Vaginal Prolapse : am I alone?

[PrinnyViolet]

Hello

So a few days ago I felt a strange sensation down below and upon further investigation found a fleshy lump inside my vagina.
Doctor has told me it's a prolapse of my vagina wall & it's not serious.
She was so flippant about it I just left & didn't ask any questions.

Has this happened to anyone else & if it has Will it go back to normal ever???

Google is not my friend today!!!

highlights I feel the same as you- I can't tell my mum as she would broadcast it. DH is sympathetic but I'm not keen on discussing it in depth with him. His attitude is- just get surgery to fix the problem. I don't have the energy to go through the realities of the situation with him.

We're in Ireland so no NHS, there is a public health system (very stretched) which I am going through to see the Gynae in July, but I highly suspect they're not going to be handing out operations lightly. I do have health insurance so maybe I'd be covered for something on that.

xmas to you for having to go through that examination. I'm not looking forward to that part!

maisie I'm in Ireland too! I saw the gynae for my "6 week check up" as I was having issues (was more like 8 weeks post birth) and I'm back to her end of February. She referred me to physio (went private as my work VHI gives me money back against this). Is there any way you can see someone quicker as part of your post-natal care as opposed to waiting til July? I think you are technically under the care of the maternity hospital for 6 weeks post partum

I should have guessed from your nn cait!

I'm not sure what to do for the best- I have Laya insurance but I went through the public system in Holles st to have DC3 because I wanted to do the early transfer home scheme which isn't available on semi-private. So that seems to be how I've ended up getting this appt at the Gynae clinic.

When I mentioned it to the community midwife she said in better off going there than pursuing a referral through my GP and that I'd nearly need to wait that long anyway to allow things to settle down after the birth. It does seem very long though.

Just do the online shop Highlights

Undignified - I once had an examination standing up. It was the only way I could describe my discomfort. I had a 2nd op after the first to tweak the repair. Try standing on a couch with a dr looking from underneath. Or rather, maybe don't. :(

highlights - I know exactly how you feel. I sort of want to talk to someone but can't bring myself to, poor DP is lovely but I can't bear to cry on his shoulder about not being able to poo. Havent even attempted sex, just feel fat and mangled and embarrassed. DS1 has been ill and clingy, no chance of not picking up a miserable 2yo.

Have made an appt with gynae consultant for Mon (luckily have private cover through work), want to know how bad it is. No sign of expected AF, am sure I ovulated 17 days ago, dreading it.

Still no help from Movicol, got some suppositories to try today (had ppl over yesterday so decided to wait).

Not looking forward to the embarrassing examination, I bet I cry, even thinking about it makes me well up.

Hi All

Xmas and Polly sorry for your examination experiences, it can be so demeaning and it's hardly something we can share with others in rl so we can be comforted (maybe you are all far braver than me and are able to share your experiences, more power to you if that's the case!). I've decided to refuse anymore examinations unless I feel it's necessary i.e. few years down the line for surgery or maybe if GP can fit a ring.

Maisie one of the things I find hard is getting across to dh how it is day to day. I don't want to scare him/make him think I'm a broken woman (i know that sounds odd but can't think how else to word it ) but I want him to know I am affected day to day. All he knows is "no heavy lifting" and he is annoyingly good at enforcing this. I think he wants to be told how to help, when in reality a lot of this is emotional.

Tango here's hoping you poo soon. Have read/been told it might find be useful to insert a finger into your vagina to help the poo along or push on your perineum. I find the perineum thing helps.
Hopefully once you've been you'll feel better in general

Sex is actually not as bad as it could be, if we stick to missionary it isn't painful. Maybe after your appt you can give it a go when you're ready. I find since it doesn't hurt it's something I feel glad about (that my vagina still slightly "works" I guess).

for everyone we bloody well deserve it. Stupid prolapses.

Above post I said "I think he wants to be told how to help, when in reality a lot of this is emotional." I meant in addition to the physical issues, the underlying emotional impact is huge. Considering this is so apparently common why isn't there more education around this?

Above post should say *Have read/been told it might be useful

Think it's time for clenching then bed.

I have pooed! It was yesterday and I nearly came back on MN to announce it, but decided I didn't want to set a precedent.

