Please tell me about your ring pessary!! Is this normal?

[Aitchemarsey]

Hello,

I'm 2 years PP, stage 2 rectocele and cystocele prolapses, thanks forceps!

I was fitted with a 77mm PVC ring pessary about a year ago by a nurse at the GP, but wasn't convinced it was fitted properly. I've been today to the specialist pessary clinic at the local hospital (after a year on a waiting list) and the specialist nurse has recommended the same thing, same size, and fitted it in the same way.

Every picture I've seen of a ring pessary has it sit at the top of the vagina, against the cervix. But both times I've been fitted it's just been just inside the entrance to the vagina, essentially resting against my rectum. I actually almost pooed myself about an hour after the fitting, because it created a really intense feeling of pressure; had to rush into John Lewis. I'm still feeling slight pressure now, which is more intense when walking - I'm not actually sure it's preferable to my prolapse symptoms.

I can also see the white of the plastic with a mirror- like it takes up the whole of the vaginal opening, it's just white, about 1cm in. Both nurses have said I can leave it in during my period, and have sex with it in and my partner wouldn't notice. But...there's not really anywhere for a penis to go? Even if it managed to get in, it would literally be rubbing along the length of it...? This time I asked the nurse how it was possible and she just shrugged and said women who have it say it's possible.

I asked several times if it was definitely in properly and she said yes. Is this what ring pessaries are supposed to be like, or is this one too big maybe?

Please share if you have any experience of this because I'm feeling totally lost with it now.

Have you actually felt where your cervix is OP? It’s probably a lot lower than you think, virtually at the entrance hence why it sits so low. Can you push on the ring to lift your cervix upwards? It will probably work its way back down though. I have one but don’t really use it.

I don't think it is that low, I can't reach it with my fingers - my cervix is "well supported" according to my gynaecologist and I don't have any uterine prolapse.

The first picture here is very much how my pessary sits, but most pictures show it up and horizontal against the cervix, not vertically resting in the vagina like mine is...

@Aitchemarsey

Did you get this sorted . Whenever I've had one fitted ( they've tried a few,! ) it always sits vertically and like yours , rather low done rather than horizontally and much higher up .

Down , not done ! Typo.