Thanks heaps for letting me know that CL. I think that mine is a vaginal prolapse too, that's what the dr at A & E said. So glad to hear that it isn't giving you any more trouble now either. So are you running again now too?
I don't have anything to add re: prolapses except Good luck with the specialist and i hope you'll start to feel better very soon.
Anyway i thought i'd post because i sympathise about the running. I did a half marathon last Sunday on a stress fractured foot (which i'd had for a coupla weeks and shouldn't have run on, but it was for charity, and my body is NOT the type which can handle distances over 10k, so it was only for once, ya know?) and i'm now looking at 3-5 weeks no running to let it heal and then very short runs to start back. I know that's nothing compared to half a pregnancy off, but i do feel for you (and going from running 20-30miles a week to nothing is KILLING me! LOL).
At the moment i'm in the pool 3 times a week and as soon as the foot is no longer painful when i press the fracture site i'm going to try bodypump (hopefully when the new quarter starts in October) and maybe combat or RPM. As it is, i'm hoping to be running 5-7.5k a couple of times a week again by Christmas, and i'm doing at least 2 10ks next year. But i thought i would post and offer my sympathy and also, if you want, in a few weeks, once everything's been checked out and you've got the all-clear to exercise, the offer to swap/discuss pool workouts and training tips?
Thanks heaps Bec - Wow on your 1/2 marathon! You're a champ!! I can't believe you did it with a fracture!!!! I'll PM you (when I can use 2 hands ) because I'd love to 'train' with you!!!
I just went for a 1/2 hour walk & it actually feels pretty good. So I'm feeling very positive.
Wow! These symptoms you girls have talked about is what I am experiencing!!
The Dr told me on Wednesday that I could have a minor prolapse. I had a 3rd degree tear. Its been 11 weeks since DD birth and on Wednesday I had to have some scar tissue burnt off. But I am also having the heaviness/bulging at the front....is this right, its right in the front where the pubic hair is? (inside of course LOL).
Could the scar tissue also be causing the uncomfortableness? I get the heaviness and bulging, but also I get a pain right inside. My Dr said she couldn't see anything which is good.
I just want it to be over, I can't stand for more than 5 mins without being in pain, or walking around. I can't do the grocery shopping or stand much to make dinner....I am so over it.
I like the thought of the pilates classes....does anyone know of any for post natal in the Narre Warren area in Melbourn??
Think I may have developed a prolapse yesterday. I was coughing last night and something just did not feel right. I started to feel as though there was something sitting at my vaginal opening, had a feel and it does feel different to touch.
Shocked that something would develop now and concerned about what is happening as I don't want this pregnancy to be affected. My bowels have been a mess lately and yesterday I finally got some good movement happening, so I am wondering if I have strained too much.
First of all Astrid, I can so sympathise with bowel problems in late pregnancy. Agarol and water, water, water and pears are good. As is going to a female physio and getting her to show you the right way to "strain". I WISH I had known. It would have made things SO much better in the last months of pregnancy.
Linda - I am wondering how you are going now? Like you I found I had both anterior and posterior vaginal wall prolapses a couple of weeks after giving birth. It felt like I had a plum-sized bulge falling down into the entrance of my vagina from the front wall. I did pelvic floor muscles til the cows came home and had a physio confirm I was doing them correctly, but unfortunately for me these vaginal wall prolapse got worse. My physio thinks that I might have done more damage by pulling my dining room table (which is on wheels and something I didn't even think twice about doing) across the room.
To all of you living with prolapses - I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW BAD PULLING THINGS TOWARDS YOU IS FOR PROLAPSES. ANY ACTIVITY THAT RESEMBLES PULLING WEEDS IS REALLLY REAALLLLY BAD for making prolapses worse. As is getting constipated and straining. Most prolapses occur after a bowel movement. So my other piece of advice is make sure you never ever get constipated if you have a prolapse.
Anyway to cut a long story short - I was very careful, and very constrained about not doing too much, and religious about my pelvic floor exercises. I tried not to be too heroic in anything physical and waited patiently for the time when I would wean my DD and my hormones, and hopefully my vaginal walls would improve.
