Prolapse anyone want to talk?

[Saffy]

I was told it pelvic floors might help the symptoms but won't change the prolapse.

I used oestrogen pessaries initially, I think I was about 6 weeks postpartum when I started, just for 3 weeks, then pelvic floors and I felt a bit better ( have a grade 2 cystocoele and small rectocoele). Now i use a ring pessary when needed ( ie if I am having a day of standing a lot, lugging groeries etc) I tend to leave it out on the weekend when Dh is home ot hold the baby.

I'm not sure what I will do, wait and see what happens after I stop BF. My obs thinks theres no point having surgery before menopause as it justs collapses again.

[Astrid]

Just realised that I could be making mine worse, just started excercising in the last few weeks, lots of crunches which is on the list of what not to do if you have a prolapse. Damn!

[blackduckies]

Hi Saffy how do you find the ring? sounds like you take it out yourself whenever you don't need it? i was under the impression it is harder to use than that, but that sounds interesting..do you have any pain with your prolapse (sorry no need to answer this one , but i will ask because I have no idea how much it helps etc) do you use the ring when dtd?

Astrid at the moment I am not even sure what I can do, I can only imagine crunchs are not a great idea...
i would love to ride a bike even walk etc but we live in a very hilly area I assume that is a no go zone perhaps on the flat it might be okay..I am slipping downward by the minute this week I go to see a GP who has trained as a gyno so be interesting to see her take and hopefully I can start to find out what I can and can't do.

Jellybean they say that it does run in the family well prolapse side but as you say being the female equal to a hernia (in my mind its a bit like an internal stretch mark or lots of them) so i can't see why not, in my family there has been a few prolapse issues but at an older age and my dad has ongoing prostate problems, so seems as though its there...joy!!! I try to look at mine but really have no idea what i am looking at, i guess its not a place you look at, not like looking in a mirror daily i would like to know what it looked like, I have only seen photos of prolapse that is outside the body or pictures of what it supposed to look like and what happens when you do prolapse, does'nt help me much?
I would'nt use the weighted balls may be okay if you did'nt already have a prolapse but with one I can only imagine making it worse.

Thanks Olive, I am not leaking but i assume that would be only a matter of time, the mesh is scary to me I have a bad track record with foreign objects & once the mesh is in its there, so will keep that as a last resort..did you worry about any issues with it i just went with what your surgeon thought best. The incontience nurse said the buzz chair was'nt the best way to go..I have no idea, it sounds like it would work & you would be doing the exercises correctly, but like you say the damage is done, hard to fix it afterwards.

I seemed to dodge a bullet this weekend felt like I was starting to get a UTI but nothing came of it, thank goodness..I really hope I can get something sorted with them that has been high on the list of worst things about it all. Along with the feeling broken, that sucks i have told a few people now it seems they are a bit freaked out and maybe embrassed, i just wish more girls talked about it rather than walk around feeling alone in it, i asked if there was a support group but no, does anyone know how many younger women would be affected by prolapses?
Anyone else with repeat UTI's? how has that been handled?

Thanks girls for the chat & support I appreciate it.

[Saffy]

Blackduckies- yes I put it in and take it out when I want- it is ok going in , you just warm it up, put some lube on and squash it so its like a figure 8 and it goes into the right spot itself. Taking it out is a bit more of a challenge, its painful but I've worked out a system t oget hte right angle and do it quickly. My obs said old ladies keep them in permanently cos they can't put in and out, then have them replaced every 3 months, but I just use mine as needed. As for DTD I haven't ( but there is a lack of dtd in our house atm anyway due to baby that won't sleep in her cot day or night lol) but I would take it out although I believe you can leave it in. I definately notice the difference when it is in, re feeling the prolapse, it is instant relief! I wouldn't say I had pain but it is uncomfortable and feels like everything is going ot fall out when I lift anything. My baby isn't going ot get lighter so it is good to have something for when I need it. hope this helps.

Also, for what its worth I had an easy 2nd stage of labour, 30 mins pushing and normal birth ( well when I say easy....you know what i mean)

I tell all my friends and most have had some form of prolapse too. Sorry your friends didn't handle it well, I believe in discussing stuff like this so people aren't ashamed.

