p.o.p

Submitted by prolapse questions on September 7, 2013 - 1:01pm
Body: 

I have had pop for 2 years now. I was told a year ago, that things were starting to relax and that I should
see a gynecologist. I did that, and she told me to try therapy. So I have been doing the exercises, got the kegel mister, and did the kegels 3x a day 150-200 every day for a year. I was obsessed, I was going to
whip things back into shape. Well, that hasn't happened. I still am prolapsing and at times it seems worse.
To make things worse, my uterus is tipped, it doesn't sit like a normal uterus does.
I work on my feet 37 hours a week cashiering, and I haven't been able to find a different job. I am 53 and still not in menopause. I am single, so I cannot just quit my job.
I went back to the gyno In July this year, and we talked about a hysterectomy, I have a sister that had
one a couple of years ago for this same problem. I told my Dr. that she had hers done surgically, rather
than vaginally. My Dr. insists that if I have a hysterectomy that it should be done vaginally. I am afraid, that If I have the hysterectomy vaginally, it will damage the pelvic floor more than it already is. I don't have incontinence problems. I have researched this online, on one hand it says that most hysterectomies are done surgically and that in 10-20 years 65% of them have incontinence problems, then I also read that vaginal hysterectomies have 6x more likely to have problems with incontinence within 3-5 years.
I asked a Dr. in P.A. that had an article posted online regarding a surgery that fixes the pelvic floor without removing the uterus, but that involves using mesh, which I have been reading bad things about as well.
I asked him if I just leave this go, what would happen. He said that the pelvic floor will continue to deteriorate. I really don't know what to do, so I've decided not to do anything for now....

Forum:

louiseds

September 8, 2013 - 6:43am

Hi Prolapse Questions

Doctors have only surgery as a tool for helping women with prolapse, so of course they will suggest it. Do nothing is their only other advice, and that is always accompanied by the unpleasant information that the pelvic floor support will continue to deteriorate. It is all surgery, whether via the vagina or via a laparoscopy or full abdominal incision. The uterus is removed, whichever approach is taken, and that removes the connection between the bladder and rectum. The HERS Foundation, www.hersfoundation.org is a very useful site for any woman considering hysterectomy.

What you have currently is all your pelvic organs joined to each other, and all trying to come down your vagina. We call this nature's pessary. Each will prevent the descent of the others. Take away the uterus and other surgical methods are needed for preventing the descent of the other two organs.

You can use your posture to change the way your pelvic organs sit, bringing them further forward onto your pubic bones and lower belly, rather than right over the vagina. It may take some time, and there are no guarantees, but you will get some improvement in symptoms. Ten years ago I was told by my doctor and gyn that I needed a hysterectomy and bladder suspension. I said no thanks. I had my cervix peeping out of my vulva, a big bladder bulge into my vagina and my rectum bulging into my back vaginal wall, all at different times. My uterus had been upside down with my cervix pointing straight upwards out of my back vaginal wall. That's serious retroversion. I had great difficulty emptying my rectum completely.

Now I have no bowel problems, my cervix is way, way up and comes out of the front vaginal wall (since a couple of years before menopause four years ago), and I sometimes have a small bladder bulge, but it is always well inside my vulva. Last PAP smear my doctor could only find a small bladder bulge and no rectocele.

WW is a whole of body approach, involving primarily postural changes, but also changes in diet, clothing style, the way we use our bodies and the way we lift loads, the way we exercise, and generally learning to change our expectations of ourselves, and accepting the way we now are.

Louise