prolaps

Hi Queenbean,
I am only new to this site and I know you will find some very helpful information here as I have. Your symptoms sound very similar to what I experienced and upon seeing a doc, having an abdominal scan I was advised to have that mesh sling surgery for my prolapsed bladder. After reading your post makes me feel thankful I did not go down that path. I was prescribed hormone cream which I was supposed to use for a week but stopped after 3 days because of the effect it was having on me. I also worked with a physio doing Kegels for 6 months to no avail, in fact I think Kegels exacerbated my bulge. Hence I went exploring on the internet for help and came across the Whole Woman site. I have now adopted the WW posture and have started doing the recommended exercises and already I am getting results but have some way to go yet. I look forward to the day when I feel normal again which I am certain I will achieve now that I feel I am in safe hands.

See what the new doctor says. Swelling could be due to anything. A fresh brained doctor will look at it differently from your old doctor. Here's hoping the new doctor is a thinker and a problem solver, rather than a scrip writer, trying out random theories.

Good luck.

Louise

I just wanted to say, I think it is important not to judge ourselves for the decisions we make. We make them based upon the knowledge we have at the time, and unfortunately with regards to POP, the overarching voice says surgery is the only way. Thank goodness we have Christine here, but sadly her voice is not yet ringing louder than the voices of all these doctors making their fortunes from needless surgeries. I have faith that that will change, and with every woman who is helped through her work so many more voices get the message out there, which in turn spreads out like a web. And your honesty about the problems post surgery is so crucial for letting women know the realities, and the importance of this non surgical work! But, we must be gentle on ourselves for the decisions we do make, knowing that we make them with what we have at the time...You now know so much more and thus can make more educated choices as you move forwards--but be gentle on yourself about the journey here.

You have our full support, dear Sammy. I hope you continue on your search to have as much of the mesh removed as possible. Please keep us updated. C.

Hi Queenbean

Kiki has put so well what I am thinking. Be gentle on yourself. Don't judge anyone harshly, least of all yourself. It is the path of acceptance, a path of freedom.

Keep us posted with your mesh removal if you would like to.

Louise

EDIT: I have just been reading accounts by a career firefighter of what it is like being involved in a major bushfire (Like Lake Clifton in Western Australia, just last week, where my son was a volunteer fire fighter). He talked about making decisions on the basis of the information on hand, and interpreting that information (only) to make life and death decisions quickly. Once you make a decision you have to follow through with it, and go with the most likely outcome. They made a logical decsion at one point to save one man's house, rather than a shed. It turned out that there was very little stuff in the house, but that another family had their whole household packed up in storage in the shed that they allowed to burn down. It was the right decision at the time, but the worse result. Had they known about the contents of the shed they would have saved the shed.

We are often in a position of making the right decision at the time on the basis of information on hand. Critical missing information can cause us to make the wrong decision. That is not your fault. All you can do is respond to it the best way you can.

Louise :-)

I am brand new to site. Have medium size rectocele and had PT to strenthen pelvic floor muscles as recommended. Now trying pessarys in order to avoid chronic dependence on milk of magnesia. First tried the cube, but couldn't get it out by myself, then tried inflatable donut, but side affects from long stem of device caused painful reaction and today had a ring put in. Anxious to hear from others aout their trial and error. I am 64, eats lots of fiber and in very good health and good weight. Thanks to all of you for support.

Hi Lacee

I assume the rectocele makes it difficult to empty your bowel?

It's good to hear that your doctor is trying different options. I hope the ring works better. Do you think you will be able to remove and re-fit the ring pessary yourself?

If you put 'ring pessary' into the Search box you will bring up all the topics that have the term in it. Use your browser's Find function to highlight the term, then you can quickly skim through the whole thread and find the highlighted text without having to read the irrelevant bits.

As you are eating lots of fibre remember to keep your water intake up as well. Fibre absorbs *a lot* of water! I suggest that you have lots of fruit and veg fibre as well as cereal type fibre. Seeds like chia and flax are helpful too (as well as their nutritional benefit) because they have a hard coating that absorbs a lot of water and makes slippery mucilage which makes stool easy to pass. Remember to put the flax through an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, or the seeds will go straight through you and you will miss out on the nutritional benefit of them. They can also aggravate anal fissures on the way out because they have a very pointy end!

However the main cause of rectocele is that the rectum gets squashed downwards and kinked. This happens when the lumbar curve straightens out and your pelvis tucks under. Try and stretch the crown of your head as tall as you can. You will feel the top of your pelvic bones tilting forwards and getting your pelvic organs into a more normal orientation. Rectocele does often take a while to correct itself, so you will need to perservere. Have a look at Youtube. Wholewomaninc is the Channel. That is a good way to learn the basics, as well as searching these Forums. Buy Christine's DVD, First Aid for Prolapse, from the Wholewoman Store, then when you are ready for some more detailed theory buy the book Saving the Whole Woman. You will then have everything you need for managing this rectocele.

Louise