Is a pessary worth trying?

Hi Surviving

Thank you!

Would it make sense to get fitted for the pessary and just not use it as long as I already have an appointment? It is usually about a month wait to get a new appointment.

Thanks FTM - hoping you have more up days than down.

Thanks Sig - I tried to do that and almost fell over backwards LOL - I will continue to try to do it and if nothing else I will get better balance.

A few days ago I did go to my appointment to get fitted for a pessary. The first thing the doctor asked me was why I was there. I told him for a pessary. Then the next thing he told me was you're too young for that. I asked him if he had any other suggestions other than surgery and he said no. I told him that surgery wasn't an option because I will be lifting til the day I die and his response was well then you won't be having sex til then. I told him I would because I would just take it out as he told me I couldn't have sex with it in. He kept insisting that I wouldn't be able to take it out.

He did fit me with a pessary and told me he wanted to see me back in a week or so. I asked if I was to leave the pessary in til then. He asked if I wanted to try to take it out and I said sure. Without any instruction he told me to try. Well I must not be as stupid or weak as he thought as I was able to take it out. Reluctantly he told me how to put it back in - took me a couple tries - once it popped out of my hand, after washing/cleaning it I tried again and with a little determination was able to get it back in. Doctor was surprised as I could get it out - he said that he even needs a tool to remove it - I didn't use any tool. After the doctor left the room, the nurse told me that I was the youngest ever fitted for one. I'm hoping that they will open their eyes and hearts and offer it to others who aren't elderly and in nursing homes like they told me that is who they use them for. I am to go back to doctor next week for a followup and am excited to be able to tell them how wonderful it is that I can do things again without being totally uncomfortable - I can urinate with no problem now - before it hurt to try to go so I was drinking very little as the more I drank the worse it was to go. I can even lift things again comfortably. I haven't been able to lift my 4 yr old for a long time unless it was really necessary and now I can and even lifting my 2 yr old was a problem before. It feels great to be able to do these things and feel like a Mom again not an old useless person.

I'm still waiting on the things I've ordered from here and will definitely start reading and watching and start working on things they teach/suggest. I am so hopeful that I can lead a normal life (or at least normal for me - as I've been told my life isn't normal - too many things we do that most don't do anymore like the 2 acre garden, raising and processing our own meat and the several hundred jars that I can yearly) without pain and discomfort. I'm so glad I was hesitate about surgery and found this site to reassure me that there was another way. I'm hoping in time that I can stop using the pessary and that the things taught in the books and videos will do the trick but til then I am glad that I have the pessary. I'm not sure how much I may have to pay for it as still waiting to hear if insurance covered it or not but it is definitely worth it and hoping the cost isn't outrageous but at least I feel like I am living now.

Hi Everyone,

It's been a little over six months since I got to the point that I couldn't handle the pain and discomfort of my cystocele. I have recieved the all inclusive bundle that I ordered and have been reading the book and watched some of the DVDs. I have also purchased the Whole Woman Solution to Pelvic Organ Prolapse and I am 67% finished watching that online. I also purchased the Whole Woman Solution to Urinary Incontinence earlier this week but I haven't started to watch that one yet. I am determined to finish the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Solution one first. I can only watch the online ones when my daughters aren't using the wifi - as our internet slows way down and the streaming doesn't work for me when they are using the wifi. As I mentioned I did get a pessary and even though I don't like needing it, I have used it and it has provided me with comfort to be able to do the daily things I need to do with our lifestyle.

We are now at the point of the year when things are a little slower for me. Gardening, canning, and butchering seasons for us are pretty much over and we haven't started getting wood yet for next winter. I wasn't able to dive into the WW information that I purchased much but I am committed to taking the time to do so now til things are too busy for me once again. I was trying to improve my posture and breathing while things were too busy for anything else for me.

Unfortunately, I still do need to use the pessary but I am feeling an improvement in my cystocele even when I don't use it. I take it out nightly and replace it in the morning and I don't use it during my monthly cycle. When I first started the WW posture I was very uncomfortable during my cycle and felt as though I had a tennis ball hanging out of me for the entire cycle. The last couple of months cycles I have not felt so miserable - some days nothing at all, other days like a ping pong ball. I have noticed that when I stand for extended periods of time it is worse.

Just wanted to update everyone on how things were going and to also encourage all that things will get better with the WW work. As I said I haven't been able to devote as much time to it as I would like and I have seen a great deal of improvement. I have also learned to tell or ask my dear husband that I really could use help with lifting or moving heavy things when I am having more symptoms. Also my husband has become more understanding that for me to lift 30+ lb things are sometimes more than I can handle. I hope to be able to get to the point of being able to lift the 50+ lb things again without symptoms appearing immediately, in time I'm sure it will come.

Thank you all for the support, motivation, encouragement, and knowledge that you share with us all.

Thank you Christine for the blog post - that was very interesting and informative.

I have finished the WW Solution to Pelvic Organ Prolapse and am sure to watch it again in the future. Also I have completed 56% of the WW Solution to Urinary Incontinence. I have already watched the Pee On/Pee Off exercises a few times.

I have started doing the Pee On/Pee Off exercises and find them very relaxing to do and also can feel the muscles gaining more strength. I do have one question with the exercise - at the end of them there is one that you stand and bend at the hip toward the floor - are the knees bent in this exercise? I know I am immensely out of shape but I am very far from reaching the floor with my hands - I am hoping in time I will be able to but thought maybe I was to bend my knees - probably wishful thinking but just curious.