It's amazing how much more clear headed I feel now, fingers crossed it all keeps moving. I've long been of the belief that human happiness is very much linked to digestive transit (as my grumpy windy baby will also agree!).

highlight - thank you, you're so articulate about the emotional impact and expressing it. Spot on.

Hello!

I had my son 8 weeks ago and have a suspected anterior prolapse. Had a bladder scan today, looks like I'm not completely emptying. I'm not really getting any symptoms apart from occasionally needing go wee as soon as I have gone. I am only 22 so this was a big shock for me at first and I cried and cried. I have definitely come to terms with it now and I hope to get surgery to repair it. I life my pelvic floor whenever I lift anything etc out of sheer paranoia! Thanks for starting this thread. Hope you're all ok!

Tango hooray! Congrats on your poo
Keep up with regular movicol. just don't overdo it like me once and end up with the runs agree that mood/digestion definitely linked.

Wardy hi, make sure you're not constipated /straining as it will make it worse, get a pelvic floor app to help you do a routine e.g. 10 reps 3 times a day. I found mine got a teeny bit better at the beginning (it's now quite a bit worse but that's 3 kids/lifting and working for you) and as I improved I went through a stage of weeing abit when I sat down which apparently is a good thing as my waterworks were realigning all the pipes (can you tell I know no technical terms..)
Good luck with everything, it can be so upsetting, some days are better than others. At least theres a lovely baby to show for it congrats!

Thanks highlights do you have experience of repair?

Just left my consultant appointment, I've been told my prolapse is only grade 1 but because my stress incontinence is quite bad I'll have urodynamics tests within a couple of weeks to work out if the prolapse is causing the incontinence.
I was hoping for some answers but haven't really had any.
Feeling disappointed.

Well done tree. I know that disapointed feeling. Hugs

Wardy i haven't had any surgery but i am headed that way I believe. I haven't asked for it as I am scared it won't work or will make things worse. Also from what i understand (may not be entirely correct maybe another poster has better info) you can't lift anything for a few months afterwards which in my circumstances won't work at all for another 3 years at least when dc3 will be nearer to 5.

Tree, sorry you didn't get the answers you were after. My last gynae appt I had a very lovely young lady dr who basically said alot of the issues are now quality of life rather than medical (if you don't require surgery that is) i.e. having a poo, incontinence, sex, daily living...
I'm not sure if that helped me in terms of how I think about it or not. I'm just trying to deal with all the symptoms as best as possible.

Taking entire bedding including duvet for a wash this weekend as it smells no idea what dh makes of all this he is very caring but I didnt think we'd be at this stage.of married life for another 20 years at least. And then I thought it'd be me looking after him as he's older than me. Oh how funny life can be...

Thanks Bertha, is it common for things to get worse after surgery then? Sorry for all the questions

Tree It's important to have the right investigations before the op to make sure they do it right, if it's done.

I did though think that they used the Q-tip test now- which is a small cotton bud put in the urethra and they can gauge how much slack there is on the area. Urodynamics is usually for bladder capacity and overactive bladder- I'd query what you have been told. Maybe she thinks you have overactive bladder and urge issues not from pelvic floor?
If you don't have leakage from prolapse and they tighten it all up with an op, you could end up not being able to wee very easily.

Highlights- it IS possible to have the op and not lift young children. My DD was just over 2 when I had it done.
You learn to adapt. She was walking everywhere, potty trained and so was my older DC so I didn't use the buggy any more. I used to get them to climb into their car seats rather than lift them. I used to sit on the floor and get them to come to me for a hug etc, rather than lifting them up.

"Congrats" tango feels amazing doesn't it!

Someone upthread (sorry can't scroll back on the app) asked about pooling without straining - Michelle kenway has a video on the 'brace & bulge' technique which I found helpful

tree that must be very frustrating but hopefully you'll get more answers before long

Pooling

ha - I'm sure you all know what I meant

Wardy from what I have read it can make things worse, or it might not work, some people need surgery twice etc. One website I read talked about how "successful" surgery is judged by how the patient is at 6 months on. I.e if somebody's prolapse comes back after a year then they'll still be classed as a sucessful op.

