bladder prolapse

Body: 

I am trying very hard to get this right but am a bit concerned and need advice from Christine and others. First off is there any specific exercises or variations that should be used for bladder prolapse? I don't feel like I am accomplishing what I should be at this point and am feeling disappointed although I continue to do the exercises daily in the book and try to keep the posture which is not easy for me. Sometimes I am overdoing and other times just can't remember.

I have tried using a tampon (haven't found the sea sponges yet) and feel as though I lose thought of the pelvic floor with that in. Is it better to use that during the day for support? What about during exercise? I am wondering if it is good because it holds things in place (and completely inside where they belong)or is it better to try to hold the posture and contract those muscles throughout the day since I don't seem to be in touch with that feeling as much with a tampon in. Also any reason I shouldn't temporarily use a regular tampon.

AND what about the video I keep hearing about? Is that available or when will it be available.

Oh, one more thing -- I might have missed it but I can't remember the eyebrow thing being in the book.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Has anyone had complete success with reversing a prolapsed bladder (probably stage one -- just trying to poke it's ugly head out so to speak).

Thanks and good luck to all.

1Newtowholewoman

Hi 1,

What a coincidence that your yoga answers came in along with your post!...read what followed from

Help! I'm totally new to these discussions and forums and couldn't figure out how to get a question posted. I had put it into my profile last week, but haven't seen it posted. Anyway, I had a hysterectomy in March, 2003 and now have vaginal prolapse and since that diagnosis there seems to be something else in there competing with my pessary and the vagina--I'm guessing bladder. Is it too late for me to avoid that horrible second surgery? I just got your book Christine(after having cancelled surgery last week) and am getting the feeling that it's too late for me. Where do I go from here? I would very much appreciate your comments, Christine.

Hello and Welcome, Vera,

There have been a few post-hysterectomy women who have said the posture is making a difference. Trying to put myself in your shoes I

Christine, thanks very much for your comments.
I clicked on that web site you noted, but couldn't see anything about a V-brace. What is it?

Wow Vera - you and I are in very similar situations. I had a hysterectomy around the same time. I dont have the vaginal vault prolapse but I have now developed a severe bladder prolapse.

I went to the Dr. yesterday. Its the 2nd time I have seen this doctor - my original gyn died a few months after my surgery - so I dont really have a personal feel for this doctor, like how up to date, etc. she is.

However, she did encourage me to try a pessary, telling me that it would be okay to try it and that the surgery tends to only last 10-15 years anyway.

Well, I was trying the pessary and will some more. HOwever she thought I might need a larger size and it appears I do, because the one I had fell out. I havent put it back in yet, but I will in awhile.

I havent read the book yet. I am feeling rather depressed about this all. I have been exercising and have lost a good amount of weight, but I still need to lose more. I love being active and dont want to stop - not because of surgery or because my body parts are falling out. I"m trying to find a solution. I hung on to my uterus for over 20 years. I was really hoping the pessary will work. I guess I'll check out the book. I cant believe I have this big book "OUr Bodies, Ourselves" and it has basically nothing about pessaries, cystoceles, rectoceles. I'm so disappointed.

Well, anyway, I'm hoping you are still around the forum and maybe we can exchange any useful information we come across.

Good luck and good health to you!

Lisa

Welcome, Lisa,

I would say if you could find a good pessary fit...great! Just take it out at night so your tissues can breathe and your lymph can flow. Lisa, the book really is about the futility of surgery. I don't know if it would help at this point.

I want to learn more about how the post-surgery woman can be best supported, so I hope you ladies will keep communicating.

Wishing you well,

Christine

Lisa,

I can feel your pain!!! Sounds like you and I were perfect candidates for Christine's book pre 2003. If only we had seen something concrete as an alternative to our surgery. Anyway, that is behind us and we must look ahead and figure out what to do NOW.

I have a vaginal vault prolapse and am only guessing that I might also have bladder prolapse which could have developed since I was seen by the uro/gyn in the spring when he recommended the nylon mesh sling surgery for me. We then left for our planned 3 months of traveling (perhaps too strenuous?) and returned to face surgery. That's when I noticed Christine's website and cancelled the surgery as I wanted to at least read her book before taking that step. Now I don't know what to do, but it looks like I don't have a lot of alternatives. I need to find good diagrams of the pelvic area and better understand my anatomy. I'm trying to get C. Bouchez's "The V Zone", recommended by Christine for pelvic self-exams.

Like you, I want to keep active, but am not sure which activities might further compromise the pelvic floor, so at the moment have really curtailed my physical activity. We have to figure out what exercise is good for us.

You, on the other hand, just(right!) have the bladder prolapse, which might be handled well by using a pessary, according to your doctor. By all means go back to trying it, and getting one that fits properly. I wore a pessary for a number of years to keep my uterus up and often forgot that I was wearing it. I realize now from Christine's chapter on pessaries, that I had problems when I had a full colon. Therefore, I would encourage you to look at your diet to ensure easy bowel movements. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for you to read Christine's book just to get a little more advice on pessaries and food.

I don't feel that I have much to offer so far. How are you doing? How have you been able to deal with that depressed feeling?

I wish YOU good luck and good health!

Vera

sorry!!...it's the V2 supporter...scroll down and you will see it. i have no experience with it, but it looks like a much better design than the other "leading brand." :-)

Samantha

Hi, I just wanted to tell you that I have tried the V2 and it is great. I have a cystocele and am keeping the posture which is helping me so much ..... But when I am going to be walking alot or on my feet standing alot, I wear the V2 and I already ordered my second one in case the other wears out. When this first happened to me in
April, I was so scared and didn't know what to do. Then I found Christine and immediately ordered her book and started doing the posture (sitting, standing, and walking)and exercises and what a difference that made!!!!!.........I encourage anyone who has a cystocele and is scared and depressed like I was, to try the posture and exercises and also the V2. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Christine for all she is doing to make our lives more normal again.!!!! Samantha

Thank YOU, Samantha!!! I can write/talk till I'm blue in the face, but without brave and generous women like you doing the work and writing to others, young women like you would not know of their natural abiltiy to recover from this!!!

:-)Christine

Hello
I'm new on line and hope I can get some help
I have been diagnosed with IC and bladder prolapse. I do go for theraphy
for my bladder, once a week. I was also fitted for a passery(Ring).
I have been using it for a couple of day now. My problem is: With IC, there is problems with sexual relations. Afterwards for the next 2-3 days its a feeling of having to urinate all the time. The pessary they say will help. But for the other(IC)I take Elmiron and Detrol La. So you see I do have some problems here. Which cause pain in the bladder area. I have been feeling a little better. Every day is different. I could feel well one day and the next awful. This also causes IBS, which is awful in it self. I seem to have that under control.
I just need some advice, will this passery help me not have the feeling of having to go all the time and help with the feeling of pressure always being there?

Hi Zeno and welcome,

I

i looked on line for the v2 and find site refer to pregnancy and not prolapse or cystocele. Any suggestions which site to look at and how to figure out size of v2 when ordering. thanks

still can't find site you bought v2 supporter for prolapse. please let me know. thanks

I think it was at prenatalcradle.com

I bought my vbrace from www.fembrace.com phone 8775356800 It's been helpful and given me some time to be able to walk around until I decide what to do next. I will also try the v2 supporter and write in how that helps or not.This is a day by day journey.

walking helped me.