What do you do if you aren't having any success?

I haven't been dealing with this for very long either- about 15 months- but considering the lifetime I have ahead of me- a pretty short time. Please don't ask me to remember when- but sometime after I discovered my prolapse and started the posture it got worse. First I had a rectocele and then I developed a cystocele and I was so so sad - and honestly- a little skeptical about the whole posture thing (could changing the way I stand really make this thing better-oh wait and now it is worse????)-but I stuck with it and along the way found some other tools that really helped.
Honestly what helped the most was just finding a way to be OK with it.
But I also fell upon an abdominal isolation exercise- the ab vacuum. Doing this exercise has made my cysocele go away. Pulls my cervix way up if I am feeling it- but seems to have little effect on my rectocele (boo hiss).
I also started Bikram yoga- and my whole body is getting stronger- I do the poses in the posture- which looks different than everyone else (and gets me fussed at) but feels great.
I have chiropractic adjustments (one thing I learned during all this was that my pelvis was out of alignment-and it seems chronic) and massage- this costs about $100 every 2 months- but it is worth it to me. For a while I was doing a daily meditation to stay positive and calm- when the panic set in.
I eliminated meat from my diet- and increased fiber.
I stopped the she man act and quit moving my furniture- boosting my 45lb 4 year old- and made time to REST.
I know what it is like to try to do everything right and get worse. It is so disheartening.
I still haven't tried sea sponges or a pessary but I know they are there for me if I have a bad run of things.
I have heard over and over that it is up and down- hormonal- etc.
Sex really works for me- I have figured out that if I have sex in the afternoon the up feeling lasts a little longer then if I have sex at night- by about 5 or 6 hours.
In the early days I stayed on my elbows and knees a ton-I even cleaned up toys that way (it is amazing how clean your baseboards can get when you are at that level).I stoped doing "chores" for a while and let my husband unrack the dishwasher and get laundry to and from the washer-
All I can tell you is to have faith in the healing power of your mind and body.
Over time I have gotten so much better (celebrate) and then for absolutely no reason so much worse (panic). Now I am not surprised by either dynamic- I just go with it. When I feel worse I rest more, meditiate to stay calm, and have sex.
big hugs to you as you figure out this whole thing.

I have been working on this for nearly 3 months now and in that time I have developed a rectocele which I fear might be getting worse as the constipation is back again. It is very disappointing and worrying as I wonder where it will all stop and stablilise. On my last check my cystocle had not progressed any further but I am worried about having a feel around because I am afraid of what I might feel. I do check regularly with a mirror to see if I can see anything peeking - I almost tell myself that if its tucked up inside its o.k. just so long as it stays tucked up there!

I haven't done lots of the firebreathing but try and do a minute or two each day, I have just started the plies and I do the Maya Massage every night before bed.

I try and keep in posture from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed, I have stopped moving furniture and lifting heavy things apart from my daughter but I do try to limit that and I don't go mad with the housework cleaning from top to bottom and vacuuming everyday I just do it a bit at a time. So I am not sure just what else I can do.

Some days I try not to worry about it too much but other days it panics me - literally!

I guess we have to hang in there and keep persuing with all this work and hope at some point we find our point of stabilisation.

Take care,

A

gracemom, if you have a chance see if you can read my early posts. things got worse for me initially too. in fact, I didnt see any real progress of size/placement of the prolapse for over a year (if I remember correctly). then I went and got pg, lol.

it was extremely frustrating, especially because at that time there were a bunch of members here who were seeing tremendous improvements in just a few weeks time.
I kept doing what I felt was the 'right' thing, mostly because I had no option, and hoping that eventually it would pay off. for me it has.

all I can say is stick with it, keep trying, think positive and be patient. I hope you start seeing positive change soon. and ditto to everything alemama wrote. though I'm wondering how she has time for afternoon sex?

Hi Gracemom,

You've been doing this longer than I have but was wondering if you've considered your sleeping position? I've found that if I sleep on my side, even with a pillow, I wake up A LOT heavier down there and since sleeping on my back w/o pillow, I wake up a lot lighter and higher....

And I second your question granolamom- Alemama- sex in the afternoon? God bless! ; )

Kimo

I'm going on 7 months. I don't have the video or the book or do yoga.
Everything I've learned I've absorbed from all of you.
Initially the posture was alien because I was folding in on myself with
my grief and heightened awareness of discomfort, and feeling fragile.
AND after starting to consciously hold the posture, all kinds of parts and bits
were protesting the stretch and new work assignments. The change in my
balance felt awkward and irritating because I was clumsy. I too thought it slightly
ironic that I was getting worse. Somehow, I didn't get anxious though because I
intuitively knew it was transitory and felt the rightness of the whole posture premise.
So I've persevered and subscribe to much of the same approach and attitude Alemama's
described in her post here.
It seems that there is a "curve" here that we all more or less experience, as our mind
and bodies heal and learn to adapt to our changes. I hope to add massage, chiro, and
accupuncture to the fray, if I can ever sell this place, and get past this financial stranglehold.
I have to come up with $1100. per month just for my Mortgage !!!! I had no real choice either.
Anyway- I of course also hope to add the book and video. By then I hope to feel confident enough
to add Yoga. While of course secretly praying to be able to get back to HIKING !!!
My point is I am gradually by tiny, but noticeable degrees, having more consistent comfort, and I am
possibly doing the least medical or healthcare intervention of any of us. It's the posture.
Zelda

... I can see the reasoning in that for a rectocele as it would move back into its proper position.

Its like we need to lye on our back for the rectocele and our front for the cystocele/uterus.

I woke up today really good symptomwise but as the day has worn on my bottom really hurts and is feeling heavy from the rectocele. I know I have piles as well and this is just adding to the discomfort. I think I will have to spend some time on knees and elbows this evening with my butt in the air to take the pressure off!

This thing really does change so drastically. I came here with a prolapse of my uterus which was feeling so heavy I could barely do anything. Then it was my bladder giving me lots of trouble and now its the rectocele. They seem to be taking turns!

A

Mine too got worse before they got better, Gracemom and I hope yours don't but I only write this to give you hope that things will get better. I agree with what everyone else has written, and whilst I am new to all this (7 months posture work) I am so much better than I was, both physically and mentally. I didn't start the posture work (diagnosed with slightly dropped bladder at 4 months postpartum) as soon as I found out that I had prolapses. Was in denial that I had them and thought if I ignore them, then maybe they would go away with time! I am now 19 months postpartum.

I am in posture all day, do chores on hands and knees or sitting down, have lessened amount of chores and we have managed, as an added help, to find enough money to get two cleaners to come in once every two weeks to do rooms thoroughly, ie lift furniture to clean, etc ( cannot afford them for many hours so do those rooms in the house that need the most attention). I don't lift anything heavy, and have increased the amount of exercise I do- firebreathing, DVD, walking and started ballet workout. I still feel that my body is getting stronger every day and so is my mind and I have still have lots more healing to do. My improvement wasn't radically overnight, it was gradual but steady and not lifting anything also improved my symptoms. Osteopathy has also helped me along with homeopathy and the support of this forum along with finding a way to grieve, accept and move on. You will get there, just keep at it. I will be thinking of you and sending you healing vibes.

Frankie x