Pelvic Excercises

Hi everyone,
Before I discovered the Wholewoman website, I literally spent hours on end over a period of 5 - 6 weeks every night to find out about cystocele and rectocele, the solutions,surgery and risks, kegels the lot. Enter the word 'prolapse' and you will websites galore to choose from, but these websites basically repeat each other explaining the why POP has happened, the different types of POP, the different stages of POP the surgeries available, what is really interesting and it is eye openener non of these medical websites ever declared successful surgeries, they are quick to point out that there are risks as with any other surgery and that other issues may come into play after the operation such as incontenence or that a repeat surgery will be required between 1 - 5 years. My question is why is POP being hidden, why is it taboo, why should women not be aware from school age that the female atonomy needs caring, nortured this excuse that having babies causes POP is it really a myth or a reality! I know one country alone that women there always have c-section not because they have complications but to preserve their vaginas! how naive are the gyno doctors not to open up to the POP subject and teach it from school age, to ensure females know the facts about POP and try to prevent it happening - I certainly found out accidentally like many other women on this forum, angry and dissapointed that I was naive, yes naive that did not have a clue that things like this do not happen to women at various ages, it did happen, was confirmed by a gyno who was pushy and somewhat aggressive in their behaviour to immediately recommend surgery just after one consultantion. We have consultants claiming they are world renown for their surgery procedures; I remain sceptical that surgery will do more harm than good, I do have POP and doing everything possible to help my body to at least remain in a stable condition. The world is changing, technology is moving rapidly forward, who knows what could be available in 5 - 10 years time for POP cures my only concern not enough is being done to educate women before it happens, and when it does the gyno doctors just cannot see outside the box, they dont have a clue, it is very much trial and error lets see if it works approach. I recently had a dream it was a warning for me, when the gyno doctor recommended surgery a week later or so, my dream gave me the answer, that I was sitting on the toilet put my right hand inside my lower anatomy and all of a sudden this thing dropped from my bottom into the toilet bowl, it was a huge long silvery fish dead of course to which I was horrified - when I woke up I knew what the dream meant that had I gone down the surgery option everything below would colapse and what made my dream more convincing is that the surname of the gyno was in line with fish!

It gives me hope reading your POP stories we thank Christine for her hard work and dedication, we have a huge issue to resolve and that is the gyno consultants and doctors who do not understand nor have a clue what women go through with POP their answer is always surgery why!!

hi KallyH and welcome to WW
you ask a very good question. when you spend your waking hrs moving through your day in WW posture, your pelvic 'floor' muscles are in optimal position and are active. this is the only real workout they need (well, maybe that and some good sex ; ) ).
as for abs, well, your abs are active in WW posture too, but if you want some real serious ab work, look for nauli on youtube and type it into the search box here. I have found no exercise to be as powerful in terms of ab work as nauli.

Hi Diamond,
I am 54 and have been putting up with this condition after a traumatic vacuum extraction birth 13 years ago, all I was told at the time was to eat more fiber or I would have problems. They didn't say what kind of problems. Enter the prolapse about one month later. I have seen Dr's and asked about repair work, all I was offered was a sling or hysterectomy, one Dr said it's no use to you now so why do you want to keep it. The prolapse has progressed and is now stage 3 bordering on 4 so I am desperate.

I read this site a year ago but didn't purchase the DVD and am now considering the operation. Should I do it??? I too worry that if I do everything else will collapse although the Dr laughed when I suggested this. I just want to be able to walk around without a big bulge. Maybe I should look at the pessary option.

Wish I could have your kind of dreams. Weird!!!

Hi godessnomore

The concern is when prolapse could get worse walking around with a bulge.. pessary is a good option there are many different shapes and size to suit the type of prolapse you will need to find the right one for you, I do not have a pessary as symptoms are mild if my prolapse was to get to bigger my next step will be the pessary, surgery for me is not an option as dont want it - had my children, enjoy sex, POP does not interfere at all. At least in my experience one very important factor is to keep the vagina strong to strengthen it. I made changes to my diet, I am slim and maintained walking, gardening, housework everything I did before the prolapse - what has changed I no longer do aerobics and try not to lift heavy bags of shopping like I did before the prolapse. Planning a holiday beginning of June and will take the opportunity to walk on sandy beech, swim and really enjoy myself as I also believe it is a mind over matter - got over the initial shock life is too precious to worry too much about a prolapse. Wishing you all the best.

