Cyctocele at 29 years old

Submitted by shawnagraves on March 15, 2004 - 4:46am
Body: 

March 15, 2004

Hi!

I am 29 years old and gave birth to my first child almost 8 months ago. I now have a grade 2 prolapsed bladder and grade 1 prolapsed rectum. The doctors are blaming my labor and are surprised to see someone my age with this problem. I pushed for almost 3 hours with every contraction. My daughter was "sunnyside up" as they say, which didn't make things easy.

My OB referred me to a physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor. I faithfully did the lower abdominal exercises daily as well as using a pelvic floor electronic stimulator to strengthen my muscles. After four months, with no improvement, I gave up.

I have now been to a urologist and a urogynecologist. Both think that surgery is inevitable but want me to wait until I am done having kids (I would like one more). However, the surgery seems like it will be very limiting as the urogyn gives a lifetime lifting limit of 15 pounds.

I am very distraught right now in my life. I, like Tracey who posted a note before me, was very active and now feel like I can't do anything anymore. I was a zookeeper before I had my baby. I loved being a zookeeper and it is the only thing that I want to do in this world. However, hearing from the doctors that I can no longer lift has broken my spirit. Zookeeping requires lifting and since I can't do that, I cannot work. I ended up having to quit my job and I have been devastated about it. I thought surgery might be the answer until I was told that I would have limits after a surgery as well. I also love aerobics and running and can't do these things anymore either because they will only cause my bladder to progress downward.

Today I was fitted with a pessary which has not gone very well. I have tried out two now and both seem to be falling out.

I was very thankful to stumble upon your site tonight. It gives me hope, especially to see a few others out there who are not much older than myself. I never thought that this could happen to someone my age. I ordered your book Christine, and cannot wait to get it. I hope that it will give me some more ideas. Will I be able to lift again and regain my life? Do you know what my lifting limit might be? The urogyn didn't want to commit much to a number but did finally say that anything over 25 pounds wasn't good for me. Does this sound accurate?

Thank you so much for everything!

Shawna

Christine

March 16, 2004 - 5:31am

Welcome Shawna,

Yes, I understand your distress. Yet, I feel so hopeful because you are a bright young woman and you have so much to learn about your condition!

When you read my book you will see that the surgeries are far more than limiting. They are devastating and what's more they don't work. Just like kegels and e-stim don't work. They are all treating the symptoms.

You are a zookeeper, so I'm sure you know something about evolution. In the earliest hominids the pelvic floor muscles, gluteus maximus, and endopelvic fascia were all undeveloped. The genital hiatus, or opening down the center of the pelvic floor muscles reached from the pubic bone to the coccyx. When they tried to stand they had to keep their tail tucked between their legs and held tightly to their perineum to protect their pelvic organs from sliding into the hiatus and prolapsing. Gradually the tail was discarded and the powerful tail muscles became the coccygeus muscles of the pelvic floor.

By the time the human female inherited the design, two additional sets of muscles were added to the pelvic floor, dividing it into two triangles, the anal triangle and the urogenital triangle. Now the ONLY place that pelvic organs can fall through is the most forward part and also the lowest part of the pelvic floor! We are actually extremely protected from pelvic organ prolapse.

The problem is, our bodies have not retained their original shape, and now are very susceptible to prolapse. The original design pushes the weight of our intestines, bladder and uterus over the pubic bone. It also directs intraabdominal pressure in a very specific way so that the organs are held into place rather than pushed out.

We have lost the natual curvature in our spine and now sit and stand and walk in ways that do not uphold the original design.

I would hope that you would try to work with your body to change the situation. Your condition is very mild and I think you could see a complete reversal.

I believe all of the information we have from the medical system about exercise and weight lifting is erroneous. Of course these are going to make things worse if the posture hasn't changed, because we are only increasing pressures that are coursing through the body in unnatural ways. But I am telling you that just standing and breathing is putting your body at risk. THE POSTURE MUST CHANGE.

We have women here on the site who exercise vigorously. My very severe uterine prolapse is always much relieved after a night of scottish dancing, which is very aerobic, yet done with the body held in proper alignment.

The key is, we must be mindful of our posture all the time, especially when we lift. If the body is aligned properly, how much we lift shouldn't be an issue. Do you see? Intraabdominal pressure is beneficial when it is in its natural course, and destructive when it is not.

We have this completely magical design that evolved to hold everything in place perfectly. It is the lumbar curve that must be encouraged. Please study the posture download. Every aspect is important, but the head/neck area is primary...elongating the head while keeping the shoulders down and broad will prevent an unnatural sway back.

Please keep in touch with us. I am absolutely certain this is the only way to bring the female body back to health. It might not be 100%, but your condition should not deteriorate further, either. I believe in the not-too-distant future we will look back on female pelvic floor surgery as a barbaric, mutilating, and hopeless practice.

