My Prolapse Problems

Submitted by Life on October 21, 2007 - 3:22pm
Body: 

I have had 3 babies (I have 4 kids, but one is adopted) and all 3 have been easy labors where they just seem to "slip out" and I have no issues what-so-ever, or so I thought! In my pregnancies my Vagina would be very swollen. It was so swollen last time I was pregnant that I asked my doctor to check to see if it was a prolapse. He said he did not think so, he just think I was VERY VERY unusually swollen! He was shocked at my swelling. Looking back, I do think it was my prolapse. It went down after childbirth like he said it would, but then 3 months later I adopted an infant. So I have 3 babies, 3 months apart, that I have to carry everywhere by myself, as well as juggle my 3 year old and 5 year old. So, I noticed a lump in my vaginia, did some research and it was confirmed that I have 2nd degree rectocele and 1 degree cystocele (I think I actually have 2nd degree, but to check he said I would have had to stand and bear down hard and since I am going to wait to have any type of surgery, there is no sense in doing that extensive of an examination just so he can say 2nd instead of 1st, although I think I would have likes to know.) So I am not 11 mo post pardum and it seems to be getting worse as time goes on. The doctor was supershocked that this was happening to me. He said he has only heard of a handful of cases like mine because I am only 27. Sigh...

He said I was a candidate for surgery if I wanted or a candidate to wait if I wanted. No big deal either way. I want to wait as long as possile. He said when he did the surgery he would do a hysterectomy (partial). This shocked me and I did not know what to think! A hysterectomy at 27? I was planning on having 1 more bio kid, but really would not be that heartbroken if I couldn't because I really do not mind adopting.

So, for my questions...

If I get pregnant again, would I probably be looking at a very painful pregnancy? (It seems to get worse for me every time).

My lower back aches a lot and I always have "cramps" like I am going to start my period, but I am nursing and have no period in sight. Is that a symptom that is common with prolapse?

If it continues to go downhill as fast as it is now and I feel I need the surgery, would it cause more physical problems to get the hysterectomy, or is it really no big deal?

Thanks for any info. I am really numb right now from finding out all this stuff and I have done some research, but I am SO happy to find a board dedicated to this issue where I am get some info from people who have been there! Any youngin's like myself?

Thanks for any info you all might have!

alemama

October 21, 2007 - 4:11pm

I'm 28- have 3 kiddos in 3 and a half years and tore badly each time. I have a rectocele- I also had a cystocele that developed a few months after I discovered the rectocele but it is completely gone now. I feel great. In the next year or so I hope to get pregnant again.
If you can, go to the main site and look at the FaQs and also search the search function on the left of this screen.
For me it is always better if I don't carry around my little fat man a ton. So it might be a good idea to let the housework go a little or hire some help or take others up on it when they offer.
I think if your symptoms get worse with each pregnancy then they will with your next one- but you will recover so it is probably worth it if you want another baby.
Before I started the posture my tailbone hurt all the time and now it doesn't.
You will stabilize and probably improve.
and I am sorry your doctor is such an idiot. A lot are.
Prolapse isn't life threatening- and for me at this point it isn't even inconvenient. If anything I have improved the quality of my life since discovering my bulge.
Start the posture, read some old posts, maybe buy Christine's book or DVD- you will be fine.
congratulation on your babes.

louiseds

October 21, 2007 - 11:01pm

Hi Life

Sounds like you have just made the dreaded discovery and you really don't know what to think.

Alemama is right. It will get better, but a lot of carrying two babies who are now quite a size will not be helping matters down below right now. No doubt they will both be walking soon, so you won't 'need' to carry them quite so much. So you are probably the worst you will ever be.

The damage to the supports of your pelvic organs has already been done and cannot be fixed without causing more damage. Yeah, you heard me. Surgery doesn't fix prolapses; it just makes the organs stay up out of your vagina until something else moves down and fills the space. Removing the uterus and reconfiguring its supports will mess up the basic structure of the internal supports inside your pelvic area, leaving even less of the soft, movable supports that keep everything in place. That is why so many women who have hysterectomies and repair jobs keep having to go back for more surgery for the rest of their lives. Surgery sets up unnatural stresses on organs and fascial supports and causes scar tissue to form. All this often causes a lot of chronic pain and further worse problems using the bladder and/or bowels, depending on what sort of surgery is done.

Alemama mentioned posture, which you will find out about on the main site. This is the backbone of Wholewoman work, carrying your body in ways that reinforce its natural form and protecting it from further damage. Start this now, yes today, and you will start to get benefit immediately.

There are two parts to living with prolapse. The first part is learning to look after your body and learning to do some things differently to avoid further damage and reduce the symptoms. It is a little like having another baby in a way because your life just changes in a few different ways.
* You don't become any less capable.
* You learn to work around it.
* It is for ever.
* You can make friends with it and use it to gain better body awareness, which can lead to a more sensual life, better sex and a fuller appreciation of the goodness of your femaleness.
* You will never take your body for granted again!

