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.

Hi ladies,

I'm sorry to hear that your struggling, makes me think maybe mines not so bad.

I've now had a letter from the original consultant detailing what I've got, which is: uterine prolapse with the cervix descending from the left when straining. Treatment he wants to carry out: is a sub-total hysterectomy and sacro-colpopexy, re-suturing the cervix with a prolene mesh attached to the sacral promontory.

I have also spoken to my neighbour who happens to be a legal expert witness in midwifery and she's advised that if you have a history of prolapse in your family when considering number 2 CS would be advisable, why don't they tell you this before hand??

I've now been back to the GP to arrange a second opinion but have been told to go private as I have specified to see a woman this time and a specific lady.

I'm now just pissed off as I was so well behaved after my first op as I never wanted to go through that again .

Sorry no real help for anyone else just nice to write it down and have a small rant.

Thank you for your time.
X

Yesterday i had a bad sadness i thought ending my Life.
My job was a great part of my Life and i was there like a zombie burning trying not to cry. Exhausted after lunch On the Way home i stopped by my mid wife home cried on her shoulder
She SAID IT takes Time for the irritation to go
But i am sûre this is linked with the rectocele
My god i just want a normal Life if IT impacts my job everything is touched my sexuality my food my mood
My clothes my finances ...
Waou i am going to depress the thread.
Sorry

Hi Ladies,
Never posted on a site before. Here goes nothing.
Had a prolapse for 16 years (after the birth of my second child). I could live with it until the last 2 years: not being able to go to the toilet properly and having a huge bulge sticking out my V. Not attractive or sexy!
I had the surgery 19 days ago for two types, the large one was a rectocele repair.
The pain and weakness following the surgery was a surprise (also had the complication of a small part of my lung collapsing). Oh and an infection around 10 days, very strong antibiotics did the trick.
I am glad I did it. However, having no post OP advice part from the usual six weeks of work, don't lift anything heavy. I would like advice from you lovely ladies please? How long do we bleed for and how heavy??? I am bleeding heavier every day and getting very tired and dizzy with it.
Keep posting on here, to know you are not the only one is fab.
X

Sorry you had a bad day French. I am struggling to come to terms with this. I hope you feel better soon.

Dorsey you shouldn't be bleeding really heavily. I think they said heavier bleeding is normal after 2 weeks but it shouldn't get more every day? Have you had your period yet? I would go and get it checked out just to be on the safe side.

Frenchfrog hang in there, it is really hard but think how your family would feel if you ended it all! Don't worry about depressing the thread. Have you spoken to anyone else about how you are feeling? I understand what you mean about it impacting every part of your life. My dh keeps telling me I should go out more but I don't like going out in case I have pain or trouble going to the toilet etc. I spend most of my time in the house but sometimes it drives me mad being in the same 4 walls!

Hi msclairet
I started to go back to my work on mondây today i had
An irritation i couldnt concentrate on anything I had a physio appointement at lunch time and i had to go back to word after but i couldnt Breathe i cried i called my husband and went back home. SO much for my first week at the office
.... I want SO much to wake up from this nightmare or never go out of my house again. I feel so disapointed by Life .
I see a psy dont Worry and share with him that thoughts je said i couldnt move forward if i dont accept that o am struggling against the truth while i should use this énergy to change things . Éasier said than done . My mother has a bad lymphoma i should know the différence with me but Still i feel SO misérable SO ugly SO broken . I helps to share with you . But dont Worry if it was just me inwould habe alrzday ending my Life but my children and parents need me i know . I just hope that as i lost my patience my joy i wont traumatise them too much. I am not a patient and tender mummy anymore .
Well i hope tomorow Will be better what would we be without hope
Love &&&&

How are you feeling frenchfrog? Its so sad to hear you so upset. Have you told the doctors it is so bad you have felt like ending it all? I can't understand why they won't do the op as I was just told straightaway yes you can have surgery.

I went back to my gp who examined me and told me they have sewn me up too tight so he thinks sex will be difficult and I will need the Fenton's procedure to undo it slightly. I just can't face it at the moment. He said every time you cut the area you risk getting more scar tissue and it has to heal again (which brings the risk of infection) and because I have already had it done twice I don't want it done again. But then do I just never have sex again? Its so hard.

