constipation...why? and a ?

Yep I am one of those who never suffered constipation until the symptoms of POP started. No sooner had that heavy falling out sensation started I had constipation. When the constipation first started I did get a small fissure and that just keeps opening up now and it feels like I am passing a razor blade at the moment. If I miss a day I get very stressed as I know the next day will be difficult. I have been quite regular recently and I still take my psyllium husk and flax seed every day as I would hate to think what would happen if I didn't.

Despite keeping my bowels opening daily and not straining and sitting forward on the toilet seat I do seem to have a worsening rectocele. I found a grape sized lump just inside the opening yesterday which was putting pressure on my urethra which causes a horrible sensation and can make my urine flow poor.

I find my symptoms change on a day to day basis and I am always having to find ways to deal with it. I just wish there was some consistency to this but it is ever changing.

Those ladies who have gone through menopause - do you still have a fluctuation of hormones that change things regularly?

Sorry I have gone off the subject a bit here - rambling - sorry!

A

A,

Menopause is a LONG ordeal. My whole peri-menopause and menopause took over seven years and began with a fearfulness I've never had in my life. Growing up as a beaten child, I was Fearless Fosdick until my hormones failed me. For me it was a matter of mental more than physical, although the cherry on the cake - the last farewell - was the triple prolapse deal.

I think a lot of the change you speak about is "perceived" just like when things get rough around period time. Some days are bad and some days are not. Does a little more eating the wrong things allow more waste to accumulate and therefore cause the bulges to seem worse? If I diet and eat only fruits and veggies, I feel better physically, but the emotions of denying myself those things I make for others puts a damper on my brain plan and therefore my emotions. Does the added sag of too many carbohydrates cause my emotions to grieve me? Good question.

Some of us suffer more physically than emotionally. Some of us suffer more emotionally. Some of us can separate the two, and others cannot, and you can see that in the postings right here.

There is a psychologist called William Sheldon who I am sure has been discredited enough to send him to Hell who developed a theory called Somototypes. You can find him on the Internet. He talks about body types. This is very helpful to me in trying to understand children, but the somototypes never leave us. Basically it's a division of the long thin or ectomorph, the athletic, the mesomorph, and the soft and fleshy or the endomorph and each of these body types actually have different relationship to pain. Most people are a mix of the three.

I'm a mesomorph - primitive - stocky, short legs, big head... and sometimes it's hard for me to understand body complaints. In my own life, I keep going like a machine no matter what. My daughter is also a mesomorph and ran on a broken ankle to get out of boot camp years ago. I had virtually no pain giving birth - after the botched first one.

My business partner complains about a paper cut for days - she's an ectomorph. She's always cold or hot and things always upset her stomach. She eats 40% of what I eat, we wear the same size clothes - about a 12 - but I outweigh her by 40 pounds. I find it all very interesting.

No body type is better than another, it's just different, and you can expect certain things from them. I've used this theory for years trying to understand very young children because they often can't express themselves, and no, I'm not limiting them, I'm trying to understand them and give them the best shot at life and the world.

Back to the menopause question. Just like PMS, which I never really could complain about, I think menopause is a real combination of things. Basically, it's the earth telling you you are in stage one dying, so get a clue, honey, you're not going to live forever. By losing your membership in the reproductive club, you take a big hit on the chin. Some people deal with that better than others.

Look up Somototypes, it's really interesting reading.

Affections,

Judy

Change what you can change; be happy with what you cannot.

before I completely take this off topic...

I never got constipated until the prolapse thing, but I think that's because I went off caffeine shortly after I found the POP. for YEARS I had my morning cup of coffee and a few min later, a nice bm. and then an afternoon cup of coffee and again, a nice bm. so I guess my body got a bit used to the stimulant. after I cut it out, I was a bit stopped up for a while, but now its all ok with minimal changes to my diet (I always avoided cheese, white bread and tended toward a vegan type menu).

now....

I love this group of women. I love that I learn so much even when the topics aren't necessarily related to what I am going through. Judy, what you posted resonates so deeply with what I am noticing re: my own children. I will surely look it up and learn more.
and I love the way you write about menopause, though I am sorry you had such a tough time. ((((hugs & thank you))))

All of the women here are absolutely amazing! I learn something every time I sign on to this forum. Judy, I remember learning about Somototypes in college, but had completely forgotten about the theory. Thank you for bringing it up - it makes a lot of sense.

ATS and Kiki, to answer your questions about constipation, I've had sluggish bowels ever since I can remember. But, on thinking back to the way I used to eat growing up, my mother didn't serve many vegetables and roughage - her meals were more meat and potatoes for my father who worked outside all day and wanted that kind of food when he came home. There was also a lot of comfort food - homemade cakes, cookies, etc.

