Ring pessary for a cystocele

[stirling]

Does anyone have a good experience to share.? Someone did a couple of years ago but I can't find the thread.

I have a seriously prolapsed bladder, my uterus is not too bad and my rectocele is grade 1. My bladder has been inflamed and regular utis for about 5 years now. Estrogen cream and pessary don't really help and all urogynaecologists who examine me say the same thing: I'm apparently "well estrogenised" shock

So my bladder is like a huge lemon, low down, feel it when I put cream into vagina. Sometimes I see a horrible bulge externally.

This is what happens when you see too many specialists out of desperation. Two have said that a ring pessary will rest exactly where my inflamed bladder is, or against my rectum, and two have said I should try a ring pessary.

I'm definitely worried...

Has it helped anyone who has a cystocele?

Thank you

Hi Sterling, sorry can’t give any advice but I’m in a Similar situation...I’ve got a uterine prolapse 2.5 years after having my second Baby. Have also been suffering with chronic UTIs for about a year now (prolapse has only just happened) so I don’t know if uterus has been making its way down since then which has been causing the infections or my bladder had caused it all. I’m starting Pelvic physio in 2 weeks time, apparently this can work wonders, but I also have it mind to get a pessery as I’m not done having children so I’m hoping it will keep everything stable until the time comes to have surgery, which ultimately I’m assuming will have to happen.
Maybe you should try a different shape pessery? I’d surgery an option for you?

Hi Rogben13, thanks so much for your reply. A uterine prolapse can certainly bear down on the bladder and make emptying difficult. I've just seen about the 15th urogynaecologist who has written me off as "too complicated to operate on" and pessary, I was told yesterday, is not going to be an option after all because it'll aggravate the bladder. When she showed me the ring, it was like a solid wooden curtain ring, I did wince and say no thank you!
You're right about looking into other types. Got an appointment with a urogynae nurse at the ucl hospital who specialises in pessary fitting sometime in November, so that's my last hope.

Physio might well help you, I don't know if you have seen all the Femfusion videos on YouTube but some interesting views recently about prolapse being caused because pelvic floor muscles are not relaxed...

I do hope you get both, the physio and the pessary. Have you joined the POP Facebook group?

Please try a pessary! I resisted for a couple of years, but am now quite evangelical about promoting them. I was having constant urgent need for the loo, then couldn't urinate when I finally got there, or, worse, simply wetting myself quite severely. My ring pessary is like a silicone material. It is bent into a crescent shape to place into the vagina then pops into shape. The benefits have been amazing. no awkward, embarrassing symptoms, no discomfort whatsoever, and no problems with sex. In fact, my confidence has soared in many ways . Good luck.

Gingham Chicken thanks for replying. Really appreciate reading about your experience and I feel a bit more hopeful

There definitely wasn't any give in the ring she showed me. I'm hoping the urogynaecologist nurse at UCL in November will have one similar to the one you're describing.
Where did you get yours fitted?

Had you suffered from bladder infections prior to pessary? Did the pessary improve your flow? Sorry to bombard you with questions! Thank you

Where do you get pessaries fitted? I assumed you had to be referred to a gyno to fit one but someone I spoke to said they aren’t very good at fitting them? Would my local doctors do it? (My dr never mentioned it) or a physio?

How on earth have you seen 15 gynaes who refuse to operate? Sorry that is dreadful.

I saw three before my op although one was just doing a smear at a wellwoman clinic.

She said it didn't need doing as she asked me to clench my muscles.

The second one (another woman) said it was like hitching up elastic and not worth doing.

The third said there was a case for repairing it and did it.

Obviously I don't know the extent of what they can see but it's usual to take out the slack on the front wall and hitch it back up.

Argh, I'm at my wits end JinglingHellsBells. I went to see the final gynae on Monday who said that on reflection, they should "do nothing" as she's worried surgery will make things worse. That is exactly two weeks after my first appointment with her when her first comment was "gosh that's a big cystocele, has no one suggested surgery?" at which point I beamed thinking yes! Finally! Someone who hears me! Then, after the ultrasound scan she arranged in which everything was fine except my residual (amount of wee in bladder after emptying 74ml) she declined she wasn't happy about that and that I should go back to urologist. Or get a pessary fitting at the special clinic because she only had a hard one that looked like a curtain ring.

Argh. But its not emptying because I have a cystocele!
After reading about Tracy Emins bladder cancer this weekend, I feel like just removing the damn thing, but guess what? No one will do that either!

Literally 15 specialists who all think I should just take paracetamol or have more invasive procedures like urodynamics. So sad.

Rogben13 I've yet to find a GP who does it. Most likely is the urogynae nurse in the urogynae department department of a hospital

Oh and from initially saying it was a big cystocele she later went on to say what everyone says, "it's just a mild prolapse".

@stirling

Gingham Chicken thanks for replying. Really appreciate reading about your experience and I feel a bit more hopeful

There definitely wasn't any give in the ring she showed me. I'm hoping the urogynaecologist nurse at UCL in November will have one similar to the one you're describing.
Where did you get yours fitted?

Had you suffered from bladder infections prior to pessary? Did the pessary improve your flow? Sorry to bombard you with questions! Thank you

I'd been suffering with urgency to pee, a discomfort very similar to cystitis, and uncontrollable leakage; I didn't dare go anywhere without the largest, most absorbent tena pad, and always carried spare pads and pants in my bag. It was miserable.

I'd heard of some people being unable to tolerate pessaries, so first went down the physio road with little success. It was on my third visit to the urogynecologist that I finally agreed to try a pessary as I didn't want to have surgery if I could avoid it.

She fitted the pessary there and then - it took less than 30 seconds - and I was asked to walk round the corridors and go for a pee to ensure that it was comfortable. I cannot tell you the joy of a normal pee instead of the half hearted and painful trickle that I'd been putting up with!

I now see the nurse at the gynae clinic every 4 months or so to check that there is no infection and to have the pessary changed. The whole appointment takes less than 10 minutes.

I know that pessaries don't suit everyone, but when they do work they truly are amazing.

I can't believe that I've just waxed lyrical about a plastic doughnut

Gingham that is so good to hear. While no one is daring to operate on me at least there's this as an option fingers crossed.

Thank you so much for detailing your experience

Hey!! Just wondered how you got on with pessary?? I had mine fitted on Friday but still having issues :/