Vaginal Tissue Bulge question

Hi ducky – if you have tissue bulging, that is causing you problems by being outside of your body, I think you need to get a little better diagnosis on what it might be. When the doctor says vaginal tissue, is he referring to a vaginal vault prolapse? This is not uncommon in women who have had hysterectomy, if the post-op support for the vaginal walls fails. I have no idea what this type of prolapse looks or feels like in the early stages, but ultimately it requires repair. Or could you just have some residual scarring or other surgical remains that are migrating “south” after a couple of decades? Could the bladder repair be failing? Twenty years is a long time for a typical repair to last.

We aren’t really medical folks here, and most of us have not had repairs. But feel free to put some search terms in the box above and look for discussions by members. Others who see your post and have some relevant experience to share may jump into the discussion. Please try to describe this tissue bulge the best you can and tell us what kind of discomfort it’s causing. We talk about everything here!! Sorry I can’t be of more direct help. - Surviving

Hi Ducky,
Thank you for your question. I'm not sure of the answer, but here are my thoughts:
You could look at the WW forum and look at the entries under 'hysterectomy'. That might be helpful.

The description 'bulging vaginal tissue' is a bit vague. It might be helpful to ask your doctor/nurse for a fuller explanation. Is this at the front or the back or the vaginal passage dropping down? To what extent? Is it painful or a problem - or likely to be?

Also, I'm a bit confused. Basically a pelvic organ prolapse presses on the vaginal passage which in turn makes the vaginal tissue bulge. So it's possible you have a form of pelvic organ prolapse, other than a uterine prolapse, e.g. cystocele (bladder), rectocele (rectum) or eversion (vaginal walls). It would probably be helpful if the medics could clarify the situation.

If it's not a prolapse, then ask them specifically what it is. You could also try self assessing. Is the bulge at the front or back or down. What does it look like? There are some helpful images re self assessment of pop's in the Saving the WW book - and possibly in the blog. (The WW blog has a marvellous library of articles. Just plug in a key word/s and see what comes up. It's worth trying different key words sometimes).

In any case, I recommend the WW posture and principles. Start straight away. Most of the WW approach is for free and accessible at all times; WW posture, walking, good diet, good elimination (no constipation), de-stress as much as possible, get adequate and good sleep, WW exercise but gently on the WW abdomen and hip circles for women who've had a hysterectomy, bend over to cough, live, love, laugh...

If you can, invest in the resources; book and dvd/s... I considered them a long term investment in my health. Again, if you can, it may be very helpful to see a WW practitioner or have a consultation with Christine.

This approach is a healthy, non invasive approach. It needs to be engaged with to be effective. Even if you're not sure what you have, you could try it and see. It's a healthy approach designed especially for women. It's good for women of all ages and stages. Just make sure you practice within your limits and never ignore any pain.

With very best wishes, wholewomanukx

Yep, I have that too. I determined it to be related to my bowel movements. I went to a Dr and it wasn't described as a prolapse, but she wanted to fit me for a pessary. I didn't get one. Here is what works for me (I just found this site and I'm starting the exercises too) I did a juice cleanse and it went away. The cleanse was 2 weeks. I went back to eating normally after that and gradually the bulge returned. So, I have definitely decided that diet plays a big part, especially dairy, sugar and wheat. I use stevia powder as a sweetener which also helps to make the stools softer. My new story starts today with eliminating dairy, sugar and wheat and doing the prolapse exercises. My experience with Drs tells me I don't need an "accurate" diagnosis if I'm making changes that are affecting the situation. However, we each need to follow our own inner lead.

my family doctor described my vaginal bulge as a strange looking piece of flesh on an insurance form