prolapse

Hi, and welcome. The book and DVD are available through this website. Also there is a practitioner in the UK. I can’t remember if she is stocking books and DVDs or not, but if so, this would probably be the best way to obtain the materials. Go to the Practitioners tab above and look for her. She would also be your best source for an answer to your question about the British Medical Council.

Most of us have found that traditional medicine does not have much to offer those of us with prolapse. If you are only interested in going through your medical system for any kind of treatment, I wish that you would at least look around at the resources on this site and forum before you make a decision like that. Surgery is extremely risky and potentially very damaging, but unfortunately this is often the first (and maybe only) tool in the doctor’s bag. Please do your own research. I’ve been doing this posture for three years and have been managing my prolapse beautifully. I have never even had a medical diagnosis of my prolapse. Everything I need to know about the causes and management of prolapse I have learned from Christine and this community here. Please look around, ask questions, consider taking on this challenge yourself. It is very rewarding. - Surviving

Hi. I'm in the UK too, and haven't been on the site long. I emailed the UK practitioner, but she doesn't sell the book or DVD, so I ordered the book from this website. It works out rather expensive, but I really needed something to help me along. My GP actually told me not to rush into surgery, because "it will only last about 10 years, then you'll have to have more surgery", and the gynaecologist I saw at the hospital offered me pessaries (the size of them made me shudder!) or surgery, but was quite happy for me to "do nothing" and manage it myself. I doubt if the GMC have even heard of Christine Kent's system (which I didn't mention to the doc). I think you can get a lot of information on this website, if you don't feel you want to buy the book. I seem to be coping OK so far just with the posture and some of the exercises, and it would have to be very severe for me to even consider surgery.
Have you just been diagnosed? It took me a while to get over the diagnosis, but now I'm determined to carry on as normally as possible, and not let it get me down. Good luck with the NHS. Hope you get sympathetic doctors, as I did.
Grandmak

Pelvic floor exercises nowadays come in different packages. You really need to know which ones your doctor is referring you to, especially as you are in England as it might not necessarily mean Kegels as it usually does in the US. If the physiotherapist is talking about exercises which stretch the muscles surrounding the pelvis then they may be worth having a look at. And then checking back in to the forum to see whether they are consistent with WWpractice.

Kegels, on the other hand, consists of repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor and to quote Wikipedia “are usually done to reduce urinary incontinence, reduce urinary incontinence after childbirth, and reduce premature ejaculatory occurrences in men, as well as to increase the size and intensity of erections”. So, if you do not fit into any of these categories, I would suggest you would do well to leave them alone. Christine has talked about why Kegels are not beneficial to pelvic organ prolapse. You can check this out in resources or the library.

If you are intent upon managing and improving your prolapse itself then that is what WWposture concentrates upon based on the concept that the loss of our lumbar curve means our pelvic organs fall back and down the vaginal canal. Retrieval of the pelvic organs to their true position above and over the pelvic bone requires the retrieval of the lumbar curve and the regained strength of our postural muscles and skeleton.

You are a bit up against getting on top of the subject mentally without Christine’s book “Saving the Wholewoman”, but read around the site and see what you can make of things. We will try to answer any of your questions.

Cheers, Fab

I hadn't heard of Vagifem and had to google it. Sounds like HRT to me, and I decided I didn't want that - and the GP didn't even offer it. She said in my case it's probably too late for pelvic floor exercises to do any good, and having read on this site that they can make things worse, I haven't done those either.
When this all came to light it was a few weeks before a walking holiday we had booked, and I was sure I'd never be able to do it, but I got myself something called a V2 supporter (I think) which holds things in a bit and I tried to walk in posture, and was fine. Now that I've been doing the posture a bit longer, I find I can walk more and more (with no supporter) without getting discomfort, and according to Christine walking (in posture) is good for prolapse. I don't do much gardening, so don't have to worry about that, but you could search the forum for gardening or yardwork (US) for tips on how to do it without doing damage. I try not too lift too much, but again try searching the forum for lifting. There are good days and not so good, but I feel much more positive than I did a couple of months ago.
Good luck
Grandmak

I enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for your helpful comments and well done on your successful achievement.

Yes, when assuming WWposture there is usually back ache to start with because you are drawing your muscles back into a new configuration (your natural one) after years of them being held the wrong way (the old tummy in and tuck tail under). If you did not experience a back ache with polapse, this means your organs went first rather than manifesting itself in backache which is strange but is often the way of things.

