When I first “cracked the code” on stabilizing and reversing prolapse, and wrote and published Saving the Whole Woman, I set up this forum. While I had finally gotten my own severe uterine prolapse under control with the knowledge I had gained, I didn’t actually know if I could teach other women to do for themselves what I had done for my condition.
So I just started teaching women on this forum. Within weeks, the women started writing back, “It’s working! I can feel the difference!”
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louiseds
July 9, 2007 - 9:35pm
Permalink
Urethrocele
Hi Nicole
Yes, your doctor is right. Think of it this way. The opening of your urethra is somewhere near the opening of your vagina. Where exactly, it is hard to tell when a woman has prolapses (LOL).
The bladder is joined to the outside by the urethra. When the bladder descends, of course urethra will descend a bit too, the same way as if you tie a helium balloon to a chair back, the following day the balloon will be a bit lower and the string will probably have a kink in it, right where it is tied on. Sure the urethra does have its own supports, so it may not descend as far as the bladder. The management principles are still the same. Posture, diet, clothing & exercise to put it all back where it belongs.
I am curious though, how do *you* tell the difference between urethra and bladder. Does it look different, or feel different? All I know is that the gyno told me that my uterus and bladder have prolapsed and that I have a rectocele. He didn't even tell me to what degree, though it was obvious to me and why I went to see him in the first place! Needless to say I didn't bother going back to ask, as I had by that stage learnt how to live well with it. Maybe I have a urethrocele as well and should be worrying myself sick about it. I'm not! ;-)
That's not belittling your worry at all, but it may put it in perspective a bit. Hopefully you will eventually get to where I am, and don't even think about my prolapses 95% of the time, which is good enough for me. I have no guarantees that it won't get worse for me, but I am happy where I am and I am content to leave worrying about things that have not happened to when / if they do happen.
Cheers
Louise
caterpillar7
July 10, 2007 - 9:59am
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urethra
Hello,
Your explanation makes a lot of sense, actually. I guess I can tell it's my urethra because I've unfortunatly had to spend a lot of time inside of myself, and I'm really familiar with how my vagina looks and feels. Until the past few weeks I was doing self-PT and using dilators. That's how I was able to tell the minute things started to prolapse.
The first thing felt was like a finger-like protrusion coing from the back on my vagina, which I have since been told is a muscle (although I am in doubt of that diagnosis). Then I could feel my back wall starting to bulge, then the front, and now I feel the urethra bulging downward. I have not yet had a total prolapse of the rectum or bladder, so I have not felt heaviness or could 'see' anything hanging out, until the other day.
That's when I started to notice that the skin under my urethra looked droopy, bulging out and downward. I guess because nothing else has completely propased yet, I could tell that the urethra was getting much worse. Daily.
I feel at war with my body that has been defying me. I am so glad that you have been able to come to terms with your prolapses. I admire all of you ladies who are strong enough to love and accept your bodies. To be honest, I do not think that I will be able to, I am not that strong. This is literally my worst nightmare coming true.
Please understand that I have not had any kids, and have just really started my life (finished school, started career, moved in with boyfriend). I have suffered from vulvodynia for 14 years, and was finally starting to get better. This is beyond a shock for me, and I cannot accept it. I am terrified that my body is getting weaker and weaker, and that besides not holding up my organs anymore, that my body will never be able to support a pregnancy. I feel doomed for the rest of my life, like my entire future, and any dreams I've had about my future are being squashed. This is not just a physical problem, but one that is changing the course of my life, my identity. I am afraid that down the line, my boyfriend will finally get sick of my sexual problems, and my possible inability to have children. There have been years where I was unable to have sex because of the pain, and now the pain is better, but my vagina is disappearing. I really feel like I'm losing my womanhood, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. This is ruining my life, and I feel helpless and empty.
thank you for listening, I'm so depressed.
Nicole
granolamom
July 10, 2007 - 5:57pm
Permalink
nicole
I cannot imagine what you've already been through. and I cannot imagine what it must be like to find a cystocele at your stage of life.
but I will tell you that you are stronger than you think, and that you might think we're stronger than we are.
we all (or at least most of us) went through those dark days, when a prolapse shook us to the core. you are not alone in feeling like your womanhood is at stake here, that your life is over, that you might not be able to bear children or enjoy sex or find a willing partner.
we've been there too.
I've also felt as though my body was defying me, giving up on me, letting me down. I cursed at it and cried and threatened it with surgery.
you are 100% right, this is not only a physical problem. it is everything. and it will change the course of your life, and your future. possibly for the better. you may just find some hidden reserves of strength, the ability to cope with the seemingly insurmountable, and learn to rely on the instrinsic strength of your womanly design.
it will take time, but we are cheering you on
AnneKane
July 11, 2007 - 10:28pm
Permalink
urethracele and sex
Hi
this was where my prolapse started. it was the lower half of the front canal and then became most of the front part of the vaginal canal.. i used to be able to distinguish but now don't seem to be.
Anyway i'm so sorry for all you've been through and i can relate well to you're fears and especially to the feeling that i just wasn't like what appeared to me at first , to be all the amazonian women on this site..
i felt weak and terrified and hopeless and in time i didn't.. and then i realised that many of the women went through a dynamic and then i got to see it happening and hear the voices as they joined and found their feet.
Hang in there, knowledge is power and you're here so you're getting empowered allready.
As for sex with that particular cele.. Not a problem. I have penetrative sex more now than i did before the cele. Occasionally i've i'm a bit concerned i sorta guide things in and hoosh it up front...(if that's not graphic) and i do it without my boy noticing, not that it's a big issue.. I don't think have much of a clue about us internally at all and that's based on a clued in man.
Take care
x
Anne-helen
caterpillar7
July 13, 2007 - 10:40pm
Permalink
thank you
thank you for all of your support and understanding. I have been going through a lot of ups and downs lately with this. I'm trying not to worry too much about everything until after I have the cyst removed. I am hoping that if some of my symptoms get better (constipation, distended abdomen) then I will feel better and not worry too much about the celes. Hopefully they will at least not get much worse if I remove a big source of pressure in my pelvis.
It is REALLY good to know that you can have sex with the prolapses, although I'm still way too scared to try it. I think I'm waiting on sex until after my cyst removal. After this many years with vulvodynia, my boyfriend is used to me not being able to have sex too often - hopefully a few more weeks or months won't matter. I try to be intimate with him in other ways.
best of health,
nicole