How to figure out what organ that ball down there is?

Submitted by TotallyConfused on July 31, 2016 - 6:37pm
Body: 

I am new to this site/forum. Have read the forums for the past few days, spent lots of time trying to understand and get educated. So much information, so much to learn!!
I have ordered the WW starter package, and hope to receive them soon so I can start working on myself. I know I have prolapses for many years, just not too serious. Could not figure out what organ is in trouble. But I guess the treatment is all the same - try to get it back to where it belong! Just not knowing is troublesome. I know it is not the bladder because it has a hole, then I thought it is Urethra, but the urine does not come from that hole. I must be so ignorant, shame on me, but what can I do? I don't like going to ob/gyn because all they offer is kegel exercise and pessary. I am so happy that found this site/forum. At least I get some good information and learn something every time I come here! May be someone can tell me how to identify?

Forum:

Aging gracefully

July 31, 2016 - 8:10pm

Hi Totallyconfused,
Here is the prolapse self exam:

https://wholewoman.com/library/content/articles/prolapseselfexam.pdf

It does sound like your cervix that you are feeling, which means you have a uterine prolapse, although more than one organ can prolapse at any time.
Keep reading around until your materials come. It will all come more clear to you as you study this work.

TotallyConfused

August 1, 2016 - 4:45pm

Hi Aging gracefully,
Thank you so much for the article. It is very informative! No wonder I was confused, because they cannot see what I see in the mirror. I think you are right, it is mostly uterine prolapse.
However, I have difficulty doing the self exam, it sounds silly, but I just cannot put my fingers into the vagina, feels like I am going to poke and damage something with my nail, besides, the opening is blocked by that ball. Shall I try self exam laying down?

Aging gracefully

August 1, 2016 - 5:05pm

Hi Totallyconfused,
You are not going to damage anything with your fingers. I have done enough poking and feeling around in there to know that. The vagina and uterus are made of pretty sturdy stuff. Look at all they go through!
You can lie down, but then the organs tend to disappear back inside more; another reason why many physicians can't find them in the first place.
Soft and squishy to the front is cystocele; soft and squishy to the back is rectocele; and with the uterine, you feel a firmer tube which is the cervix, that you can feel all the way around.
Hope that helps some.

Surviving60

August 2, 2016 - 4:13am

You might try bending forward, or actually getting down on hands and knees, and jiggling/massaging the organs forward into the lower belly. This will move them away from the opening and make it easier for you to check out what's going on down there. In doing so, you will be experiencing the actual dynamics that the WW work will teach you - to use posture, gravity and breathing to hold and carry the organs forward in the belly. - Surviving

TotallyConfused

August 3, 2016 - 10:56pm

I still don't have the courage to do what I need to do to find out what's going on down there, but that's ok now I have received the book 'Saving the whole woman' by Christine and and DVD and the baton. I watched the DVD first thing as I am a slow reader. It was so good, I just know it is for me and I will do the exercises regularly. Hopefully it will help me. I will keep you informed of my progress by posting here.
Thank you all for your postings and helpful information!!!

Surviving60

August 4, 2016 - 5:36am

Good for you, TC - don't wait another day getting over your fear of the bulge....you can do something about it. Remember that it's the posture you need to concentrate on. Not only while exercising, but as you go throughout your day. Remembering to remember is the biggest challenge, but eventually it does become automatic. Good luck and keep us posted. - Surviving

TotallyConfused

August 9, 2016 - 2:19pm

It will take time. Seems some days are better than others. Could it be the diet? Just wondering. Is our goal to maintain our condition and not get worse, or to get better and reverse the condition eventually? Will the experienced tell me what to expect months from now or years from now?

