Rectocele and Lichen Sclerosis

Body: 

Hello - I am new to this forum. I have concerns. Just been to the genealogist who inform me I have a rectocele. I am not having problems so she did not advocate surgery but if she did - she would have performed a hysterectomy which scared the daylights out of me. I also suffer from Lichen Sclerosis and diverticulitis. I am getting the LS under control again. I have bouts from time to time. I found that using Perrins Crème seems to help very much. I have had LS since 2006. I received no help ever from the doctors and managed to get it stopped but not before I suffered damage. I have ordered some material from this website and am anxious to see it. I am looking for help. The Internet has been my only way of finding help for the LS and now the rectocele. Is there anyone else out there with these problems? I am 63, married, mother of 3 and grandmother of 2. Thank you.

Hi Want to know,
I have had rectocele since 1995, & have been doing WWPosture for 18mths. Now that I'm entering menopause & noticing a change in tissue elasticity, I need to be more vigilant. I see my rectocele as a natural pessary stopping any further prolapses, & WW Posture & exercise which has lifelong benefits along with a natural alternative to surgery, which was the only option given to me when younger. I don't understand why a hysterectomy was suggested - to me that sounds like taking off a leg for a sore toe.
I don't have first hand knowledge of the other Q you have - look around the forums as there is much information & support from the lovely ladies here.
Best Wishes,
Aussie Soul Sister

I have rectocele and cystocele and have been doing this work going on 4 years. I am unclear as to why your doctor would recommend hysterectomy so maybe you can tell us what reasons were given? Very few hysterectomies are medically warranted, and all of them can be very damaging. Do some research on this site and on the HERS site. Aussie Soul Sis is right - these 'celes may be a pain but they help keep our uteri from misbehaving too badly.

As for the LS, Christine has written and posted extensively on the honey-and-vinegar regimen that has worked so well for her and many others. Do a search on the Forum and Blog for information; consider getting her Vulva-Vaginal Health dvd. - Surviving

I read you post, I do have Lichen Sclerosis and Diverticulitis but I am fortunate not to have celes, I follow Christine advise and I take every day Red Clover capsules for the Lichen and I take 2 tall glasses of a smoothy prepared with pineapple, Kale, beet, carrot, celery, cucumber, kiwi or banana to have plenty of fiber all the ingredients are raw and my diet is gluten, nightshade and dairy free. I wish you all the best, you can see my previous post too. Solita

The G stated she would perform a vaginal hysterectomy while also correcting the rectocele. I believe the reason is to "prevent" me from having any more "problems" and reoccurring surgeries etc. I gathered it was a "while I am here - I will do this as well" thing. Also there are risks involved from surgery and they increase as I get older. She said she would do the surgery if I wanted it (she also LOVES to perform surgery). I said No to surgery - we will just wait and see.

She offered no help with the LS except for corticosteroid cream which I had used in the beginning and told her it do no good whatsoever. I have not heard of using honey and vinegar for LS. I do take AC vinegar with water twice a day. I also take a probiotic and make smoothies with all kinds of veggies and fruit to increase my fiber.

What reason did she give for you to need a hysterectomy?

I hadn't thought of the rectocele quite like that (a natural pessary). I plan to try the exercises and hope to keep things in check. I do think your analogy of taking off a leg for a sore toe is exactly right. The only choices I was given was surgery (which included the hysterectomy) or no surgery. The Dr did talk about the pessaries. I had never heard of those before. I didn't like the idea of it.

A few after the LS did it's damage - I had a salvia test done. It showed a lack of progesterone and adrenal fatigue. I started to change my diet and try to take better care of myself. I haven't done the best job. My husband and I have been raising 2 grandchildren - which has been very stressful. Then this summer - my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease. So I was consumed with taking care of him to get him back on top - I let my health go to the wayside a bit. So I am learning the care giver needs to take of themselves as well.

I am wondering about the Yoga - do you do those? Sounds interesting and I am sure it would benefit me in many ways. Thanks for the support.

Just because she was already there to correct the rectocele, I guess . This way she was helping to protect me from any further problems. I was having a problem with her thinking she should do that anyway. She said she would do the surgery if I wanted her to but since I was having no pain or blood - she said I didn't really need it right now. So I said I would wait. She talked about pessaries but they didn't sound like something I was interested in either. There was no other help offered. Even my husband -who was with me at the time- thought she was a bit knife happy. Think I need a different Genealogist.

I wish that you would go over to the Resources tab, then look for the Video page, and watch the first video on the page. It's called The Whole Woman Approach. It's only about 20 minutes long. There is a "big picture" that you need to understand, about how pelvic organ support actually works. And yes, knife-happy is an understatement, this woman is dangerous!

You might also check out Christine's Hysterectomy page, to understand the functions of the uterus. - Surviving