New. Had surgery already - failed. Is it too late for me?

Jen,

Although I had a cystocele, not a rectocele, other than that our stories are remarkably similar. 2 summers ago I had anterior repair w/ mesh and a sling. Unfortunately, I had not discovered this site at the time and thought something horribly wrong was happening as my insides were falling out! Now I understand just how common these things are and try not to become horribly bitter about my choices.

I'm in just the same dilemma right now - should I purchase the DVD, or might it be risky due to the surgical procedures? I can tell you that when I raised these questions on the board last year people were very empathetic but reluctant to give advice due to the complexities of the issue. As you probably know, mesh, slings, TVT and the like have a horrifying record of failures and complications and *corrective* surgeries are often ineffective and can result in additional problems. Although to date I have been very lucky, I still live in fear of dislodging the sling and am constantly alert to potential symptoms of mesh erosion. In addition, I ended up with severe uterine prolapse which I understand now from my participation here is a likely result of the surgery I had. And as a result, my formerly active lifestyle has taken a real hit. I used to jog, do yoga, bicycle, and rollerblade. These days I'm paranoid to take a brisk walk.

Anyway -- I'm sorry that I am making this about me. What is your life like now? How are your symptoms? Did you suffer additional prolapse(s)? Do you feel fixed? What are you hoping to gain from the WW work? Also, how long after your 2nd child was born did you have the surgery and how long has it been since you had the surgery? Sorry for firing all of these questions at you but it might help us to advise you.

I know what they said for me was that the material can be empowering but may be of limited use to me depending on what the effects of surgery had been on my anatomy. It's impossible to ascertain this from reading someone's post. And since these issues often turn dangerous and/or litigious for people who have had such surgeries, I think they are understandably reluctant to offer us advice solely based on what we say here.

I can only tell you what I have done. I'm working my way though the book and it's been empowering but also agonizing, if that makes any sense at all. I'm planning to order the DVD this week because 1 year post-surgery I am feeling strong and blessedly symptom free (aside from the uterine prolapse). I want to deal with that, so I'm going to take my chances with the exercises on the DVD. I also learned that on the DVD Christine discusses some exercises that are NOT safe to do, and i'm interested in this part.

I'm glad you found this site and fervently hope that you will do everything you can to avoid further surgery. There aren't any quick fixes here, but neither are there going the surgical route, and you can end up much, much worse than when you started.

Jen,

I'm glad to hear that at least you're not suffering any more than you were before the surgery. Many people can't say that. I think that most of us here are in the same boat trying not to beat ourselves up for the things we could have done differently. One of the best things this site has usually been able to offer me is a respite from that and instead, some encouragement to try looking forward. We are young, we have healthy young children (mine are 2 and 4, btw), and we are about to discover how strong we can be.

For you, buying the DVD seems like a great place to start. The exercises seem gentle, and though they are targeted, just listen to your body and if something doesn't feel comfortable, then it isn't the right time, at least for that exercise. You are trying to get healthier & more active for the first time, which in a way is great because you won't have many expectations. I was pretty active in my 'previous life' and I'm seeing that this is a process of trial and error, and sometimes what feels good one day (ie. biking) does not feel good the next, so I switch it up or don't do anything until I give myself a chance to rest.

I'm going to get mine this week; let's keep in touch. Let me know how you're doing with it.

Good luck!

Hi Irina and Jen,

Irina, I have thought of you many times since you first wrote and am happy to hear that, other than the uterine prolapse, you are symptom-free. Do you know the type of mesh that was used? Absorbable porcine vs polypropylene must make a huge difference over the long run. It is not surprising that your uterus came down! In normal anatomy, slightly bulgy walls keep the uterus up above.

I would love to suggest nauli and firebreathing to you, but, as you know, we don’t know if they would aggravate or not. The fascia layers in between bladder and front vaginal walls are fused now, so that is going to make a difference in the ability of your bladder and vagina to move independently.

Jen, welcome! You sound great and I think you just have to take things day by day. I hope you, too, will learn what sort of material was implanted into your pelvis. Irina is right, we really can’t comment about whether the postural work will be beneficial or not at this point. It’s my guess you are also at risk of uterine prolapse, unless the rectocele will take its place over the long run.

WW posture is good for everyone - even men. Of course you should be doing the postural work, but how much it will help (or hurt!) your symptoms is a mystery at this point.

Let’s put an end to these surgeries.

Christine