Surviving60

August 10, 2016 - 5:33am

Both of those things are your goals. There is really no way for us to predict what any particular woman's results will be. This is not the kind of work that you will do for awhile, until you get to a point, and then you stop because you're better. You will be doing this work for the rest of your life (it doesn't get more long-term than that) and will continue to have progress, as well as up-and-down days. I saw my biggest improvement in my second year, and have continued to feel better and better, six years in. Remember this is not just about prolapse but about the health of your hips, spine, whole body and mind! If you throw yourself into this, the truth of Christine's principles will start to become self-evident, and you'll be answering those questions for yourself. We truly get back what we put into this. - Surviving

TotallyConfused

August 10, 2016 - 2:43pm

Thank you Surviving, for telling me the truth. As I start this journey to heal myself, slowly but surely, feeling better day by day. I commit myself to keep the posture for good, do the exercise daily, firebreathing often, jiggling whenever necessary. I found myself many time out of posture while at my dinner table, reading or watching TV, and make an effort to correct myself and forgive myself. Hope to get better at the exercise. They are so fun to do. Thank you all for the education, and sharing your knowledge and experiences. I am counting my blessings everyday and will be forever grateful!!!

Stewardess

August 10, 2016 - 3:51pm

I am so glad that I accidentally ran across the Whole Woman Village Forum when I was trying to find some answers to my left hip giving away for the first time yesterday. I have had low back problems on and off for many years and lately my left hip has entered into the equation. I have been to many chiropractors, massage therapists, etc., but I knew there had to be more that I could do to help myself. I received the online hip DVD and book yesterday and had my first lesson this morning. I am waiting on the First Wheel Yoga DVD, because I really use to enjoy taking yoga many years ago. For whatever reason, I stopped my yoga practice, however, pain seems to be a very good motivator to start up a practice again! I am looking forward to learning from all of you as I progress down this new path and I want to thank the forum on hips that led me to the Whole Woman website.

Surviving60

August 11, 2016 - 4:19pm

Hi Stewardess, welcome to WW and do keep us informed of your progress. The posture has worked wonders for so many of us. Read lots of posts by Aussie Soul Sister! - Surviving (Oops, I see you already got this piece of wisdom on another thread!)

Stewardess

August 11, 2016 - 4:58pm

Hello Surviving60 and thank you for your warm welcome. I am going to take your advice and read the posts by Ausie Soul Sister. I am practicing the hip exercises and attempting to correct my posture slowly, but surely.
Thank you, again for checking in with me!

TotallyConfused

October 9, 2016 - 6:37pm

So glad to be home after two weeks of overseas travelling. It was hard to travel with prolapse symptom, to say the least! Exercise was missing, but tried to keep my posture most of the time while walking, it really helped.
I finally got to show the picture to my physical therapist, she said it is my cervix that sits right at the opening of my vagina.
I emailed my doctor to find out what organ(s) are prolapsed with me, and this is her reply: stage 2 prolapse of the anterior and mid compartments. ( cystocele and uterine prolaspe) . I don't know what is anterior and mid compartments. I will read Christine's book more closely and may be will be a answer somewhere.
I do feel that I have more understanding of the problem, learning every time I come here to do some reading. Thanks to everyone that contribute to this forum!!
There are some good days and some bad days. This is one of the good ones.

Surviving60

October 11, 2016 - 4:57pm

Hi TC - thanks for checking in. Glad to hear you are making some progress. That's the beauty of WW posture - once you have mastered it, it goes with you wherever you go! But yes, travel can be difficult in the beginning. Keep working on it! I think your doctor is saying you have cystocele (bladder prolapse) and also uterine prolapse. Very common. - Surviving

TotallyConfused

October 12, 2016 - 2:31pm

Thanks Surviving60 for the clarification.
I also like to share that these two things help me the most when my symptom gets bad:
(1) All four like a downward dog, but on my knees and elbows, stay down for a few minutes, then firebreathing.
(2) Stand on all toes and do 1 2 3 like in Christine's exercise, keeping the legs closed together.
These helped for a few minutes, then the ball will fall down again. Sometimes I wonder if I should just get rid of the ball (cervix)? Is this an option? I hate to have to put up with this for the rest of my life:(
Will there be any chance for the ball to disappear?

