Not diagnosed with rectocele but having symptoms

Submitted by Sierra on March 9, 2015 - 11:19am
Body: 

New issues, some of which are old but I am becoming aware of them with the cystocele. But, some of them are completely new sensations.
1 - I am feeling pressure in my rectum when I stand up and not always able to relax on the loo to let it out.
2- This morning, I felt pressure after my BM, but it was very specific. It was, checking my medical terms here, on the perineum (anterior) side of my anus (rectal pressure). The pressure in my vagina is clearly my cystocele, but this is in a different area. The perineum seems to have collapsed (there's probably a better verb) inward. This could be just an illusion and is really the valley between the vaginal bulge and rectal bulge. I believe that I had a 3rd degree (almost all the way to the anus) tear and repair 20 years ago with child birth.
3 - I'm noticing clear "leaking", but clearly fecal, from my rectum.
4 - Today I am experiencing a dull ache (different or perhaps more severe than my pre-POP cycles) in my lumbar but am also beginning my menstral cycle. Everything feels different today.
5 - Is there a good thread for this? I'm guessing rectocyle and/or mentstral cycle?

Forum:

Elenore

March 9, 2015 - 11:27am

Hi..im new this forum.nice to see there is one here!! I had my Bladder drop since Aug.2014, I have a cystocele and rectocele..not sure of to much I've been also catherizing myself after the leg bag!! Now I do it myself which is ok..the only Question is. I have a problem when I go to the bathroom # 2 not always but maybe once weekly,my first Bowel movement is much larger then the rest and sometimes my hemoroids bleed and it stings burns, I can almost see the cut!!! I sometimes even use my hand to help my urine come outmore.does or did anyone ever have this problem..my urologist does not know and its pretty scary!! I think the rectom dropped to not sure!!

Aging gracefully

March 9, 2015 - 12:55pm

Hi Elenore and welcome,
Actually your symptoms can be improved and you can learn to find relief with whole woman posture. There can be initially troubles with urinating and moving your bowels with prolapse. I certainly had those issues.
The fist thing you need to do though is start reading everything you can on this site. Christine Kent has developed a wonderful system for us to get our bodies back and our lives with whole woman posture. Once you have gotten a better understanding of what this is all about, you can go to the whole woman store where there are books and dvds that will really help you on your way in this journey. The best start would be Saving the Whole Woman book which gives you all the background information, and the First Aid for Prolapse dvd which has exercises and very practical information for day to day living.
So check it all out and come back with questions as you go.

Surviving60

March 9, 2015 - 4:24pm

The most common form of prolapse is the combination of cystocele and rectocele. Christine calls this "nature's pessary" because it has the advantage of keeping the cervix farther up and forward - because everything can't be trying to escape all at once! It doesn't greatly matter whether you have one or both, in terms of prolapse management. It's all about the posture either way. You are working hard at the posture and you are bound to feel those organs shifting around. I know that the menstrual cycle does a number on symptoms; so I wouldn't be too concerned.

And diagnoses are nothing much. I've never even had one. They are subjective at best; mostly just confusing, because the organs are always moving around in response to what we do or don't do all day. - Surviving

Sierra

March 9, 2015 - 4:34pm

S60, Thanks for the reassurance. I had a morning walk and an afternoon walk (in WW posture) and feel much better. The posture is feeling more natural and the walking surely helps to reinforce it. The second walk was even more relaxed than the first. So, it appears that I am improving each time.

Sierra

March 9, 2015 - 5:21pm

Thanks, SH. That's reassuring. I am going to stick with the walking for now. Which DVD's are best during mensus? PS I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about your ponytail question. Will send it to you in bit. That was you that asked which part of the hair to grab, right?

Sierra

March 9, 2015 - 5:48pm

Love the "nature's pessary" term. It makes me feel a little better.

Sierra

March 9, 2015 - 6:33pm

Safelyheld, you must know that we all have those moments. I was feeling heavy and pressure and things that didn't feel normal this morning on my walk. It brings me to tears sometimes and I have to gather myself. I don't feel comfortable talking to friends or anyone about it. It feels so shameful but shouldn't be. That's what causes me this internal conflict. I want to think about ANYTHING but my POP and the odd sensations in my vagina. I miss those carefree days that were filled with thoughts of everything else in my life. I am trying so hard to get back there. You know better than me that it's a slow journey. On my walk, I couldn't even enjoy listening to my music which is normally a source of great joy for me. Then Miley Cyrus' (my daughter's childhood iPod haha) song"The Climb" came on and then her song about not being perfect. It was cathartic for me to listen to those. Guess that I'm just trying to say that I am sure that everyone on this forum understands how you are feeling. How do we embrace our "new normal"? It's incongruent with what we know to be normal…very conflicting feelings. I guess I'm saying that I understand more than you know and am right there with ya sista :-)