Please research for yourself though I don't want to colour your views when I don't feel I've looked at everything in enough depth myself.

Polly you sound far more organised than I can manage! I try to minimise lifting but basically I'm crap and do it alot anyway. I can't see me not lifting dc3 til at least 3yo.
Those of you have had the surgery how did you find it? Was recovery ok? Did they talk through risks /complications at all? Does anyone regret it?

I really need to weigh up options.
Would rather sit on sofa letting bulge hang out and be damned with all the consequences. I was walking home today and trying to clench along the way...i think i almost pulled a muscle. Forgoing all clenching activities for a bit....

I've just had the repair and dd are just turned 2 and 4. It's ok but I can't look after them so Dh does more, my parents have stayed to help out, and we've put the kids in nursery extra time (up from 3 to 4 days). I wanted to do it before dd1 starts school because the childcare will be more complicated then. Not being able to drive for 6 weeks is inconvenient. I don't lift the kids. Because of this I can't eg put dd2 to bed in cot, which is why Dh or parents must be with me around the kids all the time

So it is difficult but manageable to do it with young dc.

Other reasons for not putting it off ...
The younger you are the better the recovery
The waiting list was getting longer and who knows how the nhs will be in a few years
To benefit from it sooner
Dh and I both have ageing parents who will be increasingly less able to help. Indeed we may need to help them soon (all late seventies)

Everyone's circumstances are individual and my consultant left it up to me to hope the time for surgery but said there was no benefit putting it off.

Re complications - yes they did talk about it a bit and I accepted the risk.

Recovery - I'll be off work 6 to 12 weeks. The pain started improving after a couple of weeks but I wouldwake up in the night in pain for quite a while. I'm still on a lot of paracetamol in the day and codeine at night.

Regret - I don't know yet as I'm only 4 weeks post op. But even if it hasn't improved I won't regret trying.

My stay in hospital was very short - one night - and I feel they didn't go over things thoroughly when I was discharged. I had to keep phoning the hospital.

When my prolapse first happened I didn't tell many people, but over time and towards the surgery I have told at least a dozen friends, all female. I am an open person and while I don't expect everyone to share, I think it's important to make peopke aware of these issues that affect women. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It helps me to talk about it. With work colleagues etc I have been vague.

Highlights- it's up to you to ask the surgeon as many questions as you like. They are not necessarily going to offer you info unless you ask.

The complications are varied but the main ones are being unable to wee easily if they do it too tightly. This is more for an anterior repair.

I don't see why you should or would be lifting a 3 yr old. If they can walk then they can manage most things quite independently. At 2 my DD was in a bed, toilet trained and managed to climb into a car seat unaided.
I didn't use a push chair once she was walking. That's just my preference- I hate to see toddlers being pushed around when they could walk!

I had help for a few weeks afterwards. my DH was allowed to work from home for a month then my mum came to stay for a couple of weeks.

I didn't have any pain after the op at all. I assume everyone is different. Mine was a ges ago- 25 years- and I was in hospital for 5 days. This was privately but I think it was the same for the NHS then. Not sure about now.

Hello, may I join? I have birth 12 weeks ago and found I had a prolapse a week ago. I am waiting for a proper assessment but discussed with the women's health physio today (who I am seeing for SPD). She gave me some pooing tips, which included drinking cooled boiled water with lemon first thing in the morning (meant to stimulate your bowels), eating pears and putting feet on a stool to poo.

I am feeling pretty low about it and wondering what to tell people - I need help with childcare for hospital appts but don't really want to face questions.

I had a VBAC but now regretting it and wish I had had a c section.

It's been good reading your experiences so thanks ladies, though sorry you are going through this too.

My mum had a cytocele and she also had an operation, she did have a pessary in but she hated it, it fell out after a few hours, shes now 10 weeks after having the operation and she feels fine, she finally feels normal, she couldnt do very much after the operation and i would say she is very worried about it happening again so she is very careful about what shes doing, it took a while for her bladder to get back to normal but the nurses just put this down to her body being in shock, they also didnt explain very much when she left just left her with a catheter in and told her to come back in a few days, she still hasnt had a check up yet