Any Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery success stories?

[littlecabbage]

I have a grade II cystocoele and a grade I rectocoele (following instrumental delivery during childbirth). I am going to see my GP soon to ask for referral to a women’s healh physio to help with my symptoms, but have been told I will need surgery at some point.

It’s very easy to find negative stories about surgical repairs breaking down, and how they become more and more difficult to repair each time, but I am hoping this is just because women are more likely to post when things have gone wrong and it is on their mind more.

Has anyone had surgery to improve/resolve POP and had (so far) a good outcome? How long ago did you have the surgery? How old were you? What type/grade of prolapse(s) did you have beforehand? Did you do pelvic floor physio before and/or after, and did that help? Do you do any high impact exercise now, or is that too risky? Are your symptoms completely resolved, or just improved?

Thanks for any info you are able to share.

12 years ago i had a rectocele repair and a trans vaginal mesh insertion for incontinence, post 9lb baby with no proper repairs after tears and a 2nd 8lb baby. even though the mesh i had is on the 'hot list' i can honestly say i have had no issues whatsoever with both, my rectocele repair went well, quite painful after but wasn't horrific.

My appointment with the urogynaecologist isn't until October but I'll update then.

My situation has worsened as I stupidly started exercising quite frantically, I think at the thought of 12 weeks recuperation and no exercise.
I now have trouble weeing in the evenings and have to kind of push something up and out of the way

I went to the GP who basically gave me an 'oh just fuck off' look as I was crying and offered me anti-depressants!

I'm so gutted, I never thought this would happen to me, I've worked so hard to be fit and healthy.

goat it is shit when because you’re upset about a physical symptom GPs do the ‘well, you’re probably being a bit hysterical dear’ thing. Too many friends with serious gynae issues (endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, issues with cervix) who were told for years it was in their heads. And we’re only late 20s/early 30s so cant imagine it’s going to get any better as aging continues to happen. Grrr! And depression doesn’t normally present as crying/being weepy anyway. Even more grrr!! But also a big hug and a large gin, if either of those are any use to you?

I’ve got my pessary fitting tomorrow and remember you asking about that earlier in the thread, so will come and report back.

And (TMI/pissy unpleasantness warning!) weeing on all 4s in the bath/shower has helped me before when stuff felt especially bad. Lock the door if poss though!

Hope your appointment helps. A friend who is a retired GP suggested I could try wearing a superplus tampon to see if it wedged the bulge up, but I felt a bit anxious about tss and when I did try it, was really drying. But it did help a bit if you need a break from the uncomfy.

I will update as soon as I see my consultant. It's very demoralising when GPs etc don't treat it seriously.

I think maybe I have been lifting and carrying my pre-schooler too much. DP was away last week and DS always wants to be carried to bed, so I was doing it.

@GoatWoman, if it's any consolation, I don't think it has much to do with fitness tbh - if you ended up with a huge baby or a damage from an instrumental delivery, no amount of healthy eating and exercise is going to help.

I was thinking how badly we designed we are. Prolapses and slipped discs etc really are evidence that we should have stuck on all fours instead of evolving to walk on our hind legs (so to speak). All this weight shouldn't be on our pelvic floors!

I'd be interested to see how your pessary fitting goes verbena as I've been recommended one by my consultant. I have a mild prolapse and after lots of urodynamic testing etc I've been referred for physio and recommended to try a pessary.
I saw the consultant gynaecologist earlier this year after finally deciding I'm fed up of the pain and incontinence (and putting on loads of weight thanks to giving up running!) and at my most recent appointment this month have been told my nhs trust are suspending all mesh surgery so I can have physio and live with it.
Sadly the physio I am seeing is absolutely rubbish and has given no support, no idea of how to do kegels or anything! I've seen a private physio and she's helped but the advice is so conflicting and vague.

blueberry the people behind the nhs Squeezy app are in the process of compiling a U.K. directory of pelvic floor physios so maybe keep an eye out for that? They’re on Instagram which is how I know (there’s quite a lot of good knackered fanny info on there in amongst the smugness/narcissism/food/adverts!!)

@devuskums Thanks, I must look again at the APOPS FB group. When I looked previously, it seemed v depressing but loads of MNers have recommended it, so perhaps I visited on a bad day@

@itbemay thanks for your very positive story. 12 years is the best I've heard. Long may your fanjo remain symptom-free!

@GoatWoman I know what you mean, never thought it would happen to me either. I knew my body was becoming unfit and untoned as a result of pregnancy and then having no time to exercise with a young baby/children, and I knew certain parts woukd always be a bit saggier than previously, but never expected that something would actually permanently restrict my ability to exercise or lift stuff for the rest of my life .

@Verbena87 Good luck for tomorrow. Hope you see an immediate improvement.

@Starlings27 I lift my preschooler a lot too. And yes, I do think animals are better off on their 4 legs, although I feel that my pelvic floor was only damaged by births, not by pregnancy.

@BlueBerryBiscuit I'm surprised to hear you've been told physio is your only option. I thought there were other surgeries available that don't involve mesh?

Hmm, my sister has cows and they don’t all escape the dreaded prolapse either! I think female reproductive systems in general are a bit of an evolutionary work in progress.

There’s definitely non-mesh surgical options as the consultant I see has never used mesh - still definitely putting off surgery as long as possible though, and certainly until I’ve ‘completed my family’, as they say.

There's an off-the-shelf pessary called incostress and another called coniform that my physio showed me.

I got an incostress, it's like a silicone tampon and is great. If it stops working I'll be going for a bespoke pessary from a gynaecologist.

