Please share any information regarding rectocele and enterocele surgical repairs and/or alternative to surgery

Body: 

Hi Everyone = I'm new to this site and am hopeful that perhaps I could get some practical real life information regarding rectocele and enteroceles. Following a defecography I was diagnosed with both. I have been suffering with bowel related issues for years now and lately it's become quite a process to empty my bowels. I have never had children and am in my early 40's. My problem is that it takes several attempts to move my bowels and more often than not it feels like I'm not completely finished although I've passed stool. I continually have to push down on my upper left side and massage my abdomin to help the bowel move along and out. I am wondering what alternatives to surgery are available and what are the consequences of having surgery to repair both issues? Thanks so very much for your time and information.

Try just twisting your body to the right - For some reason it helps me...

My mother had a problem for years and years and she got a pessary ring and she says it s soooooo fab!

Personally the stories I have heard of surgeries - Make me sure I never wanna go that route

Sue

Hi,
Like you I have just been diagnosed with a rectocele. I was having a lot of the same problems you are having. Three things that are working for me are squatting on the toilet rim and second but most importantly I have added more fiber to my diet.

I am eating lots of flax seed (so good) and I am using benefiber and this has made my bowel so much easier to pass. I would be scared to not use it because if I continued with the straining I would be making that rectocele much bigger I think.

The other thing that has helped me is this site, I am a lot calmer and instead of whining and being depressed I am looking for
solutions. Christine's book arrived yesterday and I started the exercise this morning and I can really feel the work out in that pelvic region. I like it!

From the heart and pelvic...... THANK YOU CHRISTINE!

Thanks so much Callie for your response. I just ordered Christine's book and am looking forward to receiving it. I realize this may sound a bit dense but what do you mean squatting on the "toilet rim?" Also, do you think Benefiber works better than the other products on the market (ie. metamucil, citracil, etc?) How much benefiber are you taking per day? I've been drinking prune juice to spark things along but it seems that if I were to bulk things up a bit perhaps it would be easier to have a movement??? Thanks ever so much Callie for your time and information!!! :-)

Thanks so much Sue for your suggestion. I'll try it! Anything to avoid surgery!!!!!

This site explains a lot of the benefits of squatting, scroll down to the bottom for pictures.
http://www.relfe.com/toilet_seat_constipation.html

This next site demonstrates the concept very well: http://lillipad.co.nz/
They show a product called a lillypad. I just get up on the rim but the lillypad looks safer.
See the women squatting- I do this but with one foot on each side of the rim of toilet (have to lift both seats)
This position has worked so well, I 'll never go another way.

The benefiber is just what I happen to have in the house and it said on bottle you can't taste it, you can add it to coffee or throw it on a salad. I am pretty picky about something tasting weird and this doesn't. I was using 2 Teaspoons 3 times a day, but that was to much. So I am using 2 Teaspoons in my cranberry juice at dinner. If the stool is at all hard the next morning when I go I will take a morning dose of it.

The posture/exercise, the benefiber and squatting has made my rectocele much smaller. I even tried the bedroom out yesterday and I am so relieved there was no pain. This is amazing because the pain during lovemaking was so bad I thought I would never be able to 'do it' again. I figured my marriage was over.( although my husband flipped out when he heard me tell a friend this, he says this would never end our marriage, but I wonder over time...)Anyway this pain is what made me make an appointment to see the gyno. The things I have learned here have made me hardly notice I have a rectocele. I haven't had to splint at all since using the benefiber. The posture has made the biggest difference. I ordered a kneeling chair for sitting on at my computer cause now I am very aware of my organs being crammed together sitting in my regular chair.

Do you have poor posture ? My friend always told me I looked like an "S"
I am anxious to hear all this positive stuff from you and I know I will. Keep me posted!
callie

I also highly recommend adding ground flax seeds to your diet. Get a coffee grinder and grind them in there. I eat them on my oat groats in the morning, but they can be added to anything. Yogurt is good, too. I even put them on salads. It keeps me incredibly regular and the stools easy to pass. Sending healing energy,

Marie

Hi! Thanks so much for the information. I just checked out the Nature's Platform site and I'm seriously considering ordering one. Out of curiousity, what did you mean by "Splinting". I have seen this term used in several of the posts on this site but I haven't figured out what it's referring to. There's no doubt that my posture needs some serious improvements. Is the chair you're referring to referenced in Christine's book? If not, would you please describe it and let me know where to purchase one - sounds like it would be a great idea for me to use. I haven't received my copy of the book yet but I'm so looking forward to delving right in. Thanks again for the information and congratulations to you for all of the wonderful results you're experiencing!!! I'm so happy for you!!!! :-)

Thanks Marie - it's always great to learn about new fiber sources beyond metamucil and citracil..... After reading Callie's post I'm considering purchasing one of those platforms to use for squatting. Have you had any successes with adopting a squatting posture? Thanks for sharing your information and tips!!!

This is off one site...
"Advantages and disadvantages of kneeling chairs
If you work at the keyboard for multiple hours daily, we recommend using a kneeling chair in combination with a more traditional chair and alternating between the two. Switch between the two when the body needs a break from hours of sitting."

Your kneeling chair is a useful ergonomic aid that:

Helps keep the spine in its natural "S" alignment.

Provides real comfort for moderate periods of time.

Helps relieve the buttocks from hours of sitting pressure.

Provides an alternate to the standard chair position which changes pressure points and improves circulation.

For those with consistent pain in the lower back, however, the kneeling chair may be a significant help. If lack of ability to change positions is difficult, one could spend part of the day using a kneeling chair, and other parts using a standard office chair. Even part of the day spent in a kneeling chair can result in better posture than in a traditional chair.

Kneeling chairs are now widely available through office supply stores and on the Internet. Many companies have turned to this new variant to help cut down on the days workers may call in sick due to back pain.

Also, when you sit on a kneeling chair you can straighten up and balance the spine properly over the pelvis. On the advanced chairs the rock of the chair is exceptionally good at keeping good posture even when you are tired, and the movement makes leaning forward to the desk easy.

Bizrate has a list of different companies selling these:
http://www.bizrate.com/officechairs/products__keyword--kneeling+chair.html

Splinting and perineal pressure can be accomplished by applying pressure against the lower back wall of the vagina or along the rim of the vagina. This assists in emptying the stool trapped in the rectocele.

A rectocele can be associated with difficult bowel movements. Often, a woman will have to push on (or 'splint') her vaginal bulge to effectively empty her bowels.
I not very good at this ! But have had to use the technique now and then.
Did you get your book today?