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General health

Any old prolapse! Uterus/womb prolapse, rectocele, cystocele, enterocele, urethrocele, incontinence, pelvic floor, anterior and posterior repair, TVT etc part 4

958 replies

Ben10NeverAgain · 06/04/2012 19:43

This is thread 3 of a long-running series of posts from ladies suffering from pelvic prolapses to support each other through the process of diagnosis, repair and recovery.

Here are the previous threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2

Info from BBC Health

What is a pelvic prolapse?

As the muscles, ligaments and supporting tissues in the pelvis become weaker, they are less able to hold in the organs of the pelvis such as the womb (uterus) or bladder.

Gravity pulls these organs down and, in the more severe cases, may appear through the entrance to the vagina.

A variety of problems can occur, depending on where the weakness lies and which organs are able to descend, but in every case there is some degree of prolapse of the vaginal wall, which begins to invert (rather like a sock turning inside out).
Prolapse of the womb or uterus is the most common prolapse, affecting as many as one in eight older women to some degree
Prolapse of the bladder, known as a cystocele, is less common.
Prolapse of the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the bladder) is known as a urethrocele.
Prolapse of the intestines is quite rare, and known as an enterocele or rectocele.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which tissues descend, and how severe the prolapse is.

They may include:
A sense of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis.
The appearance of a bulge of tissue in the genital area, which can be quite alarming, and is often red and sore.
Urinary problems, such as having to urinate more frequently, feeling the need urgently, being incontinent (losing control of the bladder) or, conversely, being unable to pass urine when you need to.
Pain in the pelvis or lower back.
Sexual problems, including pain and decreased libido.
Constipation.
Vaginal discharge or bleeding.

Treatment and recovery

Once a prolapse has developed, surgery to fix the affected organs is usually the only way to cure it effectively.

However, another option is to use a device known as a vaginal ring pessary. This is rather like a contraceptive diaphragm or cervical cap. It's made of silicone or latex, and placed in the vagina to push back the prolapsed organs and hold them in place. Many women happily manage their prolapse this way.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 06/04/2012 19:54

Thread 3

Sorry missed one out. This is part 4 of the series. Blush

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fengirl1 · 06/04/2012 19:55

Checking in.....

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Ben10NeverAgain · 06/04/2012 19:57

hellllllllllloooooooooooo!

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ABitSnowyOutside · 06/04/2012 19:59

Thank you for posting this.

I have just experienced the oddest dragging feeling in the lower pelvic area - feels like the feeling you have just before giving birth but I am not pg and am mid cycle.

Will have a good read through your post and links.

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Littlefish · 06/04/2012 20:01

I'm here.

ABitSnowy - I get the dragging feeling too.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 06/04/2012 20:02

It is really strange. A heavy sort of feeling.

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happy2beme · 06/04/2012 21:14

Hello ..... god that was painless lol Grin Thanks Ben x
I had the dragging feeling too, sometimes felt as though I had an XXXL size tampon in there Blush. In fact when I squat now I find it strange not to have the feeling of things falling out x

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Littlefish · 06/04/2012 21:22

Mine feels like my period is about to start.

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fengirl1 · 06/04/2012 21:33

Yes and yes to Happy2beme and Littlefish. Will glad when it's all gone! Smile

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happy2beme · 06/04/2012 21:41

Hopefully will be soon fen xx I also used to get dragging feeling in bowel, level with my sacral area (tail bone) sort of like an inflamation feeling x

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tazzle · 06/04/2012 23:00

hello ladies *waves

I made it over .....thanks indeed for the link .. thanks ben10 (((0)))


its amazing the vast differences in advice re post op activities ..... ( brought to mind when you mentions ben10 about starting walking for 5 minutes as 2 weeks post op. was that particular advice for you or a general advice sheet from the hospital. Mine advised 10 minutes after the first few days home then build up till doing at least half hour by 6 weeks. I have been very norty acc0ording to that alreay one week post op Grin

However the sheet of advice for post major gynae surgery gave me opportunity to shock my DH over the advise that " for the first two weeks have breakfast in bed !!!!!!! He thought I was making it up till I showed the paper to him. Bless him he did give me it the first morning home despite me having told him that even the nursing staff thought that a little OTT !!!



I must admit that despite rectocele being rare quite a few of us on here seem to have had the "pleasure " of experiencing the unusual !!!

