not certain what category to go in

Body: 

had endemetrial cancer 12 years ago, they took it all including my ovaries, now there is bulging on pelvic floor area not sure what has happened, also a heavy pressure feeling its very uncomfortabke aksi the tissues on the outside and inside have all started to fuse together, I am afraid to go to the doctors for fear they will want to do anymore surgery but cannot postpone anymore as its affecting my bladder at my wits end with all of this

Oh Mackinaw, I hear your pain and am so sorry you’re having to go through such difficulty.

All we can really do here is hold your hand and toss around a few ideas. We have no way of knowing what your current health situation is or what will make it better or worse.

It’s probably a good idea to go back to a gyn for a follow-up look. For the prolapse and fusing you will probably be offered estrogen and surgery.

We do not yet know if the postural work will help stabilize post-hysterectomy prolapse and prevent further operations. These operations include colpopexy, to tether the top of your vagina to your spine, or colporrhaphy-with-mesh behind front and back vaginal walls.

The colpopexy will result in some level of cystocele, as it creates constant backward tension on the front vaginal wall and bladder. The tension is somewhat higher, however, so whether or not it would be preferable to your present symptoms I cannot answer.

The mesh surgeries remain very common in spite of warnings from the FDA and frequent law suits brought by victims. These procedures attempt to shore up the vaginal walls to prevent bulging, when in fact bulging vaginal walls help prevent the apex, or top, of the vagina from coming further down. Each hysterectomy is different, however, and we have no way of knowing how your vagina is actually configured now, or whether the apex is high or low.

If it looks like your vagina is not in immediate danger of turning inside out - and this is the ultimate risk of hysterectomy - I wonder if this postural work, an external support garment like the V2 Supporter, and nutritional and herbal support might make you comfortable enough to avoid further surgery.

You, too, might find that a quality probiotic (lactobacilli) inserted vaginally every 24 hours improves vaginal symptoms. Red clover tea and salve have also been found to be quite helpful due to their phytoestrogenic effects.

Of course you need to empty your bladder fully every time you wee. Standing up and leaning forward 90 degrees at the hip joints places your bladder in a good position for emptying. Bend your knees a bit and you will be in the half-squat position many of us use to empty completely.

I have no crystal ball - only the stories of countless women. It seems there is truth in the statement that the sooner you can say no to prolapse surgery, the better off you are. If standard colporrhaphies worked, they would never have developed and used mesh implants so aggressively.

It is also true that you cannot have a bulging vagina constantly exposed to the elements. Each woman must find her own balance.

Wishing you well,

Christine