17 month pp update

Submitted by davemayamom on June 27, 2010 - 11:29am
Body: 

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I wanted to give everyone a 12 month update, and then the site went down. I went back to work in January and things have been quite busy ever since, hence little time to post.

Anyway, I'm glad a waited a little longer because my prolapse and symptoms have gotten better. I'm now working 4 days a week (pediatric P.T.). My job can be quite heavy physically, but I'm managing just fine with no worsening of symptoms. I can chase after my kids, grocery shop (and lift several bags), garden, bike, stay on my feet all day, without worsening of my prolapse. I went on a "girls" weekend where we literally shopped for two days straight, and I felt fine, did not think of prolapse. I"ve also been at an amusement park all day with kids (9 months pp) with no discomfort - even enjoyed the rides.

I got my period back at 13 months pp, and really they are no worse than they were early pp after my 1st child. I'm pretty much done with nursing - or I should say my daughter is, and I really didn't notice much of a difference with the cessation of breastfeeding.

I have a cystocele/urethrocele and possibly a grade 1 rectocele (the latter of which I don't notice). I developed prolapse in the second trimester of my pregnancy and had a pretty uncomfortable time for the rest of the pregnancy. Anyway, my urethrocele is the only thing I can see. It sits at the entrance or just above and though things feel a bit bulkier than they used to, it really is not noticeable.
As far as what I do to help my prolapse, really I just use the posture. I'm trying to get more diligent with the firebreathing in the hopes of moving my urethrocele up. I also plan on doing more core work. I feel its entirely livable, and that I'm doing everything I did before prolapse, with the exception of running. I have dreams for that one day too.

I hope this post gives eveyone some hope. This website was a lifeline for me during my pregrnancy and postpartum periods.

I'll keep you updated as time goes on,

All the best,
Janice

A

granolamom

June 27, 2010 - 12:45pm

thanks for the update, I can't believe your baby's so big already.
and how did I not remember you're a pediatric PT? that's what I was doing in my pre-mommy life, am currently trying to get all my ceu's together to renew my license and who knows, maybe when this baby's a bit older I will get back into the workforce.
what kind of facility do you work in? do you have lots of heavy lifting to contend with? my last job was in a childrens hospital, so lots of acute care lifting and also an outpt clinic (significantly less lifting but more running around after little ones).
does your experience with this posture change the way you practice?

clavicula

June 27, 2010 - 1:01pm

So good to hear you are fine and enjoying life! And what a cool job! Sounds interesting to me.
Thanks for keeping up posted!
Liv

davemayamom

June 27, 2010 - 2:16pm

For some reason my computer wasn't working properly and I obviously sent my message way too many times!!! I hope it can be cleaned up!

Thanks for the responses. Granolamom - I practice mainly in the schools, so lots of driving, but also lots of lifting and floor work. I'm working on rehabilitating a tall 16 year old right now. He had a brain tumour, and when I started with him, he required a hoyer lift to transfer from bed to chair. Now he is walking (almost) independently with a rollator on level ground. (Puts prolapse in perspectivie). Any way, I've been doing lots of physical work with him, and I just keep in posture and think about things as I do them. I don't lift anything over 40lbs without assistance. Kids are unpredicatable, especially with disabilities, but so far so good. And when I'm driving, I sit up nice and tall - sitting posture as never been better.

Prolapse isn't hindering my work life - infact, it's a great distraction from it! I look at the kids I work with and think prolapse isn't so bad!

Janice

louiseds

June 27, 2010 - 11:36pm

Hi Janice

Thanks for posting this update. In spite of the fact that I know POP gets better for at least a couple of years, it still amazes me how resilient the human body is, and the way women really can affect improvements in conditions like POP. We have so much power within ourselves, just waiting to be unlocked, often by other women who have been in the same boat!

And thanks to all the other Members who helped Janice get to where she has.

Hope you don't have too many of the temporary, inevitable setbacks we all experience from time to time, and that they are manageable. See you next year for the next update. We would love it if you could call more often, but we know that real life beckons, and that is the way it should be.

Best wishes.

Louise

Christine

June 28, 2010 - 6:37pm

It's really great to hear from you! I agree that the posture is center stage, but just wanted to mention that I'm so glad we have firebreathing and nauli too!! The video we shot for the virtual studio had lots of firebreathing and of course I had to do the scenes over and over again for editing purposes. My prolapse moved up to a whole new level! :)

davemayamom

June 30, 2010 - 6:16am

I will be more diligent with my nauli and firebreathing. I guess I just found that with my prolapse being so low, it never really made much of a difference - always fell right back down. Of late, I've noticed it may stay up for a second or two longer - I hope that is success. I have to get it through my head that it takes time to change the fascia - I know I'm a P.T.! It's funny how we all are "hoping" for immediate results. I realize it's harder to get the urethrocele up than the bladder as there is less bony support. I'm not working for the summer, so I'm hoping I can maximize my exercise and breathing routines. I"ll keep you posted on any successes!

Thanks again!
Janice

alemama

June 30, 2010 - 2:11pm

Yes yes yes! a second or two longer is awesome progress. This was my experience as well with the cystocele I had developed. I could get it up and then release the breath and down it would come- then slowly over time it would stay if for a few seconds if I held still. Then a few more- then I could walk around for a minute with it way up- and then 5 min- and finally hours- and when it would slip down I'd do another quick session of breathing and be good again.
Stick with it- it will work and stay gone all day!!!
I don't know if you remember but I experienced complete reversal of my cystocele. it did return during my most recent pregnancy since I couldn't breath it up- but it's totally gone again at 15 months postpartum.

