Prolapse Uterus

Hi,
Welcome to the whole woman forum. As you can see from reading on this forum you are not alone nor a freak. Most of us didn't know what was wrong until we were diagnosed. I remember how stressed I was and many of the thoughts that went through my mind.
After i found this forum and learned the posture everything improved and I hardly ever think about my prolapses. I still have days that aren't so great but they pass.
I think the most important thing is to learn the posture, it helps put the organs back in their proper place and helps to stabilize and in a lot of cases improve the prolapses. To learn the posture go to wholewoman.com and go to FAQ, scroll down to 11 and 12 it explains the posture.
You seem to be on the right track with diet and exercise. Lots of rest,don't become constipated and relaxation are also important.
Your doctor seems to quite sensible in not trying to get you to have surgery.
After you learn the posture I don't think the bulge will come outside the vagina. If you are worried about it rubbing on your knickers and getting sore, wear a pantliner and I think that will protect it.
If you have any more specific questions ask them and some one will try to answer them for you. Everyone on this forum is very good at trying to answer all the questions they can.
I would also order Christine's book. There is a lot of good information in there.

Regards,,
Flora.

Hi Bling

Mail to Oz for the book is quite fast, so don't put it off. Another way of dealing with the knickers situation is to leave them off when you can. This means wearing skirts instead of trousers, which I find OK most of the time. Actually I feel a lot more feminine these days and take more notice of actually being female. Wearing skirts is pleasurable with my new posture and I enjoy the feel of fabric swinging around my legs. Pantyhose have given way to stockings and garter belts too when I need to have covered legs. Back to the future, eh? No more sweaty crotch and squashed belly for me! I am 54 and wish I had ditched full-time knickers and pantihose a long time ago.

You can also wear a half slip if you are worried about modesty or discharges. Unfortunately I have found that cotton sticks to outer garments so is not as good as synthetics, but as there is plenty of ventilation with a slip, and your crotch is not enclosed, it is probably not a problem. I have also designed and made myself several little summer half slips which are like a panel back and front, long enough to sit on at the back and just long enough to cover my crotch at the front, slit to the waist at both sides. These are great for our hot summers.

I would also suggest that you order the Wholewoman Vulva Balm when you order the book. My vagina and vulva are quite dry with perimenopause, and the Vulva Balm is so soft and soothing after a shower, or any time I feel the area needs protection or a bit of TLC.

You are so lucky to have found a gyno who is receptive to the idea of managing your prolapses without surgery. Take care.

Louise

I don't know which posts you have read to make you think nobody is keen on pessaries but you do have it wrong. I am VERY Happy with my pessary! It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I plan to use mine for the rest of my life.

There are many different kinds of pessaries and it takes time and patience to find the right one for you, and you may even need to find the right person who knows how to properly fit it. Someone who goes for one try with one kind with one doctor and has a bad experience is not the true picture.

Do not discard the option of pessary, until you have educated yourself very well, found a doctor who actually is experienced at fitting them, and spent some trouble figuring out which type is the correct one for you.

Hi bling,
As AnneH posted don't dismiss the use of a pessary. They can be very helpful if fitted properly. Some of the women on this site have one including myself. You don't have to wear them all the time if you learn to take them out and re insert them after cleaning.
I find mine very comfortable and don't feel it when it is in. Not everyone can wear them but if you can they are great.
Type pessary in the search box on the left of this page and it will take you to posts about the experiences of some who have had success with a pessary and some who didn't. You have to make up your own mind as to what you will do.
Do let us know what you decide and how you are doing.
Best wishes.
Flora.

Bling - You and I have alot in common. I am 58 years old, have 1 child who was born vaginally when I was 30 years old. I too just moved (for the 2nd time) from a four bedroom house into a smaller retirement home. The first four bedroom house I packed up (in 1987) I ended up with an inguinal hernia. This recent move (in 2006) I tried to be more careful, but I ended up doing alot of lifting anyhow. Not sure how much each episode contributed to my situation, but I discovered my uterine prolapse July of this year.

