Hi I'm new to this whole prolapse thing!

Submitted by longhair on March 30, 2007 - 9:57am
Body: 

I am 32 and had my 2nd child on 7th Feb 07. All was well and i had a fantastically easy labour which ended up being unplanned at home.I delivered the baby myself and after a check with the midwife all was deemed ok and i spent the day resting in bed with my little girl. Was feeling fantastic & really rather pleased with myself when to my horror a week later i suffered from a prolapse. I felt it happen whilst out grocery shopping carrying my baby in a front carrier while carrying several shopping bags. I felt very sharp lower ab pain and that evening could feel my cervix (i think) at the entrance to my vagina. as you can imagine i was totally and utterly horrified, i have always been extremely fit active and healthy to the point of being thought of as a bit of a fanatic, and was utterly distraught that this had happened to me and felt my life would change beyond recognition. To a large extent it has i no longer am able to do the high impact aerobics or martial arts that i love and have to get my partner to do all the heavy lifting. I'm not even sure what has prolapsed now as my cervix seems to have retreated a bit and i now have more of a soft bulgy 'thing' just in side my vagina which from your faqs sounds more like a cystocele but could be my uterus. Im waiting for a gyn appt so don't have an accurate diagnosis just yet. I have so many questions and really this website is the only place I've found any helpful info. Everywhere else just seems to promote surgery.I may even consider this in the future but am a firm believer and practitioner of all things natural and encouraging my body to heal itself first. I haven't even attempted sex yet but really want to, i do worry this could make things worse and not to put too fine a point on it my partner is very well endowed so worry this will be even more risky? Any one with any advice?
Also i would like to purchase the Wholewoman book but can't access that website (poss as I'm in the uk???) can i get it any other way? I'm going to start trying the postures as described in the FAQS but would like more info.
I don't want to obsess about my prolapse (although how easy that would be!), but i want to have a good quality of life where i can still be active and enjoy my 2 beautiful children! Avoiding surgery & lengthy recuperration would be great! Any tips?

Christine

March 30, 2007 - 10:56am

Hi Longhair,

All your questions will be answered in STWW, which hopefully you can access at the store. I don't think the "well endowed" aspect is an issue...just be very gentle.

Christine

MeMyselfAndI

March 30, 2007 - 11:13am

You will be able to do aerobics again - It may take a mnot or three tho

Get into posture and stop lifting all thos ereal heavy things - take some time to relaxxxxxxxx and enjoy your new babe - Your body is fixing itself - slowly

To find out what has prolapsed have a feel

One finger 'up'

Can you feel in a complete circle around it? If yes - Thats uterus
No?
Can you feel half way round a sausage behind a wall to the front? If yes thats cystocele
No?
Can you feel like half way round sausage behind a wall to the rear?
If yes thats a rectocele

Do NOT fret or worry - Your body will be in healing mode for up to a year or more after the birth - all is NOT lost

Just read up on posture and everything and life WILL get better and you will regain normality again :)

I am also in the UK :)

Luckily the Gynae's here do not force surgery down our throats at every opportunity - So this way you can concentrate on healing and enjoying your new baby :)

Sue

alemama

March 30, 2007 - 1:36pm

Congratulations on your birth and baby! I love to hear those kinds of stories.
Here is the deal with sex- according to me, the non-expert. If you want to do it- go for it. It can not hurt you- although it may hurt. For me and some others who have "confessed" here, sex (with a good finish) helps pull prolapse up. You may have to be patient- and find a comfortable position- it took us a while to find out what worked and now (6 months postpartum) we are slowly adding back some of our old moves:)
I will admit to throwing a complete hissy fit a few times in the beginning but my dh just laughed at me (I am pretty impatient-about most things) and we managed to get through those first few times.

