Todays Gynae appt

Submitted by MeMyselfAndI on February 22, 2006 - 8:10am
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Seems every time I go I get told something different.

This time I saw a realllly nice Gynae who listened to me.

He said I have a grade1 UP Grade 1 (if that) Cystocele and a grade1 (if that) rectocele (I believe this was done by that idiot Dr trying to ram a pessary ring I didn't even need up me - agony)

He gave me alot of info And I am glad I went :)

Obviously things can always change - BUT - I know that with the help Christine has given to me about posture - BM - and other things - I can keep myself going

I AM NO LONGER SCARED CHRISTINE - HOW FREAKY IS THAT

:):)

It's great - When I arrived here I was the biggest scaredycat anworrywart - Now I feel EMPOWERED

And who gave me this power?

You Christine - Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu :)

I am now teaching my Mother the posture - Though I have a feeling hers is much more severe than mine she gets alot of back ache and other things - She cannot even stfor more than a few minutes :( All this has happened in the past 3 yrs - So I am praying I can get her some mobility back. Especially as she gets very constipated and always has.

The Gynae said my problems were prolly caused in Birth1 with the evil forceps used on me (mainlcos they had no patience with first time mother to wait and talk instead of dragging baby out to save time and bother)

Thank You Christineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

:)

UKmummy

February 22, 2006 - 9:10am

Hi Sue,
I see from your previous posts you are in the UK! I moved to the States from the UK 7 years ago and get home sick often! How are you finding the good ole NHS for "afflictions" such as ours? :) I am still waiting to see a Gyn here and probably need a referral for a Uro/ gyn so heavens knows when that will happen. Mind you, I know that it is largely up to me at this point and don't expect too much joy from the general medical establishment! Anyway, nice to meet someone from home! Glad you are feeling so good! Did you decide to have another baby?
Take care.
Michelle.

mommi2three

February 22, 2006 - 9:48am

It is good to hear that u have very mild prolapse and you can take preventative measures now. I think it is so frustrating to see all these clinicians sometimes and i think they do things to you physically and sometimes you know that it just make things worse. Although they will all swear up and down that it is impossible. I believe when i first had the mild symptoms like you the gyn probed me so hard with his fingers i was very sore for over a week. I know he particularly pushed up the bladder or pubic symphysis area. I was barely a grade 1 cystocele with NO urethra prolapse then. A couple of wks later the urethra dropped and the cystocele was a Grade 3.

I know i don't have the formal medical training to confirm that but i also knew at the time it was not a good internal exam. I was desperate for a diagnosis and in so much back pain. I should have just stopped the exam and rescheduled for another doc. But i just feel like they are the professionals and know what they are doing.

I also had left my trust with the OB who delivered my last child a year ago. She really impressed me with her bedside manners in the office. I thought she would be understanding and empathetic b/c she had 3 young children. She's only a few years older than me and seemed confident. So I let scheduled my induction with her instead of her senior partner who delivered my 2 boys. Well, she was a totally different person in the delivery room. When she was stitching me up I asked her how bad did i tear and she responded by telling me to just focus on my new baby and she'll take care or it! I was flabbergasted. Is this the same compassionate mild mannered woman that i saw in the office?! Looking back now, i'm not even sure if she gave me an episiotomy! THe urogyn said my levator ani was not stitched together and that could be a result of an episiotomy.

So I just don't feel that i can trust the docs at this point. I am just very angry by her attitude and disappointed at her OB skills. I been with that group since the beginning of my pregnancies for 3 kids and have never been a difficult patient. I always asked questions to be informed. I thought that was enough but prolapse has made me question everything clinicians do when they probe inside.

I'm sorry to release all this anger but I do understand other women's bad experiences with doctors. It is frustrating because no one can validate your bad experiences except for yourself.

Prolapse has changed my life. I can't let it ruin my life but I do struggle with it daily. It has affected my relationship with my husband and my kids don't get the benefit of an active mom like i use to be.

Christine

February 22, 2006 - 10:42am

Oh Sue...how wonderful!! You WERE a bit on the freaked-out side a few months back - now you sound like wonderwoman!! :-) Amazing thing is that I couldn't have done it without YOU, too!!! I've woken up in a cold sweat many a night wondering when the urogynocology police were going to come drag me away kicking and screaming!! I think that's no longer possible. There's still a chance that the odd woman might insist this work damaged her in some way, but that's a risk I must take for bringing it forward. All women needed to overcome such a hellish and imprisoning system was the marvelous democratizing power of the Internet.

Hugs to you dear Sue,

Christine

MeMyselfAndI

February 25, 2006 - 3:20am

I wonder where my last reply went? Hmmmmm

The NHS is ok i spose. It has good parts and bad parts, like everything. But so far It has been OK (Bar my own Dr who is evil lol)

I finally got my mother to go to Dr about her prolapse!!!!!!
She was told she also has a grade1 - which has put her mind at ease alot as she was freaking out about surgery etc lol

Unfortunately mum will never be able to get into the posture cos of her back being bad - she is unable to stand for more than a few mins cos of pain. But she is trying - We see a neurologist about her pain in March so the moment she is in less pain I shall take her in hand and lead her into 'PostureVille' lol

It is great to hear I only have a grade1 - But after being told so many different grades - from 2 to 1 and 1.5 I dunno what to believe.

