constipation & rectocele

Body: 

Hi everyone,

I have a rectocele of some degree. It doesn't hang out my vagina but the bulge is always there, grr! My question was about constipation and bowel movements.

Does anyone else feel like there bulge is slightly bigger immediately after a bowel
movement?

I'm desperately trying not to push AT ALL thus finding going to the loo very stressful and in turn have probably made myself even more constipated : ( I also have to splint to get anything out ( find this a real mental challenge ) What is a safe amount of pushing? I'm terrified I'll make it worse by going for a number 2.

Also what foods seem to help keep things moving? I'm breastfeeding so only interested in natural aids as opposed to pills/laxatives. Have just brought prunes, prune juice, fruit aand fibre, probiotic yoghurts and have 15ml of lactulose a day.

Am getting pretty desperate now. Thanks for any advice in advance!

Your concern has been one of mine, jellybelly83. When I was new to the forum, I read several people's suggestion to eat 6 prunes per day. Since I take pain meds that are constipating, I decided to eat 6-12/day depending on rest of diet. For this reason, I also take 3 stool soferners/day = 2 before bed and 1 in the early morning.
In addition and most importanly, I started taking probiotics (25,000 unit capsules 1/am and 1/pm.) These are meant to restore your digestive tract to its natural fauna. After two years of trying to get regular pooping everyday, I have finally found this answer. Within one week of taking the probiotics, I am pooping once or twice a day (rather than the past two years of pure torture).
Because, like you, I didn't want to push and make things worse, I discovered, in a semi squatting position, I can hold the bladder prolapse in with two fingers of my right hand and use my left hand to help push the poops down from the outside above the anus, after the tailbone where there is soft, flexible skin. You can feel the poops through the skin and by pressing on the skin in a downward motion, help move the poops
I hope this makes sense to you and doesn't sound too gross to try.
My rectocele prolapse is not getting worse or bulging and the bladder stays inside rather than being pushed out.
Has anyone else comments or ideas on this one?
Wishing you the best success, in peace, J-mom

the bulge is sometimes bigger- I think this is because the intestine is sort of held up by the poo- and when it comes out there is a bit of sag. You can wind this sag back up though by doing either the jiggle thing, nauli, downward dog or elbows and knees. Try it and see if that helps.

Peter Gillihams Calm is a magnesium drink that is natural and will help you for sure. Totally breastfeeding safe.

Two years ago I stopped buying breads and packaged cereals and instead in the morning eat oatmeal porridge and at lunch have my homemade 'roggebrood' (a dutch recipe that is like pumpernickel). I like eating the porridge with a little bit of brown sugar and blueberries or blackberries or raspberries or strawberries. At first I used to make the steel cut oatmeal but now I just make regular oatmeal - 5 min. If you want the recipe for the steel cut oatmeal just post that and I'll post that recipe also but I find the regular oatmeal is less work and works wonderful also. I have never been constipated again and it has made my bowels very regular now that I eat the porridge and roggebrood. I used to take probiotics for my stomach and I don't take that any longer either. Here is the 'Roggebrood' recipe which is very easy to make:
3 cups Red River cereal (or Sunny Boy cereal)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups water
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
Mix above, let sit for 2 hours. Line loaf tin with parchment paper or wax paper. Bake at 275 for 1 hour, then 250 for another hour.
Let sit for 5 minutes then remove from pan and carefully peel off paper. It will be very moist so keep turning it while it cools.
Once cool place it in the fridge and cut it the next day.
Since this is my lunch for work I cut it all up in slices and put parchment paper between the slices and then freeze in freezer bags. It tastes very good with slices of cheese on it. My favourite is Gouda or cheddar.

Thanks Calypso for this recipe, it sounds like something worth trying. I live in the US so I had to Google the cereals. They are made from cracked wheat, cracked rye, and whole flax. Hopefully can find a good equivalent around here.

Hi jellybaby
I have been off forum for a few weeks, just busy. You may want to read the thread I have just posted on the food forum re water and constipation.

I've got to say that i haven't worked out how to prevent constipation, and have tried most things now , except oatmeal. there doesn't seem to be a magic cure,: I guess each one of us are different.

I have taken on board WW advice, and do not strain with bowel movements - would rather wait till next time, even if there is a bit of discomfort.

I bought lactulose recently and have tried a couple of times - on both occasions it gave me bad and smelly wind, which is no good for me as a teacher, and it didn't make much difference to the stools.

Keep sharing notes - we are in this predicament together.

My bulge is not always there - it is more pronounced with a full bowel, or when I have been on my feet for a few hours - gravity seems to make it drop. Gently pressing bulge in , and doing some fire breathing, puts it back in place. Trying to alternate bouts of activity with sitting in WW posture also helps.

Marigold.

any suggestions I'm either constpated or very loose and never Ifeel that I am poo free. It can be very embrassing as sometimes I not even aware that I 've pooed a little in my pants. Can any one help? I have both rectcoele and and the bladder prolapse ,both are control by Christine's marvellous exercises but when I have a 'poo' episode my rectocele can get very uncomfortable.

Hi Worried - the frequent feeling of incomplete evacuation is really common with rectocele. Do the best you can without straining, and trust that whatever didn't make it out last time will eventually find its way! I'm not going to suggest any diet adjustments; there are lots of suggestions throughout this forum, some good and some bad (it's an open forum after all). Some people splint; that's another whole discussion! My suggestion is, just get used to the feeling and wear panty liners that are placed far enough back on your undies to catch the poo.....change as needed. - Surviving

Thanks it's good to know I'm not alone

Just wondering if I have developed a rectocele along with my uterine prolapse and peeing problems.
I recently found it more difficult to poo - that is I felt the need but couldn't push anything out.
I am not normally constipated.
You ladies who have dealt with rectocele might be able to help with advice. What do I do if I can't poo when I feel the need? I've read about manually helping but can't imagine how that works.
Should I wait until the urge returns and then try again?

Thanks for so much support and advice

Not necessarily, but it's hard to tell. Anyone can be constipated at times, and women with rectocele don't all have trouble going. Don't sit there and strain; be active and drink water and watch your diet and sitting position on the toilet. You can check the self-exam chapter in the book, or here on the site (go to Resources, then Library, and put self-exam in the search). Next time you feel the urge, if you still can't go, you can experiment with splinting and you may have your answer. - Surviving

When my uterus was really slumping at the opening, I did have more trouble with bowel movements and urinating. So the uterus can get in the way of having a bowel movement, and can cause the back of the vaginal wall to sag also. Getting your organs moving forward toward the lower belly is the only way to relieve thses feelings. Same with urinating. The uterus is also pulling the bladder back away from the lower belly more kinking the urethra causing slower urine flow.
You would know you had a rectocele though, because it would actually bulge into the back of your vaginal wall. I had some weakness back there, but did not have an actual bulge into the vagina.
I used to hold my uterus up and push on the back vaginal wall to have a bowel movement, because I was so afraid of straining and worried about what it would further do to my uterus. That was very uncomfortable. Really dedicating myself to this work, and doing some good jiggling and firebreathing really helps to move things in the right direction, so bowel movements are more easily done. I also had to really work on my diet to get over the years of constipation I all ready had going into this.
You make it sound like you have just suddenly had troubles with your bowel movements though, and that recent stress has made your uterus feel more prolapsed. So if you are all ready maintaining a good diet, at least you wil have one less thing to worry about in all this.
I know how frustrating set backs can be, but this can improve again.