support garments for prolapse

Thank you Sunny, for this suggestion.

Glad I signed in. I had not heard of V2 or Hideaway to help a prolapse bladder. I would like to learn more about them. I have used Vitamine E and A for bleeding. The first time it happened I didn't know what was going on. I called my doctors office and the receptionest told me to smear the bladder with either E or A. I had both so I used them and it worked. So far I have not had the problem again.
I also eat a lot of fiber so I don't get constipated. Since I broke the last stitch, I had from having my baby years ago, my bladder tends to slip out more now. It really makes a difference when the bladder stays in rather then out. Well, I will keep working at my exercises and posture.

Hi Tanglefoot - your posts sound a lot like product promotion, and I wonder if you would be willing to share with us, what if any is your relationship with the makers of the Hideaway. - Surviving

That's fine Tanglefoot, we just have to make sure that people are not trying to use our Forum as free advertising for a product. We will continue to be vigilant in this area. - Surviving

Tanglefoot,
I am a little concerned about your pushing to have a bowel movement. Christine tells us not to strain to have one, and if part of your rectum is coming out because of your effort, then you may want to read up on the forum a bit more about the different methods others have successfully been doing. Lopo has been mentioned quite often, and many of our users have sworn by its affectiveness.
I have simply been working on it with the Whole Woman exercises and diet. The Whole woman posture and work can really help pull the rectum in proper alignment for better bowel action as well.
Do you have Christine's book Saving the Whole Woman or any of her DVDs? They are a great investment in this work.

Hi tanglefoot,
Your diet does sound really good. I have found though for myself from being consistent with the posture and whole woman exercises that my rectum is so much better placed than it used to be. It always seemed squashed along with my profound uterine prolapse. It was amazing how this work has changed a once very difficult action like a bowel movement into something so much easier. My problem was chronic constipation and straining. I am in a so much better place now!

I feel for your friend with the uterine prolapse. I have the same. This work has saved me from any thoughts of surgery, I wish your friend could find what I have. I still have and will always have a profoundly prolapsed uterus, but I can manage it now and live a full life. Wish everyone could experience that. It was Christine's work that gave me that kind of confidence.

I know that you have back issues, but I am thinking that you should still be able to relax your belly completely. This is probably the single most critical (and tricky!) part of the postural work. The WW work is the focus of this site and you haven't talked to us about your progress there. You might consider getting your own materials because you are losing valuable time waiting for your friend to lend you hers. Virtually anyone at any age and stage of prolapse, has things they can do to make their situation better. - Surviving

Just a correction, it is not surviving that has the prolapsed uterus, it is me. Christine writes extensively in her book about the adverse affects of surgeries on our pelvic organs, and if your friend has that book and actually read it, she would be aware of what is happening out there.
People are going to do what they want. If you talked with her about it and voiced your concerns, that's really all you are going to be able to do for her.
But, you can work on your own prolapse and you have definetly come to the right place for that. Christine's work is extensive and so rewarding for those who really want to take it seriously.

I agree - Tanglefoot, it's time for you to concentrate on yourself and not your friend, who seems to have made up her own mind. How about your posture? We certainly know how much you love your support garment, but with a cystocele (which is usually easier to manage than a uterine prolapse), you owe it to yourself to do more than just support the bulge! That is pretty much the equivalent of not really doing anything at all. - Surviving

What about posture, Tanglefoot? And what are the "pelvic floor moves" you're doing? - Surviving

Grades are not too meaningful because I don't know of any prolapse that stays in the same spot all the time. Especially when doing the Whole Woman work, the organs are on the move all the time. I have never had a formal diagnosis but I have both cystocele and rectocele and have lots of fluctuations. Between WW posture and the others tools we learned here, I find I have a great deal of control over my "grade" at any given time, though sometimes life intervenes and we will have a lower-than-normal day. But you are correct, I do not use support garments. In correct posture, walking and virtually any moving around is actually good for prolapse, because gravity is helping you hold the organs forward in the lower belly. You never answered my question regarding relaxation of the belly muscles, which is a key element of all this. Do you work on that? - Surviving

Surviving has never worn a support garment, that was me. You keep mixing us up for some reason.
I have a profound uterine prolapse like your friend, and I do wear the support garment on my walks, only to keep things still and prevent chafing from walking.
The problem with support garments is that they are not ever going to improve the prolapse, the whole woman work does that. I fear your constant encouragement for women to wear them is going to have them rushing out to buy those for a quick fix, rather than looking into the whole woman work. Only because whole woman does take the longer road, but it is the better choice.
Support garments should really only be used in extreme cases, relying on them otherwise is only going to hold back the potential for the real relief of symptoms that whole woman can give.
I am definetly proof of that, starting out with all that pressure and bulging, and now feeling so much lighter.
Please consider that possibility when looking at this as a whole.

