14 weeks pregnant, uterine prolapse and rectocele. Dr. little help

Body: 

I'm completely new to this forum and topic so please forgive if I sound uninformed regarding these issues, but my OB was of little help on my last visit.

Last week I noted some discomfort while walking around. The feeling of a tampon not placed correctly, however, being 13 weeks pregnant, I wasn't wearing a tampon! I finally decided to digitally feel what I was feeling internally and I felt a large protrusion that was at the opening to my vagina. After an ER visit and an hour of transvaginal sonograming, the baby was seemingly fine, pelvic exam (with speculum) revealed my cervix was intact and I was sent home.

I had started taking Zofran for nausea and there is some accompanying constipation with that drug, for which I was taking Sennokote. I did have to strain to have a bowel movement earlier that day. The following day I had the same experience and again felt a protrusion, not painful, but that definitely shouldn't have been there. Scheduled my follow up with my OB.

This protrusion can be pushed back to what I would call the top of my vaginal canal, is soft, and does not hurt. It is along the back wall, so I assume that it's a rectocele, but when my dr. examined me, she said I had a cystocele and that there wasn't anything she could do about it while I was pregnant. I specifically asked her, "so it's NOT a rectocele" and she said 'no'. Her answer and response seemed quite flip and she was of little help with what to do, what not to do, would it get better, etc.

I'm trying to make an appointment with a dr. who specializes in diagnosing, treating, etc. these issues but I feel very demoralized about what to do about this? Am I doing any damage by moving it up and out of the way several times a day? Do I leave it alone?

At this point, if I look at myself laying on my back or seated on the edge of the bathtub, my opening is filled with cervix and this protrusion. It's very disconcerting. I worry that if I'm this low with my cervix now, how can I expect to make it full term?

The doctor said there was no need to entertain a C-section, but also alluded that my previous vaginal delivery (4-5 hours of pushing, baby's head was turned ear first coming out) precipitated this.

I'm sorry to ramble...it's a topic that my husband will listen to, but frankly, I dont want to freak him out any more about the 'area' than he already is.

If anyone has had experiences with a very low uterus during pregnancy and/or the associated rectocele I would love to hear how it went and if their OB was more responsive to their worries. I hate changing doctors mid-stream, but I want the best care for my baby and myself and I'm doubting her right now.

I guess I should mention I also have a retroverted uterus too. I'm just all fun and games down there...!
Thank you!

Hi kinderly

Just want to reassure you that I also had a lowish uterus and symptoms of what I later realized was a small cystocele at about sixteen weeks in my second pregnancy. I ended up panicking and going to hospital because I assumed, with a history of miscarriage and bleeding in early pregnancy, that this was a threat to my carrying to term.

I was told that a low cervix in early to mid pregnancy is almost universal for second or subsequent births ( because of the weight of the growing baby and uterus) and that there was no risk after all. At about 20 weeks it all usually gets too big to stay in your pelvis, and rises up magically into your abdomen. ( Even if it doesn't, this just means an uncomfortable time for you, it does not pose any threat to the baby whatsoever.)

I was so ignorant then ( ten years ago) that I didn't even realize that what I had thought was my cervix was actually a small cystocele, right at the bottom of my vagina - and nobody bothered to tell me. If it's any comfort, I've had it for ten years now and since I have really got the hang of whole woman posture I hardly notice it most of the time - these things can be controlled and stabilized after pregnancy- it just takes time and patience.

Lots of women here have had good pregnancies and natural births after prolapse without worsening their condition at all so there is lots for you to be very optimistic about. As I didn't really know I had a cystocele during pregnancy I can't be much help there, but there are lots of women here who have more expertise and experience of this and I'm sure they'll be replying soon.

If I was you I'd be reading as much as I could here - try putting pregnancy in the search box. And please don't let it overshadow your pregnancy with worry - it's very common and doesn't mean your body isn't good at having babies.

I quite understand your partner's not the best person to offload to when your worried about something like this, but you can share as many worries and questions as you like with us here and there will generally be someone who can offer their experiences or tips.

Doubtful

Doubtful

Your comments certainly help, even if your experience was somewhat different from mine (in not knowing it was a cystocele during the pregnancy). I don't doubt that I may have a cystocele in addition to a rectocele, but man, I can say that it's definitely a rectocele. I tried pushing against it while attempting to have a BM earlier (is that splinting?) and it definitely increased the sensation of needing to go, but I'm still moving slowly in that department.

I'm a scientist and by nature I work better with information and verifiable facts and simply being told "it's nothing" when it's clearly SOMETHING did not put my mind at ease. I'm hoping that I will begin to have some movement upwards in the next few weeks that will make me a bit less frantic. It's possible that I'm not as in tune with what is or is not my cervix at the moment because, honestly, things are very much not where I left them last down there!

I've been using a menstrual ring for about a year now and feel pretty comfortable about feeling my pubic bone and cervix to get that placed correctly, but it's like I woke up with someone else's parts these days! (attempt at humor)

Thank you so much for stepping up to give me some reassuring words. I'm so glad to hear that you have been able to cope/handle the cystocele that you have and that you had a good outcome with your pregnancy! My first was so simple - I knew a second pregnancy had the potential to be totally different, but I hadn't imagined I would be so overwhelmed by things I never knew anything about until now. I really want to just enjoy and celebrate this pregnancy and prepare myself for another tiny one in the house, not stress about my girlie parts.

I'll be reading up a storm! Thanks again!