Prolapse

[taralouise60]

Hi mum's, I have a front wall prolapse (I think that's what it is) anyway I went to my drs Feb and she referred me I was seen at the hospital and the first thing out of her mouth was we won't do surgery because of your age (im 29) and said for me to lose weight and she'll refer for physio, I felt so deflated, my question is would will physio if i got this massive thing dangaling down and what age do they do surgery? Thank you xx

Does the bulge hang outside your body? I’ve got a stage 2 cystocele (bladder bulging down the front wall of my vagina) which sat right at the entrance to my vagina but not hanging out past my labia, and yes, physio has massively helped so definitely worth a go.

Download the nhs Squeezy app and do 3 or 4 sets of 10 long/10short squeezes a day. I will say I did this daily for 7 months before I felt a noticeable improvement but was also recovering from birth and have nerve damage so it may not be that slow - but just to say you need to keep going even if it seems like nothing is happening, and it’s a routine self care thing like brushing your teeth, not something to do for a bit then stop.

I’ve also got an electrical stimulator for my pelvic floor muscles (trialled for free from nhs physio then went on to buy one because it helped), and a ring pessary and some very expensive support shorts for impact exercise (means I can run without making things too much worse - for me the emotional and health benefits of running outweigh the harm it does to my prolapse but that’s a choice I’ve made with my urogynaecologist and physio), and I use topical estrogen inside my vagina to help firm up the tissue as I’m still breastfeeding so have low natural estrogen.

I’m aiming to avoid surgery as long as possible; I have plenty of scar tissue already from my birth, but also the failure rates for prolapse surgery are really high and I’d rather manage it conservatively until I really can’t cope.

Also just thought, it’s worth being aware of what exercises to avoid, especially if you’re on a weight loss kick on the nurse’s advice. Basically to avoid making symptoms worse you need to try and avoid putting stress on your pelvic floor through impact (running, jumping, bouncing around) or increased intra-abdominal pressure (anything where you feel downwards pressure on your pelvic floor so sit ups and crunches, heavy lifting, plank, and some Pilates exercises where you have both feet off the floor). The weight loss will have been advised as the less weight you’re asking a damaged pelvic floor to support, the easier it’s job is.

Pilates with an instructor who knows how to modify exercises for dysfunctional pelvic floor is brilliant.

Cycling is pelvic floor safe and a spin class is knackering and brilliant if you need cardio in your life.

Walking is great.

Femfusion fitness on YouTube has lots of prolapse-friendly exercise sessions.

I’d avoid weights, bouncy stuff like Zumba, and running, until you’re well underway with physio and then introduce them gradually and pay attention to how you feel.

Immediately, if the heavy/draggy/falling-out-tampon feeling is too bad, lying with your hips on a cushion for half an hour genuinely does help a bit.

Hang in there. It really can get much better without surgery! Mine is still bulgy but I’m fully continent and no longer have any discomfort unless I’ve overdone it running or lifting my huge hefty one-year-old without thinking about safe lifting technique.

Thank you for commenting! Yeah it hangs out quite considerably 😔 my nan had it so Dr thinks why I could have it at this age and also because I had 3 pregnancies in 3 years 🙈 xx

Ah that’s a bugger. Maybe still worth trying physio but I can’t imagine it’s going to reverse that degree of prolapse.

If they won’t consider surgery yet I’d definitely ask to be fitted for a pessary to try, as they do shove stuff back into place a bit.

I have a bladder prolapse after a nasty tear during delivery and started physio after 6 months of being told by OBs that everything is fine!! (They were only checking for a uterus prolapse). After even just the first session of having the scar tissue massaged and using the electrical probe to lift the pelvic floor basket I felt 100x better. I had to keep going 1 x week for a few months, as progress with these things is apparently pretty slow, but physio really should help. Things will never be how they once were, but at least I can function without pain or discomfort for the most part.
Verbena87 - where were you able to get the electrical stimulator from? Occasionally I have days where I feel heavy again if I've had a cough or carrying heavy things a lot. Would be great if I could do the quick fix with the probe myself!!!

