The Full Story and Insight

Submitted by larougefille on February 4, 2017 - 11:24pm
Body: 

So I posted a few days ago worrying about what a prolapse felt like, etc. Since then I've calmed down and am able to think clearly about this whole situation, and how deeply grieved I am that this is a silent epidemic amoung women.

I think I do have some slight laxity/descent/whatever of the front wall and my ureathra isn't pulled super taut. From what every doctor has told me, my anatomy is "normal". In comparison to most women on here, the issue minimal- but not to me and more on that later. The back wall feel pretty normal to me, kinda stretchy to a point, no descent of anything even with strain; I can detect stool in the rectum through the wall but pushing on it does nothing aka there's no "pouch" to move it out of. Regardless, I'm splinting right now because I'm in a spot of constipation and I'd rather do that then strain. I digress...

I mostly came to post this as a musing as to why young women, even with no births, develop issues. I think mine either started or I noticed them two years ago. I was going through a terribly traumatic time and for some reason my extreme anxiety focused on prolapse. As to why anything may have gotten out if wack- I did a lot of ab focused exercise as a kid, constantly slouched. I also suffered from IBS so was bloated a lot- this led me to suck in my stomach constantly. Since I also had anxiety issues, I carried a lot of stress in the abdomen.

Two years ago I was also suffering extreme tension, constipation, etc. I threw myself in the posture and things got better, but I also removed myself from the stressful environment and made a lot of lifestyle changes. I have to admit, I got more lax as time went on and the symptoms didn't return.

One great habit I carried over to today is I do pretty much everything on the floor. I find it way more comfortable than a standard desk. I'm actually in the process of designing a multi-use work table for my floor focused life.

Some symptoms returned as I went through an extremely stressful period again. I was having massive anxiety due to other unrelated health issues and if course that stopped my GI in its tracks. My pf also went into spasm so many of the symptoms I feel probably relate more to that. However, it brought me back here and reminded me about posture. Adopting it now, I can tell I didn't put in enough work to make it second nature, as most of my back protests.

Thinking more clearly, I do have some questions:

1) Am I a good candidate for some level of reversal? (Not the fascia per say, but the structures adjusting and lengthening so that structurally they feel normal?) I have no kids so no post-partum healing window...

2) I'm struggling to accept this (though mild) issue as I am struggling on other fronts in various ways and it feels a bit like another boulder on top of the stack. How do I make peace?

3) I don't really like sitting in the supine position but I often sit curled up, leaning to the side with my knees in front of me. Is this a safe position as it an acute angle?

4) I am currently on anxiety medication and I read somewhere Christine saying that the posture is not effective when on those. Unfortunely right now I have to be, so will the posture not help?

Sorry this was a bit rambling, I'm just trying to sort all this out.

Forum:

Liss'83

February 5, 2017 - 3:02am

I know how you feel. My anxiety is so bad right now I am entirely depressed. I am so worried that my insides will collapse entirely and then what will be the point? Why do our bodies betray us like this??? I also just got over a problem with my bladder that was causing me a lot of pain but it's short lived as I believe it's coming back.

I think I need anti anxiety meds too, do you find yours work ok? I am also interested in any answers to the questions you have asked. Sorry I'm not more help.

Surviving60

February 5, 2017 - 6:39am

I appreciate this thoughtful post and I'd like to start with some parallels to my story.

When I first hit the internet in my state of prolapse panic, I immediately found WW, watched the video, and it literally resonated throughout my entire being. I was completely reassured. This was extremely common, this was not a crisis, this was manageable. My panic fell away. But over the years on this forum I have come to realize I was part of a very lucky minority; most women start this work in a state of high anxiety, which can really hinder physical and emotional progress during those critical early stages of the work. I don't know if meds can help. I can't recall ever seeing any statements by Christine on this subject. My own experience 2 years into the onset of serious chronic disease in my family, pushes me farther and farther away from pharmaceutical solutions and more into diet and lifestyle and a functional medicine approach.....so I cannot say. I have seen immunosuppressive medications cause serious panic attack reactions, for which anti-anxiety meds were then prescribed, which did not work and seemed to make everything worse; now all drugs have been removed from the protocol and things are better all around. So I guess I'm the wrong person to express opinions on that subject.

My first family health crisis came at the end of 2010 when I was just beginning the WW work. Up until that point, I had done more reading and studying, than actually implementing; the posture was not nearly internalized at that point (couldn't remember to keep that belly soft!) and it all went onto the back burner for awhile. Things did worsen, I got back on track, and by the time of the next family health crisis in the spring of 2015, I knew that the posture was mine and would never be lost, no matter what came down the pike.

As to your questions:

1) Relatively speaking, your prolapse seems mild. The organs and the fascia are always moving around, all day long, and with posture and other tools we are able to coax them in the proper direction most of the time. "Reversal" doesn't mean that things go back to where they were, and never need attention again. It means you have learned to perform the ongoing maintenance that keeps symptoms under control and that you use these symptoms as your cues. So yes, I would expect reversal if I were you.

2) You make peace with your body when you come to understand your good fortune in finding WW. I feel better in my body that I ever felt in all the bad-posture years. The posture, once it truly takes over, changes you. I appreciate prolapse for bringing me to a life-changing point. I have tried to picture myself entering into family health crisis #2 had I not reached this place with my own health, and all I can think is.....yikes, where would I be if not for Christine?

3) I personally don't see any problem with this.

4) (already discussed)

Wishing you the best as you continue this journey, and so glad that you are able to share these thoughts and concerns. It is a lot to process. I'm still processing! Hang in there and keep on sorting things out. There is always another epiphany just around the corner. - Surviving

Aging gracefully

February 5, 2017 - 6:43am

I was on anti anxiety meds before I started whole woman. I was actually on them for about three years, and I didn't notice that they held me back in any way while working on posture.
I was on a lower dose, but they still did make me feel sluggish. Yea, they helped with the initial anxiety, and I don't think i could have been able to get away without using them at the time, because my anxiety was so extreme I ended up going to the emergency room. I also went to the walk in clinic a couple of time. They kept telling me to get a prescription, but I always hated drugs. I got one anyway.
And then, I found Whole Woman.
From there on I studied and worked on my posture. I also worked on my anxiety, weaning myself off the meds. It took me three years, but I worked hard at it.
My dietary habits was the biggest thing to change when it came to anxiety. I researched and found all the foods to cut out that cause anxiety. I have slowly been adding a few back in, but I am careful to see how they make me feel.
I also had to get those stressful situations out of mt life, and thank goodness I found Christine, because finding my cervix sticking out of me was VERY stressful!
That brings me to meditation. I couldn't do it, not in the traditional sense anyway, so long posture walks and Christine's workouts were my meditation. I also stated using one of those adult coloring books later on.
I started to feel stronger and stronger in my mind and body.
These are the things we must study, we must do for ourselves. That is the road to empowerment.

larougefille

February 5, 2017 - 1:30pm

In regards to the anti-anxiety- they work and I hate them. I don't want to be on them but right now I have to. I've been fighting severe mental illness for two years; now having to deal with even minor prolapse symptoms seems impossible.

I don't know if anyone has experienced this but I'm having tension issues in the sphincters. My external is always slightly tense and it gives a feeling of slight pressure. Sometimes I will feel like I have gas, but nothing seems to come out, even if I splint. I have a soft area on the back wall but the rectum is not in it- I can pinch the skin and feel no rectum so I don't think that's a rectocele? Anyone have information on what that could be? I've never had anything like this before...