Kegelmaster and estrogen levels

Dear Christine,

Wow I certainly didn't mean to insult you by disagreeing with you about the notion that low estrogen could affect prolapse while nursing a baby in particular. I am not an expert on hormones during nursing, nor did I have this problem when I nursed my own son. However, I do know my own body and know that low estrogen = a worsened prolapse for me. Make no mistake, I realize that there are many other components at work here...the first being giving birth to a very large baby, but I also feel it runs in families. If not, then why not every woman? My grandmother had it, her sister, my aunt, my mother and now me. Are you saying that some women have better posture than others? Yes Christine, perhaps if we lived in Africa or another country where women birthed their babes in the back woods and squatted, perhaps this problem wouldn't occur, but then again, perhaps it would. How do we really know this? Also, I realize that hormones are not for everyone and I am not saying everyone should use them. But when I signed onto the forum, I thought your site was a place for women to share what they have learned, and what has worked for them. I didn't think it was a place where things were your way or the highway. I also disagree with you that hormones that are "made" in the lab from plant sources which are bioidentical in structure to our own hormones are the "cause of cancer" in women. You know that cancer comes from something much bigger than an exact replica of our own hormones, like the chemicals in our foods, the air we breathe and the stresses of modern life. After all hasn't the estrogen in our bodies served us well as these years prior to peri/menopause? Also, if the Kegelmaster can help prevent or even reverse a stage 1 or 2 prolapse situation, what not? I know everyone isn't for hormone replacement therapy -- natural or otherwise. But for some, the horrible symptoms of peri and menopause are so bad it is an extremely viable and welcome option. The women who write into your forum aren't looking for you to chastise them about the natural hormones or the Kegelmaster they use to help them get well. A combination of all things could do women a world of good. Shame on you Christine. You be well too, April

Hi Christine,

Oh you didn't hurt my feelings, everyone is entitled to their own opinions in life. However, I'm sorry you feel my stating an opinion that "when nursing a baby estrogen levels can dip quite low, and COULD in fact, make a prolapse APPEAR worse", and the fact that my own prolapse gets worse when my levels drop should confuse anyone! I still feel that estrogen plays a huge part in the prolapse scenario despite what you say. I will make my last comment in response to your touting Dr. Lonsdorf as an expert in hormones and then get off your forum. Like I said before, I thought this was a forum to share opinions with other women in the same place as myself, but I think not. I now feel that this forum is for women who believe the same way you do, that prolapse is caused by poor body mechanics, posture, etc. and that is the only way to reverse or treat it.

Yes Dr. Lonsdorf is an expert in the field of Ayurvedic medicine with 17 years experience. She indeed has her own set of opinions. Comparably, Dr. Uzzi Reiss, who treats women with hormonal disturbances with "bioidentical" hormones has over 20 years experience in that field and has his own set of opinions. Dr. Reiss states, "Many of my first-time patients simply don't feel good. They don't sleep well. They may experience hot flahes or roller-coaster moods they can't seem to control. They may have menstrual problems, or their sex drive isn't what they would like it to be." Often they come in desperation. Nothing has worked for them. They may follow a healthy lifestyle, eat the right foods, take supplements, and exercise. They may even meditate or follow a spirtual path. Yet they complain about their health and looks." He also states "Unlike any time before in history, we are exposed today to huge amount of xenoestrogens - foreign estrogens originating ouside the body. Pesticides and chemical compounds found in plastics, detergents, personal care products, canned food, and even contraceptive creams contain these xenoestrogens." Some of these things are within our control, but some are not. What we have done in the past or been exposed to contributes to our hormonal balance. We cannot control the past, but we can control our future hormonal destiny.