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Footle · 07/04/2012 08:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ben10NeverAgain · 07/04/2012 08:44

Morning all

Glad you like our new home Grin. Hopefully the title is descriptive enough for any fallen fanjos to find us!

Tazzle my information leaflet says: for the first 2 weeks at home you should rest, relax and continue to do the exercises that you were shown in hospital.

The physio at the hospital (private) said about the starting at 5 minutes thing working up to an hr.

Happy2beme Can I have some nurse advice please re the TED stockings? My level of activity was restricted before as I am already on sick leave with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (since Nov 2010). I might drive 2-3 times a day for max 20 mins, I already did no cleaning, I might walk once a week around the shops very slowly, I did 30 mins exercise bike every day. How long should I wear the TEDs for? I forgot to put them back on yesterday Blush. I'm 2 weeks post op on Monday so I'm guessing I should still be wearing them - even though my normal level of activity is so low?

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Ben10NeverAgain · 07/04/2012 09:07

Saying that Tazzle I've just read one leaflet that says a short walk the day after the op but I was taking that to be just up and down the ward and around the house? Who knows Grin Anyway my view of activity and yours are obviously different - see above post Grin

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jackie62 · 07/04/2012 10:00

Hi everyone, made it over !
Thanks for sorting it out! Xxx

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tinkxx65 · 07/04/2012 11:05

Hi, I found you :)

Just got a quick question. I went to the gynae the other week and he said nothing else was falling down, or should I say he said it had fallen slightly but in line with a women of my age and with one that had had four children. So I left feeling happy that I only had a rectocele. However in the back of my mind I did think he had got it wrong, but I had got my self so worked up that it was a man examining me and not a women as it said on my appointment that I said very little and did not question his judgement. Shall I get to the point :) When I look I have a large pink (something!) that is near the entrance and it becomes more prominent when I strain, it was so bad yesterday that I had to push it back in :( but I do not have any incontinence problems) and it is def coming from the front bit of my vagina not protruding from the back wall. I have another appointment on thursday with the "bum man" do you think he will have a look for me, or should I ask to be refered back to the gynae. It is just that if I have to have an operation, which I do, I want it all sorted and dont want to be told 6 weeks down the line that they got it wrong.

Hope everyone is ok, and thanks again for all the info and making me feel "normal" xx

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ABitSnowyOutside · 07/04/2012 11:12

Morning!

Is there something I can wear to hold things together as it were? [bublush]

Everything is closed for Easter and I promised the children that I would take them out today but I feel as if I am carrying a sack of coal around my womb area- I also look as if I'm 9 months pregnant. (I most def am not)

What would suddenly cause this? I lugged a load of heavy shopping yesterday but have done this a thousand times before without damage. Could it be linked to the menopause?

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happy2beme · 07/04/2012 11:13

Ben the consultants will tell you 6wks in total, I complied,
(pat on back for once) lol and when I had to get an emergency apt to see him at 5wks, He was most surprised to see I still had them on says most people give up around the 2wk mark if at all. But certainly I had taken a dip in recovery so I defo needed them. As well as wearing them you should be doing as you are, increasing your exercise capacity towards your normal and drink plenty fluids. Due to your low activity normally all the more reason to comply xx. Do you take aspirin for any other condition?. This does help to an extent but I wouldn't recommend that you take asprin without consulting your Gp if you dont. There are certain people who by the type of lifestyle and medical conditions will be more suseptable to DVT but so long as you are active around the house and get up and walk every hour(in the house ) or do leg/foot exercises and again the fluids. But the fact that you have found an alternative form of exercise ie your bike is very good xx especially for your heart lol and that is my field I work in CCU. All nurseshate putting these things on patients ( its a students job GrinGrin). There is a little trick to putting the stockings on I will try explain xx Krypton factor style xx hold stocking by the rim, the right way out. Put your hand down the stocking and grab the heel and pull it up through the tube of stocking until it becomes the rim and the stocking is now inside out, the foot should be near the top but still inside ( heres hoping). Place the stocking on your foot, with the heel bit directly under your own heel and then get the normal top of the stocking and pull it over your foot and up your leg. Viola!!!! Should be fun trying lol xx wish we could have pics on here xx

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tazzle · 07/04/2012 11:21

yes of course ben10 ...... everyone has to adjust according to any preexisting health issues and fitness levels Grin as well as agreeing on the defintion of "short walk" or "light work " etc

Whilst I am no athlete ..... *manic grin on face as I am obese ( BMI 35) and thats all drs see when looking a why I had prolapses arrrgghhh ( nothing to do with heavy manual handling for years or oxytocinin labour or 10 lb baby , repeated cough etc ...) .... up to the day of op I walked 5 miles a day to and from work on weekdays and go swimming as well as the phyical activity involved with looking after and enjoying my horse and two dogs !


