What goes on the week before a period???

Body: 

Hi all,
I wondered if any of you wise women could help me to understand the cycle of my prolapse symptoms.
My prolapse is 12 months old now (As is my beautiful (2nd) baby Joshua).
I find that the week before I begin bleeding my cystocele seems to drop at least a centimetre which takes it right back to the heavy/uncomfortable/always on my mind stage.
A day or so before I start bleeding it all goes back up to it's manageable level as if by magic!
So, I'm guessing it's hormonal, but can anyone shed any light on what exactly it is?
Thanks in advance,
Zoe.(And a very grumpy teething Joshua!) x

Hmm, sounds very normal to me. Sorry Joshua is grumpy. Like all things, it will pass.

I think this is basically because every menstrual cycle is like a mini-pregnancy, and every period is kind of like a little labour and birth. You know we get kind of full of fluid at the end of a pregnancy, then after labour it all dissipates? I think it is the same with a period. Also, during pregnancy all our ligaments loosen and we can be more prone to aches and pains. Likewise with the end of a menstrual cycle. I definitely am more vulnerable in the spine/pelvis just before a period. I find that I book a massage, and when the appointment comes around, sure enough I am menstruating. It gets me every time.

I think my prolapses get lower just before a period simply because there is a lot of fluid in the pelvic area, which takes up room. It's gotta go somewhere, so the prolapses just sag a bit. Also the uterus is bigger just before a period as well.

Does this resonate with your experience?

Louise

Thanks Louise,
Yes that does make sense. I do find it odd that my relief in symptoms comes the day before my period starts, you'd think it would be towards the end of the bleeding.
I'm always relieved when my period begins! At least now with a years 'experience' with pop I don't freak out when things worsen as I know it is only temporary.
Even at my 'worse' times before my period, things are so much improved than they were to start with.
My brother (and herbalist) suggested there may be more progesterone whizzing around at that time of my cycle....not sure how progesterone relates to pop exactly? I am actually taking the mini pill which is progesterone, so would be useful to know if it has a negative impact on ....Oh so many questions I wish there was some comprehensive reserarch into these things...Maybe if Men had prolapsed parts we'd actually have some answers!

Thanks again.

Actually, now I think about it, this lowering of the prolapse happens less regularly for me these days. Sometimes it doesn't even happen at all, but sometimes it extends into day three of bleeding. I am getting very close to menopause, so it is all a bit unpredictable. I guess something has to cause the fluid retention, and I guess that has to be hormones, one way or another. Maybe the progesterone being produced by the corpus luteum is not regulated properly by some other hormone in my staggering reproductive system? I don't think my reproductives know what they are trying to do these days! ;-) I guess they will figure it out eventually.

In hindsight, as a younger women it was a pain, literally, but at least it was regular and like you, I could trust my body to do the same thing every time.

Cheers

Louise