advice badly neede!!

Well, Scotsmum, the data suggests that surgery for cystocele is not without significant risk. The urethra is directly behind the front vaginal wall and when the "lump" is pushed back surgically it often causes a straightening of the urethra/bladder angle - an angle that plays a large role in preventing stress urinary incontinence. It certainly doesn't happen to every woman, but enough women develop new-onset or worsening of SUI with cystocele surgery that it has become standard procedure to insert a urethral sling in the process. Your surgeon may be planning a paravaginal repair, in which case a "distension", or midline, cystocele often develops some months post-op.

The only way kegels could've actually worsened your cystocele is if you were doing them in such a way that pulled your bladder away from your lower abdominal wall (i.e on your back and forcefully pulling navel to spine.)

The "torn" feeling is simply the rugae, or natural folds in the vaginal wall that allow it to expand and contract like an accordian.

It's anyone's guess whether the surgery would help or harm you sexually. You may be "tighter", but you might also sustain nerve damage to your clitoris, painful scar tissue, and leaking from an unstable bladder neck.

The upper vagina is quite roomy in all women and I often wonder if this little-known fact is what causes some to feel as if they are too big. The vagina also shrinks post-menopausally in both length and caliber. The consensus seems to be that men just don't notice prolapse during intercourse.

The work we are doing here pulls the vagina along its natural axis, re-shaping it in the process. You need to recognize the intrinsic value of avoiding surgery yourself, however, and there is really no way I can guarantee one path over the other.

Wishing you well,

Christine

Hello, and welcome. So sorry to hear of your problems, and just wanted to say that I wish you the best. I can't tell you for sure if having pelvic floor repair will make your vagina like it was pre - pregnancy - my guess would be that there is a slight chance, but I would be scared to get my hopes up knowing the risks or disappointments that may also happen. As far as kegels go, I highly recommend seeing a physical therapist who specializes in women's pelvic problems. When I first developed my rectocele, I did tons of kegels, and held myself tight all the time, too - thankfully, my p.t. was there to let me know that doing so without relaxing could be very harmful. A good p.t. can also help you with things like posture, and bladder control, that can really make a difference in your situation. She could perhaps even give you her professional opinion of how your pelvic muscles are functioning and how much you might be able to improve with or without the surgery. Even if you do have surgery, you will want to see one to help with recovery and to lessen the odds of future problems. Same with the advice here about posture, exercise, diet, etc. - it can be of a great help now in order to maintain or reverse prolapse, but it's also useful to women post-op, or to young healthy women, in order to prevent these issues in the future. Learn up on what your options are, and please let us know what you choose, and keep us posted. Take care of yourself! Glor