I gave up heavy lifting a couple of months ago - even refusing to bring in the groceries:) but when push comes to shove I still lift any damn thing I feel like lifting and I always recover -
Do you really like aerobics? blah- I would rather run on the elliptical. But I did go out dancing and my prolapse was worse the next day- but it got better - so......
I think your prolapse (if you even have one) is going to get so so so much better- in time. Time is key. Relax, enjoy your family.

momof4

March 30, 2007 - 2:38pm

Hello longhair...Everyone here is so very nice and encourgaging!
I too am in a similar situation and am here absorbing everything there is to know about this issue. I have rectocele/cystocele and had 4 children in 3 years 10 months (twins for 2nd Preg.) Congrats on delivering your own baby (eventhough unplanned)!!! Here you pull yourself together enough and deliver your baby and now you have this issue.
I (33 years) too WAS very active until my discovery at 3 weeks postpartum (had my 4th Jan. 3 2007) I went to my OB and she dx'd me with cystocele/rectocele and that was about it. That wasn't good enough for me, I wanted to know how to get rid of it to get my active life back and swing my kids in the air. I have an appointment with an urogynocologist because they specialize in pelvic organ prolapse and I want ALL the information possible. That might be an option for you to get your questions answered by a professional who has a lot of knowledge in this area. I too am not ruling surgery out, but want to let my body heal the best it can first. I am 12 wks postpartum and just had intercourse for the first time. We had established early on that I was scared and probably not going to be thinking about much, but what was going to happen. I didn't get worse, but as with any intercourse postpartum there is some tenderness.
I have only walked so far (3 miles). I would love to return to kickboxing and high impact aerobics, but am going to take it slow for now. I would also say I obsessed a little about it because it is so hard to get it out of your head when you are feeling that feeling down there. I just bought the book today. I feel I will try it and if it doesn't work, surgery might be an option. At least I tried first.
Well, I just wanted you to know that you are not alone. Keep us updated on what your OB says.
Do you have lower back pain with your other symptoms?

Oh, I did start the posture and it did seem to help :)

longhair

March 31, 2007 - 5:35am

Thanks to all of you who have responded it really is a comfort and actually using this site has brought me to the realisation that actually i haven't got things that bad and am amazed that some of you who have symptoms way worse than mine are so positive about it all. I feel calmed by the responses you've given and by pretty much everything i've read on this site. So a a huge THANKYOU to you all. My only symptoms now are the occasional bulging feeling and some lower back pain with lower ab pain on bad days. I'm already trying the posture and it does seem to feel like a more nurturing stance for my pelvis and all the wonders (or not!!) that it contains so will keep persevering. By the way the weirdest symptom that i have is that when I am having a particularly bad bulgy day I have a pain in the ball of my right foot which hurts when i put pressure on it. If i press it with my finger it it almost feels bubbly under the skin if you understand what i mean?!! It definitely seems to be related to my prolapse. Any Ideas why this would be, Does anyone else get similar symptoms?
I tried to do the self diagnosis thing and i think it's a cystocele but i'm not sure it could also be my uterus as that feels low too, maybe its' both?
As for sex I will definitley be giving it a go as you have all given me the courage to at least try it. The very thought of a lifetime of celibacy just don't bear thinking about!! Will let you know how it goes. It's so nice to be able to discuss these things so openly and anonymously I've never been any good discussing such sensitive issues, just the mention of periods prior to this would send me flying from the room, so you can imagine having to bear all to dr's and explain all to my partner (which i still haven't really done yet!) is my idea of total hell. Can't tell you what a release it is to be able to post my feelings and fears here and have you lovely ladies respond and know exactly what I'm going through! I hope as i continue to access this site i can give it back to some other newly prolapsed terrified woman who is feeling as wretched as i was!!
Hugs to you all.
LOnghair