It’s the same one the hospital lent me, which is called a ‘neurotrac continence’. I got it from here www.desmitmedical.com/shop/neurotrac-continence-pelvic-floor-muscle-stimulator and was able to get a VAT exemption through the hospital I’m under as well. Nurse helped me programme it but I’d be happy to send my notes your way if needed. You need a probe as well, which you can also get VAT free if your nurse/gynae is happy to do you a form.

Thanks so much!

I had a repair done and a full hysterectomy. I was not told of the problems that I am experiencing or I may have went a different route.
I was sewn up too small to accomodate my husbands penis so I haven't been able to have a satisfactory experience with him and suffer tremendous pain when I try.
I also seem to be suffering from micro tearing of my vaginal walls and entrance.
I think that post menopausal is partly to blame since I do not get the same hormones anymore. I went back to the doctor after 6 months and she looked at me like I was crazy. I asked her right out if someone else helped or did the job. She recommended these cup things that you insert going from a small one to a larger one. This was unsatisfactory and did not help.
I am wondering if maybe I should see another doctor and maybe see if I should think of bringing suit to try to do a repair but I am so afraid. I probably shouldn't be. It doesn't seem like anything else could be worse.
I did decide to try a small vibrator that my daughter gave me as a gift, LOL. I actually had an orgasm for the first time in years! But my poor husband has to do without any vag cause it causes damage and pain. So I do what I can, but it doesn't even come close to the kind of sex we used to enjoy.
I am 61 1/2 now, so that also figures into wether I really want to go under the knife again.
I was fortunate that I haven't had any major problem with bladder issues but occasionally I will have a couple days were I am running to pee and only a little comes out.
So, just wondering about others experiences and what you think. I read a thread from 2010 that a google search popped up so thats how I got here.
Well ladies,
Good to be a member and look forward to any interactions. I am a mother of a 37 yr old girl and a 43 yr old male.
Have had a lot of experiences so maybe I can be helpful to someone else. I would like to hear about anyone elses rectocele problems.
Thanks again

Taralouise60
Good advice everywhere here. My colon had prolapsed into a prolapse of vag wall and so it was poo that would get in there and not expelled normally. Some people it is the bladder falling in.
I would try everything else before surgery. If you read my experience, not all surgeries end up happy ones. I got the rectocele repaired but it caused me to not be able to have vaginal sex with my husband.
I used to be very much a sexual person, but as I got older with other problems sex I can do with or without and doesn't make no difference. Poor husband tho! He was used to at least every other day, LOL. I didn't get it done until my 50's but if I had known I would have the problems I do, I would have done what a lot of the others here are suggesting. The weakness of my wall I am sure was from my pregnancies. I don't have big hips, so my first one was really hard and I tore pretty bad. My second one, I ripped a little on the upper/front of vaginal opening and I told the nurse but she never stitched me up. I think I should have been stitched up because I have pain from it ever since 1989 every time I have sex and position doesn't matter.
So, do not fight them for the surgery until you are sure that nothing else is working for you. It is suppose to be few who have problems like I have, but I really have no idea what the rate of problems to no problems is.
Take Care

Following this.

shevykat that sounds rubbish. Have you tried topical oestrogen? I’m using vagifem twice a week (not post-menopausal, but breastfeeding which is hormonal quite similar) which does help with the tight/dry feeling. Might not be any use to you, but maybe it’d help with the irritation.

shevykat if your repair is too tight and means you can't have sex ( or maybe it's the menopause that's the cause?) you need to have your surgery reassessed.

I had surgery 25 years ago when my 2nd DC was around 2 yrs old, - front wall, (mainly), back wall and uterus hitched up. So far, it's held up though I can tell it's not quite as good as when first done.

I'm on HRT and also use vaginal estrogen hoping these will help maintain my pelvic floor.