Rectocele and cystocele

Hi spunkygirl
I am basically same situation as yourself, have cystocele 1 and been told I have rectocele 2. No significant symptoms and my gym sessions have gone out of the window as with prolapse no more straining pumping iron, aerobics that I used to love. Exercise is needed but in the form of swimming, walking and gentle exercising [better than nothing!] as to not make matters worse with the prolapse, eating habits need to change too to avoid constipation that will make rectocele worse - as for the cystocele unless the vagina walls are strong in my opinion the cystocele gradually will get worse, their is no reversing prolapse. HRT cream prescribed by your Gyno applied once a day at night will strengthen the vagina and could prevent further cystocele getting worse.

The interesting fact is the Gyno doctors have much to say about the causes of prolapse, the various procedures which some can be complex as for the success rate no one is specifically saying they had a successful operation to repair the prolapse. There also many risks with mesh when used for supporting the prolapsed organs. Prolapse it is such a messy subject that leaves many women such as myself wondering that a miracle operation may not exist.

Well, I can only speak from my own experience. I have reversed my cystocele. (Never touched HRT. Never will.) So have many others here, to a degree. Diamond, take some time to learn about whole woman and what the women who practice it say. You see, all the HRT in the world cannot undo a postural problem -- prolapse *is* a postural problem. Maybe start by reading some of Christine's articles in the library, or better yet, get ahold of a copy of Saving the Whole Woman. Have you had a chance to read any of the wealth of knowledge on this site? It's good stuff.

Yes, Badmirror is mostly right, and I agree completely with her experience. Once stretching and damage is done to the fascia supporting our pelvic organs they are much more mobile, and that mobility is there to stay, except in postpartum women who will experience several years after their last baby shrinking everything back, or that was my experience anyway.

Mobile organs are prone to slipping backwards in the presence of poor posture, and prolapsing down into the vaginal space, where the lack of solid support allows them to descend to the introitus or beyond. This is prolapse.

However, it is frequently possible to use your body in ways that pull the organs back up and forwards again, to a position that is well forward of the top of the vagina, against the lower abdominal wall. This will reduce the feeling of pressure in the vulva and keep the organs inside the vagina. It also reduces stretching of the pudendal nerve which serves the pelvic organs and can reduce a lot of pelvic pain and discomfort associated with prolapse. This is what I call reversing prolapse. I would not claim for a minute that the fascia can repair themselves, not in older women anyway.

By using my body in ways that are not helpful for POP I can induce horrible POP symptoms in my own body, but why would I do that when I can keep my uterus, bladder and rectum happily tucked away inside my vagina??? All I need to do is maintain Wholewoman posture, eat well, pay attention to my body's need to empty the bowel, wear clothing that doesn't compress my lower belly, and lift loads the right way. These are not high prices to pay for the freedom to lead a normal life, dance, shovel dirt, and carry stuff around.

Have I reversed my POPs? I still have them, but they don't affect my lifestyle or health any more, so they are as inconsequential as fair skin and freckles in low latitudes, as long as I manage them well. Like children they can cause a lot of grief if badly managed.

Louise

Hi Diamond
Having experienced a rectocele op March 2010, which has taken me 18 months to recover from because of extreme pain for months post op, I think you are right. There is no miracle operation which exists for prolapses. I now have a grade 2 cystocele which I'm determined to manage myself. I will never go down the road of any further surgical intervention. My physio tells me stories of women she is supporting who have gone through mesh surgery, which is enough information for me to believe I will never put my body through this procedure.

I am 57 and post menopause. All my problems with prolapses began when my periods stopped and I guess I stopped making estrogen. I am very interested in what you say about HRT creams to strengthen vaginal wall. I have never been offered this by my Gyno consultant but it makes complete sense and I will pursue that further, so thanks. I am now using WW posture, taking Linseeds every day to keep my bowels functioning well, swimming and walking as much as possible. Walking builds up the gluts which is a good support for the pelvis also.