Question for Workoutmommy

Body: 

Hi workoutmommy! I am so glad to read that things are going a bit better for you. I am curious about the use of a pessary for exercise. I am just fine throughout the day, but when I have tried to jog even a short distance it just feels weird! Not like things are going to drop out, but maybe like things are bouncing up and down? I also wonder how much of this is mental... Anyway, is this working well for you? Does it make you less worried that you are making your prolapse worse? I would love to be able to work out and not worry!

Thanks,
mzimm

But if you want to try some support before investing in an actual pessary, try a plain old tampon or sea sponge tampon. A sea sponge is supposed to allow for very-close-to-normal vaginal functioning, as it allows the walls to get flat rather than being held open like a medical pessary. :-)

Tampons work great during my period, but when I have used them as a pessary they seem to irritate my vagina and actually make me feel worse! I will have to look into the sea sponges...just wanting something for a little extra support so I can get back to some real workouts!

Just a quick one to whoever is reading. I don't use either, though I have used a pessary in the past. I would prefer the warning from my body to be clear. I don't have fullness sensations very often, so any fullness sensation warns me to pull back straight away. However, the day after a day of heavy work I often feel low and fullness. But I have been doing this for long enough now to *know* that no matter how bad it gets, it always gets better again in a couple of days, as long as I am careful during the heavy work. I don't take too many risks, but I am now comfortable with how far I can push it.

Once you get to my stage you will be comfortable to try almost anything for a short period of time, then increase the time slowly. Just suck it and see. If you have trouble getting a sponge out you could try pouring water in to soften it and plump it up again. Much better than yanking it out and causing pain and possible laceration. You will know if you have done the wrong thing, and that it will get better again.

Cheers

Louise

I haven't worn a tampon in years because it seems they just fall right back out again. Same thing with pessaries. I tried a pessary after the birth of my second child and it would not hold anything in. Maybe I was still too stretched out from birth or it wasn't the right size or something. IDK, but I came to the conclusion that a woman with a certain degree prolapse couldn't wear those things or that they just weren't all that effective. Obviously, that's not true. How do you keep it from being pushed back out again from all the pressure from uterus, bladder, etc? Would it stretch out the vaginal walls after constant use? And also, what about infection? Is there a higher risk of infection wearing those things a lot? Sorry, I'm new and some of these topics bring up a lot of questions for me. I'm not new to prolapse, just the forum and these concepts of living with it.