Lets me run without worrying about wetting myself or my fanny bouncing about.

viv sounds good. Do you know the type and grade of your prolapse? Am trying to not get too excited about the possibility of a run which currently I think might make me actually cry with relief (running is Prozac for my soul)

G2 cystocele - after birth. Its' actually ok with having had physio

I did see a physio again before going back running, and I'm not very good at running - which probably helps! Im happy with a half hour to n hour run on soft ground. Sometimes it's worse than others, like before my period - so, I swim then instead.

I agree, running is good therapy.

30-60 minutes off road 3x a week would make me a very happy woman. Grade 2 cystocele here as well but with slight uterine prolapse as well and not tons of improvement despite physio so will see how it goes.

I do swim a bit but unless it’s outdoors/the sea it doesn’t give me the same mood boost.

Verbena and everyone, thank you so much for all to our loveliness.

It's great too have the support so thanks to the OP for starting the thread.

My pelvic floor physio was bloody shit. The hospital were so overwhelmed they suspended the service and then tried to get rid of most patients by saying "Just do you PF exercises" . Err, what do you think I've been doing for 3 years?? My PF is on and off in spasm so very painful. I'm now paying £66 per session for a private physio who gets the issues and I feel I'm improving slowly.

Ok, urogynae update: my prolapse has improved since he saw me in February (hooray for the fanny zapper! Also hooray for soldiering on through boring kegels every damn day.)

He doesn’t think I have levator avulsion, rather that the levator muscles are badly stretched, but said it’s tricky to confidently diagnose until surgery (ie you need to actually open someone up to be 100% sure about whether the muscle is still attached to the pelvis).

As it’s still bothering me and I’m still breastfeeding he’s given me some topical oestrogen pessaries to try, as they can sometimes help tighten/plump up vagina tissue, so will report back on those as well (my mum said “oh yeah, I’ve had those for menopause dryness. Don’t play around with the applicator: I catapulted the first one across the room”)

And I have a slightly terrifying rubber ring with which to jam stuff up out of the way. Haven’t tried to run in it yet but will try and get out soonish.

Bit of tentative jumping up and down with pessary in place is encouraging.

Getting pessary in place is farcical and hilarious. It is huge. It it slippery. It pings unfolded at innoportune and indeed labia-pinching moments. Practise makes perfect, right?!

Brilliant news Verbena, keep soldiering on!

I'm so proud of you and your upbeat attitude, even though I don't know you!

Terrific work!

Hey @Verbena87, that all sounds very positive. Your hard work has paid off! And it sounds as though thjngs may improve further once breastfeeding stops?

The pessary sounds scary indeed but worth it I guess if it gives significant improvement.

Ah thanks goatwoman (I definitely cope better when I can hang onto my sense of humour.)

littlecabbage definitely glad I’ve got the pessary; when I initially removed it after wearing for a bit to check it didn’t slip out/hurt my anterior wall felt almost normal (no bulge) for 5 minutes or so, so I think it really is shoving stuff back where it belongs when it’s in. Happy days.

Ok, fanny-appointments-update part 2: saw the continence nurse at the hospital today because I have to give them back their fanny zapper BUT she’s given me a VAT exemption form and programming info so I can get my own for £67 - was thinking I’d need to spend £150 on the snazzy kegel8 prolapse one so that’s fab news. Thought I’d share as I can’t be under the only hospital to offer this, so could be well worth an ask.

Good luck all.

Thanks for the update. I’m another one who hopes to run again. I’m currently hoping post natal Pilates will get me back there (g2 cystocele , discomfort and loose sagging sensation but no other issues, eg no incontinence)

time it sounds like we’re symptom twins (except my wretched cervix is pretty saggy as well). I’ve done Pilates from 8 weeks postpartum and all the clinicians I’ve spoken to have said it will definitely be helping so that’s definitely a good shout.

The nurse today said really running isn’t good for prolapse, but it’s not as bad as trampolining and the benefits to my physical and mental health will outweigh the harm. I said “do you think it’s really irresponsible to run?” And she said “definitely not, you have to look at your health as a whole”

Will let you know how I get on once I get out - keep me updated on how you get on too?

I also bought some ebv running shorts which are meant to be great, but for me they made no difference to my prolapse, chafed, and were expensive.

Yes please do keep updating! I will google those shorts although the mind boggles at shorts that can reach up my vagina and hold things in place .
I’m on holiday and not doing Pilates and doing too much walking and lifting my monster toddler and I can really tell the difference :( . I am having pt sessions for Pilates to nail the technique and starting group classes shortly (post natal Pilates classes - byo baby). I’d rather get back to running without a pessary given I want more babies and prolapse risk is higher with menopause etc - id really like to know there are non surgical steps I could still take to help keep running and general activity up for a couple of decades. I would settle for fast active walking right now though

time we went walking in the Cairngorms a few months back (hillwalking including some 10 to 12 mile days) and I found if I lay down for half an hour with my hips on a couple of pillows when we got home, the next morning I was good to go again, and it didn’t seem to do any lasting harm symptoms wise walking lots, in case that’s helpful to know?

Is there a reason running with a pessary is a bad idea, or is it more that you’d like to get your pelvic floor strong enough not to need the support? I think ideally I’d like to not need one but realistically I’ve been actively working to try and sort my core and pelvic floor for 9 months and I’m still not at that point, and I just really bloody miss it. Am right with you on delaying surgery as long as possible too as I’m definitely hoping for at least one more baby and after an extended episiotomy and two big years, I’m not really in the market for swapping any more nerve endings for scar tissue!

The shorts don’t reach anywhere (though if they did they’d probably actually work; shall we go into business?!), just have a supportive bit under your vulva/perineum which is meant to reduce the feeling of heaviness. But they also squash and squeeze your belly and I think if anything that makes things worse. (I am bitter. The wretched things were over fifty quid and all they did was gave me a sweaty bum.)