I was terrified, upset and read everything on the Internet that I could find. If you've read some of my posts, I'm sure you'll see that my doctor has not contributed to a positive pessary experience for me. When I requested a pessary for support, he ended up ordering the Colpexin Sphere for me, which does not offer 'support' but is supposed to enhance an exercise routine.

I have since changed doctors and have my next appointment in 1 week. Since I am currently dealing with GYN problems outside of this forum, I needed to find a new doctor quickly. But getting fit for a pessary, whether from this dr or another, is my untimate goal.

After having found this forum, I will not op for surgery, and am determined to deal with this challenge in the way that Christine and the other wonderful women on this site have so successfully done.

It takes work, learning and tools. The work you'll have to do - the learning and the tools you can acquire from this forum and from the Whole Woman store.

My former doctor had also given me Estrace cream to use everynight for 2 weeks and then for twice a week. I found that the Estrace cream swelled my vaginal tissue so much that I actually felt and saw my prolapse more. I bought Replens recently from my local drug store and am trying that instead.

I also love to walk - just bought a new treadmill a year ago. I don't think you need to stop walking. If you find rubbing a problem, pur on a panty liner. I also apply a little KY jelly on my vaginal opening if things have gotten dry during the day. I really helps. I just ordered the Balm sampler yesterday from the Whole Woman store and am anxious to use them also. Dryness is a big problem for me. Maintaining the Whole Woman posture will help you alot.

My prolapse is always on my mind now. I think about it constantly. I know it will never go away, but by following the advise from Christine's book and from this forum, I believe that I will be able to adjust and have the same quality of life that I had before. That is my goal.

Email me if you like. Please let us know here how you make out at the doctor.

Good luck!
Goldfinch1

You’re so welcome, Bling. Just a word about the estrogen. It was a red flag for me when I read, “I just have to use the cream…” I know we all want to follow our doctor’s advice, but prolapse is a structural problem that can only be addressed by changing our structure. It is figured that loss of estrogen plays approximately a 15% role in post-menopause changes such as bone loss. I imagine the same is true for prolapse. The rest is simply ageing. Estrogen replacement has been one of the only treatments for prolapse available from gynecology.

This is a true story that was told to me yesterday. I gave an Intro class to a very nice woman with mild cystocele/UP who had gone to a female surgeon with her condition. The doctor wanted to first put her on a course of topical estrogen and then perform “the works” – hysterectomy and a wall of mesh between bladder and front vaginal wall (I don’t know this for sure, but I’ve *heard* that even the university medical center here has abandoned Prolift type meshes.) She was uncertain about the surgery but ADAMANT that she did not want the estrogen because her mother had suffered with breast cancer. The doctor responded, “Look, wouldn’t it be better to possibly forfeit a few years of your life in order to fix this now?”

I am shocked beyond belief…I always think I’ve heard everything until another incredulous utterance from the medical establishment comes along.

So glad you’re feeling better…keep up the good work!

Christine

I agree with Christine about the Estrace cream. My former doctor prescribed the same course of treatment for me: use it everyday for 2 weeks then for twice a week. I did try it, but then found this web site and now have thrown the Estrace away. Try using Replens. You can buy it over the counter, and I find it works very well. I also bought the Balms Sampler from the Whole Woman store, but am still waiting for my order to arrive.

Hope you bought Christine's book. Let me know how you make out with the posture. At my age, I am having a hard time retraining my body to stand and sit correctly... it is a work in progress but I'm hoping I'll get there soon!

