Pt 9 (Oct13) Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc

[rebelnotaslave]

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.

I really hope it is ok with the original group that I've done this!

Hi there! Did your GP refer you to a woman’s health Physio? It’s really important you are doing good pelvic floor exercises. In my experience there was a lot of improvement was slow at first, much better around 3 months, some set backs lifting toddlers and then almost normal 2 years later with yoga/ Pilates and a hab-it exercise program (really good I think you can stream it now). But with your long term unknown you definitely need to give yourself the best chance of a good recovery (you’ve seen from the threads some women so need surgery however many 1000s of kegals won’t fix it). So Physio and exercises! As you are postpartum some guidance on core stability exercises will be important too- you want to strengthen it up again but if you just did sit ups that would put too much pressure on your pelvic floor,

Long term I think think that post op you are restricted forever with impact sports and carrying heavy things and as those are what I am careful with now, I feel that I may be better managing my proplapses than surgery....there’s a high chance post menopause i will have a different opinion but I’m going to avoid surgery if I possibly can.

Thanks josie.

I have an appointment with women’s physio in 2 weeks as I had a 3rd degree tear. I am most worried about issues with sex, do people manage to resume a normal sex life?

I’ll check out the hab-it programme, and thanks for sharing that you made improvements, that is what I really need to hear right now.

I'm due the op on April.. Self employed single mum facing dire poverty from the 6-8 week recovery time. How long did you take to recover. Does it take that long?

Anyone still around on here? I’m 9 months post partum with grade 2 cystocele, slight uterine prolapse, nerve damage (10lb9oz back to back baby who got into the world via forceps and a ferocious episiotomy; next time I’m having a smallish, softish baby!), and am looking for advice/support.

I’ve seen a gynae and am currently doing both normal kegels and electrical stimulation under a nurse specialist, plus have been doing Pilates with a qualified physio who knows about my prolapse since 8 weeks post partum. Early days with the fanny zapper but it does all seem to be reducing the stick-tampon discomfort and strengthening my weak muscles. I’m also awaiting referral to be fitted for a pessary for exercise. I’m still breastfeeding. I’m keen to avoid surgery as long as possible, and definitely for the foreseeable as I’d like another baby.

Things I’d really like to know about...

Does anyone manage to run with prolapse? Aware it’s not going to help but it’s my best way of managing my mental health and I’m desperate to get back to it. Might a pessary help? Any other tips?

Between scar tissue and nerve damage, penetrative sex is a numb and sad experience. Anyone got any hopeful stories about recovering proper sensation?

Thanks to anyone who finds time to answer; I’m trying to stay positive but am just tired of how slow recovery is and how betrayed I feel by my body.

Hi @verbena87 - thought I'd post as I'm 7 weeks pp and think I have a rectocele prolapse. Had a long labour where baby turned back to back, and finished with forceps/episiotomy so similar to you. Have been referred to physio and had an initial appointment which was just a consultation really. She didn't think there was anything 'severe' but will do a proper examination next week. Can I ask how/when yours was diagnosed? I don't want to get fobbed off with 'It takes time' and 'childbirth does alter things' 😑

I don't have advice about the other things but want to offer support as it feels miserable not to have normal bodily functions. I feel a bit 'why me?' about the whole thing!

My advice would be to keep exploring every avenue thoroughly before surgery.
I'm 7 days post anterior and posterior repair and I'm a mess.
Huge fuck up - they stitched up through my ureter causing me intense kidney pain, resulting in an emergency surgery where sutures had to be cut to release the tube. I now have a stent in place for 6 weeks.

I appreciate I was unlucky but I wish I'd never done it. I'd rather live with the bulge, pain and incontinence than this.

I'm 4 years down the line following delivery of a big baby but honestly, please try everything you can before looking at surgery. I wish I could go back to the way I was before

Hi Olicat,

Sorry to hear you’re going through that - life with a newborn is hard enough without fear of your organs falling out and episiotomy recovery was, in my experience, hideous as well so you have my sympathy!

I self-diagnosed and went to see GP early on (it’s all a bit of a blur, but I guess around the same time post partum as you; a month or two?). She thought it was just ‘boggy’ vaginal tissue (apparently this is a proper medical term ) and I said I wanted a gynae referral anyway (told her I was happy for her to write on it that it was probably for my mental health and peace of mind but please could she do it even if she didn’t feel it was needed as I still felt worried). Took ages to see gynae but he was brilliant, diagnosed prolapse as I suspected, talked me through options and sent me to continence nurse at the hospital who’s lent me the electric fanny zapper and also sorted a referral to be fitted for a pessary which I’m still waiting for.

