prolapse and hormone balance

Body: 

Hi Ladies,
I am 39, 21 months postpartum and 6 months since prolapse. My question is, can prolapse cause any change in hormonal balance. I've notice a difference in my monthly cycles and in how I feel in general lately. I thought it was maybe the stress of a new diagnosis of prolapse or maybe some peri menopause stuff, but was wondering if having pelvic organs out of place can cause any changes with hormones? I am still breastfeeding. Thanks for any advice.
Marla

Hi Marla

To my knowledge there are no hormone changes with prolapse. Prolapse doesn't change the way our organs function metabolically. However, when our organs are uncomfortable they seem to become sensitive to all sorts of things. A happy pelvic organ is one that is in its right position.

I would think that the changes you are experiencing are normal for a woman of 39 who has a toddler. So glad you are still breastfeeding. Yes, perimenopause is just around the corner for you. I am now 60 and four years postmenopause. My last baby of 3 was born when I was 34 and I nursed him until he was 2 years 9 months. After that last pregnancy I did notice changes in my cycle.

I think perimenopause happens much more gradually than medicine would have us believe. The arithmetic tells me that it was around 20 years from that last birth until menopause for me. Looking back I can see that my menstrual cycle changed continuously throughout my reproductive life. There was no normal. I nurse my first baby, born when I was 29, until 16 months, my second until 20 months (when I was five months pregnant with the third), so there was nearly 8 years out of that era taken up with gestating and breastfeeding, probably 4-5 years of that anovulatory. There was also a fourth pregnancy that only lasted 10 weeks. So there were ups and downs happening on top of each other until my reproductive ability started its decline. How many of the changes I experienced over the month were to do with hormone levels? How many of the changes were physically, mentally and emotionally based? I will never know.

We think of trees as being unchanging, but in truth they are changing all the time with the seasons, perhaps with the moon. They flower, they fruit, they seed. The seed disperses and new seedlings germinate and grow into new trees. Passionfruit are most vigorous and produce most fruit for the first few years, then tail off production and simply grow old. You have to periodically rip them out and plant a new one. I think we are very much the same.

The only normal is change itself.

I would be thinking that the thinning of connective tissues that accompanies perimenopause, as well as the physical demands of your growing toddler and baby on you, caused the prolapse to manifest. You may have had it asymptomatically for some time. Many women find that prolapse happens after the second pregnancy, rather than straight after the first. When we go into the second pregnancy our body is already 'pre-stretched' by the first, so the whole pregnancy often feels different.

BTW, at 21 months pp it is highly unlikely that your oestrogen level is low enough to cause vaginal discomfort, unless your baby is being frequently fed at night and is having no other foods or pacifier.

Weaning won't improve your prolapses. Changing your posture will!!!

Louise

Thanks Louise for the advice. I have heard that prolapse my get better after a baby is weaned, but I'm not in any hurry to do that. My periods are very regular, and I have always had very painful menstrual cramps ever since I first got my period at age 13. The best time of my life was being pregnant and breastfeeding, since I got a nice long break from painful periods and heavy bleeding (I have 4 children). I was told that I don't have endometriosis or other uterine problems. I'm taking herbs to help with uterine health, they help some, but I still need to take a couple of advil during menstruation for cramping. Lately I've been having cramping even when not menstruating. This has been driving me crazy. It also adds to the rectal pain and pressure I feel, especially when standing and walking. I took my girls(age 8 and 5) to the mall today to do a little shopping, and I was so uncomfortable. I walk in posture all the time. I will be so happy when I can figure out where this pain is coming from and how to improve it. In the morning, when I stretch my arms up, I feel pulling and pain in my pelvic area. Any advice? Thank you.

Hi Marla

Do you get any cramping when your baby nurses?

Is there any possibility of your uterus being retroverted? Some doctors believe that it doesn't make any difference if the uterus is retroverted. They regard it as a variation of normal, so they don't mention it as a problem, as if classifying it as a non-problem it will stop affecting the woman by some sort of magic. Many women know that it causes them problems.

When you menstruate do you get more bleeding at night, or during the day?