Mild prolapse - please give me hope, feeling disheartened

[CMRS]

Hi all,
First time mum here. I had a baby 7 months ago. Labour was induced and had 2+ hours of pushing, forceps, episiotomy and third degree tear - horrific experience.
I am still experiencing a heavy dragging feeling in my vagina when I stand/walk.
I have seen a private gynaecologist a couple of times who said I had ‘no significant prolapse’ - he said everyone sort of gets a degree of prolapse after birth but he wouldn’t formally diagnose one or do much about it until 1 year pp. I can feel a bulge in my vagina but I can’t see anything coming out.
I have also been seeing a pelvic floor physio for 4 months - I have a daily routine of exercises I do and I have also last week got a kegel8 machine after their recommendation (only issue is that I still have some soreness in my vagina wall, gyno said it all looks normal and to apply moisturiser, but this soreness seems to get aggravated by the probe of the kegel8 so I had to give it a break for a couple of days already).
It definitely feels better than when I first had the baby, but I still have this constant horrible heavy feeling and it’s honestly just really running my life and putting a damper on every nice thing I do. I also think last week I lifted something heavy (not thinking!) and it had made my symptoms worse again.
Please does someone have some happy stories that this feeling went away with physio and exercises? I am only 31 and I just feel like childbirth has absolutely disabled me and I’ll never be normal again and be able to run around after my daughter as she grows up :’(

I also have a mild prolapse (sounds even less severe than you as I didn't even know I had one) and stress incontinence. 2 years PP now.

I have a pessary in which made a huge difference. Although hasn't cured the incontinence completely. I can't even feel it, if I didn't know it was there I wouldn't have a clue.

Have you been referred to a pessary clinic?

I have been advised of surgery options, but I'm planning on leaving it as long as possible before considering anything like this as the nurse said the first surgery is the most successful and it won't last forever.

Thanks for your reply @PinkCherryPie.
I haven’t been referred to a pessary clinic no, is that on the NHS? They haven’t diagnosed me with a prolapse, they just told me to do kegels and that they would refer me to physio (that was 4 months ago and didnt hear back that’s why I went private)… I really don’t want to have one fitted though :(

I do also see a private physio, but I was referred for NHS physio on the ward straight after I had given birth. I think my appointment was about 3 to 4 months later. I had NHS physio for around 1 year.

The NHS physio referred me to gynae and discharged me at the same time.

I am able to take the pessary in and out, and essentially self manage. But I have chosen not to.
What worries you / causes you to not want one?
My private physio is also able to advise and fit them, and said they are brilliant at holding everything in place whilst you do pelvic floor rehab which makes it far more effective.

Hi CMRS did they grade your prolapse? Which type is it?

I have all three prolapses and had surgery on a rectocele last year which failed within 4 months.

I think I must have had them from giving birth too, two vaginal births with forceps delivery and episiotomy. But I had no idea, in fact I'd never heard of a prolapse until I went to see a physio with urinary incontinence when I was running! I don't remember anyone telling us about them when I was pregnant.

What has your physio said? They are usually very good at this. There are more ways to strength your pelvic floor than kegels. I found the kegel 8 left me in so much pain so I really sympathise with you.

I did need a pessary, mine was silicone and I took it out for a poo or sex and then reinserted it.

Tbh I don't even think about them now, other than if I need a poo at work when i'm running around and I have to go, or I can basically feel it sitting in my vagina.

I have sex, lift weights, go walking etc. I do a lot of glute work as this helps strengthen the pelvic stability and yoga for relaxation.

I can't ride a bike any more because I've had so much perineal surgery I can't bear pressure on my stitches. But that's it.

Please don't be downhearted, I'm sure it will get better. You have youth on your side. Mine didn't show up until my oestrogen left the building and the prolapses must have really developed themselves.

Oh to add, I'm 47 and last gave birth when I was 32! I wish I'd known about my prolpase then so I could have done exercises! No one mentioned kegels in 2008 at my antenatal classes!