So I’d say if you’re already seeing a physio you’ve done really well in terms of getting referred quickly, and I’m sure early intervention should work in your favour. Just be really clear that you don’t feel right and you’d like to be sure. I don’t think a physio is likely to fob you off as in my experience they’re a pretty proactive bunch, but you can always go back to GP and ask to see a gynae if physio doesn’t give you support you need.

And not prolapse related, but I found my episiotomy scar took about 7 months to really feel comfy. Massaging it with grape seed oil, whilst not the most thrilling use of the time between teeth-brushing and sleep, really seemed to help it become less tight and itchy and generally pain-in-the-arse-ish!

Good luck with it all.

Oh aero, that is utterly shit! I really hope things improve for you over time. Cannot imagine what a clusterfuck of frustration and sadness your situation is at the moment.

I’m avoiding surgery for the foreseeable anyway as I definitely want another baby if we’re lucky enough to conceive again, but also I know from my reading that 1) I’m not a great candidate for surgery anyway as I’m likely to return to impact sports, and also I think from my own reading and poking around I have a levator avulsion, which means my PF muscles are wiiiiiide apart and stuff’ll just drop through them again anyway but be a bit more scarred up, and 2) I may really need surgery eventually and if I go for it now, at 31, I’d hope it’ll need to last a very long time and I suspect it wouldn’t, so better to delay. And also 3) my poor fanny is already full of scar tissue and I think I’d rather preserve a few nerve endings and be baggy!!

Really really really hope things improve as you heal (and I am sending you imaginary Aeros as I type. Plus a very large gin and tonic.)

Thank you so much, that means a lot xxx

I'm not doing too bad all things considered.

To be honest I would like another baby in the future but was told I would be able to have an elcs anyway. (last Labour resulted in episiotomy, 3rd degree tear and severed perineal nerve - had to learn to walk again!) Hopefully just carrying the baby won't do too much harm - consultant told me the labour is the biggest threat to it coming undone

Glad to hear you’re bearing up ok.

That’s interesting that it’s labour rather than pregnancy that’s the biggest threat to a repair. And I am going to stop whittling about my nerve damage!! Numb fanny is definitely preferable to re-learning walking!!!!

Keep us posted on how you’re doing. You sound an absolute warrior!! Xx

Ah thank you, don't really feel it right now. Feel like a useless drain on everyone around me. Can't do anything.
Nerve damage last time was due to being left in stirrups for too long without being moved. Long enough to completely sever the nerve down one leg. Negligence really.

It’s crap being incapacitated but you are not a useless drain: you’re doing exactly what you need to, which is resting so your body can use all available energy for repairing and recovering.

The idea of being left in stirrups during labour brings me out in a cold sweat. I did one contraction’s worth of pushing in stirrups in a ‘let’s just see if this might work’ attempt to unstick my wedged baby and it was unspeakable. My sister took a photo of my face after and when I looked at it I had this weird feeling of ‘oh. So that’s how I’ll look when I’m dead.’ Total, complete post-agony exhaustion!

Hello, me again! Miss Catastrophic Thinker 2018!

I'm now 17 days post repair. Due on tomorrow, Normally I'd have symptoms now, really sore boobs etc. I definitely know about it when I'm due on usually.

I've been cramping for a day or so, but cramps feel different to how they used to, so I'm not sure if it's period cramping or somethings wrong following surgery.

Is it likely my first period would be late and/or a bit weird?
Just need a bit of reassurance 😔

I don’t know specifically but I do know stress can delay or disrupt your cycle, and I’m pretty sure your surgery would qualify as a stressful experience (!!).

Sorry not to be more knowledgeable. How are you doing other than the weird cramps?

My first period after surgery was much more painful than usual. The Consultant said this was to be expected with the first one due to all the healing going on in the area.

I am reluctantly joining in as I feel I belong here! 3 months after dc3 and I've been to one physio appt for weak pelvic floor. In the meantime I realised it felt weird and was able to push something back up whilst in the shower. Terrified! Will I need surgery? Thanks

AF has shown up with a vengeance!