Goldfinch1

Hi Bling: My appointment with my new doctor is Monday, 10/15. I feel more empowered with knowledge this time, and will post how I make out. Keep your fingers crossed! My order from the Whole Woman store arrived yesterday. I watched the DVD last night which is very good. Love seeing Christine in the posture - it makes it more real to me. I also starting reading her book (2nd edition) last night, and she explains how to do a self-exam in a standing position. Tried it this morning - and I believe that I have the beginning of a cystocele. That was not good - I am pretty upset. I'm still dedicated to using the Whole Woman program, but I work full time and don't feel like I can dedicate enough time to practicing and exercising. I've decided to lose about 20 pounds. I'm not overwight for my height (am 5'11" tall) but any visceral fat must surely be pressing down on my organs. I'd love to hear anyone's opinion about that. My former doctor said it would have nothing to do with my prolapse. I'm not so sure. Plan on reading more of the book tonight.
Goldfinch1

Hi Goldfinch 1

I do not have enough knowledge on the subject of viscreal fat but I have my own experience of being left with a big belly after two babies in two years who are now 3 and a half and 16 months respectively. My tummy muscles are very weak and my tummy often gets bigger by the end of the day. I often look pregnant as I am of slim build. I definitely feel when it is bigger that it feels heavy and is weighing down on all below. For me diet definitely works- ie cutting down a alot on wheat and processed sugar and also exercise- swimming and starting a walking programme. When my tummy is lighter as a result, everything feels much lighter including prolapse wise. An osteopath I saw 4 months post partum also said that my core musles were very weak and that this would definitely contribute to the prolapse situation-cystocele and uterine prolapse. I am beginning to actively work on these - please see my other thread to which Christine responds.

Incorporate the posture into your daily life- try and check all the points of the posture in your head. The exercises on the DVD take about 5- 10 minutes and I do them daily. Try and make time for these if you can as they definitely helped me.

Wishing you all the best for your doctor's appointment.

Frankie x

Thank you, Frankie, for your response. Today is not a good day - we're going away soon on vacation, and I've been trying on clothes, trying to find things that are comfortable and allow me to do the posture. Having my stomach stick out is so depressing. All my life I've been 'sucking it in' to try and make it flat. Now everything that I wear has to be a loose top - my choices are so limited. Half my clothes don't work anymore. Can't wear anything that is tight - it feels horrible. It's a bad day - I almost don't want to go at all.

might just be what you need at this time to try and take your mind off things and get some rest and relaxation. There are good days and bad days- I have just come out of feeling really blue for a few days and rallying against having this happen to me, I want my life back, etc, etc. Thing is the only way I can get it back is to become empowered again and take back some of what I can control.

So today I went shopping as I have the same problem- almost none of my trousers, jeans, fit me how I need to now. So I bought a pair of cool hipsters and I love them. Shopping therapy does help. Go and get yourself some new lovely clothes for your vacation- there are some fabulous, sexy, long, loose tops out there right now.

Thinking of you and sending you lots of good feeling- about-yourself vibes.

Frankie x

I caught your vibes - and they're just what I needed today. I'm home alone, and really feeling sorry for myself. I know I'll deal with this, but like you, I remember my life pre-prolapse, and want it back. I know it's my cross to bear, and I try and remind myself how blessed my life has been and still is. Tomorrow is Sunday, and I am going to take your advise and go shopping! Thank you, Frankie! {{Hugs}} to you!
Goldfinch :)

Don't know where you are but I love Harry Duley skirts (I think they are a UK company), they have a very wide, generous waistband which is a jersey panel rather than elasticated. It hugs your tummy and doesn't constrict it and I love that the wide waistband comes right up and it hides my postpartum tummy for when I'm breastfeeding. They are very comfy and allow you to do the posture. I've tried the trousers and they don't work so well.

I hope you have a lovely vacation. I'm just back and found it improved things a little to not be doing the day to day housework type stuff that I have to do at home. I could just enjoy the sun and concentrate on getting the posture right.

I'm in the USA - New Jersey. Haven't heard of that brand, but I'll do some Googling and see if there is a mail order store somewhere here that carries it. Thanks for the tip!