When DD was 8 months, AF came back. Five days later I suddenly had this weird sensation that I had a champagne cork just inside the entrance to my vagina. I quick self examination confirmed my worst nightmare I had a uterine prolapse as well. My physio told me that it is quite common for prolapses to suddenly get a lot worse when AF returns.
Luckily for me the front wall prolapse actually blocked off the entrance and meant my uterus and cervix didn't fall out completely. Then for a very long and emotionally tumultuous 13 days I had to not lift my child or do anything too physical while I waited to get into my ob. He fitted a pessary - which worked reasonably well but I knew things were very bad when it kept slipping (and I just turned 41) so I scheduled surgery. I am now recovering from a manchester repair. It has been 3w2d since the op. It is a LOT worse than childbirth. But hopefully I will be able to resume some sort of normal life by Christmas.
Any of you that are finding things tough going should seek out the insertion of a pessary. When I had mine fitted, I walked out of my obstetricians office and felt vaguely normal for the first time in 7 and a half months. It was terrific, although shortlived. Pessaries work for about 3-4 out of 10 women and are a great alternative to surgery for women with moderate to severe prolapses who haven't finished childbearing.
Unfortunately for me, my child bearing days are now probably over.
I am really pleased to hear that Pilates and Pelvic Floor exercises are making a big difference to some of you younger girls. I do shudder though, Linda, at the idea of your going running. It sounds like a really bad idea to me. I can tell you from personal experience that having the possibility of your whole uterus coming out of your body is enough to put you into shock. I think you should just hang in there and be very gentle about things for a bit longer.
Brilliant thread! I have wondered about all this after the birth of my 4th. Things don't feel like they used to down there and I'm convinced I have a mild prolapse now... guh!
Just a warning - might be TMI all though out this post
Well, i have some fantastic news to share with you all
Looks like my prolapse is back All I want to do is cry...I had one after my first (and i was told it was pretty uncommon to end up with them after your first child), but then it cleared up by itself (maybe i did a few kegels but not very many), and i was hoping it was just the vacuum extrac and the pushing for 2 hours that did it
This time i had the perfect birth, pushed for 10 mins (4 times in total), although it was a pretty quick delivery especially due to the cord being tightly around her neck 3 times.. I ended up with a smaller first degree tear than last time (i actually had 2 last time, in different spots).
Anyway, I'm not like 10 days after birth and 2 days ago i thought i would check how my stitches were, as bits of them were beginning to fall out. And then i saw i think a bigger prolapse than last time. There is like no hole there (sorry for TMI), its like covered by i guess part of the vaginal wall ??
Funnily enough, i had no heavy sensation like i did last time. But then i was walking slowly around the shopping centre with DH today for like 30 mins, and i started to get a bit sore and achey down there. I also def. had a sensation, almost like i had a tampon in that wasn't in far enough, if that makes sense? And it felt irritated, i guess because bits that are normally inside were touching/rubbing against my pad??
Do i bother to go to my GP, or just wait for my 6 week check up with my obs (for him to say again, do pelvic floor exercises and I'll fix it when you have finished having kids!). I think i might start using my epi-no to try and make sure I'm doing them properly, and in a few weeks I'll head over to my physio.
I'm just worried it will get worse and worse with each kid - which scares the hell out of me! My mum needed major surgery to hers (after only 3 kids, and i want 10!), they wanted to do a hysterectomy, but she ended up just having it stitched back in place. Even when I've finished having kids, i still want my uterus!
And I'm worried it will be sore and achey and uncomfortable for the next 20 years until I've finished having kids.
I wonder if its because in general physically i had a really quick delivery and have been feeling fantastic. I haven't been overdoing it, but i still have to pick up my toddler and have been running around with him and stuff. I wonder if that has had anything to do with it, or if given my history it would have happened anyway?
Ok, got to go have dinner... anyone have any advice to cheer me up??