[jellybean88]

Black duckies: I can see my prolapse from the outside but its just at the opening not coming out

Saffy: I only had a 5hr labour with ds and 5mins of pushing so I really didn't push he just kinda came out on his own and I got the prolapse after him

[blackduckies]

Tah girls, yes my friends are looking at me like you poor thing, maybe they don't know they have one yet!! thanks for the info saffy I am still waiting for appointments to see what stage I am at but i have been on estrogen pessaries this last week & DTD which was fine with minimal pain afterwards and no UTI, so things are looking up but still a bit reluctant to test myself out too much??? Looks like I may have to have a few exploritory ops to rule out a few rare forms of cancer, but mostly a precaution and have been given info on a mirena as I may have to stay on estrogen for the longer term..will update when I know more.

[jellybean88]

Black duckies: where have you been going to get all this advice? My ob and physio aren't very helpful

[HotI]

Blackduckies, how are things going now?

[blackduckies]

Apologises girls, my year got a bit worse to add to my urinary issues my gall bladder decided to pack it in & I have been very unwell, have had it removed now but geez enough already!!!!
So now I can say goodbye to a ****ty year and hope that next year gets better..my list starts in March with UTI from hell bleeding, clots, massive pain etc only to have a repeat exactly a month later I now believe that I might have trigger that myself using a tampon? In amongst that i had reaction to the antiboiotics & what I did'nt know at the time was my gallbladder melted down from my antibiotic allergic reaction hence a major gallbladder attack which I thought was relaated to UTIs & the prolapse, when I got sent for a CT scan they discover my gallbladder was filled with stones I was sent to a suregeon withitn weeks & he wanted my to have it taken out start away, unfortunately I could'nt cope & refused the surgery just so overwhelmed with everything...only to be ringing him back the following fortnight after another hospitalization for a major gallbladder atttack, in the end i coudl'nt eat my last attack was from a homemade veggie soup.. water and green veggies..hmmm the following month I had it out. Then bile dumping for about 6 weeks I was starting to think that it might be a permanant thing but it has now eased up. I lost 15kg in 2months have since put 5 back on but feel so much better. Bad news made for massive hemmroids and more bowel issues.
Overworked my pelvic floor & started have bowel & bladder spasms, really should have been given relaxation exercises to start with because my muscles were already in spasm after the UTI's, am now on a break from exercises until my floor chills.
Then in the new year will start again, now under the care of a urologist who says I don't have a prolapse but a muscle wall weakening due to lack of estrogen from peri menopause/menopause..me not sure? who to trust 2 gynos & physio said prolapse but uro says no..but I feel much better now my urge incontinence has gone, my pain has lessened, toileting with my feet on a kids stool ( might be worth trying girls gets you into a more squat like position, which angles everything the right direction) now just trying to deal with early menopause symtoms the risk of having a baby in your mid forties apparently, the uro says she sees lots of ladies from 42-45 who go into early menopause from having a child often your period just does'nt come back & the earlier you go through the more symtoms you tend to have!!!
My new years resolution to be proactive I can look after myself and its up to me to find the best advice & care I can & to become accepting of this change in my life a welcome a new chapter is to book in to Jean Hailes and get a second opinion i figure it won't hurt & thats what they are dealing in exclusively (women)
Huge downside I ended up very depressed and huge anxiety issues but am working on that now I have to get positive & address fears & trust issues just a year filled with too many downs taken a toll.
I am very glad school has finished & I have got Poppy organized as best as possible for school next year, her speech is much improved and she is better able to express herself/feelings & has shown she can make friends even if its only one at a time poor little chicken the others are doing pretty well, they got a few holidays at nan & pa's house & I am a nana ( that makes me feel old) my oldest daughter had a little girl in October they are coming down from Sydney on friday for 3 weeks so can't wait to get my hands on my gorgeous girls.. hope you are all doing well I will try to get in more often and keep you updated on my progress this 2014, I wish you all a wonderful happy Christmas filled with love & joy & a safe and happy New Year xxx Pam.