Anyone with prolapse experience?

Hey ladies! A friend of mine is looking for info on how to manage the prolapse she's dealing with. It's a bladder and rectal prolapse which happened after the birth of her first baby. She just had number 4, and things are not so comfy! :redface: Her doctor suggested surgery, but she would like to be able to have more babies, and that's not recommended after surgery. Does anyone have an experience or some advice they don't mind sharing? Have you tried a pessary? How did that work out? Estrogen cream? Kegels and physio? Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks!

I had it happen after my first and was told the same thing by the GP, surgery but not until I'd finished having babies. So I found a wonderful physio who only works with women with pelvic floor issues. A few months of seeing her and things really improved she helped with exercises as well as lifestyle changes and explained when I finished breast feeding that th hormone changes would improve things and it did.

At this point I only have a mild prolapse but better still everything feels normal again, that heavy feeling is gone. I would tell your friend to try and find a specialist physio, well worth the money in my case. I hope she gets some improvement as it can be very uncomfortable. If no a physio then a good gynae might be able to help too

She needs to definitely get a referral to a physio who specialises in this area. My friend had a pretty severe prolapse and she needed intensive physio including this seat thing you sit on and it sends a very mild electrical current into the pelvic floor so that the muscles tone up. (Sounds bizarre but apparently quite effective). I'm mentioning this because YES there is plenty you can do before you get to the point of surgery.

Thanks so much for your suggestions Sararose and Marydean! I'll pass them along to her. :)

Hi Ladies,

*Warning TMI*

I'm glad to have found this forum as I have unfortunately experienced a mild rectal prolapse after the birth of my 2nd (and last) child. I have 2months postnatal now and to say that I am freaked out is an understatement. I knew something was not right down there as I could feel something in my vajayjay and I had to hold on harder to stop from doing a #2 than I normally would have to.

Cricket, just wondering how your friend has been doing? Has she had any improvement?

I am going to see a physio and get a 2nd opinion from a gyno to treat mine as well as making sure that I do a bowel movement everyday.

I would really appreciate anyone's stories out there who have experienced this as I am quite scared and feeling pretty low at the moment :(.

Try not to freak out Coral. Mine was mild and seemed to get a little better with time and pelvic floor exercises. Seeing a gyno or physio is the best possible thing, some women get a considerable improvement.

Marydean,

Thanks for replying so quickly :hug:. It is good to hear that yours has gotten a little better with the physio :).

If you don't mind me asking... How long have you had it now? Does it bother you at all or is it something that you have just gotten used to? Have you noticed any impact on your life at all? I very stupidly went on 'Dr Google' and this has what has really worried me!

Thx again

Ok, steer clear of Dr Google on this one. Most of the info has to do with severe prolapse, which hasn't been treated at all, often in women who are a lot older. And whatever you do, do NOT look at any pictures!!!!

TBH I don't notice it a lot any more. For a while I had issues with going to the toilet (had to get to the dunny FAST for #2s) but I'm not convinced that was prolapse related. I've read you can have nerve damage after prolonged pushing which can cause this. It gradually got better over time. Re the actual prolapse, sometimes, esp if I'm tired or premenstrual or sometimes when I have a period it feels heavy/uncomfortable, and I have problems using tampons, but that's all do-able, kwim?

Like MD my symptoms are worse just before AF is due but otherwise I am symptom free so long as I keep active and drink lots. If I get slighlt constipated it can snowball and get really uncomfertable quickly but other than that its had no long term day to day problems. Its a shock when you get a diagnosis of prolapse, I always thought it was something that only happenerd to older women, but alas that is not the case. My physio helped make a huge improvement physicaly and also mentally. I hope you can find someone who can help, a specialist physio is the best way to go, my physio only does pelvic floor related physiotheraphy

Time helped improve my pelvic floor, I also had significant improvement when we finished breastfeeding due to the hormonal changes. Weight loss also helped my symptoms

You're not alone, I hope you get improvement soon xx

Hi Sararose & Marydean,

Thank you so, so much for replying :hug:. It really helps to hear other people's experiences so a huge thank you for taking the time to reply. You have helped ease my mind somewhat although I must admit that I still have moments of panic and freak out about it. I am sure that within time this will become less. I am seeing another Gyno for a 2nd opinion on the 17th and also have booked in with a Physio who specialies in pelvic floor. I really, really hope and pray that I am one of those people who get better in with time and with a little intervention (pelvic floor). I too am currently breastfeeding. Sararoe, if you don't mind... which type of prolapse did you get? I have the recetocele and not sure if this one will get better with the stopping of the breastfeeding?? PM me if you don't want to post and it is ok if you don't want to say either :redface:.

I will endevour to post my progress with this prolapse for others to read and hoefully give some hope to them too (as well as vent my fears and concerns every now again if need be!!).

Thx again ladies!! xoxo

Hi coral you need to empty your inbox/outbox :)

Sorry Sararose - just emptied Inbox :)