Tanglefoot, I also want to point out that there is a not a lot of benefit to the exercises if they are not done in correct Whole Woman posture, with belly relaxed. Floor work only helps if you have the breathing sequence just right. The important stuff happens when we are on our feet, using gravity and posture to move the organs forward. I feel you are not really clear on the posture elements, and you are just dabbling a bit so that you can "speak our language" here on the forum.

I don't know to what extent your back problems would hinder this work for you. But until we can talk about belly relaxation, you haven't convinced me you really know what Whole Woman work is all about. I don't mean to sound harsh or doubting, but we really spend a lot of time and effort here, trying to get the message out. - Surviving

Tanglefoot, the video clip with exercises that is on Christine's Youtube channel is just a short excerpt. It does demonstrate some floor work (stretches and various pelvic rocks). But this is just a very small part of a much bigger picture, and you will not get too far if this is all you're doing. I am wondering if you skipped over the part that explains Whole Woman posture in detail. The WW work IS the posture......not a few stretches on the floor.

I'm not meaning to pick on you, but members who are confused or are misinterpreting the WW work can easily cause confusion among others who are new to the concepts. And if it should turn out that the postural work is not easy for you, due to your back issues, at least then we can start zoning in on what you can and can't do that might be of help managing prolapse. - Surviving

Hi tanglefoot,
I think it is time to move on from the one video clip to the whole DVD. That is just one little segment from the First Aid For Prolapse. This is Christine's first DVD and it has a wealth of valuable information on it to help you to really get a better understanding of what you are going through and practical daily tips to help you along, as well as the complete workout that the clip is just the beginning of.

That DVD along with the Saving the Whole Woman book is the best start into this work.

Hi tanglefoot,
You are mixing us up again. It was me that suggested you move onto the DVD. I don't think you are understanding my meaning. The video clip you have been watching is actually part of the First Aid For Prolapse DVD. You are not getting the complete information from just that one video clip. Those videos are set up to give people coming here an idea about what Whole Woman is about.

The rest of the information is actually in Christine's materials.

And, I also don't think you have grasped the basics of posture yet which is the most important aspect of this work. If you are really serious about this work, then you really need to be doing more study of it rather than giving out advice to other newbies. I fear you are going to cause more confusion here, and I don't think that is your intent.

Oops - how did the honey remark get on there twice? Must have hit save twice. So much to learn. Relaxing my stomach and learning the WW posture is very hard to do. Will keep trying. Thanks to all and the forum for the good info.

Just remember, tanglefoot, that everything we do should have whole woman posture in mind, including walking. Walking is actually the best time to work on those principles: relaxed belly, chest lifted, shoulders down, chin slightly tucked pulling up from back of neck to crown of head.

Keep these basics in your mind as you move throughout the day, and do more studying. It is well worth the effort put into it.

I cannot write for too long but I'm in pain as my rectal prolapse is pulling. What can I do as this is the most painful prolapse I have had. Everything is pulling. I don't want to go to my doctor.

Cleo,
You know, Any extreme pain should always be checked out by a doctor. We are not medical people here, and none of us should be giving out advice when this kind of pain is being described, because we wouldn't know what is really causing it.

You have been with us for over four years now, and if you are still having problems, a consult may be you next step. You can contact one of the whole woman practitioners, or even Christine herself.

Hi Tanglefoot,

Just wanted to throw out there, newbie to newbie, that I find uphill walking really helpful. It's the easiest way for me to feel all my organs being pinned in their proper place by my breathing. Oddly enough, I've also felt, "the shift" when I was going up a fairly steep hill in a car as a passenger sitting in Whole Woman posture. Love when that happens!

This work has contributed so much to my overall well being, much more than just the position of my pelvic organs. I hope that you enjoy learning via the book when it arrives :-)

Snapcracklepop

What book are you referring to?