Yes, you may ask and you will get mostly truthful answers. I developed a prolapsed uterus, what was known as a fallen womb in those days, after the birth of my first child; too narrow pelvis, forceps delivery, episiotomy. It’s main symptom was an ache on my left side below my shoulder blade. As I grew older with very little stretching exercise and less energetic physical work and awkward posture situations, it went on its own. Peri menopause saw the blighter return full blown where the uterus was mostly through the vagina. I had altered my natural posture as the result of dizzy attacks over a few years where I was walking tippy toe (splayed like a scared cat’s) and head down would you believe, and I have struggled with it ever since. Things got worse after I broke my hip but the temporary forced retirement gave me the time to find this forum, read Christine’s book and follow posture and other aspects of “Saving the wholewoman; diet etc. This lucky stroke has brought me round to leading possibly a more active life than many people my age, 67 at least from observation.

I guess I never considered it an option for me not to just carry on mostly as usual. Not that I am advocating that for you. If your prolapse has only just occurred then this is an excellent time to be pro-active because it is still possible to nip the thing in the bud and limit it from becoming your new natural.

Cheers, Fab

Yes, it would seem the lifting of the paving stones could have been the straw to break the camel’s back. You are not to regret that though, because it was just the latest in a number of contributing factors which incite and worsen prolapse. I too have a large garden and love to be out in it, doing all sorts.

I guess the basic rules of WW are: do posture, walk a lot in posture, reorganise the way you do things so that you can do them in posture, fix up your diet if you need to strain on the toilet, never strain on the toilet, lean forward on the toilet to a semi-squat to void (not so easy at first for us golden oldies, but well worth the effort), don’t wear tight restricting clothes, but you can swear and drink in moderation if you wish. And, if you have the opportunity, do rest when the POP is worse, usually as the day progresses, rest then and finish off chores later.

Glad you are going to get the book. You can be in charge then, a nice way to be.

Cheers, Fab

... and remember that if your paving slabs are the same as mine, they have four corners, so you can walk them end-over-end, or simply walk them forward, one end first, then swivel on that corner and walk the other end forward, and repeat. Both these methods use a lot less oomph than actually picking them up.

This sort of mechanical advantage can be used for all sorts of lifting tasks, as can ramps, crow bars and other levers, bag trolleys, sleds, pulleys, etc. You won't be a complete invalid!!

Louise

Hi ,
The WW approach is not known by the Britsh Medical Association so will certainly not be recognised by them. The usual treatment options offered by the NHS are: nothing until/unless things get worse, pessaries, (which sit some women mainly with cystocele/front of the vaginal wall prolapse), pelvic floor exercises aka kegels in the USA, or surgery. I think the WW approach will be adopted at some point in the future, but at this point in time, the vast majority of the medical professions know no other options.

I share your wish not to pursue surgery, as surgeries have may cause further problems either short or long term. Also once women have surgery - that's it, there's no turning back, what's done is done. However with the WW approach it is a slower, natural, safer approach which you can work with, develop and although there are no guarantees in life, most women find they go on to lead normal, healthy lives at the same time as managing their prolapses or they've improved so much they are symptom free, so long as they follow the WW posture, principles, life-style awareness etc.

Re kegels/pelvic floor exercises, these can be done safely whilst on all fours or leaning fwd. Christine says they're ineffective for pop, but can be useful for tightening the vaginal passage and pleasuer during intercourse.

The traditional medical approach is based on a different viewing of the pelvic alignment within the body, ie a bowl. Whereas in reality the pelvic alignemnt is more like a bowl on its side. The WW approach works with the true alignment of the female form and that is primarily why it works!

The UK practitioner does not currently sell WW products. However I thoroughly recommend anyone actually who has pop to buy the bookd and 1/more of the dvd's. These are investments in yourhealth for life - and also helps to support the WW work. When you think of it like that, it doesn't seem so expensive!

Also if you are lucky enough to live near to 1 of the ww Practitioners you may well find it very helpful to have visit a teacher - and get their face to face adivce and support.

Hope this helps.
xwholewomanuk

Hi to all who have posted in this topic. The author of this topic wished to be removed. Unfortunately this has meant deleting some replies, which is unfortunate, but which honours her wishes. Apologies for removing any of your comments which are no longer here.

Louise