Did not get any physio / advice re exercises form hospital !


hi jackie.... how are you


happy reading snowy7 ...... it takes quite a while to get through it all but well worth the read !

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tazzle · 07/04/2012 11:43

wow its busy this morning ...... morning all *waves

Happy .... we need an instructional video Grin Grin Grin

tink..... when the gynae fella said it the front) had fallen down slightly did he say he would repair it if gong in to do the rectocele anyway ??

I would imagine that ofter you have seen the bum man you would have to go back to see gynae anyway to manage the repair ???

they are not always very good at telling us these things... did gynae not give you any idea of follow up appointment?




snowy welcome (((0)))

if its a prolapse then there is nothing much one can wear really...well not that I am aware , others might have suggestions. Any support is usually provided via a pessary inserted inside once you seen consultant.

The heavy shopping you did might have been the straw that broke the camels back as it were if this dragging feeling has come on suddenly after lifting heavy shopping......... the weakening damage may well have been done over may years though. I had mine for years but it just got increasingly worse steadily before a more sudden increase in symptoms about 2 years ago as my hormones dipped for menopause !!!

Have fun with the kids

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ABitSnowyOutside · 07/04/2012 11:50

Thank you.

I had an enormous baby quite late on in life.

It is a horrible pushing and heavy feeling today - quite sore and draggy.

Dcs can run and play, I will sit and watch them rather than joining in.

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tinkxx65 · 07/04/2012 12:09

Hi tazzle

Thanks for replying. I saw bum man first and he said I had a rectocele and that it was a stitch job. I then saw gynae man who said everything was fine apart from the rectocele. I am having some tests on thursday, I believe to find out how damaged the muscle wall is and also to investigate the blood I have in poo :(. But I think my bladder has fallen (well something has) at the front a big pink roundish lump that I have to push back and up or I feel uncomfortable. But when the gynae man examined me he just asked me to cough. But I have tried coughing and looking lol and it doesnt really move that much, only when I bear down and then it nearly pops out. Maybe I am just being paranoid, It just doesnt feel right, but then I guess he is the expert and maybe for a woman of my age and four kids it is meant to be there Confused.

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Ben10NeverAgain · 07/04/2012 13:05

Tink Fig 466 in <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=chestofbooks.com/health/anatomy/Human-Body-Construction/images/Fig-466-Hernia-of-the-bladder-cystocele-and-of-the-re.jpg&imgrefurl=chestofbooks.com/health/anatomy/Human-Body-Construction/The-Female-External-Genitals.html&usg=__kBZhmpvwpmGnwL0Rc4MxYxPQZYc=&h=276&w=382&sz=5&hl=en&start=4&zoom=1&tbnid=uL2MPge-Ea4jkM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=123&ei=FiyAT7brKeWg0QXdxfXoBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Drectocele%2Bcystocele%2Bimage%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dopera%26hs%3DDm%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den%26channel%3Dsuggest%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divnsfd&itbs=1" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this link is what I looked like with both rectocele and cystolence

I am 23 BMI and 35 so I really don't think it is anything to do with it. My consultant puts mine down to hereditary factors and constipation. I also put lifting and carrying my ASD son lots Grin.

Happy I have my TEDs on like a good girl. I'm drinking lots. I don't take aspirin. I don't have a problem putting the TEDs on. Probably cos I had to manage it with a rib missing and then after lung surgery Grin

Abit Mine came on very suddenly although it must have been happening gradually.

Tazzle Did the physio not come and see you before you left to check you could walk/climb stairs. Mine gave me the PFEs as well.

Jackie Hello!

Happy Easter everyone [busmile]

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tazzle · 07/04/2012 13:34

Maybe if I had stayed in till monday morning ben10 I might have seen a physio ..... but it was never mentioned when I was allowed to go home early cos they needed the bed !!! I will be looking at the reccomended on the past thread video to see how her exercises improve the ones I have been doing till now.

tink .... I's still ask gynae again if If you see a lump like that ((0))

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Ben10NeverAgain · 07/04/2012 13:57

I have to say that is really bad :( Tazzle

I have quick contractions, slow contractions and transversus absominis exercises to do. I don't know if that is what the video says to do.

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