Hi Cleo, nice to hear from you, though I'm sorry to hear about your pain. But Aging Gracefully is correct - this is not a medical site and you need to get that kind of severe pain checked out. Good luck to you and please let us know what you find out. - Surviving

Hi meems,
Ya, I think having that constant pressure on our labia for a length of time really isn't good for us. I know you are not at the nursing home age, but I will tell you what we did there. Many of our ladies would be sitting for a long time and some ended up being sore down there from the pressure. We would always wash and dry, apply a nice barrier cream, something with aloe is always good, and let to air at night with a pillow between their legs. That combination always seemed to get them back to pink and perfect in short order.

And, I know you are using the honey, so I would keep up with that also.

Tanglefoot,
You say good posture, but you are not mentioning whole woman posture here. And, what are these pelvic floor exercises you are talking about? And, Christine does tell us that we don't have a pelvic floor, but more of an outlet out the back as our 4 legged animals friends do. More studying is in need here.

Also, I would say that in Meems case, she would fall into the more severe category and may find some benefit to using whatever support garment works for her. The bladder prolapse can really be helped most with the whole woman work, if only you would really give it a try, you may find you won't need to rely on external devices anymore. It seems more like a crutch than an advantage when you are not really all that serious about the whole woman work.

Traditional pelvic floor exercises are usually kegel based. When you are saying it in those terms although that's not what you mean, others may misconstrue it as such. We have to try to make sure no one else reading yours or anyone's posts for that matter, are not being mislead.

Truly, I think you only want to help, but I wish you would work on yourself first. Get the posture down, get the book and DVDs and study them, get a better understanding of this work. I don't think you are there yet.
Don't be offended when we have to come in and make corrections, because this is the Whole Woman site, all discussions should have whole woman in mind first and foremost.

Hi, Aging Gracefully!
I love reading your posts. You always post something useful. What would you consider a barrier cream? Like a baby diaper cream? Thanks,
Meems

We usually used whatever the nursing home had, but my favorite one had aloe in it. Very soothing. You may want to look in a drug store for the different kinds. Coconut oil is popular for some people too. And, don't forget that honey!

Tanglefoot, please hear me out for a minute. We are getting tired of jumping in and correcting every piece of poor or confusing "advice" that you give to new members of this community. You have little to no understanding of the Whole Woman work, yet you are always there ready and willing to tell other women what to do. Your entire system of prolapse management consists of a few minutes of Christine's stretches, and the wearing of a support garment. I think that if I hear "support garment" one more time on this forum, I am going to explode. We have a serious message that we are trying to get across on this site. I'm sorry that it hasn't "clicked" with you. This happens sometimes. But you are not in any position to be advising our new members. Study the work, if you want to help yourself and others. If you can't do it, please don't tell others what to do. Thanks. - Surviving

I just find it funny tanglefoot that after you came back again, all anyone seems to want to talk about is support garments. That shouldn't be the main focus here. This site is about Christine's work, not a quick fix item that really isn't as important.
Talk about whole woman posture, ask questions about the Whole Woman work, that's what's really important here.

Thank you Tanglefoot for understanding our position. It is not just the emphasis on support garments that causes concern. We have also had to come on here on several occasions to clarify your references to "pelvic floor exercises" and the like. We have explained to you, why this is confusing and misleading. We don't like to lecture, but it seems we are always having to come on here and correct your statements. It makes us tired and impatient and that's when we get testy. We would rather not have to "police" the forum to that degree. - Surviving

Hi, Aging Gracefully!
I love reading your posts. You always post something useful. What would you consider a barrier cream? Like a baby diaper cream? Thanks,
Meems

Hi meems,
I did answer that above. Maybe you didn't see it? It's right below your two posts just above.

Age 72, used a Gellhorn pessary for ten years and loved its convenience (ok, not recommended). No pessary now works. I'm waiting for my DVDs and book. I had one consultation with a trained consultant and it was very worthwhile to be shown. However, the painful UTI that I'm now taking medication for would drive me to have surgery if not for reading words of hope on the forum. Obviously I have a lot of practice ahead to incorporate a relaxed belly and the WW posture. In the meantime wearing incontinence undergarments is useful to catch 'flooding'. I look forward to learning management of this heavy uterine prolapse, along with bladder and rectal problems, hoping no more UTIs. Maybe this should be posted elsewhere but I've just been reading this topic tonight and wanted to thank you all for helpful information.

Hi LES and welcome. It's great you had a consult, that will really help you kick-start this effort. Have patience and faith in yourself and the work. It's all about maintenance, finding that posture and getting used to a level of symptom that you can deal with and not have to live in fear of worsening. Lots of encouragement here on the forum, so never hesitate to post whatever questions come to mind as you progress. - Surviving