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Women's health

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I think I have a prolapse... :(

10 replies

Denira · 27/12/2018 23:58

Just went to the toilet and whilst going noticed that I have a large plum size lump sticking out of my vagina.

I gave birth just under 10 weeks ago. Have religiously done my pelvic floors and had a very fast labour (1.5 hours from 0cm-9.5 dilated then 30 mins of pushing).

I'm a bit scared and upset and don't know what to do. I have really poor bladder control. Pelvic floor exercise clearly not working. I had a look and it looks like my insides sticking out a bit.

How do I get rid of this? If I book a docs appointment tomorrow, will they tell me I need surgery?

I know you can't diagnose me on here of course but some experience from others would be nice?

I'm suffering from PND and this has just made me evening :(

OP posts:
IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 28/12/2018 00:03

Yes it sounds like it. Lots of women have it.

Whatever you do don’t go for mesh treatment. So many women have been screwed over by this and are in lots of unnecessary pain.

The thing that has helped me the most is the wholewoman website. The “fire breathing” exercises are the core of a morning routine that I do religiously.

Any questions PM me. It is a horrible shock when it first happens but it is manageable.

Flowers
Denira · 28/12/2018 00:06

Thanks @IfyouseeRitaMoreno - that's really kind. I haven't had sex yet and am too embarrassed to even mention this to DP. It looks awful, I wish I hadn't have looked.

I'm only in my early 20s. I wish I knew how ruined my body would be after childbirth. It's quite shocking.

OP posts:
Denira · 28/12/2018 00:09

My baby was only 5lbs. Fast labour. I thought I had got away with it. So gutted. Just feels so uncomfortable and can't see kegels helping

OP posts:
NotTodayHun · 28/12/2018 00:14

Following. I was diagnosed with a prolapse 9 weeks ago, I done Kegels and it improved but last Thursday it seems to have started again, and it seems to be getting worse rather than better, despite me doing exercises religiously. I feel for you OP, I understand how awful this is. It makes me feel so unattractive and the discomfort is interrupting my daily life.

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 28/12/2018 00:25

Kegels don’t work. IME it’s all about posture. According to Christine Kent (founder of Wholewoman) we are meant to keep a lumbar curve in our spine which naturally keeps the pelvic organs nested over the pubic bone.

But our modern lifestyles with sofas, cars, sitting up on cushions in bed, slouching in chairs push our pelvic organs back till they collapse.

I realise I haven’t gone through menopause yet so I have that yet to brave but I got a prolapse about 12 years ago. I’ve managed it ever since with the exercises on the Wholewoman DVD. I can still feel it but it stays put and hasn’t yet fallen out in the aisle of the supermarket!!!

Denira · 28/12/2018 00:36

@NotTodayHun it's horrid. I would be able to accept it if I hadn't done my pelvic floor exercises etc but I did them solidly every day (before we ever even ttc!). I was just getting my head round the idea of having sex again but there's no way I can now.

OP posts:
DidntWeAlmost · 28/12/2018 00:37

That's interesting @IfyouseeRitaMoreno - I'm going to do some googling....

There's no female doctor at my surgery and I just feel too uncomfortable having a man I don't know go down there...

Denira · 28/12/2018 00:37

Sorry ^ name change fail. That was me...

OP posts:
morningstarz · 28/12/2018 09:46

Definitely get yourself seen by your GP... if you can see one who specialises or has an interest in women’s health as they’ll hopefully be a bit more understanding and not fob you off. You need a referral to see a specialist: a Gynaecologist and a Women’s Health Physio.

10 weeks is very very early days yet and everything is likely to be stretched, lax and tired so don’t think for a second you’ll be stuck like this. It’s not unusual to be suffering with incontinence at this stage either.

I have a collection of prolapses after a 3b tear 2 years ago. They rarely bother me and my only symptoms are a heavy feeling if I spend too long on my feet, do too much lifting or around period time or if I have a cold.

I was referred (at my request) to see a Women’s Health Physio who I had my first appointment with at 4 weeks postpartum. She has been fantastic. Through her support I learnt how my pelvic floor and core muscles worked and what stresses and tires them. I learnt how and when to ease this. I learnt how to do my PF exercises correctly and she gave me a tailored exercise programme to suit my needs (which I still do). She also did some bladder retraining as initially I had the urge to wee very frequently but my bladder was only ever about a quarter full.... i understand this is very common PP irrespective of tearing. Further down the line I did similar retraining for my bowel, as thanks to the tear I was leaking and didn’t have much control so had quite a few accidents.

I have used (under the guidance of my physio) a pelvitone (electrical muscle stimulation) and a Therawand (to ease tight muscles). Both helped, but I wouldn’t recommend using either without the appropriate guidance.

I went to a Postnatal Pilates class (I was able to take DS along) which really helped me to build my core strength back up which in turn helped my PF.

I was ultimately referred to a Gynaecologist who fitted me with a removable ring pessary. I use this when I’m feeling heavy, it eases it as it gives me a bit of extra support.

I was utterly devestated when I discovered I had prolapses. Two years on things are certainly different compared with pre-pregnancy but don’t impact my life too much, i rarely leak urine and no longer have pooh incidents. I do worry what’ll happen post-menopause though.

The best advice my physio gave me was that I should view my PFE’s as like teeth brushing... something essential to do frequently for the rest of my life.

The NHS Squeezy app is also fab - it’s on android and Apple. It reminds me to do my PFEs and takes me through each squeeze. There’s also loads of useful info on the app.

Liande · 01/01/2019 00:44

Congratulations on your new arrival OP! Sorry to hear you’re having a tough time.

Book an appointment with your GP who will hopefully refer you to a specialist. I had a mild rectocele prolapse after DC2 which appeared about 2 weeks after birth. My GP referred me to a Gynae who then referred me to a women’s physio and I saw both in tandem for about 6m. My Gynae advised that after birth it can take up to 12 months for everything to tighten up again and he’d never advise surgery before this point. After 18m things were nearly back to normal - some of it was down to pelvic floor exercises, some down to time and some was just down to having less physically demanding activities with DC2 (ie no more heavy car seat, less carrying baby around as they were walking etc as this did make it worse).

Goodluck.

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