Surviving60

October 13, 2016 - 5:55am

There is no surgical cure for this, no. But a uterine prolapse does respond to diligent posture work, and lots of firebreathing and jiggling the organs forward. The goal is to keep the organs forward (and away from the opening) for longer and longer periods. You can see the relief you get when down on knees and elbows; we are trying to keep that same dynamic going when we stand up. Picture yourself as that four-legged animal! - Surviving

Aging gracefully

October 13, 2016 - 8:14am

Yes, a good amount of jiggling and firebreathing does help in getting the uterus to stay up. Make sure to give the uterus a good shove if it is hanging low though, because it needs to be up high enough for the firebreathing to be really effective. Also, sex is a great way to get things moving and staying in the right position for awhile; it amazes me sometimes.
Keeping working on that posture too, the most important part of this work overall.

TotallyConfused

October 14, 2016 - 11:14am

Thank you, Surviving60 and Aging gracefully, for your support and encouragement!
I will try my best to do all those things and report back to you later.

Irishpiano16

October 30, 2016 - 11:56pm

I'm 64, and a few days ago I searched "using a pessary isn't fun" and Whole Woman.com came up in my search.
After reading several topics on this site I feel a little better knowing I'm not alone.
Here's my question: I don't want to try the pessary path anymore; with severe prolapse, will the Whole Woman approach help restore even some of my active lifestyle? I miss walking 3 miles a day and biking. The bulge from the vagina is so uncomfortable so I went to an ob/gynecologist one week ago. The first pessary moved out of place and I removed it. Another visit 2 days later and this pessary is holding things in but now I am constipated, the uncomfortable pressure, and the funky odor can't be right. My next appointment is tomorrow and I plan to have this pessary removed and let the doctor know this isn't the route for me. She also told me she would recommend surgery for me. No thank you, I said.
I'll let you know how things develop.
Since I don't have health insurance, I don't want to spend more money at the doctor.
As I continue to study this website, I am contemplating finding the resources to purchase the materials I need to take the natural approach to living with pelvic prolapse. Thanks for your words of hope and encouragement.

Irishpiano16

October 30, 2016 - 11:57pm

I'm 64, and a few days ago I searched "using a pessary isn't fun" and Whole Woman.com came up in my search.
After reading several topics on this site I feel a little better knowing I'm not alone.
Here's my question: I don't want to try the pessary path anymore; with severe prolapse, will the Whole Woman approach help restore even some of my active lifestyle? I miss walking 3 miles a day and biking. The bulge from the vagina is so uncomfortable so I went to a ob/gynecologist one week ago. The first pessary moved out of place and I removed it. Another visit 2 days later and this pessary is holding things in but now I am constipated, the uncomfortable pressure, and the funky odor can't be right. My next appointment is tomorrow and I plan to have this pessary removed and let the doctor know this isn't the route for me. She also told me she would recommend surgery for me. No thank you, I said.
I'll let you know how things develop.
Since I don't have health insurance, I don't want to spend more money at the doctor.
As I continue to study this website, I am contemplating finding the resources to purchase the materials I need to take the natural approach to living with pelvic prolapse. Thanks for your words of hope and encouragement.

Aging gracefully

October 31, 2016 - 6:16am

Hi Irishpiano16 and welcome,
Yes, the whole woman work can help you to gain the confidence to go out and do those things. I myself came here with a severe uterine prolapse, and with this work, have not only been able to manage my prolapse very successfully, but also to engage in the activities that I want to, with lots of walking, hiking and biking thrown in.

Irishpiano16

October 31, 2016 - 4:53pm

I'm eager to concentrate on making a plan to move forward and review the resources available on this website.

Dancin

December 27, 2016 - 7:25pm

I'm 69 with a stage four prolapse. Since I have many degenerative discs and some spinal stenosis, my physical therapist says she doubts I can ever get a curve back in my lower spine. I also have had three hernia repairs in abdomen and now have another hernia. I'm thinking I read where that is not conducive to doing the firebreathing. I wonder if the Whole Woman can work for me.

Aging gracefully

December 27, 2016 - 7:34pm

Look here for answer:

https://www.wholewoman.com/forum/comment/55003#comment-55003