Ring pessary support

[Lillabetty]

Hi all I think Im in need of some emotional support it's not something I'm comfortable discussing with friends and. So incredibly embarrassed.I'm 33 have 3 children youngest being 7 months old. Yesterday I was fitted with a ring pessary for a bladder prolapse which in turn has caused my cervix to come down.After my internal the physio scored my prolapse 1being mild 2moderate and 3 severe my score was a 1.5-2 and my score for pelvic floor strength is 1.5 out of 5. I'm also on a 9month+ waiting list to see a gynecologist.The fitting with the ring was super easy no discomfort or anything walked around as they tell you, no issues. Woke up this morning and feel dull achy period pains in my groin felt to see if it has slipped down and i can feel it if I put my finger to the second knuckle in sorry tmi is this normal am I just feeling anxious with it all.It dawned on my this morning that I'm going to have to live with this for the rest of my life and potentially use pessaries for 30+ years as physio said im not bad enough for surgery. I feel absolutely gutted I'm so upset can't talk to my partner about it as I'm so embarrassed he knows I have issues but haven't discussed the appointment with him yet. I'm scared this is going to have a massive negative effect on my relationship and already low mental health.Has anyone had this at such a young age and everything me ok in the end? I know im not the only women in the world to suffer with this condition but I feel so alone right now

Oh lovely. I have a ring pessary to help me if I'm having a long day on my feet to stop things getting really heavy.

They can go in and out. I only leave mine in a few hours, I was horrified when the GP said I could poo or have sex with it in. If I put my finger in up to my knuckle I can hook mine out.

My pelvic floor is a one out of five but I am older than you at 45 and have a cystocele and rectocele which have been made worse by menopause.

You don't have to leave it in if you don't want it.

Presumably the physio is getting you started on exercises? Your prolapses are very mild, they should respond to the exercises. Mine is far too bad for that but there's no way I want surgery.

And you should tell your partner. Presumably he fathered your children so he's partly responsible anyway!

Sex should still feel normal for you. My DH says he can't feel mine at all.

OP, I can't answer about the pessary, but you should have been give a contact number for the physio. If you haven't, call the hospital and ask for the direct number, as well as asking to be put through to them.
I hope you've also been told about the Squeezy app for pelvic floor exercises. They do help.
The point of the pessary is to relieve symptoms and I expect your appointment with the consultant will be to discuss how you are doing, along with whether or not surgery would be appropriate.
Far more women than you realise have a prolapse at some point, so you are far from alone.
Talk to your partner - you should be able to share how you're feeling with them.
(I totally get the embarrassment factor, and for me that means I am single as I have a rectocele again after a failed repair.)
I can see other folks have posted while I've been writing mine. I hope theirs and my messages bring you some comfort.

Physio said I can have intercourse with it in it shouldn't get in the way and partner wouldn't feel it but I can feel it if I put half my middle finger in so surely he would feel it too? Or does it not fit that's why I feel it? It felt fine after my appointment it was untill the day after that I started to feel uncomfortable. I had to take it out yesterday as It was giving me period pains in my tummy back and down my legs, also having a poo yesterday with it still in made me have contraction pain in my lower belly it took my breath away so had to take it out.

It's increased my discharge also so had to wear pantyliners while having it in.

The physio didn't give me any exercises to do she said the thing they do it stimulation therapy but because I've got epilepsy I'm not allowed to do that. All she done was booked me in for a follow up appointment in the next 6-8 weeks.

Said my pelvic floor is very weak I am contracting the muscles correctly but didn't give me any exercises to do

I have spoken to my partner about it but I don't think he quite understands how this whole situation has made me feel, I had low self esteem and low body image to begin with but this has made me feel a whole lot worse.

Physio said that being over weight does have an impact, I would say I'm definitely over weight I'm 5'6 13st 7lb since her mentioning my weight it's made me think I need to lose alot of weight.

My heads all over the place at the moment, is there anything I can buy to help me with exercises?

I tried the electric shock stimulator thing but I ended up in tears in hurt so much. And I found that I can't do the squeezes because there is so much prolapse to squeeze it hurts and I can't do it.

Not much help I suppose.

Try putting the ring back in yourself to see how it feels - they have a little bend mark on and you squeeze and as you put it in, blow out really hard as you push and it will go in fine.

I do find it useful after I've had a bowel movement to shove everything back where it needs to be.

I totally get what you mean about self esteem. I'm really desperate to have sex at the moment as I'm taking testosterone for HRT, but I can't bring myself to do it as when we do all I can think about is there being two floppy cushions inside. I also can't feel anything anymore which makes it a bit pointless!!

My DH is really understanding though. I'm sure your partner would be if you explained a bit more.

He might not understand what a prolapse is completely, I'd never heard of one until last year and I was told I had two of them!

Def lose weight though. Any weight on your abdomen presses on the prolapse.

I lift weights and my physio taught me how to do it safely and breathe at the right time etx.

I even find doing a downward dog in yoga puts pressure on it if I get my positioning slightly wrong.

The physio should advise you on how best to exercise to protect yourself.

Also look up Dr Bri podcasts and she does some YouTube videos. And Jessica valance pilates which is prolapse safe workouts.

How are you doing, @Lillabetty? I've been thinking about you.

Hello, I'm doing OK thank you. Have a follow up appointment next month. I can only wear it for a few days at a time as its just too uncomfortable. I started my period a few days ago tried wearing it as the physio said it'll reduce the amount of pressure/heaviness but it hasn't it just makes my belly hurt

@Lillabetty, did you manage to speak to one of the nurses?

Hello, im considering a ring pessary. My last baby was 12 years ago and i have had bouts of physio which improved my pelvic muscles but only temporarily... to be fair, i cant be bothered by exercises... i know, bad me!
Ive booked an appointment with a women physio and i saw on her website she offers pesaary fittings. Im dumbfounded that this has never been offered to me and i wonder why??
Im happy to give it a go but i wanted, does it help with not leaking while running?

@tostaky it didn't make any difference to leaking while running for me.
But my prolapses are very bad so it might help you.

I also absolutely hate doing kegels. I find the exercise so disgusting and cringey. I do them but hate them.

If you told me to do 100 weighted lunges every morning instead, I'd snap your hand off!