Hi
Msclairet sorry to hear that you had the confirmation that you were sewn too tight ... Can physio with dilatators can help you Without going through another op . Of course you are too young to even consider given up on sex . Tough décision .
Yesterday my psy told me i was acting as if i had a cancer or something dramatic but for me its a drama . They dont want to opérate as my rectocele is getting smaller and smaller postpartum And because it is low and they said i have a small pzrineum short distance anus vagina whixh is not a good indixator for ops. But eventhough i dont have a bulge i have a pressure in the rectum sometimes dragging feeling at the end of the day . But mainly my pbs are irritations and hemmoroids they say those are 2 différent pbs that i need to solve . I think everything is linked i never had vagina
Irritations before and my hem are due to the omise of laxatives . I know my dépression increases everything

I cry everyday i Still dont accept i dont know why .
I cant eat i am loosing weight and my husband is tired of the situation . He used to be very tender and sweet and hardly speak to me Now or : again crying ? Please can you do something in the house ? You should go Walking instzad of lying there .
Well i might consider getting stronger meds
This week was difficult as going back to work after such a long Time and feeling useless in front of my computer .
I thought IT Will chhange and i wont be SO focus on my pb but no . Well Still i almost done the full week ans the transport and manage to pût my kids to sleep with bêdtime stories which is kind of a big achievemént for
Me . I was on bed right after them
And sleeping at 9 pm...
I hope you Will find help to make the right décision maybe if its a smaller ops you need to go for IT ?
Sorry this is difficult to help and i know you must be very confused to take this Decision again . And again but trust your instinct your are young as they said time is a great healer you havent done all that not not have sex again with your husband .
Well Life is not easy is IT . But a least we have 2 beautiful children ;-)
I think about you and send you all good vibes i really hope
Things Will become better for both of us !
Take care and thanks for your message

And msclairet as i read the threads a thousand Times o remember someone having the same issue but actually it was Still swelling and managed few months later with physio after that , to have sex i remember she said IT took Time and patience and a lot of lubrifiant !

Hi, i'm new to this thread but not new to all things ragged and broken, am a regular on the Ragged bits thread after my DS birth 2.5 years ago.

I had a prolapse after my DS, who was born with forceps and i had a 4th degree tear, shoulder dystocia, pph, ptsd & pnd. I have had a long and ongoing recovery from this and have recently (4 months ago) had DD by elcs. My body is starting to settle and my prolapse is a million times worse. Sorry for the tmi but i have a definite bulge that almost protrudes. I am still breast feeding and am just starting to prepare myself to go to the gp to be referred to gynae. Its at the point where its affecting my day to day life.

What i would like to know is how seriously they will take it, i'm early 30's and was told during examinations after DS that its not that bad so not to worry, and that i'm too young for surgery (i know i'm not, plus i definitely dont want any more children) and they were more concerned about sorting out my perrenium (which i'm pretty sure needs work/refashion surgery). What questions do i need to ask to make sure its taken seriously. Its not as bad when lying down as to when i'm standing/sitting but i dont know how to ask them to examine me standing so they can see just how bad it is.

Hi, I'm new to this thread. I have a rectocele which causes me problems on a daily basis and stress incontinence. I am having a TVT sling next week and then once I've recovered I need one more examinination to check for intussception before deciding whether to have major surgery for the rectocele. The examination will determine if I need one op or a combination of two together. I know that will be major so not rushing in to it as I've had problems for years. I'm trying to manage the constipation with lactulose. I tried Laxido but couldn't stomach the taste. Is there a reason why people recommend movicol/Laxido rather than lactulose? I tried bisacoyl too but found that caused stomach pains in the night and id wake up middle of the night needing the loo. Anyway, with my op a week away im not sleeping anyway now even though I feel in safe hands and have full confidence with my surgeon.

For those of you who've had a sling, do you have any tips for pre or post op? Im expecting to have 2-3 weeks off work.

Thank you or any advice.

Noordinarygirl ... I just read your post on the previous page. I have been advised I need that combination of ops too.