Hi Yael. hun, it's no fun You could see a doctor earlier but they might ask you to come back if it's not resolved by 6 weeks...?
Look up Mayan womb massage online. It's not a difficult technique and can help the uterus to sit where it's supposed to. Do the kegels REALLY religiously, i can't stress that enough - in the early weeks they're a woman's best best best friend. No, they will not "fix" all prolapses but many prolapses are temporary anyway and doing kegels hastens the recovery and helps maintain it.
To avoid prolapse surgery in the future you can work on your pelvic strength now and until the next bub. The epi-no should be a good start, you can also buy other pelvic floor toners, your physio can recommend one. The pelvic floor is like any other muscle - you can strengthen it hugely - body-builders who can lift 150kg once only lifted their coffee to their lips - it's the same arms, just a little work.
I did my kegels SO religiously during PG and since DD's birth Yael, i can't tell you - 10 and 20 times a day sometimes, hardly a day passes when i don't do at least 2 or 3 sets. Once it's a habit it's so easy! Sex is better, orgasms are better, stress incontinence isn't on the radar and 2 months ago i ran 13.1 miles without an ache in that area. It is only kegels for me.
Now i DO have a friend who has a weaker pelvic floor, and she has to work hard after her babies to get her tone back but she CAN do it. Anyone who doesn't have paralysis can improve pelvic floor tone, it's like any other form of strength training - dedication gets results.
As for your mum, well, i don't know when that was, but i'll tell you now that they don't try to get pre-menopausal women to have hysterectomies for prolapses nowadays. Post-menopausal, yes, because older women are at increased risk of cervical and endometrial cancers and the uterus isn't "doing" much, but in pre-menopausal women it's a last resort. Your prolapse would have to be persistant (having already resisited surgery) and severe (with your cervix out side the vagina for instance) before hysterectomy was considered.
I think they don't like to do a repair while you're still wanting to have more kids (because the repair can come undone at the next birth and it's harder to keep doing them) so kegels are the way to go just now. Kegels are a long-term proposition. It is so frustrating to be doing anything again and again and not seeing results but those results WILL some. There ARE NOT people in the world who lift weights every day and don't get stronger, your pelvic floor is designed to hold everything in there in place and it can go on doing that.
It is only 9 days since you gave birth!!! Give yourself a little time and squeeze squeeze squeeze those muscles.
Oh geez, thanks for this thread girls - I thought the only thing your kegels was for was for bladder strength - I had now idea that prolapses could occur!! I am kegelling like mad right now
Wrote a long post last night only to have the whole thing disappear. Very frustrating!
Yael, just wanted to say am so sorry for you to hear that your prolapse has returned. I completely understand the desire to cry and seem to do so myself on a regular basis! I also have an epi-no, and have been worrying that it might have contributed to the prolapse in the first place. Although I haven't found any information on the internet anywhere to indicate that might be the case, since using it I have heard a few negative snippets. For example, have since heard that the Royal Women's in Melb ran a trial and decide not to recommend using it (but i don't know why - Moderators do you know anything about this)?
Kar, I was wondering if you could tell us anything more about your surgery? I fear that I'm heading in that direction myself as I can't possibly imagine living with this for years on end (and it's already been over 8 months). What is a 'Manchester repair'? What sort of a prognosis have they given you if they expect you to be able to resume some sort of a normal life by christmas? Are you able to have a normal sex life after surgery? (Although I tell you I don't have one now anyway, and think I'd almost be happy to settle for walking myself right now)! Can you wear tampons? Do high impact exercise like running? I hope you don't mind me asking 20 questions, I haven't been able to find any information online from women who have actually undergone surgery. I feel so down about it any additional information would be much appreciated.
Kar, I was also wondering why a prolapse can get worse after your period returns? I haven't got mine yet and am feeling very nervous now at the thought that this could possibly get any worse.
Bec - my mum was post menopause at the time, but still had a Manchester repair done. I know hers was quite severe, but she tells me she only got it 10 years after having my brother, and left it for like 8 years before she had it fixed.
