Pelvic Health Pessary

Body: 

Hi all,
I just got fitted for a ring pessary with support, Thursday. I have a grade 2 cystocele, grade 1 uterus prolapse and a grade 2 rectocele.
My main symptoms are that I can feel my prolapse. I use to have (for about 6 or 7 years) stress urinary inconscience--(if I sneezed, coughed or laughed with excessive force) and urgency urinary inconscience--(when I had to go void! I had to go or I'd wet alittle, but did not have that prolapse feeling.
Since June of 2011 all that stress urinary inconscience and urgency urinary inconscience stopped but started feeling like I had sometime coming out. I noticed I had a bulge right at the entrance of my vaginal opening. If I had a full bladder I didn't feel the prolapse feeling (sensation) but if I emptied my bladder or had a bowel movement I felt that prolapse feeling down there.
I got fitted Thursday. The doctor show me and had me insert it and remove it so that I could do it on my own at home.
I wore it home and left it in until Friday night and then removed it.
I guess because I'm not use to it or maybe it's alittle too big but I feel, not pain, just like pressure especially towards the back.
I also noticed when I had to go urinate the sensation wasn't as strong as well and bowl movement. I voided fine and had a bowel movement fine but the sensation wasn't like I normally have. Is that normal or maybe it's just me.
I'm a very natural person and don't really like anything foreign, but I just thought I'd try a pessary just to see how it feels. I didn't feel the prolapse feeling at all but it just seemed like things were tight in there or I really don't know how to describe it. I just felt like pressure kinda but not at the opening of the vagina just in my abdominal area especially in the back area. I kinda of felt wierd when I would bend forward because I could feel the pressure in the back more.
I took it out and then I felt comfortable. I felt like my organs were free and conforable. Can someone help me with this?
Thank you,
Silverlady

Hi Silverlady. I can't help you with pessary (there are some here who can) but I have been reading some of your past posts. Did you ever try Whole Woman posture? - Surviving

Yes, I have some, but I think I really need to focus on the posture more.
Thank you for replying Surviving60.
Silverlady

Hello Silverlady,

The most important advice I can give you is this: Don't do any heavy lifting even if the pessary is in!

A few months ago, with a ring pessary inside, I did heavy lifting which ended up doing major damage which resulted in bleeding. Were you told to leave the ring in for 3 months or to remove it sooner? I had it in for 3 months at a time and then went for a cleaning but I had to use Trimosan a couple of times a week. While discovering this site, I found the Trimosan has a pesticide component! Luckily, I did not use it often as chemicals in anything scare me.

I was fitted with several different sizes before the correct one was found. Maybe the size you have is too big. However, I should also tell you that after a couple of years, even with the ring pessary, my bulge hung down to the side. But because I didn't want surgery, I said nothing. I have been without a pessary for a couple of months while I heal. My philosophy has always been that out of everything bad comes some good. The good part of my bad experience is that being terrified of what lay ahead, I discovered this wonderful site, spoke to Christine who was SO helpful, and have had so much valuable input from the great ladies on this site.

Here are a couple of helpful things I picked up recently:
1. Don't do any heavy lifting.
2. Don't use a recliner chair.
3. Breathe through the tummy not the chest.
4. When bending, bend with the knees, not at the waist.
5. If pushing a baby carriage or grocery cart, stand close to it, not at arms length.
6. To my surprise, even with severe prolapse, walking with long strides is good.
7. Most importantly, do all the above and every thing else in WWposture.
8. Practice fire breathing.
9. If you have to carry something, hold it close to your body.

Personally, I still have to make a decision in a few weeks: Do I get a different type of pessary or stay as is. Apparently, our insides cannot really fall all the way out! :)

I think if your pessary was the correct fit, you should not have the feeling you described on your back. When everything was fine with me, I could not feel it. However, when it was inserted the first time, I had a strange feeling in a leg nerve. The doc did not think it had anything to do with it but someone on this site also had something similar, so I think the doc just did not know.

Thank you so much Osmari for your repy and information. Yes, you're right the doctor did prescribe Trimosan. I have not used it because I took the pessary out Friday night. I had had it in since Thursday when I got fitted for it, the doctor had in stock it's #5 3-inch Ring with support folding pessary; that's what the container that it came read. It also had the Trismosan vaginal jelly set with it.
Wow! That's scary! I certainly don't like to be putting anything inside me, especially something that has some of the same contents that pesticides do.
I did see in the site where people have posted Christine's Bliss Balm. I'm sure it is something natural and safe.
The doctor had given me instructions to take the ring pessary out 2 or 3 times a week and use the Trimosan each time I insert it. She also prescribed Premarin vaginal cream; it's an estrogen cream that she said to use 2 times a week to keep tissue healthy. We're you prescribed that kind of cream as well?
I did not want to use that either because I've heard so much about using estrogen and it's link to cancer. I'd rather eat foods that have estrogen naturally in them.
You have found WW and it is a blessing. I'm going to not wear the pessary and concentrate on WW posture and I have the DVD and I'm planning on purchasing the book Saving the Whole Woman and also buy the 3 DVD's on yoga as well as the Baton. I plan on buying the bundle.
Thanks again for your information, you have been so helpful.
Silverlady

Yes, after the bleeding and damage, I was told to use Premarin every 4th night to heal the inside...to put it on a tampon. When I found out it was estrogen, I quit. (I was not told to use Premarin before the damage.)

What foods have estrogen in them? Is soy one? Because not that long ago, I read something negative about soy but I don't recall what the info was since I never eat soy products.

I recently bought the bundle, the one including the consultation with Christine but I have not watched all the DVDs yet and don't want to do the excercises until I find if I still have damage. Make sure you read the book several times.

BTW if you can get someone to vacuum for you, do so. If you have to do it yourself, and you happen to have both an upright and a canister vac, likely the canister will be easier on you. Make sure you remember to stand in posture when you vac...it is a bit tricky at first.

I am wishing you all the best. (At least we know we are not alone in this journey and that we are fortunate to have the terrific ladies who help us out with their posts.)

Here is a good website that shows what foods contain natural estrogen. http://www.livestrong.com/article/385828-how-to-get-estrogen-with-natura...
Yes, that's true about vacuuming. When I vacuum, I have an upright I can feel the prolapse more.
Yes, it's a true blessing that we found the WW website, Christine is awesome! There are so many wonderful ladies here to help us.
Wishing you the best as well.

Thanks for the link...I will check it out right now.