I'm all over the place to be honest. I don't know what pain to attribute to what cause if that makes sense? Pain from the procedure healing itself, period pain or this bloody stent! It's all just a mess of constant pain and I'm so so fed up of it.

Honestly wish I'd never had the op

Aero that’s rubbish - I guess it’s still early days but maybe contact the hospital if you’re in constant pain or it’s not improving? At a loss for what to suggest (except sitting in a paddling pool of cool water with a bucket of icecream and a good audiobook?!).

Blinkineck don’t panic! Physio is likely to help quite a lot, as is time (I’m miles better now 10 months pp than I was at 3).

I was in total despair at first but you absolutely don’t have to have surgery at all if you don’t want to, and I don’t think you’d be advised to go for it when in relative terms you’re still so newly post partum.

Try listening to the episode of the Pevic Health Podcast with Haley Shevener for a dose of positivity and hope. There are also some good prolapse-safe exercise videos on YouTube if you search femfusion fitness. And maybe look for a good Pilates instructor who is experienced working with postpartum women and pelvic floor dysfunction.

You’re going to be ok!

Thank you Verbena.

I am 39 and youngest of 2 is 27 months - I discovered a uterus prolapse yesterday when my mooncup wouldn’t go in. I thought it was a tumour for a few scary minutes and cried with relief when I realised that it was prolapse. My GP confirmed today and I am now just waiting for a continence clinic appt in a couple of weeks. I know my questions are probably answered in this thread somewhere, but it’s so long and full of scary information. It is still sinking in that this has happened tbh, and I am struggling to find much useful information online.
My uterus is quite low - and I am struggling to comprehend that pelvic floor exercise can fix this - can it?! Have people had success with any of the weird devices and bonkers looking balls you can buy to help? Can I exercise? And lift stuff? I have no idea what this really means for me :(

Hi. I am new on here, but have been reading these threads with interest. I am due to have Posterior and anterior repair in 3 weeks and I wondered if there is anything those who have had surgery would suggest getting or preparing for post surgery. I am thinking about things like specific pillows to sit on, any special pads to wear, creams/sprays to use etc. Any suggestions welcome.

Hey all, so I have a uterus prolapse (I think ... not entirely sure as doctor was unhelpful and just said.. Yes it's a prolapse)
I'm currently pregnant with my 2nd child and wondering of I'll go for surgery after... I'm not sure :/ so far my symptoms aren't a problem, dont notice it at all apart from feeling a little extra something down there when I sit too pee.

I don't want the circle thing just because I get freaked out by even the thought .. I can't even use tampons as I freak out putting it in.

To be honest.. not entirely sure what I should do, do you think a pelvic floor exercises machine would help it? Hmmm

Bumping this brilliant thread because of all the info contained in all 9 threads. I've read a lot of them. Thank you to everyone who has added their story.

Mine is long, and I'm not going into all the detail as it's late and I'm tired, but I'm 5 years on from a Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (done in Oxford) and I'm having problems emptying bowels again, and the same dragging pain in vagina and rectum, along with back pain like before and difficulty weeing / repeat utis

I also had a TVT mesh for urinary incontinence in 2012 which cured the incontinence, and a partial hysterectomy in 2010. The Hysterectompy was meant to deal with it all then but made no difference, in fact it went wrong and I nearly died but that's irrelevant now.

I just wondered if there is anyone else out there who has had the Lap Ventral rectopexy op, and how they're getting on. I'm pretty sure I now have a rectocele, and hemorrhoids. Because the back of my vagina is buttressed with mesh the rectocele is not coming through the vaginal wall, but sideways to the area of my 35 year old episiotomy scar. Because of that I'm not sure how they could repair it in the normal way (where it usually bulges into the vagina) so am trying to gather information for when I finally go back to GP, which I am reluctant to do as I'm not convinced more surgery is the answer. Or even if there is an answer after the surgeries / repairs I've already had.

Any info would be welcome. Thanks.

I had ventral mesh at Oxford in 2011. I've had ups and downs but what helped me most was proper women's physiotherapy- not just pelvic floor exercises but alignment education , trigger point release , myofascial massage - I had this privately as the NHS physio was rubbish . I feel like I've got my life back . I do have a little rectocele , which like yours seems to be more in the perineum but physio helped me to get my life back when I thought the op had failed - and this is despite going through menopause as well , when everything seems to get weaker anyway . PM me if you have any further questions .Hth Minnie x

Sorry -forgot to add am responding to humblebumblebees