Hello all

Some advice please! Been having trouble leaking urine for about the past year. It's got worse and ranges from everyday leakage to completely wetting myself lately on a night out blush

Saw GP today and got an immediate referral to gynae as she felt my uretha had prolapsed. Said she could see it "popping out" when I coughed. I think she said it was the uretha (well, the word was definitely mentioned but I can't remember if she said bladder prolapse as well??) but I was a bit taken aback as I was expecting to be told it was age/traumatic birth related and just to do PFE (which I do but makes no difference) and wear tena for the rest of my days.

She said it would probably be an operation so here's where I could do with some advice. I'm currently the only bread winner (long story) and don't get sick pay sad What does the op involve? An overnight stay? What recovery time etc?

Any help gratefully received

Monty and Snowflakes yes I have actually had both ops. I had sub-total hysterectomy in Nov 12 and my sacrocolpopexy on 18th Feb this year. I come bearing good news......I am doing really well and am now back at work (only went back this last week doing half days, off this week for half term and then one more week half days). I also had 'mobilisation of rectum' which was more mesh. My consultant was brilliant and has seemingly done a very good job of it all. My cervix came right out by about 2 cms last May and I lived with a pessary until Feb this year - which was not ideal but it did keep things inside pretty much. Wouldn't have wanted to live with one permanently though as it wouldn't stay in place. I also had quite a bad rectocele too but thankfully not half as bad as some poor ladies on these threads.

Anyway, all is healing nicely and I am actually so pleased that I had it done. I am still careful that I don't lift too much. Thankfully I have 2 fab daughters, 16 and 19 who are very willing to help me when needed, which is great as I we be moving house in the next month. For the first 6 weeks lifting was limited to no more than 2 kgs and then for 6 months after it's no more than 6kgs. It did seem very restricting but I now know what I can and can't lift and I am being very sensible and giving my body enough time to heal properly this time around and to re-build it's own tissue around the mesh that's pinned onto my spine. I have another check-up with my consultant in September and I will be hoping never to see him again!

Prior to my op I became pretty grumpy and did not want to go out etc etc etc and could not see light at the end of the tunnel. My op was cancelled the first time round, which was devastating as I'd had to do some pretty big 'mental gymnastics' to prepare myself for it and had to wait another 6/7 weeks to actually have it done. I lived in limbo for those few weeks let me tell you and couldn't focus on anything at all at work.

All I can say is talk it all through with you consultant and be 'happy' (??) with what you are going to have to put your body through. I can only speak for myself and I definitely know I've done the right thing. (I also found another older lady on here who is 65 who had it done last year - she is also doing very well and it's all healed beautifully......sex is good for her. I don't know about that side of things yet as me and my partner have recently split up and I've not DTD yet but I have 'seen' my friend 'Roger' and things are tighter but not too tight and it all seems in good working order down there now IYKWIM

Thank you Noordinarygirl that's very reassuring. I am mid 40s and not had children ... I am an auntie tho so hope that's ok? I found this thread thanks to Google and have to say this is really the only place I've found decent info, so thank you to everyone for sharing your stories, good and bad. What great support you provide.

My gynae consultant said I'm just unlucky and have rubbish ligaments, so seems these are the cards I've been dealt in this life. My bits are like I've given birth to a few whopping babies! I need laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and also maybe ventral mesh rectopexy if I'm found to have intussception too (not sure if this is similar to your 'mobilisation of rectum' op) - but basically these will sort the rectocele by hoisting everything back up to where it should be and strengthen the tissues between the vagina and rectum. My gynae says this should also preserve vaginal function which is a relief as I know some of the other rectocele ops can mean you end up too tight. So it seems 3 months off work is needed post sacrocolpopexy...that's what I'm dreading, it seems such a long time.

Hence why I've opted for the sling (tvt mesh) now for the stress incontinence and get it done and out of the way. I'm worried mostly about not being able to wee after the op and having to self-catheterise, but having had a cold this past week it has confirmed my need for ths op. it's not normal to wet yourself every time you cough or sneeze but that's become normal for the past few years. My surgeon is great but I also know I mustn't lift more than a kettle for 6 weeks after ths first op, to make sure the mesh fixes in the right place.

So ladies, wish me luck ... Will let you know how it goes and keep you posted about the rectocele surgery as & when that happens.