I really do need to start with my kegels - I'm just had other problems since birth - came home from hospital with gastro (trust me, not what you want with stitches around), my stitches have fallen out but the wound is still bleeding, and my anal fissure is back - and surprisingly i still feel 300 times better than i did after DS birth!
I think i will go see a physio about doing them properly first, and then take it from there.. I know I have to do it, or i will have to live with the consequences. I've always have a cr@p pelvic floor, pregnancy/birth has made it worse, but its the stress incontinence that gets me.... I had a severe chest infection for weeks when i was around 33 weeks - by the end i gave up trying to hold it in when i coughed, and i just don't want to feel like that anymore! 25 and i wet myself every single time i cough/laugh/sneeze etc.
Bea - I only used my epi-no a few times with DS, and i followed what i thought was their instructions (they claimed to Kelly i used it wrong, but I've asked a few ppl what they thought of the wording, and everyone sided with me).. to cut a long story short, 2 weeks or so before his birth it caused me to tear (freaked me out seeing all that blood etc, and then i was worried that i would re-tear during labour), so i gave up. Never used it with DD (didn't want to go down that road again), but if you don't inflate it you can use it for PFE, an inflated for birth training. Not sure about RWH, but my obs works there so i will ask him about it when i see him. I will also ask my physio.
OK, now for my current problems - might be TMI...(warning)
My bleeding had stopped 100% by Tuesday - day 10 (it was very light from day 8-10). Anyway, day 10 in the afternoon i go to the toilet, and when i stand up there is a stream of blood coming out of me. Not ultra fast, more like a stream of wee, but its blood... have to stand there for like a minute or so if i had timed it, maybe less, but i def. had to stand up for a while waiting for it to stop (there was no break it the stream, but it also wasn't like a huge gush like i was bleeding to death)... Freaked me out a little (but stupid me thinks, "i;m not bleeding to death, I'll be fine").
I checked again like 10 mins later, wasn't having a stream of blood, but was having some blood loss (bright red obviously). Same thing happened the next day (wed). Tues & Wed were probably like the same amount i had day 2 after birth. Over the course of Tues - Sat/Sun i was having bright red loss, enough to properly fill like 3 pads over 24hrs. Mon, Tues, Wed i was still having bright red loss, but probably not enough to fill a pad, but enough that i def. knew i was still bleeding (more like day 4/5 after birth).
Wed i saw the MCHN and asked her about it. She said the bleeding i had on Tues was enough i should have gone to emergency about it, but if i started bleeding again (i hadn't bleed that day until i saw her, but that evening i did bleed - again, enough to make a decent stain on a pad) then i should go to my GP, or call my obs.
She thought it was the prolapse, making my uterus relax a bit, and thats why I've started bleeding, because they said it was basically fully contracted when i left hospital, but she says sometimes with 2nd babies the uterus gets a bit lazy, and contracts, and then later relaxes. She didn't think it was placenta fragments, as i feel fine and haven't had clots and have a great milk supply.
Today called the GP, who isn't in until Monday, and I've had a bad experience with the other female drs there, and didn't want to see a random male one. My obs doesn't consult today, and i didn't think it was bad enough to page his emergency number, but will call at 9am tomorrow and see if i can go see him tomorrow.
Has anyone had this before?? Should i freak out?? Is it related to my prolapse??
My prolapse has been bothering me today, just this annoyingly uncomfortable sensation of it being right there.. its almost itchy in a way. But surprisingly not achey like last time.
Thanks everyone for all your support... I was told it was uncommon to get them after first kids, but was probably because i had a vac extraction with DS (posterior). I was hoping it wouldn't come back this time, so I'm a bit down about it being back again, along with all my other problems
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) because I'd love to 'train' with you!!!
All I want to do is cry...I had one after my first (and i was told it was pretty uncommon to end up with them after your first child), but then it cleared up by itself (maybe i did a few kegels but not very many), and i was hoping it was just the vacuum extrac and the pushing for 2 hours that did it
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