I am so glad you are feeling so wonderful- geez did you ever in your darkest days imagine you would be on your feet all day at an amusement park with no problem?
I remember how hard your last 3 months of pregnancy were. So glad you have that behind you and have your beautiful family too. Our bodies really are amazing.

alemama

June 30, 2010 - 2:13pm

don't be afraid to give running a try. You may have some early set backs but you will get stronger after about 6 weeks. I am doing it with no problem now- I did cut back on my milage- but that's cuz I'm lazy :)

JBee

July 1, 2010 - 3:32am

Janice

Wow - sounds like you're doing amazing. Jsut wanted to echo what alemama says here too. I thought that running was out of the question giving that walking is so uncomfortable. But, for some odd reason - the running actually makes things better and afterwards....all I can say is WOW. For me, walking is extremely difficult with my 3 pops but running makes them all much better and as I get stronger and can run more, the impreovements continue. Go figure that one?! So, give it a try. .....I started by using my sling every time I went out and would only run for 5 mins. I've gradually built it up to about 50-60 minutes now over 6 months so I've done it sensibly and I can't tell you how much it's benefitting me. I'm even doing the race for life here in the UK to raise money for cancer as my best friend has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Didn't think that would be possible a few years ago! Some days when my pops are bad, I actually go out for a run to improve the way I'm feeling physically. It always "lifts" me - both physically and mentally - when you would think the opposite would be true...
Good luck! J xx

louiseds

July 1, 2010 - 4:36am

I think it is the running posture, which has quite bent knees, a forward impetus and lots of arm movement.

louiseds

July 2, 2010 - 2:29am

Alemama's right, Janice

I am still amazed at the improvements I am experiencing in my own body. If you think about it intuitively the urethra has a particular length before we get POP. It might stretch in length if it needs to, because the bladder falls back and stretches the front/top of it out. Most women seem to report urine gushing, rather than squirting out, after their first pregnancy. WW posture will reposition the bladder further forward but the extra bit of urethra will take some time to revert to its original length. The more you can keep your urethra without tension the quicker it will be allowed to revert (within limits, I guess). the urethra can also gape open at the top, into a funnel shape. I have seen internet scans of this. This means that the entry is bigger than the tube. Perhaps not keeping your bladder overfull will help that funnelling to pull back in again.

I experience squirting when peeing again these days, as long as I sit forward on the toilet, but I have more urgency to pee than I used to. It only seems to get me when I get out of the car or lift something with a full bladder, then again when I actually get to the bathroom. I think it might be to do with flexing the hips with a full bladder, which I think might stretch out the urethra where it goes out of the bladder, because of the pressure on the bladder when getting out of the car, lifting loads etc. Very frustrating. I can hang on forever and don't get stress incontinence, but once I actually find the toilet (which is never closeby when I realise my bladder is very full) is when my trouble starts. So I think I have one of the forms of urethrocele as well. There are so many variations.

I think we Wholewoman members know a lot more together about all the different forms of POP than any one specialist. Sure they know all the surgical stuff, and know what tests will give them diagnostic hints, and how to read scans, but we live it, and seem to be able to find ways to deal with most of the problems. It literally is secret women's business, It is a pity that doctors, even female doctors, do not recognise the depth and sophistication level of what we are discovering together.

Louise

Christine

July 2, 2010 - 2:01pm

You know, Louise, the 1st edition of STWW was built almost entirely from the gynecologic literature. Only over time did we figure out how terribly wrong that literature is! I was looking something up the other day in Te Linde’s Operative Gynecology (1997) and found myself aghast all over again at the sheer misconception and Deception!

Here are a few sample statements in which I think many of us will now be able to see gross inaccuracies:

*When symptoms to be treated surgically are the consequence of damage to one organ or organ system, obvious (though asymptomatic) damage to other pelvic organs should be noted. The additional damage, if likely to progress and become symptomatic, can be repaired at the time of the primary surgical procedure.

*Because another goal of reconstructive surgery is restoration of anatomy to a normal state, a clear conception of what is normal is essential.

*If a colpogram is taken of a nulligravid vagina that has been lightly coated with a barium paste, the upper half of the vagina is noted to have an almost horizontal axis that is accentuated when the patient strains, as with a Valsalva maneuver.

*The upper vaginal axis is horizontal because the vagina lies on an intact and more or less horizontal levator plate formed by the fused posterior portion of the pubococcygei extending from the posterior surface of the rectum to the sacrum.

*When this levator plate tips, there is a tendency for anything resting on it to be pulled by gravity and to descend.

*Massive eversion of the vagina can occur in both young and old persons, whether the uterus is present or not.

*In many instances, unrepaired genital descent will progress to procidentia, the displacement of the entire uterus outside of the pelvic cavity.

*Because various etiologic factors are at work, restoration requires different surgical procedures.

The x-ray that accompanies the third statement is clearly that of either a supine patient or supine cadaver. The caption reads:

“Normal vaginal depth and axis. Colpogram of a healthy, 25-year-old nulligravid woman standing at rest. The inferior margin of the pubis is seen in the half circle to the left.”

The “pubis” is depicted as it historically has been - a few inches below the navel and forming a short wall of bone below the abdominal wall. The rest of the anatomy is just bizarre, with the “vaginal axis” extending horizontally to what looks to be beyond the tailbone. An anatomical drawing is included, where pubic bone and tailbone form a horizontal axis with a muscle bridge (floor) between them.

Doctoring of xrays for teaching purposes is still going on to this day, as I illustrate in the movie playing in the public theater. It supports the current gold standard of treatment, which insists that the vagina can be tethered to the spine and still be in its natural axis. Nothing could be further from the truth, and worsening or new-onset cystocele is common in women who have had these procedures.

“Sure they know all the surgical stuff”, but the core of that stuff is categorically wrong!! This is the major message Whole Woman brings to the table.

Christine