prolapse - how do you know if one has happened? what might the symptoms be?

[lassmichdochinruhe]

I'll be ringing the doc on Monday, but meanwhile am obsessing and in need of some armchair diagnosis....

my symptoms - something doesn't feel right and hasn't for a couple of weeks. I have difficulty getting a tampon in; I don't have anything protruding on the outside (a la Embarrassing Bodies), but there is a fleshy bit on the front/upper internal part of me that I don't remember being there before, but not that I've particularly been looking/paying attention. Some tenderness is possibly the result of a particularly energetic "session" on Friday.... there's life in the middle-aged dog yet . I'm in my early 40s, so am prob heading for menopause, too.

Internet/self-diagnosis indicates some kind of prolapse.

what do you reckon? does anyone else have any experience of this or similar?

You can send for a free DVD here it's to help pelvic floor etc. I've had a pelvic floor repair and am going to try this to keep everything where it should be. HTH

Lassmich - it does sound similar. I took it upon myself to do more pelvic floor exercises and I have felt an improvement. Did they mention surgery at all? I had thought about asking to be referred to a gynae, but I know they won't do anything until you have finished your family. I am a little overweight as well and I've been told losing weight can help.

PilotLight - the doc said that I was way off needing surgery and that it was only ever a last resort when the prolapse is interfering too much with the rest of your life. I didn't ask for details, but by the sound of it things have to be pretty bad before they talk about surgery. If I do the pelvic floor exercises, I probably won't need surgery at all.

Just a word about prolapses as it looks like you possible have not done much study on it so not sure why this is posted in the Prolapse thread.
Sometimes you can prepare all you like but the birth just won't go the way the nice fuzzy thoughts in your head want it to. They have to pull the baby out with some cold steel instruments and there is some tearing of flesh and pulling of organs and muscle damage. Women who have c-sections or those who have never given birth can still experience prolapse. No matter how well you've been doing exercises shit happens at the birth and you may still end up with incontinence and prolapse issues.
Some people are luckier than others. It might be an idea to add to your website that any women already experiencing prolapse or pelvic floor issues should NOT do deep lunges or squats etc because this may make their prolapse worse. They need to consult a trained physio before doing such exercises.
The photo of you holding onto a door handle and squatting down looks downright dangerous to me, especially for a heavily pregnant woman. What if you go flying back and break your tailbone - that'd be a nice way to spend the last weeks of your pregnancy.