Since my thirties, I've been very interested in food and nutrition, and have concentrated on learning as much as I can about food choices. Menopause did not really effect me physically or mentally. In fact, I can't even remember it happening except for the doctor telling me that, as a result of my blood test, it was a done deal.

Quality of food is always on the top of my list. Periodiac larger 'quantities' of food never bothered me until I got my prolapse (at age 58). Now, if I happen to eat alot at one meal (as I did during these recent holidiays) I 'feel' my uterine prolapse more and am uncomfortable. The last time I checked, I don't have a rectocele. I've had my constipation under control for a long time now with Metamucil and Colace and LOTS of vegetables and fruit. I try to eat at least 25 grams of fiber a day. But the quantity of food seems to make a big difference in how I feel day to day now that I have my prolapse. Whenever I restrict my calories and food consumption for even one day I can tell the difference in how much better my prolapse feels and how much better I feel in general.

My new year's resolution, or better yet my Goal this new year, is to study the food choices I make, the quality of the food, and the quantity that I consume. I plan on keeping a log, and vow to find out what is best for me at this time in my life. It will be my own little scientific study. I'm up for a new challenge, and I look forward to seeing what happens, for I think that food plays a hugh part in living comfortably with my prolapse. I know that, at my age, I don't metabolize food the same way that I used to. Helping me along the way will be all of the valuable information that I have learned from this forum. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge. I will let you know how I make out with my study. Maybe what I learn will be helpful to someone else here.

Happy New Year to everyone. May we all be safe, healthy and happy.

Love, Goldfinch

Pear shaped, fat on the body, upper arms and thighs with slim wrists and ankles. My doctor commented to me once that I have such a slim face and neck that my body does not match! Nice doc eh?

A

I find sitting upright to be the best when going to the bathroom, if you lean forward with a fissure, it can aggravate it..
I'm assuming you have the most common kind, which I believe is a posterior (it goes up to the back)
As you know, I recently has an anal fissure surgery. It was the best thing I ever did. BUT I had tried everything for 5 years. I had that waayy before the prolapse.
You might want to ask your doctor about a nitroglycerin treatment for it. You put it on at least twice a day, and it helps the healing of the fissure.
Mine was too deep for it to work (you could literally see my muscle!)

My mother passed away last year at age 88.

She used to say to those of us who were younger that she was:

'As you are...
So once was I.
As I am...
So will you be one day...if you're lucky!

I just spent the past 2 days with my 2 year old granddaughter. As long as I'm here to enjoy life, I'll take whatever body shape I am!

Thanks for the tip. It is a small tear near the opening of my bottom and it did start to heal but just recently opened up again and it really is like a razor blade is passing by. I have been going the WW way leaning forward with my bottom lifted off the seat. Once I start going the pain eases but for that few seconds I tense up with the pain and it can throb for a good few minutes after. OUCH!

I do have a homeopathic remedy for piles that I keep meaning to try as it helps the body heal itself but if I have no joy and it continues to hurt then I will have to try something else.

Thanks.

A

I too am often constipated, and was rarely that way before prolapse. I also have an ever growing rectocele, and its behaviour seems completely random. For example, over Christmas I stuffed myself with junk food and was totally regular.

As a side note, I am totally an ectomorph, to the point that when I recently tried eating a high fibre diet with less meat, more fruits and veggies, to help with the prolapse, I was literally going to bed hungry every night and losing weight. Which most people seem to want, but on me it's not good. All my friends start thinking I'm anorexic (which I also have never been). So here's another question: how does someone like me eat healthy and stay regular and NOT lose weight?

Hi Goldfinch

I am very interested in your food choices study. I have definitely found since discovering my prolapses that like you my portions can affect how I feel physically and prolapse wise and also eating a lot of red meat and wheat can make me feel bloated and generally heavy. When I feel lighter, everything feels much better. I have lost weight since changing my diet- ie less red meat, wheat, smaller portions, cutting down a lot on sweet things (my weakness!) and not picking as much in between meals and do feel more healthy as a result. What I need to tone now is my little pot belly!

Looking forward to hearing what you find out and wishing you and everyone a Happy new Year.

Frankie x

I too am slim and fine boned. Haven't struggled with my weight since
high-school. Wasn't fat, but luscious with baby-fat like my body knew I would
be a young Momma.
Eating healthy does NOT mean eliminating calorie rich foods. just the highly
processed ones. I think the whole low -fat mania creates a vicious circle. We
CRAVE fat/oil calories as they create lasting energy. Denying ourselves creates
compulsion that often has us heading for the quickest fix. Sugar and simple carbs.
So here is the solution, it works for me and feels satisfying. Go to the good food store
and get a variety of oils. Grapeseed is marvelous and tolerates high heat. Great in salads
too. Olive of course - not the cheap stuff, you will fall in love with a good quality... Coconut
oil is such a great replacement for butter, it's been accidentally (or poss. intentionally by the dairy council?)
lumped in with palm kernal and it is not even in the same ball-park. For those of
you with Candida look into Coconut oil. It's a virtual miracle. Oh and sesame oil, fabulous for
stir-fry.
Good luck.
Zelda

Dear Ones,

I'm sorry! It's somAtotypes and the internet site is

http://www.kheper.net/topics/typology/somatotypes.html

Frankie, you'll find a lot about eating on this site.

