Jennifer - Trusting My Body and Managing Well

First of all, I know I don't have many posts under this name, but I have been on this forum for a number of years and I have the book and all that. But I used to post under another name as well, that I've since lost the password to. If anyone recalls, one time in particular I posted under the name "Jenna" about how much an orgasm can help put things into place. That was a fun learning experience. ;)

I was diagnosed with a uterine prolapse four (five?) years ago. It actually started happening a couple of years before that. At my last OB/GYN appointment, she told me I had a slight rectocele. The appointment the year before that, she told me I had a slight bladder prolapse. Frankly, none of that matters. I don't even let her test for that anymore. I will *not* bear down just so she can tell me things are messed up in there. I know it, already!

I was a wreck when I first found out - through my own self diagnosis and because there was no way to ignore what was happening in my vagina. I found this site rather early on because I despise the thought of surgery for anything. So, I went looking for alternatives and found this site.

I can't say I'm perfectly diligent with the posture, but I do take care to not slouch, to sit on the floor more, to be mindful of my posture while spending long periods driving, and to keep my clothes loose and non-restrictive around body. I avoid lifting heavy things and I rest when I feel things starting to act up. My weight fluctuates a bit, but I should lose about 30 pounds (working on it - I'm down 5!). But my prolapse happened prior to weight gain, so while it certainly doesn't help, it was not the cause.

More than anything else, this site has taught me to pay attention to my body more than anything. And here's what I learned, though your mileage may vary:

1. My uterus seeks steam. Honestly. I could be having a great week, but every day in the shower, that damn thing will be front and center. It doesn't matter what time of day I shower, what I was doing prior to showering, whether I bend over to shave my legs or not - it is always there. I've finally just chalked it up to its own quirky personality trait. Warm, steamy environment...who wouldn't want to enjoy a little bit of that each day?

2. As I said above, and I cannot stress this enough, an orgasm puts me right back in order. I used to think it was the action of intercourse pushing things back into place, but no. It's the orgasm that pulls everything where it's supposed to be. And things stay put for awhile. If you can, try having an orgasm three or four times a day for a few days. I would truly be interested to know if it's helpful for others. I even had a bad cold and was coughing like crazy through one particular month of extreme horniness, and my multiple daily orgasms kept everything neat and tidy. It's not something I can keep up forever, of course, but...I do definitely notice that multiple orgasms are very, very helpful.

3. If I'm feeling low and heavy, it means I need to move my bowels. It's an instant fix for me. Even if I don't feel like I do, if I take a book in with me and relax (no straining!), it will usually set things right again.

4. I know we're not supposed to do Kegels, but I have to tell you...I have laid on the bed with my legs open and a mirror propped in front of me and I have seen my uterus be pulled back, far away from the opening of my vagina.

5. I cannot Zumba. Or run. Lessons learned. That's okay. I hate running, anyway.

6. Even with all of these things I've learned about how to alleviate symptoms, I still have entire weeks in which I feel like things are awful. But, I've also been dealing with this long enough to know that, with some rest and time, that too will pass.

7. My sex life has not been affected greatly, except that maybe I'm not so inclined to spread my legs wide and, uh, squat anywhere. And if I'm receiving oral sex, I simply prop a little pillow under my bum to make me feel better about things. Gravity is our friend.

8. A sense of humor is key. Believe me, I have been down on the ground sobbing because this "horrible thing" happened to me. First of all, little did I know that so many other women suffer from it as well. It seems that every third woman I tell responds with "Oh, I've had surgery for that" or "I think I have that, but I'm too scared to see the doctor about it." Once I started to feel less like a freak, I was able to start trusting my body and laughing at myself a bit. In fact, a former boyfriend set a standing rule in Scrabble that whoever could spell "prolapse" automatically wins the game. :)

I won't say that I won't ever get surgery. But I'm nowhere near the point of feeling like I need it. If I can continue to maintain, as this site has helped me do, then I'm all good. :)