I think we need a pic of where the uterus would be (and bladder etc) if they are a grade 1 - I like to know where I stand with things lol

I am just overjoyed that The Gynae said I didn't need things like pessary rings - that my Dr immediately rammed into me (I really do believe this is what gave me rectocele as I was unable to do a BM and all of a sudden on it's removal I have a tiny retocele - grade1 if that)

But I am glad my mother went to the Dr cos the Dr said her pain IS her MS and that gives us avenues to seek help within now we know it is now prolapse causing this never ending pain.

You know Christine (I always feel like i am writing directly to you lol)
You must sleep so well at night knowing you have given so many women their life back - Their future is back held tightly in their grasp :)

Thank You once again :)

MeMyselfAndI

February 25, 2006 - 3:21am

Seems the replies are showing out of cync for some reason?

Freaky

Christine

February 25, 2006 - 8:35am

I'm still bugging the developers to improve the readibility of the text here. I think we're stuck with the basic format, though, of the last response being up top. The initial post remains first, and then the responses all read from bottom to top - the most current at the top. I actually prefer it this way because I read all the responses and like not having to scroll down through several posts to get to the latest. However, if women don't read regularly or are just coming to the site, they have to scroll down to begin. It's a trade off.

I don't believe the "Who's new" feature is functioning properly (those same names have been there for weeks!) Oh, and we'll have smiley faces again soon for those of you who miss them!!

Sue, there are several things you can suggest to your mom to ease her into the posture.

(1) Have her sit on the couch with a pillow at her lumbar spine and teach her the upper body posture. This will begin to strengthen her shoulder girdle, which will automatically better support her pelvis when she stands.

(2) When she bends over even slightly to throw something or pick something up, teach her to keep her head and neck in the same long plane as the rest of her spine. Just teaching her the head/neck part will start moving her into the posture with little discomfort.

(3) Ask her to pay attention that she not lock her knees when she stands and that she walk with her feet pointing straight ahead.

(4) If she works on the head/neck/shoulders, the feet, and relaxes her belly, before long the rest will come into alignment.

:-)

Linda2u

February 25, 2006 - 5:15pm

My Healing Pages:
http://www.homestead.com/happytrails2u/hits.html
I want to know how your mom found out she has MS. I am 58 and I have Fibromyalgia, 70 degree curve Scoliosis(was told my muscles in my back are too weak to hold my spine), and 2 phase bladder prolapse. All these things lead back to poor muscle strength and connective tissue weakness. I have so much pain and I have tremors. I am on pain meds galore and they don't work plus, I can't hold my pessary in place after 3 fittings. Just wondered if the Docs are missing something. Please reply, Peace, Linda

granolamom

February 25, 2006 - 8:52pm

Linda..I keep meaning to check out your pages, maybe tonight. just wanted to say I have fibromyalgia too and I often wonder if my other 'ailments' are related. I am sure they are one way or another.

Grandma Joy

February 26, 2006 - 12:10am

Hi Christine,

I just finished reading your reply to Linda2u and I am a little confused. I have had horrible shoulder, back & neck pain ever since the breast cancer surgeries, connective tissue problems, fibromyalgia, etc. I didn't have a prolapse back then. From what you said, am I to understand the prolapse causes all the shoulder girdle pain? Or is just aggravating it? You mentioned once before there were special exercises for the upper body re:the rhomboids, after my trip that put me down. The exercises still make my rhomboids scream. I did try physical therapy in October and November but she just made it worse, even though she pointed out to the head therapist that my entire upper body is glued together (her words).

Thanks,
Grandma Joy

MeMyselfAndI

February 26, 2006 - 3:29am

My mother was diagnosed back in about 1981 by Lumbar puncture - I also have MS I was diagnosed in Sept 2002 by MRI scan (6mths preg at the time too lol)

I also have a friend with Fibromyalgia - she was told that i all she has for many years then last year she was also told she has MS

My mother also has shaky hands all the time - she has for years - I get this when I am stressed or tired but not all the time like my poor mum

Christine

February 26, 2006 - 9:12am

Hi Grandma Joy,

These responses read from bottom to top. I was actually responding to Sue's question about how she could ease her mom into some of the postural work.

The point I was making is that it is very common in our modern cultures to have an atrophied shoulder girdle, and that simply sitting in more natural positions forces the shoulders to widen and the musculature to wake up. It is counterintuitive, but the shoulders do affect prolapse and when we begin to use them in bigger ways, our conditions are positively affected.

Christine

granolamom

February 26, 2006 - 7:05pm

Christine...I love reading your answers to postural questions. each time another light bulb goes on in my head. I have noticed that prior to finding your work, my shoulders felt like they were hanging off of my spine. Now I do see that they have widened, my clavicle is straight, and I feel that my shoulders are actually helping to support my spine. Your insights are so much more than *just about prolapse.