Prolapse. Can anyone help?

[MissMarianHalcombe]

I was diagnosed yesterday with a bladder prolapse. I’m 52 with no previous issues or any other medical conditions.
Dr offered 3 options; surgery, pessary or physiotherapist. I asked to explore all 3.
Im really uncomfortable all the time & have sporadic pain. Struggling to sit for any period without constantly fidgeting.
Dr has said I have to wait for a consultant with surgeon before I can be given a pessary and it’s only at the hospital at that appointment that one will be fitted. Im struggling to understand that I might have to wait months for any relief. My mother has a prolapse and has it done at local GP by a nurse (different surgery but same health trust)

Does anyone know what wait times are? Or if I do indeed have to wait for appointment with surgeon before I get any treatment?
Hoping someone will be able to give me some hope that I just don’t have to put up with this

Many women's physios also have a private practice if that's affordable for you? My local lady is about £50 for an hour session, you can have a one off appointment or book a series of sessions.

Also look up Michelle Kenway on YouTube for some physio advice, not as good as an in person physio but might help while you are waiting.

Hope you get sorted soon.

After my son was born when I was 39 I had the triple whammy of bladder, uterine and bowel prolapse! Great. I would consider all options offered. I'd try physiotherapy first, then a pessary and then surgery as a last resort. I was offered physiotherapy really quickly and I'm sorry to hear you have to wait. This website was extremely helpful to me when I felt everything was hopeless: www.hab-it.com/ The woman is amazing. I bought the DVD and did the exercises religiously. They helped a lot. I also bought a Keegle 8 machine. It has a little device you insert in to your vagina. It basically gives the pelvic floor muscles a real workout. Have you been seen by a urogynecologist? They often offer oestrogen cream to strengthen the walls of the vagina. One of the reasons women in their 50s start to be bothered by prolapses is because the oestrogen levels decrease and this leads to weaker vaginal walls, resulting in the pelvic organs sagging down. There are a lot of options to help you. I wish you all the best. I know it's distressing and uncomfortable.

Thanks @DuneFan I am lucky enough to be able to fund this myself. I sound really naïve here but is it the GP that can direct me to someone reputable?

Thanks @SallyWD I’ll definitely take a look at those options. Dr was very nice but just said Covid had stopped the surgery offering pessary’s being done there. I left without any time frames for anything. I could hardly sleep last night as I was so uncomfortable. I work from home and just sitting is problematic

Yes potentially GP and there is also a list on the NHS app/website for pelvic health: www.squeezyapp.com/directory/

Like SallyWD above I also have, and rate, a kegel 8 machine but I would hold off buying anything like this until you've seen a physio. Trying to fix yourself on a DIY basis, as I was doing mid pandemic, can be something of a money pit.

Thanks again @DuneFan and @SallyWD
Meant to add, sorry you both are experiencing this too

You will find ways around it and it will get better - the first days and weeks after diagnosis are horrible. Don't Google too much, there are a lot of horror stories out there. With the right physio support and strength exercises, the vast majority of women with prolapses can become asymptomatic and run, lift weights, etc - slow and steady does it.

I got two amazing babies alongside my prolapse! So feel I'm up overall.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation, like that produced by the kegel8 Sally mentioned, might significantly reduce your discomfort while you're waiting for other treatment.

I’ve been chasing GP as I hadn’t had a call back as promised. They gave me physio to self refer that wasn’t the right physiotherapy-even though I was explicit in saying it was physio for prolapse. Asked for pessary but can’t do it at my surgery as their funding has been cut so need to see a consultant. Been told I have to see the consultant about surgery & they will fit a pessary. Waiting times for this-70 weeks! I absolutely understand 70 weeks for surgery but 70 weeks to fit the pessary.
Is that right? I’m seriously questioning the information I’m being given as nothing has been right so far

Had surgery
39
Game changer
Absolute game changer
Would do all over again

@MissMarianHalcombe Have you actually seen a urogynecologist yet? You mention what the GP says but you really need to be assessed properly by a urogynecologist. GPs often don't know a great deal about prolapses. I had to teach my GP about the link with oestrogen (low oestrogen=worsening prolapse symptoms). She had no idea and thanked me for telling her! I can't believe you'd have to wait 70 weeks to see a specialist. I waited 2 weeks. In the meantime you could try these natural sea sponges: www.puresponges.co.uk/prolapse-sponges-52-c.asp
I used them and they offered relief. There's trial and error involved. You need to cut bits of until it's the right size and shape.