Sierra

March 9, 2015 - 6:53pm

…But then my second walk was just wonderful. It's the ups and downs that make me miss my normal carefree, simple life of work and kids and stuff. I know that we will get back there because if you look back, you know that you are better now than you were. Bad days are just bad. I always tell my kids that if it weren't for the bad days, the good days wouldn't feel so good…aye? ;-)

Surviving60

March 10, 2015 - 4:41am

During your period you will definitely find lots of good posture walking to be maybe the best form of exercise. Yoga2 and Hips seem like good choices. You can pick and choose sections from any of the workouts, avoiding those that feel less comfortable. It's a good time for a little pampering! - Surviving

Surviving60

March 10, 2015 - 7:11am

Christine has pointed out frequently that anterior/posterior prolapse is something of a blessing in the long run. With those 'celes to support the uterus and prevent it from falling too far down and back, then it is quite instrumental in helping to pull the other organs forward in WW posture with the help of the round ligaments. This is not the same challenge faced by those with profound uterine prolapse, like AG and Christine herself, who are working all the time to keep the cervix inside. Being a nature's pessary person myself, I feel well-qualified to tell newbies that 'celes are quite manageable with a dedication to this work. - Surviving

Sierra

March 10, 2015 - 7:35am

Thanks you, surviving60.

Pack Momma

March 18, 2015 - 2:53pm

Sierra, hi, I'm brand new to this site and brand new to this too! Since I am new and I am waiting for my whole woman package to come yet, I just wanted to reach out and let you know that you are not alone with this one. My gyno wants surgery for the cystocele and rectocele but I wouldn't call those referrals. This is all new to me and my intro to this was quite alarming to say the least as it all came about seemingly sudden. I have not had time to really poke around the posts but I did an introduce myself post. I don't get much online time but I am glad that there are people who understand out there.

Sierra

March 18, 2015 - 3:10pm

Thank you for reaching out Pack Momma. I'm sorry that you're here but welcome. These ladies are great and will help guide you. What I've done so far with the WW posture has helped in many ways AND it makes sense. It's not scary like surgery or frustrating like kegals which don't work and in my case (and many others) made things worse. Thank goodness that I found this site. I'm happy that you did too! - Sierra

BeingHuman

March 22, 2015 - 7:29pm

Sierra, I too get the clear fecal leaking and at the end of the day and I feel a slight tickling at the top of my rectum that triggers anal spasms. Trying to figure out if this is rectocele or more likely internal rectal prolapse that peeks out but not quite outside. Oh joys! Do you find that your vagina and butt seem to be... open... gaping... loose... all the time?? Trying to figure out if these are normal prolapse symptoms are just part of the constellation of pelvic maladies that go awry down there... sigh

Sierra

March 22, 2015 - 7:41pm

Being Human,

I don't think that I have rectal prolapse, it presents more like slight rectocele but mostly just hemorrhoids. ALL of these sensations are new and changing which I am beginning to understand is normal. It's hard to go with the flow and just work on the posture, but, that's what seems to help everything settle. Now that I am relaxing more in the posture and belly breathing better, I am seeing the hemorrhoids go down, that was a brand new sensation for me. I didn't know that I had muscles there to strain (loss sensitivity 20 years ago but have never been constipated until POP). I am passing gas easily about 90% of the time instead of 10% a few days ago when everything went haywire (also par for the course as I am moving my organs back where they belong). My fire breathing seems to be more effective today. I am still feeling pressure in the vagina and rectum when sitting towards the end of the day but that is diminishing. I've had no bladder leaks or fecal leaks in the last week or so which is a drastic improvement. When I first came here several weeks ago, I couldn't walk for 2 minutes without leaking of all kinds!

I guess I am just saying, yes, I've felt all of that but am improving everyday. Was on my cycle last week and spotted for an extra 4 or 5 days so am thinking that didn't help anything. Everything is settling and I am adjusting to the "sensations" would be nice way of describing them. I am sure that you will to. Sounds like you are already figuring that out. :-)

BeingHuman

March 22, 2015 - 9:17pm

yes and they're driving me crazy but so so comforting to hear that they are changing all the time and "this too shall pass" (until the next crazy sensation)