Is it too late?

Body: 

I have had a hysterectomy and I can testify that it was the beginning of my trouble. after 10 years I had surgery for prolapsed rectum and 15 years after that I had the complete pelvic floor repair for cystocele, rectocele and enterocele with grafts last year and have re-prolapsed and I have a recurrent cystocele. Of course the option offered me is another surgery with and a different approach, abdominal this time. Could I still benefit from this posture training or is it too late?

I am so sorry that you've had all of these problems. If your uterus was not cancerous, I wish the information surounding the devestation hysterectomy causes to the pelvic floor would have been available to have prevented this. I believe the posture works with a body that has all the organs. Once an organ is removed the entire structure is changed.

I'm curious if you doctor had mentioned any of the pelvic floor changes that would occur after hysterectomy or that failure rates of pelvic reconstruction surgery? Unfortunately, at this point surgery is probably the only temporary solution to a now chronic problem of prolapse, unless you find you can live with it as it is.
Jane

I think the greatest lesson we can learn from women who’ve had multiple prolapse surgeries is that a time comes when they all seem to say, “Enough!” Some after only one operation, as they’ve realized the risk of going back in to fix that nagging post-surgery cystocele; some who’ve had four and five rectocele repairs and feel that the fecal incontinence they deal with on a day-to-day basis is better than a potential colostomy; and others for whom unnaturally bulging perineums or mutilated vaginas and bowels are powerful signs of the truth: female pelvic organ prolapse is a set of inoperable conditions.

Hey. I dont really know, but in my opinion it is worth a try. I too have had a hysterectomy and then was stunned to discover the world of cystoceles, etc. I have been using a pessary for a little over a year. Everything was fine, except I gained weight and my pants got tight, and then I had a problem with the pessary. I found this site in my desparation, and got the book and the video and a KM2000. I use the posture, which at first I couldnt really understand. What really helped me was that someone here posted a picture of her little daughter in the 'natural posture' and I got it. I found the lifting my arms like I'm flying, every now and then, helps me. I have stopped wearing anything tight around my waist, which I think really caused this latest surge in the problems. (As an aside - I found it very interesting that CSI had a show on recently wherein a man wore a corset and had a wasp waist. They showed a very graphic video of his organs being squeezed out of place!) I also got the sea sponges and have been using them instead of the pessary. They are a bit more trouble, but very comfortable. These past few days, I havent even been using them.
I use the Kegelmaster every day. It has really helped me to connect to those muscles and they are stronger, tho only a little bit. I think you should give it a try.

Hi

i'm so sorry to hear of all your surgery and subsequent re-prolapses and i don't know if the posture will change your situation but perhaps it will be helpfull in not excascerbating you're situation.

Thought there are other things that might help you. I suppose the only suggestion i have is if you break down each individual dificulty presented by your prolapses and surgeries one by one you may find there's solutions there that may really help you deal with all of this.

For example, the softer (dampened)sea sponge may be supportive or those braces some women talk about here, or new ways to pick things up posturally that are less strenous, new ways to build your strength through better diet... new ways to excercise that women find preferable.

Then there's just coming to the forum, a great way to find support, vent, gain new perspective's.... (from a psychological point of view).

I'd be very wary of the abdominal surgery, from reading christine's book and from the toll any large surgery takes (doesn't this require full anasthetic with a possible "adverse effect" of death.... maybe i just mis-read that somewhere).

Best wishes

Anne helan