There are plenty of other vendors selling the sponges if you Google (ones that don't offer a thousand size options so their websites might be less daunting!)

Oftenithinkaboutit what kind of surgery did you have? Was it involving mesh?

Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy

Mesh is good standard

And it’s NOT the mesh that was put in years ago

Seriously, changed my life

I ran 12k this morning
I lift weights (no more than 10kg but never did anyway)

Literally not a hint

The GP has referred me to another Trust so only 34 weeks now. @SallyWD I haven’t seen anyone other than GP -it’s the consultant that takes 34/70 weeks. And they don’t fit pessaries at the surgery so have to wait for that for 34/70 weeks too

If your on Facebook search for FPOPS UK
(Female pelvic organ prolapse support) over 4k ladies all going through the same and loads of information and help sending hugs. Dont rush into surgery
Michelle kenway is fantastic on YouTube

I didn’t mean good

I meant “gold standard”

So GP surgery called yesterday evening. They are going to make “an exception” for me and fit the pessary on Tuesday. I’m switching from feeling relieved that they’ve said they’ll do it, to annoyed that they just didn’t do this in the first place.

Does the pessary stop the pain & the constant uncomfortableness?

Where are you getting constant pain? Not a typical symptom of a bladder prolapse

my gp referred me to the gynaecologist who confirmed it was a prolapse. Offered a pessary which I accepted. Have never been in such pain and discomfort! Eventually went back on day 3 in tears and they couldn't get it out. Took three sets of consultants/nurses before they managed it. Apparently the wrong size had been fitted. They offered me a urogynecologist app which I accepted. Its basically pelvic floor exercises but they lent me a machine. Every night for 8 weeks which helped a lot, so much that I bought my own to use 3 times a week. According to the consultant I will aways have problems lifting heavy items, eg cat litter bags and just get others to help. Would rather be helped by others than go down surgery route as there is no guarantee it won't make it worse but thats just me. Hope you get it sorted soon

Hi OP sending much sympathy.

If you can afford it I'd strongly recommend a private specialist women's physiotherapist. It's very likely that you can improve this prolapse through physio alone. Most women aren't doing kegels effectively until they've done them during an exam with such a physio. Certainly the case for me. They also have other techniques and recommendations that may help. If you're anywhere near Herts/Bucks then Becky Aston is seriously brilliant

www.beckyastonphysiotherapy.co.uk/

Hi OP, just chiming in to say PAY TO SEE WHOEVER COMES UP ON GOOGLE as a local pelvic floor physio.

My GP got my diagnosis totally wrong and I drove a 3 hour round trip and paid £100 to see someone who could explain everything.

For me I'm planning to avoid surgery as long as possible as it has terrible rates of failure - most repairs don't last 10 years according to data - self-management with physio has been fine for me for past 4 years.

But I don't have any pain - I think this is a huge reason why you should be seeking private help because AFAIK that's quite unusual... Problem with getting pessary from GP is that if you've been mis-diagnosed it might not be the treatment you need??

Best of luck!

I've heard that there's often trial and error with pessaries. There's about 80 different types and sizes. If your first one is uncomfortable please try again. Don't give up on a pessary too quickly! Try several. I agree that getting a physio who specialises in pelvic floor/prolapse is a good idea. I didn't have to pay though. I was referred by the NHS to a specialist at a private clinic. She was very good. Also the Kegal 8 machine I mentioned really helps. As an aside I'm very thankful for my prolapse. When I was having my prolapse investigated they found a cancerous tumour! It was found early. If it hadn't been for my prolapse I would probably be dead or very ill now. Anyway, that's not really relevant!

Thank you for all your comments, they’re all very helpful.
I’ve also had my letters from the GP surgery today to say they’ve referred me to consultant & to womens physio. They are dated yesterday so I’m guessing because I called yesterday & cried down the phone. They should have been done last Thursday following my appointment so my faith in the GP I saw is further rocked.

@Oftenithinkaboutit the pain is mainly down left hand side of my pelvis and I only have to press lightly across my stomach (image where the scar might be from a Caesarean) and it’s painful. I WFH and sitting to work is so uncomfortable I’m nauseous & have to lie down at lunchtime & early evening