Prolapsed Uterus - Anyone else? Sorry TMI

[Ami]

Hi girls

I don't post here often, more of a lurker than anything else. Here goes - I'm interested to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I'm 25 & my (one & only) DS is 19 months old, and I BF'd him til 13 months with my AF making it's triumphant return when he was 11 months. For the record, he was 12 days overdue, and 10lb 14oz.

For the last 6 months I've been experiencing crazy periods - every 2 weeks for a while there, then waited 6 weeks for it most recently. It's always really heavy, almost as if I'm miscarrying with massive clots (TMI - sorry!). I'm also experiencing awful period pain for the first time in my life. I've noticed that my cervix is really close to my vaginal opening & is continuing to descend. It's at the point now (TMI again, avert your eyes) where if I put in a tampon & it's not angled, it's pushed right back out again. My GP says I may have (sounds pretty certain actually!) a prolapsed uterus. My DH & I wanted to try for another baby next year, but now it looks like I may need surgery to fix me up.

My question is - has anyone gone through or known anyone to go through this same thing? Even if they didn't have surgery, how was it fixed? To be frank, I am freaking out & feeling really down on myself. It just makes me feel disgusting.

Sorry for anyone who was super grossed out by this.

[Sophia73]

Oh Ami - I know where you're coming from totally!

I self-diagnosed my prolapse (uterine) and was initially horrified! It didn't make it any easier that one GP I saw commented "wow that's a really bad prolapse". My symptoms were ongoing Urinary Tract Infections and a feeling of heaviness in the vagina. I was envisioning surgery and all sorts of horrors...

This is what worked for me:

I saw a fabulous women's physio and another physio who does manipulations plus a female gynaecologist (maybe a bit of overkill but I was really worried). The women's physio tested my pelvic floor muscles and taught me the correct way to do the exercises - plus she monitored me regularly. She recommended pilates to strengthen core muscles (I continue to do this twice a week). The other physio diagnosed a twisted pelvis (caused by birth) and again recommended exercises. He did a few adjustment (cracking) on my back and pelvis and it made such a difference!

After months of this treatment my gynae said my vagina looked like any woman who'd had a vaginal birth...I was so pleased! My hard work paid off and no surgery : )

I'd recommend getting some good professional advice (not just GP). You may notice symptoms improve if you've stopped breastfeeding.

Obviously the vagina is never exactely the way it was prior to birth but you can certainly improve symptoms of a prolapse.

BTW I'm pregnant again with number 2 baby and my gynae said she can't imagine the prolapse getting worse with this one (a bit harsh but "the damage is already done"). Also surgery is not recommended if you are planning more babies so definately look into the physio/pilates options in your case.

I wish you all the best - it DOES get better with LOTS of hard work!