Pt 8 (Oct13) Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc (994 Posts)

[gottagetthroughthis]

Welcome to thread 8 (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.

Perkins08 same here!! During pelvic exams I was always told I had a very strong pelvic floor and now after 1 child it's shot! I totally see what others are saying about being positive but my urinary symptoms stop me doing most things Inc walking for more than a few minutes, I feel like my life is just passing me by, I can't take my daughter anywhere (can't lift her after op so can't put her in car either) hubby is fed up of no holidays or days out. I'm so scared he'll eventually walk out. And as some have said the docs think prolapse is a minor ailment!!

Hello all
Its been a while since i havent been here ! I didnt want to hijack the thread as IT is more dedicated to surgery

I am 9 month ppt and have a rectocele . IT was a deep shock and i went into a deep deep dépression.
I was devastated to find the bulge to have the bowel symptoms dragging feeling and i was déeply upset to understand there was no easy fix. All the docs i have seen one of them beeing the french référence told me your rectocle is small no need to opérate and anyway they never opérate before at least a year postpartum .
Some of the symptoms i had was a burning sensation after a bowel movement when sitting a pressure in the rectum that would wake me up . Difficulties to pass Stools even when not constipated . Well all those were actually more linked to a compression of te pudental nerve causéd by a levator symdroma one of the multiple forme of PFD
I took a doc for the neuralgia pain œstrogènes ovulas
I had physio for trigger point and relax my over tight perineum
By the Way i had too a very strong pelvic floor Still rated 4.5/5 women with too tight pelvic floor are very fragile . The pelvic floor capacity of relaxation is key
Well the Au fait vous avez vu la lune ce soir elle ne sera pas plus près de la terre de notre vivant c'est la super lune magnifique 3 weeks were better my rectocele is almost not an issue thanks to my rééducation i dont have bulge anymore ( i went from a 2 to a 1)and constipation is under control (with a very healthy diet and plenty of fluides) i Still have this burning sensation but less less painful .
My issue is more psychological i worried eveyday about the
Prolapse i read all the articles i can find .i Still havent had sex with my husband i dont feel confortable yet .
I have joined a website prolapse health where i found te most useful information and support .
Just wanted to share and tell also to te post surgery girls that there are some ways to gntly exercice and protect the surgery i am thinking about hab-IT DVD from tasha mulligan or katy bowman or femfusion .for me hypopressive abdos were great but obvioulsy i need to be careful with kegels if i understood one thing relaxation of pelvic floor is key for the pop as important as strenght
Well good luck to all

There is a copy past of a SMS inside previous message sorry :-)

Glad to see you back French xxx it took me a while to have a sexual relationship with my hubby. Even still I can't let him look even though I look normal. It's psychological with me as this area is sexual and there was something went wrong there and I lost my mojo. It's slowly coming back. It's very hard thing to go through and the aftercare from surgery is shocking.

Happylilme you are right, a lot of the problem is psychological, I am 6 weeks post op and I haven't even looked in a mirror down there, never mind had a feel as I'm so scared of how it looks/feels. After my prolapses were diagnosed I couldn't let my hubby see or touch, as I felt gross and disfigured! Even now after surgery, even if it's been a success, I still don't feel "normal" and will never be normal again.

French, it's good to hear things are improving for you - it gives me hope! Being right at the beginning of this process it all seems very scary. Like Impala I'm finding the effect on my body image really difficult to deal with, along with terrible guilt at not being able to lift my babies or be the active mum I really want to be. But all I can do now is wait for the appointment to come through. I don't suppose anyone has any tips on dealing with the discomfort and soreness at this stage? The doctor said paracetamol, but it doesn't hit the spot somehow...

Hi !
Thanks happylilme i am glad that your are doing well post surgery!
Perkins you are Still early post ppt there are a lot of healing ahead of you ! I noticed a big improvement when i stop breastfeeding .
What worked for me is a mix of everything hypopressive abdo helped me get rid of the dragging feeling . Some kegels but i had to stop bécause i couldnt relax my pelvic floor. Please have a look on this web site hab-IT Google IT or Michel kenway , katy bowman . Please dont ever go to this forum whole woman IT is SO depressing and i believe completely wrong about the posture . Walk a lot eventhough its not confortable IT is the best exercice at this stage
Dont be afraid to carry your baby IT wont do any additional harm just clench your muscle and suck in your belly
And breath.
As for the diet i had to take some movicol
But thén things had gone better with a high fiber diet
I take vit d supplément Omega 3 magnesium and sepia
As far as the psychological side , i wont give you any tip i was devastated ! Hit by a truck i didnt know anything about prolapse !!! What a nightmare . Things are better Now with some anti depressant i realised i was about to ruin my family and my kids Life . I am much better Now more active
More présent with my kids doing thing and trying to leave my frenetic research on iPhone .
I think if symptoms stay the same i wont need any surgery
But i am open to IT if needed .
I found a huge help on the website prolapse health
Anyway i know it is tough but believe me things Will get better ! Take care

