Rectocele

Body: 

Hi- new here and hoping to find help. I'm 8 mos post partum with my 3rd child and have a rectocele (self diagnosed but I know I at minimum have that). My first delivery 6 years ago was rough, hours of pushing, 5 attempts with a vacuum and eventually a forceps delivery. After that delivery I had a fissure and a fistula that both had to be repaired, I'm sure making my problems worse. Between then and now it's been there but not terrible. For some reason it's gotten worse in the last couple months so I'm worried its just going to continue to get worse.

Does anyone know how to determine what level rectocele you have? Or is that assessed by your doctor? I'm trying to manage my diet since I know that's key here but looking for hope that this will go away or get better. I haven't ordered the book or DVD yet bc I wasn't sure which one would make the most sense for me. I can only swing buying 1 so didn't want to get the wrong one.

Anyone with similar experiences? Someone please give me hope, I'm starting to get pretty down about it! Also, I haven't started exercising again and really want to start training for a half marathon. Does running make this worse??

Thanks for the help!

First off I can’t see how running would make rectocele worse. I think it has to do more with straining on the toilet, delaying and holding defecation, and perhaps too bulky stools, lifting heavy weights, trauma (of which you have had your fair share) and etc.

There are women here who run and encourage others to do so. As to half marathons well that is taking it to the max, but I imagine sensible training would prepare you well and safely. You would be able to gauge for yourself your progress and the effect on your prolapse.

Degree of prolapse is usually talked about in stages 1-3. You should be able to measure that yourself simply by feel. If the organ protrudes beyond the vaginal opening, it’s stage 3.

Look, I would suggest you get the book. I’m a book person and I like understanding the why. The book explains all the theory underpinning the Wholewoman Approach and it also has exercises at the back.

Best wishes and welcome, Fab

Hi MelP and welcome. There are lots of opinions on this; I happen to agree with Fab and I started out with just the book (and after going on 3 years, I still pick it up on a regular basis). Eventually I did get the First Aid for Prolapse DVD and it added another dimension to my WW work, by giving me good visuals on lots of helpful moves. I love both, and now have the entire Yoga collection as well, but I built my library one piece at a time.

Yes, you can run, but only in WW posture. So you will really need to cultivate that before you go any farther. I walk lots, and in good mindful posture it's just about the best thing you can do for prolapse.

Learn the posture - everything else revolves around that. - Surviving

Hi MelP

Don't get too hung up on degree of prolapse. Prolapses change all the time. If your rectocele goes away, chances are that your bladder will appear. They are all tethered together. Now they are more mobile they can be anywhere. The aim of this work is to get your organs back to where they should be, held there stably by your WW posture with minimal, or at least managable symptoms. Give it time and patience.

Degrees of prolapse are an invention of gynaecology. They are quantitative measurements (albeit flawed) that help doctors to decide what surgical procedures they will use to fix prolapse. Yes, my dear, you have been measured up for renovation, whether you like it or not! ;-)

That's how simplistic gynaecology is with a very sophisticated set of conditions!

If you buy Christine Kent's book and/or DVD you will get just as much understanding of *prolapse* per se as most gynaecologists, if not more. Gynaecologists understand a lot about a woman's body on an operating table, and how they can use her existing tissues to tighten up the supports on the inside, but very little about the pelvic dynamics of an active, upright woman, and how her pelvic organs are really kept in stable configuraton. As we rarely experience prolapse symptoms while lying down, it begs the question, Why do they think that lying down is equal to standing up?

Louise