Wishing you well,

Christine

pammcg

April 3, 2004 - 10:21am

I also do a lot of lifting--in particular my 16 month old 27 pound son! I am trying to keep up the new posture faithfully. But do you have any hints on how to do this while lifting? I find it very difficult to keep my head and neck and shoulders up while I am bending or squatting down. It all feels a little awkward! The standing and sitting aren't awkward, but do make my upper and middle back achy! I hope my back will get used to this soon. Also, is it just a coincidence that my hemorrhoids are now feeling more painful now? They are external hemorrhoids and haven't been painful since the few weeks after my baby was born. By the way, your book is wonderful Christine. Thank you! Pam

Christine

April 3, 2004 - 10:43am

Hi Pam!

When you lift:
(1) Use your knees
(2) Keep your back as straight as possible by elongating your neck (shoulders down) and feeling your buttocks move back and down, stretching the muscles of the lower back as they do so.
(3) Don't hold your breath
(4) Keep the pelvic floor muscles gently contracted during the lift.

I don't know why your hemorrhoids are worse. The posture should alleviate pressure from that area. Hemorrhoids are totally diet related, and I would be very vigilant about avoiding refined foods.

These are going to be the toughest weeks, Pam. Take care to rest when you can. Also...make sure you keep a small pillow or rolled-up towel as a support for your lumbar spine when you drive. Our car seats really serve to undo a lot of this work.

It will get easier!

Christine

pammcg

April 3, 2004 - 3:49am

Thank you so much! You are so right about car seats. I just went out to the movies for the first time in months and the car and the theater seats just about killed me! I rolled my coat up and put in behind me and it helped a little. Pam

Christine

April 4, 2004 - 4:03am

Hi Pam!

That's true about so much in our modern culture! I'm trying to arrange my lifestyle to be totally conducive to this healing. For instance, someday I want sandy paths (it's very rocky here) to and from everywhere I visit outside during the course of the day, gardens, shed, etc. I'm convinced that if we walked barefoot on soft earth all the time using the posture healing would be greatly facilitated. I have my grandparents living room furniture from the thirties that I had reupholstered in a soft moss-colored fabric a dozen years ago. They are so lovely, but I HAVE to let them go...and my truck seats, UGH!!

Christine

COACH2211

March 17, 2004 - 11:54am

hi S, eventhough I'm far older than you, and am on the 'grandmomma' list, I'm still active and into just about everything. I too am dealing w/ this stuff now. Keep the faith, dear, read Christine's book, study all that you read here from others, listen and pay true attention to your body and especially your posture, and you will do fine! I also was told I could lift no more than 15 lbs, broke into tears and panic as my granddaughters are 25 and 40 lbs. I still lift them, I just adjust my pelvis and it works! KB

tracey34

April 13, 2004 - 9:08am

Dear Shawna

Hi, this is Tracey, who I think you referred to in your post.

I must admit I felt really bitter at first, and scared and like my life had grinded to a halt. I didn't know who I was anymore.

I read Christines book and the minute I had to accept that I have a condition to manage for life, I felt better, empowered.

I am not back running yet, but have chosen to get into swimming instead. I am not back horse riding yet but have chosen to take my daughter instead. This however is more to do with my pelvis trouble than my pelvic floor.

I lift stuff all the time, as a young mum you have to right? Christine is spot on about the right posture. You can still do it all if you do it right.

Pushing a few weights at the gym, working legs, arms, back, chest and butt helps a great deal and combined with the posture, you probably wouldn't feel anything wrong at all. (Pilates is a great exercise too - any core stability work).

I don't feel as I did before - that I would never do the things I love anymore. I just have to be more conciously careful. Thats all.

I'm only 34 and still want to run about like an idiot. I used to work with horses and always thought I'd keep them again once my kids are in school. Despite the lifting and pressure I still might.

BUT do you know - the most amazing thing has come of all this - I have opened up to new possibilities and new ideas. I am not so fixated on what I FEEL I can't do anymore and I am starting to let my mind run riot on other stuff I'd like to try. Suddenly life seems exciting again. Thought I'd join a local belly dancing class for a start!!

It must have been a terrible blow to lose your job like that, I understand how bitter you may feel about it.
That was me you see. I started to HATE. Hated my body, hated my life the list went on and on I hit rock bottom and wasn't very nice to be around and then I began the journey back up. It's a natural journey, one I couldn't control, one I had to take.

You WILL find your way back up too. You may even surprise yourself what you will discover about yourself along the way.

I didn't think life would ever be the same again. It isn't.
It's anything I want it to be.

All the love in the world to you. Write anytime.

Tracey.