Is wondering where everyone has gone

So am I - yoo hoo where are yous?? lol - this thread keeps me going hope it never ends!! I thought everyone had gone to some other thread. I have at last heard from physio today and appt for October even though she told me of for not filling in the daily urine/water diary [hmmm] off on me hols to La France - La Rochelle and the Ile de Re from Thursday so can't wait - is it safe for someone who has not had the op to cycle?? not too sure and don't wanna damage myself but hey vive la France!!! will be checking in anyways - have all me gadgets wif me so could actually say am bringing you all hee hee - take care xx

Hi everyone. I'm still here - was just trying to get on with things while waiting for my appointment. I had a phone consult yesterday, the upshot of which is that I'm being sent for the kind of scans and tests that sound more like what happens when you're abducted by aliens than a routine hospital appointment. Gulp. At least something's happening though, and I'm being taken seriously. I've got 5-8 weeks to wait now, and try not to get in a stew about what's coming!
I hope you are all coping okay. Enjoy your holidays, those that are going!

I'm here too. Finally have a date for surgery again after the fuck up. Panicking a bit and wondering how the hell I'm going to cope!

This feels like a really stupid question but does anyone know if it's possible for post-birth internal stitches to split after a year & result in a prolapse? Obviously not the actual stitches after that time but I guess the scar tissue. I felt perfectly normal down there, good pelvic floor control, until a week after DTD when I started bleeding on CD14. Bled for 9 days in the end, just very light period type bleeding but bright red until the last day. Now I feel like I'm trying to keep a plum in my vagina & it just kinda hurts! I had a look & scared myself silly but that could be because I never really looked at it pre-DC so no idea what it should look like! DS2 was a rather dramatic ambulance birth with the midwife screaming at me to push because she couldn't find his heartbeat near my belly button... so it wouldn't surprise me if there was some residual damage, given that it felt like he was coming out the wrong hole!

Is it possible that DTD damaged the old wound & then when hormonal changes due to ovulation happened it loosened the tissue enough for a prolapse? Is it possible to have a normal vaginal birth after having a prolapse repaired? We're undecided about more DC but I'm not ready to give up on the idea altogether! I can't get to the GP until Friday at the earliest. Is there anything I might be able to do to soothe it in the meantime?

Hi there ladies! I'm a newbie, though have been reading this thread (& its historical predecessors) since diagnosis - it has been the best source of info I have found! I finally had my rectocele repair at RBH in Reading on Tuesday this week, following diagnosis by GP back in March. I am 53 yrs old and having queried that 'a bit of my inside was poking out when I coughed/sneezed etc' she diagnosed a rectocele as soon as she had a look & referred me to gynaecologist at hospital. Diagnosis confirmed as grade 2 at single appointment late May & surgery offered - after deciding that my pelvic muscles were strong (thank goodness as I have been exercising them for 25 yrs!). All helped explain why I had been struggling to pooh properly for a few years - nuisance but not painful - doc reckoned menopausal effects on scar tissue from a)episiotomy then b) tear during water birth, on top of previous haemorrhoid surgery in my late 20s was prob main cause. Surgical team for op led by Kevin Smith who according to my research is urogynae - which after things I have read here I was pleased about. Well - so far I am amazed. Op was Tues morning, NO pain or even discomfort at all before discharge on Wed morning! Other than a little bleeding/discharge I would not have known they had done anything - no packing nor catheter either (though mine was just rectocele not cystocele as well). I asked to be sent home with Movicol, but they said it was available over counter, so I bought box on way home. Stocked up on prune juice & arnica based 'arnicalme' tablets during recent trip to France - all great advice from this thread. When I tweak pelvic muscles now I can just feel vaginal stitches, but as they are tucked up just beyond the entrance, no stinging when I wee - yippee! Have managed a BM but sooo difficult not to push (as I now realise I have done too much for years - never again!!...), just sat there with feet raised on a shallow IKEA stack a crate (more thread advice!) & was VERY patient. I am a teacher & have to lug laptop & piles of books around, plus being busy Head of Year on feet all day, so have been told no work for 6 weeks. School have arranged cover for half a term. Hope this helps any of you worried about surgery (I almost bottled out last week). I realise this might well be a 'honeymoon period', but I will keep you posted - promise later posts will be shorter!!

I'm also still here...and still waiting for my referral appointment

Thanks ssaajj its good to hear stories on surgeries that went SO well. Please keep up posted on the évolution and have a look on hab-it.com exercices !