A - there are pictures of body types there.

Gracemom - try green tea with every meal. It's a real purge. it's also good for the pickies. I drink green tea and mint tea combo and love it. According to World's Healthiest Foods, green tea is good for everything bad.

Blessings,

Judy

Change what you can change; be happy with what you cannot.

Hi All

My theory is that in the pre-prolapse state our intestines are held in an optimum configuration in our abdominal cavity, held there by a web of fascia that holds it stable in three dimensions, but is designed and constructed in a way that allows for the whole tube that is our intestines, to move around itself and other organs, move out of the way during pregnancy, and cope with fullness and emptiness without compromising either its structural supports or its ability to keep boluses of partly digested food matter moving along during the digestion process.

Some time during our life that continuous three dimensional fascial web begins to break down, whether from trauma (perhaps a hard birth), misuse (longterm bad posture), or just age and wear and tear (I suspect). It starts off with the same perfection as a freshly spun, circular, Golden Orb Weaver Spider's web, perfect the evening of its construction but which, if viewed the following day, will be riddled with holes and imperfections caused by insects landing in it and messing it up before being detected by the owner of the web and wrapped up for supper later. Alas, the spider cannot mend it, but often discards its shreds (and maybe gobbles them up) before beginning another perfect circular web the following evening in exactly the same spot. Doesn't natural design fil you with wonder?

Unfortunately we do not have the option of spinning a new fascial web in our bodies when the original becomes ragged.

So the organs suspended in this fascial web (the intestines, uterus and bladder) will begin to 'sag downwards', the dictionary meaning of prolapse, and squash each other, disrupting the flow of bolus in the intestines, causing blockages (ie constipation). As the damage worsens, the ability of the remaining fascia to hold everything where it was originally, decreases, and puts further stress on the remaining fascia, which will eventually break down further if not treated with care.

So many women, myself included, have experienced a kind of sloshing around feeling in the pelvic and abdominal area, especially in the early post partum period. It does improve, maybe over a period of several years, but I don't think a woman's body will ever be the same on the inside as it was prior to childbearing. Many women maintain the outside appearance but I suspect there is an awful lot of bluff going on inside!

That's my theory. I have not a mite of proof but it fits OK with me. The challenge is to allow those organs plenty of room to move around, and to encourage that movement with diet, clothing and exercise. (This is where allowing your lower belly to expand is important).

Try filling a tall preserving jar with cooked spaghetti, then try and pull out a full length piece. Now tip the same quantity on a bit platter and try the same task. I'll bet you it is easier to pull a full length piece out of the platter! In the same way it is easier for intestinal contents to keep moving when allowed to spread out.

Cheers

Louise

Zelda, I agree with you. I do not believe in totally eliminating calorie rich foods. My goal is to work with 'power foods' like fish, nuts, oils, certain fuits (blueberries, etc), vegetables, organic, tea, etc, - the nutrient dense foods that give me the greatest amount of nutrition for the calories that they contain. My goal in this experiment is to find a pattern of daily consumption that works for me to make my prolapse "happy" and also make me feel better all around.

As Frankie mentioned, feeling lighter either by eating smaller portions and/or less food a day makes a difference in how I feel also. By choosing nutrient dense foods, I think I will be able to eat light but still eat very healthy.

(Keeping my prolapse happy - interesting concept....don't laugh, but I talk to it sometimes!) :-)

Goldfinch

As usual Louiseds, your thoughtful insights are like finding a lightswitch
in a dark and scary room. I have been anxious that my pelvis has become
a house of cards- that I will end up with a rectocele as well.
I will try to take comfort in how long my eating habits have been good
Maybe with less of that wear and tear, I won't have to suffer that as well.
Zelda

Hi Zelda

I just had one of those light bulb moments.

There are only two certainties in life - death and taxes. I think we could confidently add gravity to that, with all its implications.

Re the rectocele, you may be right. At least you will be expecting it if it calls, and you now know it is not the end of the world when a prolapse manifests itself. But don't talk yourself into it. It may never happen.

BTW, it is nice to hear you writing in a more level way. I have really noticed the difference since I got back from our camping holiday. I still hear your black dog every now and again, but I think it is asleep a little more these days. Take care.

Cheers

Louise