I happen belong to another forum called Hotflash where women all of walks of life communicate. They share their personal hormone stories with others. What works for some women, may not work for others. Many women have been helped by taking bioidentical hormones, especially with respect to heart palpitations (a common peri or menopausal symptom). The danger here with cancer and heart disease in women has nothing to do with bioidentical hormones; it is the chemicalized version that is the culprit here. As Dr. Reiss states, "There is nothing in common between the hormones produced in your body and the "hormones involved in these reports." To me "natural" means to give a woman's body what is natural to her body, whether you make it from soy, moonstone, or in the laboratory". As for correct dosing and timing of the hormones you mention, as Dr. Uzzi states, "You take vitamin E and don't know if it's helping you or not, you don't know if you are taking enough or too much. With natural hormones, you will always know. When you take more than you need, your body will let you know. And that's what I will teach you -- how to recognize the signs. When your body speaks, that will be your cue. You will simply have passed your tolerance at that particular time."

In closing Christine and other ladies on this site, I wish you all wellness and pelvic health. However, how we choose to acheive this is a personal choice. No-one can say WHO IS THE EXPERT with respect to natural or bioidentical hormones, an Ayurvedic Doctor or an OBGYN from California who specializes in natural hormone replacement. It is a personal decision and an extremely viable choice for women dealing with the horrible symptoms of peri and menopause, and yes even prolapse. Most importantly, menopausal symptoms which so adversely affect the quality of our daily lives.

Wellness to all,
April

Hi Diana,

Oh I am not walking away from this site because Christine doesn't agree with me. I know that knowledge is power and I know there's much more to learn! I have just scratched the surface. I'm just not going to be "on the board" so to speak posting my opinions, as Christine seems to feel I'll be confusing some of you with my thoughts about bioidentical hormones. For me, this was/is the only route to go to manage my horrible set of symptoms. I feel qualilty of life is everything....and after all if this process could take a full 20 years, I'll need a lot of help! I have a young 7-year old son to care for, and I can't have nights where I don't get any sleep at all and have to drag myself around the next day. I can't stand the horrible symptoms of vaginal atrophy which persisted day in and day out without my hormones. I'm sure all the vaginal thinning didn't help my prolapse any either! I truly appreciate what a forum like this has to offer women who are in the same boat, especially the comradery we all share. I'll be around....doing some mindful reading. Wishing you all health and wellness! April

Hello Christine & All,

Wow the thought never even entered my mind that perhaps marketers could be so cold as to filter through their sales pitches on a discussion forum like this! For that, I feel very badly. No, I am not part of the "Kegelmaster Pitching Team" or any other team for that matter. I was just searching for a site where women with prolapse could share their personal experiences, perhaps find more answers, get some support, etc. It is truly hard to live with something like this on your own. It saddens me so that even my own sister is so quick to say "Oh go and have the surgery if your quality of life is so bad that you can't even enjoy your vacation -- take a walk on the beach, etc". She, as well as the rest of my family and of course friends are so influenced by the typical medical model of how to get the "quick fix". I, on the other hand, feel we have the power within us to heal ourselves. But like faith, this is something I wrestle with every day. Still, I realize there is "work" involved in this process and that it is not necessarily quick. I have to admit, I have no idea what "the work" is all about. I have yet to read the entire book nor become familiar with "the work". However, it does intrigue me and I feel there is certainly something to all of this or I wouldn't have joined the forum to begin with. I know that the Kegelmaster is NOT the end-all be-all, but it has helped somewhat with my prolapse and the incontinence I was suffering from. I know my pelvic muscles were particularly weak, especially now that they are more toned up. When you use the device, it seems to motivate you because you can actually feel whether or not you can squeeze properly by feeling the device open & close. As for the bioidentical hormones temporarily revitalizing the vaginal tissues, etc. Yes, this is true that the effect is temporary, in that if you don't use them, you will lose that effect and I suppose I am taking my chances in that department. My symptoms were so severe, I felt relief as soon as I used them. But again, that's a choice I made. All things in life are a gamble, and this was one I needed to take for a better quality of life. So I am sorry if I seem like an interloper here .... It was never my intention to minimize any of the work you Christine and all of the other ladies have been doing. I was simply here to gain support and perhaps learn something from women who, like me, are alone in all of this. Unfortunately, this is something no man could truly TOTALLY understand. Thanks for allowing me to remain... Sincerely, April