Just thought I would update ladies following this thread. Now 1 week post rectocele repair op. Still had no pain at all, & v little discomfort. Have been drinking a glass of prune juice mid morning & taking one sachet of movicol before bed plus plenty of fruit & water which has kept things moving nicely (though quite gurgly & windy - tmi!!). So, op site wise all is well. Ventured out on short supermarket trip with dh as I was fed up being in the house - went ok but felt I needed to return to the car to sit down by the time we got to the check out.. Had very lazy day yesterday as energy levels low, and even though I had a doze in the afternoon I still slept until late this morning, but am happy to listen to my body's demands. As a keen cyclist, watching the Vuelta & Tour of Britain races live on TV is a bonus, esp as will not be out on my bike for a good few weeks yet! Not sure when to expect vaginal stitches to start dissolving (I know internal ones take 5-6 weeks) - any views? Being v careful about lifting - real pain when all pans/casseroles are le Creuset (or lookalikes!) so out if bounds even when empty. Thank heavens offspring are both grown up. Hope any of you post op are doing well.

I have a slight cystocele which causes problems with incontinence. I was diagnosed about a year ago by my dr who was reluctant to operate so I bought a tens like pelvic floor exerciser thingy. All was going well until this spring when I moved house (and put the tens somewhere the movers wouldn't see it). Of course now I can't find it anywhere and I'm really suffering again. I've been trying to do exercises manually but I'm not getting anywhere near the same results (the tens was brilliant). I'm wondering whether to buy another but resent spending another £70 on it . Anyone know any cheaper but effective machines (I've tried toning balls eye but can't keep them in) Also why is it that my bladder never ever empties completely? I can sit on the loo - pee- stand up to unkink my bladder- sit back down pee some more,feel I've really truly emptied my bladder but then sneeze 5 minutes later and bloody wee myself - grrrr it really really irritates me. I'm wearing pads ALL THE TIME right now :(

Just to add I managed to leak even when wearing a super huge Tena pad this morning despite frequent trips to the loo - this is a total joke - can't live like this :(

Hi, ive been lurking a while..... I am 13 weeks post partum and have just visited GP. I have a cystocele (which doesn't cause too many problems, just a slow flow unless I lean forwards) and a rectocele, which is awful.

BM are horrendous (now on movicol, bleugh), some protrusion and chafing, draggy feeling, and my perineum which was apparently just grazed, is still sore. I have had 3 big babies, 1 with forceps, 1 very quickly.

I feel like shit. Damaged, something as basic as going to the loo is a nightmare. Have been referred to women's physio for now. Does this have a good chance of helping?

Popping in. I'm one week post op. Had a lot done. Subtotal hysterectomy and removal of right Fallopian tube, rectocele repair, sacrocolpopexy and perineoplasty. In quite a bit of pain . Was on latculose for bowels but stopped as it was yuck however I've not had a movement for a few days so suspect I should restart.

Hi all. I have questions, for anyone who's been through a rectocele prolapse? I'm starting to get various appointments through - I have to go for an anal ultrasound, an anal physiology test and a flexible sigmoidoscopy next week. My toes are curling at the very thought. The thing is, I have no problems with continence, with constipation or with bleeding from there so I don't understand why I need these traumatic tests. Any ideas anyone? It seems to me that it's my fanjo that has the problem rather than my bum! I'd be really grateful for a voice of experience.
Meanwhile, I'm really glad to hear some of the good news stories, and I hope Izzy and ssaajj you have a quick recovery.

I think they will be checking if the bowel has prolapse into the lax back wall and if you will need a mesh and to see your tissue and ligaments and that your bowel is healthy. I had rectocele repair last December and things have greatly improved no lower back pain can poo straight feel a lot more "normal" there. It's better to have the tests for peace of mind and hopefully you will get the best care x I only notice pain around scar tissue while on period due to swelling and more blood around the tissue xxx
Good luck and leave pride at the door collect on easy out

Hi ladies

Finally got an appointment for next Wed but can anyone tell me what to expect? I think I've got a urethrocele?

TMI alert, if I put a finger up my vagina and cough (as the GP did) I can feel something popping out. I leak constantly, bladder never feels empty, DH and I can "feel" an obstruction during intercourse, and intercourse is stopped because it's so uncomfortable. Also bleeding after sex (bright red). I also wee without realising, as in, getting ready to go to toilet (frequent!), drop underwear and realise I'm already weeing and hadn't felt any sensation.

Does that sound like an urethrocele?

I'm almost 45, finished my family and to be honest, I'd rather have an op than go through months and months of physio etc. PFE are really uncomfortable. I also struggle to take time off work for appointments and any leave is unpaid, so to get it "sorted" in one fell swoop would be better for me.

So, what happens first appointment with consultant/specialist? Answers gratefully received and I hope everyone is comfortable and well

Bump for the ladies of the night

Thanks happylilme. I'm dreading next week (2 consecutive days of horribly invasive tests) but it helps to feel it's worthwhile... The worst thing is I work in an institute connected to the hospital, and I'm convinced I'm going to see someone I know while flapping around the corridors in a backless gown...! Gah!