Seeking input for rectocele trouble

Body: 

Hello to all,

I have been reading up here for quite a while, got Christine's book, have been trying the posture for a short time (1 week), will be implementing the exercises soon. Here's a very condensed version of my situation: Hasimoto's thyroid disease for 20+ years (undiagnosed for 10, then under-treated for another 10) just now getting my levels corrected properly. The result of this was MANY years of constipation (and straining :( Two vaginal deliveries (on my back :( needless to say i have prolapse issues. Went last January to Cleveland Clinic for a total work-up. Had the procedure where they take x-rays of you on the potty - very fun, and the recommendation was made for me to have a hysterectomy, bladder suspension, and rectocele repair. I was already familiar with Whole Woman, so needless to say, I said NO THANKS, but I am struggling. I think I am dependent on glycerine suppositories. I go in the morning (every morning), but then half-way through everything just stops. Then I use a suppository, and about an hour later, usually all of the rest comes out. When I try going without the suppository, things start to get backed up, and WOW is that unpleasant! I squat to go to the bathroom, but it's a modified squat where I lean forward to make sure my "stuff" is over the pelvic bone. I think I already know that you ladies are going to tell me I need to give up my "habit" but I am scared, and don't know how. I have gained A LOT of strength and knowledge from you girls already, but I need some extra help.

Thanks for any wisdom you have,
Jana

Hi Jana
Well, yes and no. You will eventually be able to kick it, but I suspect you will just realise one day that you don't need it any more. To get to that stage there are lots of different things you can try. eg different foods, use the Search box to look for all the different foods you can use. Learning a bit more about how your digestive system works may shed some light too, ie it takes about 20 minutes for the eating of food to get the intestines cranked up to move the current contents along to make room for more at the top. I find that my early morning whole orange (not juice) is a stimulant for me. Wholemeal toast does the same thing.

You mention stopping halfway through a bowel motion. Very frustrating. Have you tried waiting a few minutes then eating something high fibre. This might move things along again. I find that on days like this I might have several visits to the toilet during the day.

The important thing is not to worry too much about it. Easier said than done, but worry is the greatest constipator of all time. I read that you acknowledge some fear. Eventually you will lose that fear as you begin to learn more about your body and trust it again. Prolapse is something that you constantly have to manage. Every day is different. As you become more familiar with all the techniques you can use you will be more at ease with your rectocele and its foibles.

Firebreathing and nauli type exercises will also help you to reposition your organs where they should be, high and forward, so the vagina can move forward and your large intestine and rectum can slide back down behind the vagina. Theoretically this should mean that your bowel will be able to empty itself more easily because it isn't being squashed by a bladder or a uterus across the middle, dividing the load, so to speak. ;-)

I am thinking that nauli could be really useful straight after a meal to move the bladder and uterus up and out of the way and get the intestines correctly positioned before they become active. KWIM?

ps I just love hearing from women who go for diagnosis *after* finding Wholewoman. It is very affirming to be able to say no thanks to surgery, knowing exactly why you are saying no. For me it was having been in the lion's mouth and saying "Excuse me Mr Lion, but I do not give you permission to eat me alive. Please put me down gently and I shall leave." And the lion did put me down gently, and I calmly turned my back on him and walked away, leaving the lion sitting there thinking, "How did I just let that big juicy meal walk away???". YESSS!

Cheers

Louise

Thank you Louise for your encouraging post. I go between realizing that I have control over this situation, to feeling completely helpless - sometimes in the same hour! :) For me, a LARGE part of it is psychological. I used to be such a strong physical person; very active and outgoing. Now I feel like a piece of china - very fragile :( It's something I have not been able to make peace with yet. I know I am still strong, just strong in other areas (like patience! ;) I think you are right when you say I have lost trust of my body. I do feel angry at it, when the reality is, it is doing the best it can, given the trials I have subjected it to (unknowingly in most cases) This prolapse issue is as much emotional as it is physical! Maybe that's the missing puzzle piece for me - making peace with my body and forgiving myself for what has happened?

I do intend to employ the firebreathing and nauli, as well as any other exercise that I can possible do! I had been avoiding physical activity (depression, feeling fragile), but my DH has recently taken up geocaching, so last weekend we went looking for a "treasure". We ended up walking over 3 miles, on rough terrain, and I was outpacing my 11 and 9 year old kids! That was a revelation to me. Many times the things we tell ourselves just aren't true!

