Rectocele Cystocele

Hi Silma and welcome to WW. Cystocele/rectocele is the most common form of prolapse, and is very manageable with WW posture work. Christine calls this "nature's pessary" because these bulges in the vaginal wall help support the uterus and keep it from dropping too far down and back. What we are aiming to do here is to keep all the organs forward in their natural positions against the lower abdominal wall. There is no cure or quick fix for prolapse, but this work allows you to manage it quite effectively and eliminate the worry and fear of worsening.

Doing a workout daily is ideal, though not everyone can do so (I sure don't). Frequency of workouts is not nearly as important as just staying in the posture all the time. You are doing the work as you go throughout your day, in all standing/moving/sitting all day long. It takes time to train your body and mind but it does happen, eventually becoming automatic.

I have no experience or real understanding of acupuncture as it would relate to correcting your posture to hold the organs forward over the pubic bones. Most professionals don't understand pelvic organ support and think you have to tighten up a hole at the bottom of a soft-tissue floor to keep the organs from sagging. Totally a wrong concept. But I don't think it will do you any harm if it interests you.

I have been here over 4 years managing my 'celes. I didn't get my baton until recently but find that it really enhances the workouts. And yes, I think the weight is part of the advantage, not only because it intensifies what might appear to be very simple moves, but also because any extra weight added to correct posture enhances the dynamics of keeping the vagina flattened and closed off against intraabdominal pressure.

Good luck on your WW journey - there are many discoveries to be found along the way! - Surviving

PS: Your reaction to a diagnosis of prolapse is completely normal, and your gyno sounds like a very insensitive guy. But at least he did not try to push surgery or PT. "Living with it" is actually what we are doing, but in a very mindful way that helps ensure that things don't have to get worse and we don't have to live in emotional turmoil over this very common benign condition.

Every time I come and glimpse (or study) the forum I find that someone has asked just the same questions that I have had enter my mind each time.. so the connection is tangible... I have probably tried every modality to help my condition stage 3 cycotcele and rectocele and uterus (and failed anterior and posterior repair 8 years ago) and had many lonely breakdowns and unsympathetic responses from professionals so I relate to your post Silma... I too had acupuncture recently and he gave me tablets to strengthen the Qi.. I trust the concept but didn't continue to follow through ... tho always feel good after a treatment in other areas... I was also wondering how often to do exercises as I only just received my 3 yoga dvds and baton.. I am doing what I can.. and remaining hopeful through the struggle...

Thankyou to the members who I see are investing a lot of energy and giving of themselves to guide us along the way... I live on the sunshine coast Qld if anyone lives nearby and we could share guidance...

The thing with the DVDs is that they are great for strengthening muscles to help us to hold posture better, and I have found that they really strengthened my thigh muscles so I can maintain an excellent half squat hovering over the toilet, not something I even thought was attainable in the beginning of this work. I try to do the DVDs just about every day, but for me it is more than just helping with posture. My DVD time is my yoga time, my meditation time, and my stretching time. And, for those of us with more profound prolapses, we have to take every bit of help we can with this work. I also jiggle and firebreath throughout the day, walk in posture, sit in posture. It is always on my my mind, always there reminding me of the benefit of this work.
Each of us has to find that place where this work becomes part of our lives, instead of a temporary work out plan that we abandon once symptoms seem to absolve, because they are always back there lurking, waiting to come back again.
So whatever or however you can fit any of this work into your lives, just do it in the best posture you can!

I know how you are feeling very well. It is such an emotional thing, I felt as if my body had betrayed me, but it hadn't, I betrayed my body, albeit unknowingly, by slouching and having very poor posture! When I found my POPS I had 3 children with the 4th on the way! I was in the dumps, big time. I cried and seriously thought how can I live like this, it is so unfair? But I did, I found out how on this forum. The ladies here have given me encouragement, and helped me pick up and move on with this POP in a very positive way! I have learned to live very well with POP. I know that some days are worse than others, like when I spent 2 hours weed wacking around the farm. It needed to be done, and it was quite hard to stand in posture when going around all the tress, but some fire breathing and all is well. I guess it is learning how to manage it that makes all the difference. Dr Gyno is probably not going to be very sympathetic to your condition, and many people, even close relatives who may have had surgery will tell you to get surgery (even when they have had more surgery to correct the first surgery) but on this forum, you are not alone. I read often, and often someone new is having a rough go but with lots of determination and a small amount of physical effort you can take control of your POP. Yes it takes commitment, but the effects are amazing! I do not do many of the exercises, but living in posture is key, and with four kids running around I think I get plenty of exercise!

I agree with you Aging Gracefully,
The posture alone is a wonderful foundation.
Doing anything extra is a compounding bonus!
Walking anywhere in WWP is so beneficial- I have walked up and down my hallway and around my garden if I didn't wish to go out in public.

The WW exercises can be used anywhere - The neck and arm ones can be done in a chair as a break from the computer or while waiting in traffic, also the belly breathing.

At the supermarket and at home I often stand on my toes around the house and do the squat on my toes while getting to high or low things, and now practice getting up without holding on.

I guess I am driven by mainly my now reversed inevitable disabling hip dysfunction and the amazing results I have had and continue to have with WWP and exercises, and so many more benefits that I had never dreamed of.
Now I just think of what could improve next so I have various ( I find exciting) experiments regarding other issues that I am working on.

The age I am is also a factor - I have observed elderly people in my life and the quality of life that they have now relating to how active they were and are now. I also observe so much deterioration of younger people which is alarming.

I see this work, while I am still young enough, and old enough to have the advantage of hindsight, as an opportunity to be as fit as possible - taking it slowly, consistently and patiently, to see me in good stead and as physically fit, thus independent into older age for as long as possible.

I love all the exercises and have FUN - they work so well for me.
I couldn't say that about much other exercise styles I have tried/done except I love walking - even better now in WW!
Hope this is encouraging and enjoy stage of life, everyone that you are in now,
Best wishes,
Aussie Soul Sister

So true Aussie Soul Sister! I always remember that old saying "if you don't use it, you lose it". I really believe that to be true for all of us, especially watching the elderly in the nursing homes I worked in. The ones that kept active definitely had a better quality of life. We had some that were over 100 years old that would still walk around everywhere they needed to go, and then much younger ones that always needed a push, not wanting to even try to do it on their own.
Developing a mind set of being active early on will really help with mobility for a whole lifetime.
That's why I especially love this work for more than just prolapse, because of the extra added benefit my bad hip got from all this. Before this I thought I was going to end up like all those little ladies with the big scar on their hip from hip surgery. Posture, just standing in the correct anatomical way has done tremendous things for my hip, and all those exercises on the DVDs only help strengthen those muscles around my hips also. It's just a win, win, win for me. So many benefits to last a lifetime!

I am post-menopause and have not had any hip issues so far. But during the 4+ years of doing this work, I have become determined not to end up like my own mother and so many others, including many many who are MUCH younger than I. Managing and living with prolapse symptoms is just a part of the picture, and for those of us who have conquered that piece of it, maintaining our mobility into old age has become such a strong driving force and the reason so many of us nag the younger ones to jump on this bandwagon now. It is understandably hard for some members to see their prolapse as a blessing. But it is. It is a wakeup call to get your whole body and mind ready for what's coming! - Surviving