I started getting the bulging feeling a couple of weeks after he was born. Basically the doctor won't do anything until my chest is sorted as any coughing undoes the benefits of PFE (although I'm still doing them).

Anyway thought I'd join for a moan!

[Bavmorda]

I'll try that other thread too...