I have a lightbox that I sit in front of in the morning for my seasonal depression (we live in Western New York), so my mornings are usually very calm and quiet. I will try changing things up, and do some exercises first thing, then go get some high fiber fruit/cereal, and see if that helps.

I'm assuming you employ the nauli/firebreathing? How long did it take you to get the hang of it. I feel pretty silly gasping and snorting around my living room. my kids/husband haven't seen me doing it yet, but it will be good for a few laughs I'm sure :) The posture is very hard to stay in for very long. Maybe I am arching my back too much? It gets pretty sore by the end of the day.

Thanks again for your kind reply,
Jana

Hi Jana
Your first paragraph says sit all, and only doing Wholewoman work has taken me from there to where I am now over the past four years. I am only just beginning on firebreathing and nauli cos I want to master them to pass them on to others. I have not needed them, but may do. I have been working very hard physically over the last few months and have been feeling a bit 'poppy'. I am sure my POPs will get better by themselves when I stop lugging around clods of turf and paving bricks.

Physical exercise is very important for overcoming depression. It is also very important for keeping your skeletal muscles and cardio-vascular system awake and working as well as they can to keep your body healthy, especially the skeletal muscles so they can stabilise your skeleton and maintain your posture.

If you feel that you have to arch your back a lot it may be that you are tucking your butt in and holding your tummy in. The result of this is that your pelvis tilts back, which is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to do. If you allow your rectus abdominus muscles to relax you may feel a little tingly pleasant sensation down low on the sides of your abdomen as you relax them. You will also notice your pelvic bones rotating forwards as the pubic symphysis is allowed to fall. Try also to relax your gluteal (buttock) muscles. This allows the sacrum to come more out the back, the coccyx to rise and the lumbar curve freedom to relax into its more curved state. It is a quite relaxed posture, and a relaxed lower belly is what we are aiming for to leave some room in the lower abdomen for the organs to move forwards.

You can also help your body along by wearing clothing on your lower half that allows your belly to expand freely when standing and walking, also when sitting. Bias cut fabric, knit fabrics, and fuller cut styles are helpful. If you like a slimmer line, deep pockets in the side seam with the split right down to the hip joint will act as a placket when you sit and move, and expand to give your belly room. This is the single major discovery for me re trousers. It just makes them so comfortable for sitting. Christine also talks about a gusset in the crotch of trousers making them more comfortable.

Once you start to understand what *your* body is doing I am sure the fragility feeling will pass. Of course fragility is linked to a damaged body, as is helplessness, and they are also symptoms of depression, so they are all linked. Knowledge is the key to having faith in your body and once you have faith in your body you will feel more able, and stronger, which helps to break the depression cycle.

Be patient with your body and brain, as they are learning a whole heap of new stuff. It may take a few weeks or months to get the posture right, and you *will* have setbacks along the way. Satan works in mysterious ways (only half-joking here!)

The new DVD which will be released soon will be a great help to all of us.

Cheers

Louise

Dear Louise,

I kinda see what you're saying about the posture. There are so many muscles down there, and I'm sure I have been using them all wrong for many years. Maybe I am trying to arch my spine, plus pull in my tummy. I will try relaxing my tummy more. I assume you relax the pelvic floor too, as the organs are over the pubic bone and can just rest on it? You also mention that you have been doing some outdoor projects. I'm a gardener, and am wondering how I'm going to maintain it all this year. When lifting heavy things, are you supposed to stay in the posture? and tighten the pelvic floor? I am already realizing the need for a new wardrobe. All those tight jeans need to go! I'm sure my husband is tired of coming home and seeing me in the same pair of sweatpants every day :D

On to another topic. Yesterday I splinted for the first time. I went in the morning, and it didn't all come out (like always) but I didn't use a suppository. Then about 2pm, I started to feel like I needed to go, and tried the thumb in the vagina. It seemed to work pretty well. I tried it again this morning, but no luck. I think in the morning it's too soft. Is it more effective if you support the wall before you start to go rather than when the rectocele is full? Is it safe to do? I don't want to damage things further. I feel a very mild burning sensation down there now. Do you just put the thumb in there and hold it, or do you use it to help push the contents along? Just being able to talk about this with someone is such a relief! You are a saint Louise!

Thanks again,
Jana