Another newbie...with questions!

Submitted by kiki on February 11, 2007 - 3:44pm
Body: 

Hi Everyone,
New here and thought I’d say hi. Bit long, but needing to share with other great women who understand what I’m going through (plus lots of questions!!!)

I developed several prolapses, which I became aware of about 3 weeks after the birth of my second child a few weeks ago. I’d had a rough pregnancy, with symphisis pubis really affecting me, lovely birth, but hard recovery…and 3 weeks later discovered a bladder prolapse (which soon followed with a dropping cervix on one side, and i think a mild rectocele). The first few days I almost wished someone would say “you need surgery” as I just wanted this over with. My midwife is adement about controlling them with pelvic floor work, and my general doctor also didn’t think I’d need it (even though my front vaginal wall is bulging out quite badly…), But after a few days of researching the surgery, I realized quickly it’s not an option for me. I have no desire to replace one set of issues with others that are possibly worse, and unfixable!

I’m working with a women’s physio therapist, and seeing an acupuncturist (at the least my need to pee all the time quickly disappeared!). And, I have arrived at this site. Ordered the book, and am trying to start the posture especially whilst sitting (lots of practice with all the feeding!) and standing, and when I can whilst walking.

I’m still trying to adjust to the realization that this is here forever, which I’m finding so hard to adjust to and rather scary. I just hate the unknown, and also not knowing how it will affect my life.

Lots of questions though…so a few to begin with…

1. From peoples’ experiences, how long does it take prolapses to stabilize? My greatest fear is this getting worse! I noticed about a week after the initial bladder prolapse that one side of my cervix is dropping as well, though this varies day to day…I also haven’t had any incontinence issues, and really hope it all stays where it’s at. What are people’s experiences around stabilizing? What should I expect?

2. Exercise. I have to say, my fear of things getting worse has left me petrified to do anything! Not that I’ve been able to do much with my pelvic problems in pregnancy, but I even worry about short walks…do I just get on with life, and work on the posture as I go knowing that will take time but hope it doesn’t get worse in the mean time???

3. Consultant. I see a urogyneocologist in a week. Any thoughts on specific things I should be asking?

Many thanks…
And more to come soon I’m sure!

K

UKmummy

February 11, 2007 - 4:57pm

Welcome KiKi,

Congratulations on your new little one, what a special time.

I totally understand how you are feeling at the moment, I have been there and I can assure you with confidence that it does get better emotionally over time. This is probably a huge shock to say the least. If you are anything like me you had probably never heard of post partum prolapse until it happened to you.

I had a primary uterine prolapse, and smaller rectocele, and cystocele. The uterus prolapsed a week post partum, and after I pushed it back, it has stayed put ever since, a little lower than usual, but generally great for someone who has had a couple of "big" babies! I still have the rectocele, though I saw improvement over the past year post partum, and my cystocele is still the same, though I have never had the classic bulging with either most of the time.

I think it can take a while to stabilise things as best as they can get. You are VERY early post partum, and I advise you to treat your body this way. I was very careful avoiding lifting, and walking too much etc for several months, and then gradually started increasing both after I was sure things were better. The fear of things getting worse really resonates with me, and until recently haunted me. Now, (a year post partum), it does not and I, and others here are a testament to the fact that things can indeed get better, not worse.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things with all you are currently doing. I really can't emphasise enough that you need to rest as much as you can with a new baby. I think we expect far too much of ourselves post partum. Implement the posture now as well and of course read the book. The book has a great chapter on post partum prolapse. I wish I had had this information last year as I am sure you are aware there is so little information on this out there apart from kegels and surgery.

Not sure what you could ask the urogyn, remember, he is a surgeon and may be looking at you primarily from a surgeons perspective. (Of course he may not, but just have that in mind). I know this is an obvious one, but write down questions before you see him so you don't forget.

The first nurse practitioner who saw me said everything's fallen in, or something along those lines. I remember that now and smile as I can honestly say that today, nothing is collapsed, or fallen in, and I am so far from where I was back then. This is frightening, but you are SO not alone with this. Try to take time for yourself, enjoy your new baby, and have faith that things can improve considerably!

Hugs,

Michelle.

kiki

February 12, 2007 - 9:37am

Thanks Michelle
I have been trying to relax as much as is possible (bit hard with a baby who really only sleeps during the day on me when i'm upright...) but i'm trying. I'm not doing much--walking right now primarily consists of a 5 minute walk to nursery, but everything has been scaring me--loading the dishwasher suddenly became an unknown in my distress!

Reading your post I have decided, with great sadness, not to go home to visit my family on the west coat in 6 weeks. It will mean waiting another year, but the hope that things might improve (or the fear that they'd worse) in these early days has to be the deciding factor right now... Your words reminded me that I really need to focus on me, and healing,a nd that 20 hours of travel is not going to help anything.

My partner and I are expecting the doctor to arrive wielding scalpels... ;-) maybe not, but other than confirming what I think i already know, I do not expect much from a holistic view (but you never know...i may be surprised).

but thank you for reminding me of where i need to be...

K

alemama

February 12, 2007 - 2:29pm

I am sure waiting for travel is the best idea-I am one of those do everything at once and do it all RIGHT NOW kinda girls - It has taken these last 2 months or so to stop the madness. I know what you mean about the dishwasher- and at first I didn't do anything that would compromise the posture(that lasted about a week) but now I have given up b/c if I don't do the dishes no one would. I think it is okay though it isn't an all or nothing kind of situation. Rest Relax Wait - you have so much time (your whole life AHHHH) to take care of your prolapses. If holding your baby causes you to get out of posture just be sure to get in it for the 3 minutes you have in the day where you can put the baby down (I have been holding and nursing my 16 ibs 4 month old all day and I can really feel the differece in my prolapses but I know tonight when my husband is home I will have 30 minutes to do Christine's exercise video and I will just have to be satisfied with that - tomorrow is another day and maybe I will have more time for the posture then) believe me I know the feeling.
I think the best approach is one of knowledge- If you know what you want and the things the dr. might suggest you are way ahead of the game- before this thing happened to me I didn't even know a persons bladder could bulge into the vagina or large intestine for that matter. I had never heard of a pessary - and stupid me- I knew someone who had a bladder tac (that is what she called it) but I had no idea what that was or what it was for. I knew nothing and was never taught anything either. Now all the research I have done says the ammount and spacing of children is an influencing factor in prolapse. SO back to the dr. The very best thing you can do is give the dr. an education. Give him a hand out from the main page of this website. Who knows you might make a difference.

louiseds

February 12, 2007 - 7:08pm

Hi Kiki

Good decision on postponing the travel; your body will say thankyou later. Perhaps instead of spending the money on a ticket for you, buy one of them a ticket to come and see you. Is that a dumb idea?

Re the dishwasher and other bending over type activities, I find that kneeling back on my feet on the floor is a useful way of doing these jobs. That way I can maintain the lumbar curve and use the muscles that control the angle between my pelvis and femur to control how I lean forward, instead of bracing my abdominal muscles and squashing my abdominal contents. I can also lean on something vertical, eg the vertical edge of the dishwasher, and use my arm muscles in that arm to support my trunk while I put the dish in with the other hand.

This whole prolapse thing has certainly lifted my awareness of all part of my body and made it easier for me to isolate muscles or muscle groups in a way I could not previously do.

I also think that using the posture for over 12 months now has strengthened all those pelvis to femur muscles so I can use them. It might be my imagination but I don't think I could use them very well before.

Cheers

Louise