longhair

March 31, 2007 - 11:18am

Hi Momof4, (& everyone else who replied!)
Thanks for your response. Just out of interest how are you feeling now? Do you feel things are finally improving or do you find your condition pretty static? I am so desperate to get back to the things that i used to enjoy so much and that basically consisted of thrashing my ass either at aerobics, kick-boxing, rowing etc. Can't help feeling that this is a bit of a fantasy now as my body at the moment seems to protest at even a long walk. I definitely DO NOT want to risk making this thing any worse but part of me feels I'll never know until i try. What do you think? Do you feel you'll ever get back to doing the kind of exercise you used to do?
I've tried the posture a little today and while i can undertand the raionale behind it I have to say it doesn't feel very natural to me who has always held myself very upright, shoulders back, tummy in etc etc. To be honest when trying to assume the posture i feel like i've got my tummy and butt sticking out, which is not very attractive at all!! Would feel really very silly walking around like this in company, but I do accept that I am probably doing it horribly wrong and will persevere. Please any hints as to how it should look / feel would be gratefully received. I've read the section in FAQS but would appreciate someone elses interpretation, I can't purchase the book until the end of next week as I'm waiting on a new credit card.
Like you I'm not ruling surgery out but will try all other routes first, i suppose at the end of the day i will have to see how things progress and how much natural improvement i can get first, i know it's still pretty early days.
You sound very similar to me in your mindset, do you feel because you can't do all of the things that you used to do that you've lost some of your identity? I suppose i just don't feel very like me at the moment and i hate it!
Anyway thanks for listening.
Longhair x

momof4

March 31, 2007 - 1:05pm

Hello Longhair...it was your mind set that I related to which was why I responded :) My condition is a little better, but when the days are bad...it is BAD and I am mad at the world. How could my body, after eating healthy...exercising...fail me after growing 4 beautiful children and giving birth the natural way.
I am focusing on weights right now with my arms/back/etc. to help feel better and at least feel like I am working out a little. My love is for cycling and am not sure how the bike will feel and don't really want to think about it right now (I just don't want to know yet) Yes, part of my identity is lost right now. I workout, that is what I love to do, and not being able to do what I used to is frustrating, but at least I have resumed what I mentioned above.
The other day, I saw a mom a swinging her child (probably 4 year old about 30-35lbs) and I started crying because I can't do that right now. I am sure going to do everything in my power to try. I think, my God, they perform open heart quadruple bypasses; they stop someone's heart and restart it...doesn't someone out there know how to help US? Sorry, I just vented...I just didn't know this happened to woman.

As far as being candid on this website, it is great to try to find out what other people are experiencing. You mention being private and I agree...I could barely insert a tampon in myself prior to this and only look with a mirror now. It is sad, but helpful to know what other women are going through.

As far as the posture, I guess I have implemented the hips forward a little. It does feel like it moves things in line. And then just my shoulders back.

I can tell you, I learned this isn't going away right now and I am doing better. After having intercourse, I didn't feel as broken :( my husband made me feel better and still it hasn't gotten worse.

Keep me udated. I have written a lot above and hope to hear more from you.
Thanks!
momof4

longhair

March 31, 2007 - 1:35pm

I will definitely keep you posted and hope you will do vice versa. I know that feeling of watching what oteher mums can do and feel the same resentment and anger as you that i can't do the same things. lie you i've always kept fit eaten healthily, i don't smoke and only drink occasionally, I'm practically a bloody saint for goodness sake, so yes i have days when it all seems so unfair! I've read other posts on here though from other very young women who've developed prolapses of one degree or another and it does seem that a lot of us seem to be the very fit and healthy ones. Maybe there's a link? I certainly have always lifted very heavy weights of one description or another so maybe this was a contributory factor.
When you say you focussing on weights on your arms and back how much weight are you using and have you noticed any advers affects on your prolapse? Are abdominal exercises a total no no. I've avoided them so far but i have to admit I'm desperate to regain my pre pregnancy stomach muscles i suppose stomach crunches are out of the question?
Anyway take it easy, I'm off to bath my kiddy winkles now so I'll speak to you again soon.
Longhair XX

UKmummy

March 31, 2007 - 3:27pm

I have also noticed the apparent link between young women here with prolapse who have been avid exercisers in the past and have wondered if there is a link. It might simply be though that "fitter" women are more open to natural management of prolapse, and trying exercises etc to help. I think some research in this area would be very interesting, perhaps a survey of activity types and levels before prolapse?

I can't help thinking my hours and hours of pounding the streets marathon training didn't do my parts much good in the long run! (Pardon the pun!)