new to prolapse

Submitted by hypnomum on October 3, 2011 - 10:49pm
Body: 

Hi all,

I have been reading lots of posts over the last few weeks. Im 38 and 7 weeks ago gave birth to a healthy boy, our third child. This time round I really looked after myself during the pregnancy ( 7 yr break between children) with accupunture and herbs, kept up walking , ate healthy per usual and practised hypno birthing techniques, relaxed and meditated every day. I developed pre-eclampsia ( i had it with my last pregnancy) but avoided being induced until 39 wks and 5 days as my bp stayed relatively stable. I put this down to the hypno birthing meditation everyday and lots of rest.
I was induced as I mentioned and had a dream 3 1/2 hr labor and partial lotus birth. I was so happy and overjoyed. A week post partum I sneezed twice and felt something drop, and then lots of heavy bleeding. I had many blood clots removed as the bleeding continued for a week. I noticed the bulge as soon as I sneezed, and didnt think anything of it until a week later when the bulgey feeling didnt dissapear. I told my husband that I think I have some prolapse. After being in denial for several weeks, I finally went to my gp two weeks ago, and he confirmed my fears. Im seeing my obstetrician this week, and he will also be my gyno. I have no idea what type of prolapse I have.
When I wake in the morning everything is normal, until half an hour later and the bulge falls, reaching the entrance to my vagina, and stays like this all day. Its very uncomfortable, and I think about it often, it drives me crazy. I feel so unsexy, and the thought of ever getting my sex life back depresses me. I have been doing my pelvic floor excercises since birth, and I dont have any incontinence, but I do have the urge to urinate often, drives me nuts. I know so many of you advocate the whole woman posture but I cant see, at this stage, how it will ever get better without surgery, and even worse, if I decide no surgery, how to live with a bulge between my legs for the rest of my life.........oh god, so depressing. By the end of the day, it gets very dry aswell. I will post the outcome of my visit with my ob................thanks for listening and thanks for sharing. without reading all your posts, I would probably be a dribbling mess every day. Im trying to stay positive!!!!

louiseds

October 4, 2011 - 2:03am

Hi Hypnomum

It must have been deeply disappointing and frustrating for you to find prolapsed pelvic organs after such a positive pregnancy, labour and birth. It sounds like you managed to get out of the epidural and fully managed labour including forceps and big episiotomy that I had forced on me for pre-eclampsia during my first labour. Yay!

Postpartum prolapse often does not appear immediately after birth. We don't know why - maybe weight loss after birthing is a bit like rapid planned weight loss, which is another time that women discover prolapse for the first time, and when the rapidness of it often leaves people with saggy skin, which slowly catches up with fat loss over the following year or so.

After pregnancy your uterus will have returned to normal size pretty quickly, especially if nursing, but all the connective tissue that allowed your uterus and belly to expand greatly over nine months will take about two years to fully revert to prepregnancy size.

You will have to be very patient and allow natural reversion to happen, in its good time, which will happen without any help from you. It may get worse over the next few months, but it will start improving again in the second six months of your baby's first year.

While that is happening you can learn to use your body in ways that move your pelvic organs forward onto your pubic symphysis, and away from the top of your vagina, and reinstate your lumbar curve in your spine by lifting your chest high. This natural curve ensures that the intraabdominal forces, which result from breathing and moving, bounce off your relaxed, lower abdominal wall, and have to go around a corner before hitting your vagina, rather than going straight down, and towards your vagina. It will also put your abdominal muscles into natural tension and make a gentle curve of your baby belly without your having to pull your tummy muscles in. It also lips your pelvis forwards slightly and makes your pelvic floor diagonal, rather than horizontal. Relaxing your tummy muscles gives your bladder and uterus a little spot over your pubic symphysis with plenty of room for them to rest forwards against your lower abdominal wall, instead of falling backwards and impinging on your vagina.

You will understand this better by reading the FAQ's, and visit Youtube to see excerpts from Christine Kent's videos, in wholewomaninc channel.

I won't burden you with extra detail now. Go and have a look at these resources before you visit the Gyn. Then come back and post again with your thoughts. You will probably have lots more questions by then. Also watch these Forums. You will get a few replies from other women who have experienced this very distressing condition.

Good luck. Don't panic. You will be fine without getting surgical repairs, but do go and hear what the gyn has to say. Whatever you do, you will need a formal diagnosis.