Can I ask a quick question? I have a mild prolapse my gp said and I'm waiting for a referral to physio. Should I avoid lifting heavy weights so I don't make matters worse?

kazzawazzawoo I think that sounds sensible, until you know exactly what you're dealing with

Thanks.

kazzawazzawoo apologies, my first post. The big thing for you is that you have actually been to the dr. It seems a shame that we are taught from being very small to keep our, er, privates private!! I was referred some 15 years ago for mild incontinence, after four months of quite intense Physio, was much improved. The ladies you will come across throughout your diagnosis and subsequent treatment will be fantastic. Everyone I came across were lovely, and you really do get used to talking about peeing and pooing!!!
Just be confident and ask for help, the supermarket is quite happy to get someone to load your shopping into the boot of your car and husband/partner/children/neighbour will help. I found people quite happy to do so but they do not have a crystal ball and won't know unless you ask. I can remember being told to 'brace' if picking anything up. To you and I it means to clench your undercarriage to give some support to your internal organs. Good luck, keep smiling.
Well, 15 years down the line after a lot of 'trying to get to grips' with the problems of a posterior vaginal prolapse I went to my dr and was subsequently referred to a uro-gynae consultant. After having various, rather undignified tests, pressure tests up the bottom and a barium enema and a further round of seeing the specialist Physio I was listed for surgery.
Three weeks ago I had an anterior, posterior and perineum repair.
The surgery isn't for the feint hearted and really be prepared for feeling pretty awful for a few days and then really having to put the brakes on as regarding moving around.... Definitely no housework or standing around, no lifting.
I am taking the old Movicol and lactulose and can poo properly I think I must be turning into a boy - they never seem to have any troubles in this area!!!!

Thanks for your reply ninniwig. Hope you are recovering from your surgery.

I'm not good at asking for help. Also part of my job involves carrying files up and down the stairs at work, not sure how I'm going to avoid that.

Well I'm now 6 months post op for posterior and perineum repair. First few months took time to recover things had improved but now I got piles grrr so trying to increase the amount of fibre if possible. I was just wondering if anybody out there after repair gets a bit of stinging around the scar tissue.
Hope everyone is recovering ok and those on the road to get diagnosis keep going and remember no question is foolish it's your body and you have the right to ask whatever you want.

Happy, good to hear from you again, and to answer your question I do get a little kind of 'prickly' sensation at times if I've done just that bit too much. It's not very often but it is there. I thought it was only me but it's good (in a way) to hear that someone else gets this too.

I also have to ensure that I keep my fibre intake up as it greatly helps the way I feel down below when sitting at work etc.

Thankfully I'm back to my old 'regime' of walking 4 miles each evening (when the weather allows) and feel so much more positive and less stressed about things that used to irritate the crap out of me. It could be that I feel more the 'old' me combined with the fact that I'm no longer with a partner that was just not the right person for me in any way, shape or form. Life is definitely on the up and I feel like I can handle just about anything now.

Snowflakes I think the rectopexy thing is the same as I had. For info, I am 46 and now feel great after all the stuff I've been through.

kazzawazzawoo Hi. You don't say how old you are or if you've had any children. I am 58 and have four children. I too have a problem asking for help, being fiercely independent! At work, remember it is only a job, it'll be there when you leave, your employer is responsible for your health. I know you won't want to be telling everyone about your problem but if it was your arm where the problem was then it would be obvious and there would be no comment made about your inability to carry files.
Do take care.

Ninniwig I'm 49 and have 3 children, all vaginal births, and the last two were big and quick.

[kazzawazzawoo] my advice to my daughter, when the time comes, is to research the different birthing centres around her. Part of my problem has been a poor repair after giving birth to one of my children, baby 1 I had an episiotomy, baby 2 I tore, baby 3 and 4 I had a graze. It depends on who reviews your bits after birthing as to what happens and who stitches you up. With hind sight, a wonderful thing, a doctor should have done the embroidery as my consultant said that the top layer had been stitched but she very much doubted that the muscle was.
On a positive note, I'm feeling pretty good today and have cut back on the pain meds. My consultant recommends Movicol, that gets everything moving, gently. Lactulose will soften the BM, this can be taken indefinitely, it is just indigestible sugars suitable for diabetics. My way of thinking is keep everything soft and moving can only enhance my healing.
I'm off for a short walk to the postbox, ooh the excitement! I am very active, walking about five miles a day so being laid up after this op has been the most painful thing about his process!!