Is prolapse cause of intense pain when penetrated?

Submitted by Emily Jean on May 20, 2012 - 6:39pm
Body: 

Hello, I'm brand new to the group, having just been dx'd with bladder prolapse. I'm fairly sure my rectum is involved too, as everything seems to intermittantly move around and protrude downward in surprising ways, but nothing was confirmed by the doctor about "that end". The thing is, I've found sex to be painful for many years, and the pelvic exam was excruciating. I broke out in a cold sweat, nearly fainted, and I bled for two days after. No one's ever explained why penetration became so awful for me, and I'm wondering now if it has been a prolapse which, all along, has been the cause. (By the way, my husband's been unable to have sex for years due to his own health problems so my own problems have thankfully not deprived him. Also, I'm 5 years post-menopausal if this matters in your assessment of my problem)

Forum:

Surviving60

May 20, 2012 - 7:25pm

Hi Emily. If your symptoms are telling you that both bladder and bowel are involved, you are probably right, as that is quite common. The good news is that this type of prolapse helps keep your uterus from coming down too far.

Your doctor did not have any explanation for all this bleeding and pain with the exam? I don't believe that prolapse alone is a good explanation for this. Another opinion may be in order, though that might necessitate another exam...

Emily Jean

May 20, 2012 - 8:47pm

Oh, thank you for this comment. I was noticing upon a digital check when I was bulging by the rectum, whilst also having an inability to pee, that I could feel my cervix as being much closer to the vaginal opening than it used to be when I was young. But it did seem stabilized somewhat at that lowered level. So the constriction of the vagina is due to pressure from both front and back? And the constriction from front and back is what would keep the uterus from coming all the way out? This is a true "good news - bad news" situation! But thank you for offering the comment that it would be quite common to have penetration pain in this situation. It answers years of wondering on my part, never getting answers from my doctors.

As for the doctor, she did not examine me but merely got the report from the nurse practitioner who did. She said "I heard that you had a hard time with the pelvic." I was still in the stirrups and my paper sheet, drenched with sweat and dizzy when she had this "discussion" with me. She offered no explanation other than there being evidence of a bladder prolapse. The blood came later once I was back home. It was bright red and fresh as though I'd been cut internally and it was finally making it out of my body. I've had no bleeding in the post-menopausal years other than this, so I'm thinking that I was injured by the speculum and the forced entry. My husband wanted to take me to the Emergency Room but I was terrified at the thought that they'd have me in the stirrups again! I screamed and cried at the violation, and the frustration of it all, instead. I've since decided to never go through a pelvic exam again because the "professionals" seem so insensitive, so uninformative, and seem only to want to make money off of patients. Sorry to be so cynical, but I've about had it with standard Western medical care. The doctor offered surgery, I said I wanted to seek alternatives first, she knew of none (!!!!), and so she said that I should just live with it.

Surviving60

May 20, 2012 - 9:20pm

Well, surgery is pretty much the worst thing you can do, but just "living with it" without making any changes isn't the way to go. My age and prolapses are similar to yours and I have been doing this Whole Woman work for two years....it is all about returning to natural female posture which moves the organs forward into the lower belly where they belong, so they are not pushing down and out. This body work has benefits that extend beyond prolapse stabilization.....it will help you avoid hip problems later on.

There it so much information here. Please go the Theater tab above and watch Christine Kent's video, "Whole Woman 101". Then poke around the forum and website and see how others are doing. There is a definition of the posture on the FAQ tab above. Please take a look, post your questions here....you have a lot of company! - Surviving

Emily Jean

May 20, 2012 - 9:48pm

Thank you, again. I'll take your advice regarding poking around here. It is good to know that you've been doing this for a few years and see value in sticking with it. I've just printed out the posture definition from the FAQ and am trying it out. It feels like the posture we were told not to assume, as kids, so I feel guilty for standing this way, but on a strictly physical level, it feels GOOD. Ha! Never too old to learn. . . and it does seem that I'm in good company.

jaylove

May 21, 2012 - 8:38am

It seems that lately a few of you are willing to disclose where you live so I was wondering if anyone was willing to disclose whether or not they lived in Kentucky. I'v always thought that would be so wonderful if one of you lived close to me. I'd love to have a friend in my neck of the woods. Anyway obviously I am disclosing where I live - The Blue Grass of Kentucky as they call it. I know we have Australia, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Hawaii. I'd love to know about Kentucky. I understand if you want to remain annonymous.