The second part is learning to have confidence in your body's ability to live with this malpositioning of organs (which is all it is!). You will have ups and downs, literally, and learn when they can happen, but you will gain confidence that even if your organs are feeling low this week, they will move up again, and you don't have to go into a cycle of despair about it. Through the knowledge you will gain here and from Christine's book (Which is a good investment) you will learn to understand what is happening in your body and cease to fear it so much. Over time you will probably get used to the odd bulge that appears in your vagina every now and again, and think of it as what it is, rather than a threat to further pregnancy, good sex, attractiveness etc. You are you, not your prolapses. Everyone will still love you.

You can always call back here and have a whinge about it too! We all do that periodically, and we know that the women here know exactly what we are going through.

BTW, I don't think your doctor is an idiot. He is just a bit ignorant. Most of them are. It is the way they are trained. You can be his teacher. At least he knew that he had to do a standing test to get a proper picture of the degree. At least he didn't say you needed surgery now. And the good news is that you won't need surgery. Many women want it, but few need it. Once you know more about how our body works I am sure you be amazed that you even considered surgery.

Cheers

Louise

Life

October 22, 2007 - 10:33pm

Thank you so much alemama for the encouragement! And thank you Louise for all that information! You both have given me so much hope and so much info to go on now! I feel so much more at peace. Thank you! No matter what I was going to postpone surgery for as long as possible, but now I think I am not even going to think of it as an option! I do not want to go down that road. I love my body and hate to have to "alter" it!

One more questions: Which book should I get? There is the one on the web site with the blue cover, then there is a yellow cover (the 2004 edition) that I can get on Amazon. What is the difference? Should I be reading one over the other. As soon as I know I am going to go out and get the book right away and get started on my jouney of living with my prolapse. It is not that bad right now and I want to make sure it does not get worse. At the point it is now, it is definately something I can live with!

Thank you! Thank you! This community has been a God-send. I have been searching the internet and only finding things about surgery and the pain and that there is nothing I can do but either deal with the pain or have surgery! I am EXCITED to try the posture and to implement life-style changes that can make this a condition I can live with. I have already started the process of losing weight. I am only about 20-30 lbs heavier than the midpoint of my ideal weight. Not too bad, but it would probably help to relieve the extra pressure from the extra weight!

Let me know if you have any insight on the books. As soon as I know I am going to be ordering!

Life
27 year old Mom of 4

a6a25725

October 23, 2007 - 1:43am

Get the book on this web site with the blue cover. Christine updated it and it has more information than the first one. It also has the fire breathing exercise that many find very helpful.
Best wishes,
Flora

louiseds

October 23, 2007 - 7:17am

Hi Life

The blue covered book also has a lot more illustrations of pelvic anatomy to help you understand your pelvic area, and it has the full ballet workout as well as the firebreathing. I have both. I never open the yellow one these days, though it is very well thumbed and annotated, as it rarely left my hands for the first couple of months I had it.

Cheers

Louise

Life

October 24, 2007 - 8:17pm

The package is expensive for me, but still a heck of a lot cheaper than surgery. Will the DVD and nutrition book help me too? What exactly is on the DVD? What exactly is in the nurtition book/folder thing? I am so excited to place my order. Just wondering if I should order the whole "shabang"?

Thank you all for your input and advice. I treasure it! It has lifted my spirit and given me hope!

Life
27 year old Mom of 4

UKmummy

October 24, 2007 - 9:14pm

I just want to put in a good word for the diet book! I am eating a bowl of soup made from it right now actually. Since coming here I have given up meat completely, though still eat some fish occasionally. The diet book is vegan which I obviously am not as I do love my cheese and eggs quite apart from the fish, but I cook at least one meal a week from it and the recipes are great. I tend to make a big bean stew or something similar on Monday's and it lasts for several days. My DH isn't very liberated when it comes to beans though I am working on him, but the girls eat it too. The recipes are really simple, mainly one pot meals which I love, and feel great to eat, nutritious and healthful. There is an emphasis of course on fresh, healthy ingredients including pulses and other grains, many of which I had not cooked with before. This has definitely increased my veggie repertoire and introduced me to many new flavors and I love it! There is also lots of info' on organic growing, general nutrition, and an entire meal plan for a month if one is so inclined. I saved for a while to buy it and it was well worth the money! :)

Christine

October 25, 2007 - 12:02pm

Hi Life,

Support wholewoman.com and order the whole “shabang” :-)

The book is the only one of its kind and tells the true story of prolapse.

Many women have found the dvd useful. It contains a long anatomy lesson, a short, strategic exercise routine and other information on diet and lifestyle.

Hope this helps and someday soon we are going to have all this information in a much more easy-to-access form!

Christine