Louise

hypnomum

October 5, 2011 - 10:05pm

Hi Louise,

I had a look at all the youtube videos, and the f&q before posting.
My gyno confirmed the front wall of my vagina had prolapsed and fitted me with a pessary ring only for a couple of months, and boy, does it feel better. On a scale of 1-3 he put me inbetween 2-3 . I didnt realize how bad it was until i went to the toilet and it was so much easier to pass urine. My gyno said its best to see what the body does naturally , and we will reassess in about 6 months to a year. In my case he said we will either leave the prolapse, or surgery may be an option. Im not too thrilled about having the ring, but its nice to feel comfortable again. Im still very daunted by the idea of sexual activity.

cheers
Hypnomum
xo

ProudMama

October 7, 2011 - 7:05am

I just happened back on this forum after a few years absence. Please stay calm about the surgery talk. I gave birth 3 years ago, I freaked out when I had this "bulge" problem. It is so incredibly normal, I wish it were talked about more. Mine is now GONE!! Yes, completely gone and I run and jump and laugh and sneeze. HA HA. Complete healing not happen for everyone, but I am overjoyed that it CAN happen. Please just give it time to heal. My biggest help was what I call the stomach vacuum, also the physical therapy prescribed by my OB -- uses some of the "stomach vacuum" method. Although I did not follow all of the advice on this forum I am forever grateful for knowing that I was not alone and that PP prolapse is very common. I took probably 6-8 months before I did not feel it all day, only a few days before my period. Then it took until my DD was about 18 months before it was gone completely.

louiseds

October 9, 2011 - 5:26am

Good to hear that you are going well, ProudMama. Wow! That is some improvement!

hypnomum

October 14, 2011 - 5:12am

I received my pap smear results yesterday and its high grade, and I have to go in for a colposcopy in two weeks. I have a very depressed vagina at the moment. Im staying relatively positive and nuturing myself as much as possible. I had accupunture and drinking chinese herbs, off to naturopath tomorrow then chiropractor next week, I think that just about covers it. The pessary ring is great, if only it was a long term solution.

granolamom

October 15, 2011 - 8:08pm

((((((((((((((hypnomum)))))))))))))
you're in my thoughts and prayers

alemama

October 16, 2011 - 7:03pm

I googled to figure out what this meant. Doesn't look good right? I did wonder if things were abnormal because of the recent birth? I don't know- but it seems like they could be.
Please let us know when you know something.

moominmama

October 17, 2011 - 2:14am

Re. a smear being 'high grade': My GP told me to wait until after the baby was 3 months old before going for a smear, even though I had a reminder letter for an appt., because of the increased risk post-partum of false alarms. She said there can be signs of inflammation that are just part of the body's natural healing.
Proudmama: Thank you for encouragement!! And hooray for you!

hypnomum

October 17, 2011 - 4:26am

Over the past 3 years I have had abnormal readings and always low , because of this I was having pap smears yearly . The month I found out I was pregnant I was booked in for a follow up test. I did have some abnormal heavy bleeding before I found out I was pregnant and because of this my ob wanted to do the test ASAP after birth. He did say not to panic it could be an infection but because of my past readings I am a little concerned. Thank you for your thoughts it really helps me stay positive having this forum to turn to

louiseds

October 18, 2011 - 3:06am

Hi Hypnomum

I have just been through all this PAP smear stuff myself. One of the things about cervical cancer is that it develops very slowly, so don't panic. These smears pick up abnormalities, which can be of several types, not all of which will develop into cervical cancer. They say they have to be cautious. They have a protocol for every result.

I had abnormal cells at a smear after one of my births. It turned out to be what was known then as cervical erosion, which should have cleared up after the birth but didn't by the expected time. The following year it had gone completely.

I have recently had another abnormal one, the first postmenopause. There were some abnormal cells, and they didn't think there were enough cells so they want me to have a course of oestrogen cream in 12 months time so they can collect more cells, and have another one. No need to have one sooner.

I think you just have to go along with it until they decide that they want to intervene. Then you can start getting serious about deciding by research and other opinions whether intervening will solve the problem, or if indeed there is a problem that needs solving. You have time on your side. Just hang in there and take the results one by one.

We are not doctors here, but we can help you to have a clear mind and give you reality checks as events unfold.

Louise