Jaylove

Lady Jane

May 21, 2012 - 1:25pm

Jay Love - I live in Florida. I agree, it would be wonderful to be able to talk to someone who has these problems. I think it would help so much to talk to someone or a group that can relate to POP. Anyone out there in Florida?

Christine

May 21, 2012 - 3:39pm

Hello and welcome to WW, Emily Jean,

Hopefully when our new teacher, WholewomanPA, returns to the forums after her travels here, she will respond to this post, as she has experienced a lot of benign post-menopausal bleeding.

What can I say? Your story simply reinforces my opinion that the best thing a woman can do for her health is to stay out of the gynecologist's office.

I hope you are feeling better by now!

Christine

NFP

May 21, 2012 - 5:19pm

NFP - I live in Vermont and very much appreciate Christine and her work. It amazes me in this day and age how little our medical profession knows about prolapse. It makes this forum all the more important. Happy to be part of it.

jaylove

May 21, 2012 - 6:09pm

Thanks Lady Jane for sharing. Yes, It would be wonderful - I wished you lived in Kentucky. Maybe someone one the forum lives in Kentucky or Florida.
Jay Love

jaylove

May 21, 2012 - 6:19pm

Thanks NFP for sharing. YEs, it also amazes me how little the Medical Profession knows about Prolapse in this day and age. I agree this forum is very important and I also appreciate Christine and her work. Wished you lived in Kentucky though. No one I know seems interested in this approach even my daughter-in-laws have the mind-set of "Just go to Hospital and have surgery to fix it." Of course they donot have a prolapse as of yet and I hope they never do. Jay Love

Emily Jean

May 21, 2012 - 8:52pm

Thanks for the welcome, Christine. I think that I had the bleed after my gyno appointment because they ripped delicate tissues. However, one reason I went to this doctor was for an evaluation of a very slight, periodic brownish discharge6-8 months. I wanted confirmation that it was post menopausal bleeding. However, they were lacking the swab and slide to analyze what they saw on the vaginal walls when I was going through this ordeal, and said to come back in 3 weeks and they'd get me up in the stirrups again to complete this. I don't think so! I look forward to comments on this from the new teacher or others who've had this sort of discharge.

Christine

May 22, 2012 - 12:27pm

Emily Jean, I use a pea-size bit of raw, local honey inserted vaginally morning and night, which has brought a great level of health to my vagina/vulva. Please read here to understand why honey may be one of the most important substances for post-menopausal women. I just never worry about the health of my cervix, uterus or vagina, as I know a marvelous population of angels - oops, I mean microorganisms - have my back. Can't stress the importance of a low-estrogen diet either, which I'll be writing more about as I am able. C.

Emily Jean

May 23, 2012 - 4:54pm

No kidding! Can you write more about this, or direct me to the places where you learned this? I'm happy to hear that it's helped you - the testimony is great but when you can educate me on this further please know that I'm interested.

Surviving60

May 23, 2012 - 5:03pm

Hi Emily - Christine did put a link to her article in her post above. Just click on the work "here" on the third line of her post, and it will take you to her article. Happy reading!

Emily Jean

May 25, 2012 - 5:28pm

Thank you for pointing out the hot link, as it did not appear on my screen until I hovered over it. Now home from a trip, I've gotten out my raw organic honey jar and have begun treating myself twice daily. I've also resolved to learn all possible natural solutions to my ails before I seek allopathic care, and believe that you wonderful ladies have much to teach me. Thank you for your willingness to share what you know!

harrison1theirish

May 26, 2012 - 8:10am

Thank you so much Christine for this information - I Can't wait to read the link above on honey !!!