I hadn't mentioned previously but I do have incontinence issues. I have had them since either after my 2nd or 3rd baby - I can't remember which. I was too embarrassed to even let the doctor know this for several years. I finally admitted to the doctor last year but was only offered surgery to fix it along with the cystocele - well that isn't happening. I do too much in life that requires lifting and I was told that wouldn't be allowed after surgery. It is so great knowing that the exercises for incontinence will also help me with my cystocele.

As my body gets more in shape I would like to start doing more than one type of exercise each day (if time permits). Does anyone have any suggestions on how often the different exercises should be done? Or in what order they should be performed?

Today I have decided to go without my pessary even though I'm not on my monthly cycle. I am happy to share that I am not feeling anything outside of me. I chose to try today as I knew I wouldn't be doing much heavy lifting today but would be on my feet a lot. As today I have lots of dishes and laundry to do along with making two batches of homemade yogurt where I need to stand in front of the woodstove for an extended period of time to get the milk up to temperature for it. So glad to know that I may be able to stop using the pessary some days now - I don't think I have the courage to try to go without it on days I know I will be lifting lots though.

Thank you Virgo, for your sharing. I agree the posture works wonders. We can never thank Christine enough for all that she has learned and shared.

Hi. I've been very dedicated and have been doing the Pee On/Pee Off exercise everyday. In just two days I have been able to get from my hands only reaching to just above my knees when I bend at the hip for the last exercise to my fingertips being able to touch the floor without bending my knees. Guess I was just expecting too much from my body that hasn't done exercises in years.

I am so thankful that I have found this site and for all the wonderful teachings of Christine.

For anyone that feels that the materials are too expensive, I want to say I thought that also. However, Christine has put a lot of time and materials in making these available. There have been several specials that she has offered over the last several months. If you are unable to purchase the materials at the present time - I would suggest looking and reading everything that she has available on this site, along with the things she has available on youtube. You can also look for the material at the library while you are saving a little each day or week toward the purchase of the material. Even saving a quarter or two or dollar each week, you will be able to purchase the materials in a shorter time than you would think. These are materials you will refer back to on several occasions. In the last few days, I have referred back to several different materials that I have been able to purchase. Please do what you have to in order to purchase the materials which you feel would be most beneficial to you.

Thank you everyone for all the great topics that are covered in this forum.

Thank you Christine and AG for the encouragement and comforting words. We live a pretty old fashioned life compared to most people but I didn't start this lifestyle til about 13 years so I still have the expectations of quick results in my head. This is an area that I am trying to overcome and am getting better at it. So much of modern life is in such a fast pace that we often forget to slow down and smell the roses and enjoy the precious time that we have. Along with taking care of our bodies in the way it needs to be in order for it to do what it needs to do for us.

Christine, please don't feel bad about not being able to come to the forum as often as you would like. I am very thankful that you provide this forum for everyone - it has so much information and support. It is wonderful that you were able to prepare such a lovely meal for so many people. It is wonderful that you have time daily with Grandma duties. I know all five of my children love it when they have time with their grandparents. The bonds between kids and grandparents is so important. I have lots of wonderful memories of my grandparents. I'll be saying prayers for your husband's speedy and full recovery from his cataract surgery.

The recipe that I use for making yogurt is as follows, I received it from an Amish friend last week.

Homemade Yogurt
Heat 2 quarts of milk to 190F. Take off the heat and cool to 130F. In the meantime, soak 1 tablespoon (a little rounded) unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. When the milk is cool enough, add plain gelatin, 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons yogurt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat after adding each ingredient. Put lid on and put in warm place for 6 hours. Then put in a cold place for a day before use. Note: If plain yogurt is desired add 1 cup white sugar instead of 1/2 cup and no Jello.

What I do is put the yogurt in quart canning jars with the lids on (fills about 2 1/2 quarts) and set them on the warming oven shelf of the woodstove (this summer I will just put them in the warmest area of the house or on the porch) for the 6 hours. When you go to use the yogurt there is a thicker part on top, I really like that part. You can skim that off and not use it, mix it in (will make the yogurt a little chunky in my experience) or just skim it off and eat it by itself. I tried using strawberry flavoring for the vanilla but the yogurt still tastes like vanilla yogurt. My husband likes to mix in some homemade blueberry jam (that didn't set up as thick as jam should - I tried making a large batch of jam and learned you can't do that if you want it to get thick like jam - I canned it anyway and we use it on different things - I labeled it blueberry ice cream topping as that is about the thickness of it) into it.

Thank you again for all the knowledge and support.

Hi Christine,
It's wonderful that you have gone so long without driving a car. That is something that I don't think I will ever have the option of. The closest small grocery store is about five miles away and any larger stores are about 20 miles away. I do combine my errands and try to get groceries for anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months at a time (when it's the 2 month shopping I still need to get milk and things I didn't plan well for in betweeen).

A main course and dessert is considered a full meal to a lot of our friends. They tell me that I cook a Sunday dinner almost everyday. I usually have several things for a meal. Learning to play the Celtic drum sounds like fun. It will be so much fun for you to be in a band with your daughter and granddaughter. Have fun with it.