Hi Diamond,

Gynecology has always been a surgical specialty, with the lion’s share of their business coming from prolapse. They developed a framework of reference from which to understand their subject. According to the gynecologic framework, “dysfunction” occurs because of (1) weak ligaments from which the pelvic organs are suspended, (2) a weak pelvic floor above which pelvic organs are supported and (3) weak vaginal walls that allow pelvic organs to bulge through.

The Whole Woman perspective is completely different. First of all, prolapse is not a medical condition. Sixty centimeters of intestines that have eviscerated through the post-hysterectomy vaginal cuff is a medical condition.

If we must give prolapse a medical name, it is more accurately an orthopedic condition having to do with the entire musculoskeletal system. No one set of muscles or ligaments is responsible for prolapse. Rather, the shape of the female spine, the forces of gravity, and the weight of the organs themselves are responsible for proper pelvic organ placement.

Since 2003 women have been trying to educate their doctors about Whole Woman methods. The truth of the matter is they do not want to know. With very few exceptions, doctors who make their living in reconstructive pelvic surgery do not care to know about this alternative.

This is why it is women who must become informed.

Christine

I'm sorry but whether you choose to manage your prolapse without surgery or go for the surgery I really think you need a new doctor. Your doctor should never laugh at your concerns and in so doing (s)he demonstrated a complete lack of concern for your opinion. There is definitely enough problems with the surgery to warrant you questioning it.

My thoughts on your question (I am no expert and struggling myself) and I am not being flippant here as I to desire a quick and definite fix... but alas after seeing my mom and grandma have botched and ineffective surgeries I don't see that they are the answer.

Your desperate...desperate enough to actually buy and do the DVD. If you get the DVD and follow the Whole Woman advice and it doesn't work what have you lost you can still do the surgery. You do the surgery and there is no going back. Why not try this first?

Hi Diamond,
Thanks for your response about a pessary. I went to my Doctor to ask for one and he seemed very confused about the whole idea. Kept looking at his computer and finally came up with the idea of one with hormones impregnated in it. Not what I was after as I'm not into drugs at all. Then he said surgery was my only hope. Oh well I tried. Got to get the video and help myself I think.

Yes Goddess

Helping yourself to make the most of what you have is certainly a good first step. Many of us have had very good results from just that. It is indeed sobering when we find ourselves consulting experts who subsequently know less about what we are talking about than we do, or at the very least cannot add to our knowledge.

Louise :-)

This works for me too, but I assume most women here have a worse condition than I do altho I lived w/my POP for almost 8 yrs in the POP closet, managing it with the downward dog, etc. The sponges work well for me and now I only use them about half the time. Like you, I can work and garden again with a few limitations and no worries. If it ever gets worse, I still have other options, but the posture keeps everything in place....hope it stays that way. I wish this and more success to all of you. Y.D.

Hi goddessnomore:
In 2003 my uterus hung out like a flacid penis. I did not want surgery. Thinking back, I had no concept of full bladder, full bowel, lifting, resting, standing for hours and the EFFECT all this had on me.. In 2005 I was on this site but spending about 50 hrs a week for a job I could not extend myself to understand that environmental factors could be my best solution to this condition. After rejecting the doctor (gyn) surgical solution for 3 years ( He too said a pessary would not work for Me- I should have insisted that I try one.) After failed suturing of my poor cervix to the sacral ligaments, and a challenging removal of the mesh used, I now have a 3.5 donut pessay holding my larger than lemon stretched vagina wrapping up what remains of my uterus, my bowel and bladder totally up where they do not bother me(above/behind pubic bone)
My advise to you is to at least TRY the pessary- the ury gyn who teaches gyn that finally gave me the donut pessary was hightly critical of the gyn who said it would not work for me- he said noone knows until they try.. I find it no more uncomfortable than a huge penis mite be inside me after a months use... I still have concerns regarding bacteria and the annoyance - still have to be careful of lifting. Think it may be a bit too big for me but generally feel at the present and that's what I deal with first..it has returned me to the goddess state (I believe it makes me more sensitive to my food intake which is a plus) The other offered treatment of more surgery which could per specialist negatively affect my bowel and bladder and after reading Saving the Whole Woman and other internet comments, scares me
If your doctor does not want to try a pessary (not an estrogen ring) then try another doctor.. There are a lot of designs and sizes.
i thing there needs to be a revolution by women so that we can get these prosthetic devices for our own use and experimentation w/o the "authority' of "surgeons" who in their need to become skilled hysterectomizers did not read the little paragraph on pessary use.